Address: King St, Accrington.

Phone number: 01254 232883

Lancashire Telegraph review by John Anson from August 27, 2011.

SHELTERING under the iconic railway viaduct in the heart of Accrington town centre, Lily Mae’s has quietly established itself as a firm favourite for those seeking respite from the shopping.

It has expanded considerably since the last time we visited shortly after it opened and there’s now a lounge area with comfy sofas and newspapers on hand as well as several dining areas.

There are simple table and chairs plus some circular ‘booths’ offering a little more privacy Lily Mae’s is one of those places where you can enjoy a cuppa and a chat or a full blown meal.

The menu is pretty extensive but is very much on the homely side rather than fine dining.

Calling in one lunchtime I went for the Lily Mae burger with potato wedges and spicy salsa while the better half stuck to a jacket potato with cheese.

A large foaming capaccino and a large Coke took the total bill to £13.25, decent value for the size of the portions.

The burger was a genuine half pounder of ground beef, with lettuce and fresh tomato and the wedges were enormous affairs.

What was surprising was that they also came with the jacket potato.

I’ve never heard of a double potato dish before and actually were totally unnecessary.

The jacket spud itself was first rate and the friendly staff actually listened to our request not to melt the cheese on top.

You’d be surprised at how many establishments that’s not the case.

Even though it was lunchtime and Lily Mae’s was reasonably busy we did not feel hurried in any way and were able to enjoy a leisurely lunch in friendly surroundings.

You can see why it’s become so popular.

Lancashire Telegraph review by Jason Kayley from October 20, 2008.

TUCKED away in the side streets of Accrington is a little piece of chic that must be the town’s best kept secret.

For just under the arches at the bottom King Street lies Lily Mae’s, an English restaurant with a modern twist.

I’ll be honest and admit that I’ve never taken much notice of that part of town. It’s just somewhere I go past.

And when we stumbled across it in the middle of starting our Christmas shopping (yes, I’m aware it’s October) we were on our way to McDonalds.

I always like trying new places and this was a very pleasant surprise, to say the least.

The swish yet minimalist exterior says “posh and expensive” but, while the former is true, the latter certainly isn’t.

With the pine floors, modern furniture and the pretty lighting, Lily Mae’s provides a relaxed and calm atmosphere — handy as we were in mad Christmas shopping mode.

A look at the menu is a pleasant surprise. There’s plenty of choice for vegetarians and a few dishes that sound a little bit different, like scrambled egg and chorizo sausage.

But being a carnivore and something of a creature of habit, I kept it simple and went with a hot beef and onion sandwich. It came with salad and a pile of wedges for under a fiver.

It was a decent-sized meal and the beef was succulent but the wedges were a real success. Light and fluffy potato and a beautifully crispy coating. Nice.

My partner, Michelle, went for carrot and parsnip soup, which came with a bread roll and wedges. Again, Michelle was very pleased with her choice and thoroughly enjoyed her lunch.

Throw in a cup of coffeee and a hot chocolate and the bill came to £11.90 — very reasonable.

So if you fancy a little bit of luxury, go and visit Lily Mae.

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