Lillian's Italian Kitchen opened quietly on July 4, 2007. It's a joint venture of the owners, Joe and Charlotte Moreno and their sons Chris and Matt. Chris, who has worked in the restaurant business for the last nine years, runs the kitchen and Matt manages the business end of things. Joe oversees it all.
Natives of Santa Cruz with deep roots in the Italian-American community, the Moreno's dream was to open a neighborhood place that was an extension of their family kitchen. The inspiration was Grandma Lilly's wonderful home cooking. Lillian was devoted to family and friends and her life was greatly fulfilled by her love and passion for cooking. Born in Yonkers, New York, Lillian was able to combine traditional Sicilian recipes learned from her parents and the many Italian influences in her neighborhood.