Lily Bell’s Food Truck Opening Permanent Location

Blue crab sandwich from Lily Bell’s “IS” Fine Dining. Photo courtesy of Shawn Jackson.

Shawn “Mrs. Shea” Jackson, owner of Lily Bell’s “IS” Fine Dining, receives up to 10 phone calls each day from customers seeking to make reservations.

There’s just one problem: her business has no physical dining room.

For the past five years, Lily Bell’s has operated as a food truck and catering company, and is often on the move throughout the Milwaukee area. But that’s all about to change.

This fall, Jackson plans to launch a permanent location for the business on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side. Lily Bell’s Cafe, tentatively set to open in early November, will bring crowd-favorites such as catfish po’boys, jerk chicken and Tennessee honey cake to 8560 W. Brown Deer Rd., joining a slate of other businesses in the strip mall-style building.

Since starting the business in 2019, Jackson has become a local authority on homestyle Southern food. But before Jackson, there was her mother, Lillian.

“Her name is Lillian, but she called herself Lily,” Jackson said. “And she was a cook. My mother was the best cook.”

During the holidays, Jackson would often call her mother to inquire “how do you cook this, mother? What’s the recipe for that, mother?”

Over time, she built up a memory bank of ingredients, flavors and techniques. But she didn’t stop there. When her mother passed away in 2012, Jackson processed her grief in the kitchen.

“I have her in my genes,” she said. “She loved to cook, and when I get sad, I cook.”

As she continued to deepen her knowledge of soul food, Jackson discovered an interest in Caribbean cooking, which she developed through several trips to Jamaica.

In 2019, Jackson consolidated a lifetime of experience, passion and continual learning into a professional culinary venture, Lily Bell’s “IS” Fine Dining.

The food truck, like Jackson herself, was influenced by those who came before. Lily, for her mother, and Bell’s, for her grandmother, Annie Bell Jones. IS stands for Italian soul — a nod to Jackson’s best friend, who is from Italy.

“As we were growing up, we always said we would open a restaurant and call it IS, Italian soul,” Jackson said.

Over the past five years, the food truck has become a regular vendor at events throughout the Milwaukee area, offering a diverse menu of Caribbean and soul foods, ranging from cocolily pineapple chicken (cocolily is a Jamaican fruit) to barbecue pork ribs.

Jackson is also known for her desserts, including caramel cake, Tennessee honey pecan cake and chocolate butterfinger slice.

But running a food truck is hard work, and it’s taken a toll on Jackson, who has suffered a string of work-related injuries including two broken bones in her leg.

“It just began to get a little stressful,” she said. “I love the food truck, I love my customers; however, it was just too much.”

Jackson said the cafe will allow her to keep cooking for customers while putting less strain on her body. She plans to continue operating the food truck, but only in the summer.

The cafe, once open, will regularly offer meals for pick-up and delivery, but will also host guests — for reservation only — in its intimate dining space, which has room for just 12 customers at a time.

On the menu, guests can expect a wide array of Lily Bells’ signature items — po’boys, pork chops, greens, dressing — along with new additions like prime rib and potatoes, fufu and more.

Jackson is purchasing new equipment for the brick-and-mortar space, which will allow her to diversify the menu; however, fried foods will be more difficult to produce, she said.

As a result, fried items will be offered only on Fridays. Mondays will likely feature a Caribbean-themed menu, while Tuesdays will be reserved for tacos. On Sundays, the cafe will serve soul food.

“On Sunday, people go to church,” Jackson said. “After church, they’re looking for some greens, they’re looking for some dressing, they’re looking for some pork chops and looking for some chicken. And I will have that for them.”

There’s no doubt that Lily Bell’s creates delicious food — the reviews speak for themselves — but that’s just a part of the business for Jackson, who aims to prioritize service above all.

“My slogan is ‘a taste of love in every bite,'” she said. “I tell all of my customers at Lily Bell’s, ‘you are appreciated and you are loved.'”

Hours for the new business are not yet finalized, though Jackson plans to open six days a week for breakfast and dinner. She also noted the cafe will be open for Thanksgiving, but closed over the Christmas holiday.

Updated hours and an official opening date will be shared via Facebook. Additional information is available on the Lily Bell’s website.

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