Lilian is a Grey Lynn gem that feels like stepping into a European wine cellar warmed by a crackling pizza oven. Co-owners Hugo Baird, Willy Gresson, and Otis Gardner Schapiro have crafted a cosy 70-seat space centred on wood-fire cooking: expect the likes of blistered pizzas, charred octopus with romesco, grilled cabbage with beef-fat smokiness, and silky panna cottas for dessert. The menu is lovingly loose but skilful, driven by seasonal produce and bold technique. The wine list spans New Zealand, France, and Italy, and the service strikes a perfectly relaxed yet sharp tone. Lilian is a crowd‑pleaser with quiet depth.