Favorite restaurants in Savannah
 

Going to Savannah for 2 nights for the first time. Wondering what are some of your favorite restaurants in Savannah?Looking at the Olde Pink House - could only get a later reservation there- is that a must for dinner or is it just as good for lunch? Any other suggestions welcome! We will be three people, with our 11 yo daughter and just looking for great food.

The Pink House is good. Haven't had lunch there.

Try the Crystal Beer Parlor. Good food. Extensive mid-price menu. Good place to bring an 11-year-old.

Wiley's Championship BBQ http://wileyschampionshipbbq.com/

Look at their reviews: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...h_Georgia.html

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

Thank you, i should mention our 11 yo doesnt need a kid-centric restaurant. She is pretty well mannered and is used to eating at nice places. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

I liked The Gray. Gotten tons of press since they opened in the former Greyhound bus station.
Fun, youthful, lots of locals.

For BBQ B's sounds like the place to go.

Haven't had lunch at Pink House, only dinners. Lunch would surely be just as good. Also look at Leopolds Ice Cream-- more than just ice cream. I second the Crystal Beer Parlor--good food and wide selection of beers. We also like Jazz'd Tapas Bar (restaurant). And I've heard great things about B. Matthews eatery; friends always eat there. Finally, 39 Rue de Jean has opened in Savannah and if it's anything like the one in Charleston, then I'd try it too. But do go to Leopolds, even if it's just for the ice cream!

Wherever you eat, you should step into the Grey and take a look at the smashing renovation that they completed on the former bus station.
http://thegreyrestaurant.com/

If you want Italian food, there is Hugh Acheson's The
Florence, in an old ice factory on Victory Blvd.

http://www.theflorencesavannah.com/

Here are my notes on The Grey, from last year:


Our dinner there was very good even though Chef Bailey was not on the premises that evening.
A far cry from the old stalwarts in Savannah, this place (along with The Florence) look to be in the forefront of a new wave in the city's dining scene.

I began my dinner with the pickled oysters; interesting mix of flavors in those.
Two of us then shared the Lamb Roti, which was new on the menu and quite good although since I am not familiar with Trinidadian Roti I could not say if it hewed close to the traditional dish or not.

We moved on to the Pork Shank, a large chunk of braised meat which was tender and delicious, served with collards. With that, an order of some terrific chunks of sweet potatoes--some of the best I can remember.

With one cocktail and one glass of wine, the bill totaled $86. Service from Kaleb was warm and informative.

The renovation of the old Greyhound Station is a masterwork and worth seeing even if you just drop in for a drink.

Within walking distance of the hotels near the River, and most of the historic district, The Grey is about a block from The City Market.

700 Drayton , Vics on the River.

Thanks, Gretchen. I think a visitor needs to decide what kind of restaurant they want: Tried and true and maybe resting on their laurels, or new and exciting and perhaps untested.

I had a similar decision to make on a recent trip to New Orleans, where I chose to forego the old stalwarts in favor of newer places that were tweaking the old standards. Most people here might be aghast at this but it worked for me. I did the same in Savannah, choosing The Grey and The Florence over The Pink House. I am quite familiar with The Pink House from prior visits and actually worked on their first cookbook.

Will second the recommendation of Mrs. Wilkes, though note it's only open for lunch from 11am to 2 pm and lines can form early.

Some people don't like Paula Deen's place, The Lady and Sons, but I had a good experience there. It's a decent alternative if you can't get into Mrs. Wilkes.

https://www.opentable.com/rocks-on-t...?restref=49372

Go at night, great views.

We enjoyed Vic's on the River. Great views, good service and good food.
I know people love Mrs. Wilkes, but I feel it is over rated. You get HUGE amounts of food and it is a fun experience, but the food itself is not that wonderful.

Thank you all for your suggestions. My mouth is watering!

Great hole-in-the-wall lunch stop: Zunzi's for the famous Conquistador sandwich! And second the recommendation for Leopold's Ice Cream (quite possibly the best ice cream anywhere).

Ate at the Pink House and Lady and Sons. Had a better experience at the latter, but not a foodie so my tastes are simple.

I wonder about Mrs. Wilkes. It seems to me that the food is similar to what one might find in any number of buffet restaurants throughout the SouthEast, but at Mrs Wilkes the food is brought to the table instead of being laid out on buffet tables, and the price is at least double the price at the less famous buffets.

For example, we had plentiful and good food at the buffet at Schuler's in Latta, SC, just off I95, one of many, many of these types of places. (Yes, I do know that it is not near Savannah, just an example of what is out there..) So if you are driving through this area and for one reason or another cannot make it to Mrs. Wilkes, or do not want to stand on the inevitable line to get into Mrs. Wilkes, do realize that there are other options for this type of food. Just my own thoughts, have not been to Mrs. Wilkes in about 30 years but did stop in last year to take a look and saw the food on the tables.

Love Mrs. Wilkes but you have to like southern food. Everything is full of fat. If you're on a diet or a vegetarian, you might as well skip it. Love the Olde Pink House too.

Lunch at the Pink House is great.

I love Mrs. Wilkes too. It is authentic southern cooking, the kind that was served at dinner (lunch) for decades. Dinner/ lunch was the big meal of the day with a much lighter evening meal = supper. Supper was usually leftovers and often just the cornbread from dinner crumbled into a glass of buttermilk. Big meal at midday to fuel you up for the rest of the day doing hard manual work.

Places like Mrs. Wilkes are rare. They are grandfathered in as far as health codes go. When they disappear, they are gone. There were three places in the state; now there are two. After LaPrade's at Lake Burton burned, only the Smith House in Dahlongega and Mrs. Wilkes remain.

Yes, there are places that serve via buffet. The Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle is one of the best - at about the same price point.

The Dillard House (north GA mountains) serves a similar number of items brought to the table, but the table is just for you and your group. Similar price point.

Some people don't care for the "boarding house" experience. It's the way office people ate midday lunches for decades as well as travelers. Now these places are very rare.

The food doesn't come more authentic nor plentiful than Mrs. Wilkes. IMO it's a great experience and well worth the money. You can certainly eat for less at meat and three places all over the south. Small, family owned or larger. Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta is a very good option. But at Mary Mac's you'll pay about $15 for a meat + 3. Add in a glass of tea (or other) and you're about the same price point of Mrs. Wilkes, with three meats and a dozen veggies to choose from.

It's definitely not "light" eating, although you can choose to eat small portions.

Starrs that is very interesting! Thank you!