This month’s biggest restaurant news from the Georgia coast

Brandon Carter and Joseph Harrison at Common Thread were named semifinalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category, and Lone Wolf Lounge is the only establishment in Georgia named as a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar.

Carter said that he was unaware of the announcement date for the James Beard semifinalists until his phone began blowing up with congratulatory texts on the first day of “Snowmageddon 2025.”

One of the first messages that Carter received was from Cheryl Day, who along with her husband Griffith Day was a semifinalist a decade ago in the Outstanding Baker category for their work at Back in the Day Bakery.

The bakery and supper club Flora + Fauna, one of Common Thread’s sister establishments in the FARM Hospitality Group, now occupies the building that was home to Back in the Day before it closed in early 2024. FARM Bluffton, StrangeBird and Wildflower Cafe are also part of the same group.

Carter said that Harrison joined the Common Thread team as a line cook soon after the restaurant opened in January 2021 and quickly rose through the ranks because of his determination, work ethic and sheer cooking ability.

“He’s a dominating force,” Carter said of Harrison.

“I think that our success is really because of our amazing team,” Carter said. “I know that’s what I’m supposed to say at a moment like this, but I’ll tell you it’s the god’s honest truth.”

Carter views the announcement of the James Beard semifinalists as good news for Savannah’s tight-knit dining scene.

“I think that those of us who live in the Savannah area have known that we have something very special brewing down here,” Carter said. “I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have several other restaurants that are poised to stand on the podium.”

Credit: (Courtesy of Lone Wolf Lounge / photo by sv_images)

Credit: (Courtesy of Lone Wolf Lounge / photo by sv_images)

Carter also said that he was “stoked” for the folks at Lone Wolf Lounge, an unassuming spot just five blocks away from Common Thread.

Since opening in 2018, Lone Wolf has focused on fostering local support despite being in a destination city.

“We’re honored for our staff to be able to represent Savannah this year alongside our friends at Common Thread,” said Lone Wolf Lounge co-owner Andrew Jay Ripley. “The Savannah bar and restaurant community is creating some incredible experiences with enthusiasm and expertise.”

“We consider ourselves to be a neighborhood bar - we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we’re very serious about what we provide to our community,” said Ripley, who noted the bar’s collaborations with talented neighbors, including artists, musicians, chefs, bartenders, farmers and producers.

Common Thread was included in the AJC’s Savannah dining guide in 2024, and Lone Wolf Lounge was in the accompanying roundup of top bars.

James Beard Award finalists will be announced April 2, and winners will be announced at the award ceremony on June 16 in Chicago.

Common Thread, 122 E. 37th St., Savannah. 912-944-7482, commonthreadsavannah.com

Lone Wolf Lounge, 2429 Lincoln St., Savannah. lonewolfsav.com

Credit: (Courtesy of Common Thread / photo by John Park)

Credit: (Courtesy of Common Thread / photo by John Park)

Popular waterfront restaurant in McIntosh County reopens

The Fish Dock Restaurant & Bar, which offers sweeping views across the Sapelo River in McIntosh County, reopened in early January after a temporary closure of about four months.

Owner Charlie Phillips said that the downtime was necessary to make some staffing changes and do maintenance work on the sprawling building, which for three decades was home to the restaurant Pelican Point owned by Charlie’s father Mike Phillips. Charlie bought the restaurant and changed its name in 2015.

Credit: (Courtesy of Common Thread / photo by John Park)

Credit: (Courtesy of Common Thread / photo by John Park)

Phillips said that the Fish Dock’s menu continues to focus on local sustainable seafood. The larger entrees include fried seafood platters, a daily catch, pasta and steaks. The menu also offers a variety of starters, sandwiches and salads.

Since reopening, the new crew has been trying out some new specials and listening to customers about menu additions. Phillips said that he is also watching the turbulent political environment for potential impacts on seafood prices.

In addition to the Fish Dock, Phillips owns the nearby businesses Phillips Seafood and Sapelo Sea Farms, so he is in a unique position of being able to supply much of the product for his own restaurant.

Credit: (Courtesy of Common Thread / photo by John Park)

Credit: (Courtesy of Common Thread / photo by John Park)

“If you take care of your environment, then your environment will take care of you,” said Phillips, who also serves as president of the Georgia Shellfish Growers Association and is a member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team.

“Teaching people how important it is to take care of water quality is one of the main reasons that I wanted to keep the restaurant,” Phillips said.

The Fish Dock Restaurant & Bar, 1398 Sapelo Ave., Townsend. 912-832-4295, fishdockrestaurant.com

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BE A TIPSTER! Got insider info about dining on the Georgia coast? Send your scoop (we welcome restaurant recommendations, too!) to ligaya.figueras@ajc.com.

About the author: Bill Dawers is a freelancer based in Savannah. A native of Frankfort, Kentucky, he lived in St. Louis and Philadelphia before moving nearly 30 years ago to Savannah to enjoy the city’s quirks, charms and beauty. He also teaches at Georgia Southern University.

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