Regional staples, such as fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and flaky buttermilk biscuits, are found easily in the Hostess City of the South, but a true taste of contemporary Savannah cuisine includes more than traditional Southern comfort dishes. Here are some singular bites to seek out on your next visit.
Pimento and sausage bagel from Big Bon Bodega
This chewy, wood-fired bagel is filled with a thick layer of pimento cheese, a disk of sausage and a hard-fried egg. Big Bon Bodega, a super casual mostly outdoor restaurant, features friendly service from lots of fresh young faces who are being trained by owner Kay Heritage. You can dine at one of the tables or benches in a converted garage.
— Martha Giddens Nesbit
2011 Bull St., Savannah. bigbonfamily.com.
Credit: Courtesy of Pirates House
Credit: Courtesy of Pirates House
Honey pecan fried chicken from the Pirates’ House
This dish features hot-to-the-bone fried chicken, tender and juicy from a buttermilk marinade, and gets an extra layer of crunch, salt and sweetness from a drizzle of honey pecan sauce that is thick as syrup. This entree is served with sauteed vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes.
— Martina Yvette
20 E. Broad St., Savannah. thepirateshouse.com.
Credit: Courtesy of Ann Van Brimmer
Credit: Courtesy of Ann Van Brimmer
Korean barbecue brisket from Back River Brewery
Chef Casey Gronner’s kitchen space is squeezed along one wall of a brewhouse, but his culinary creations are not afterthoughts. His Korean barbecue brisket is such a favorite that the sandwich, not the beer, often is the talk of this taproom located two blocks off the Tybee Island beach. Served on naan flatbread and topped with pickled red onions, tangy coleslaw and a special-recipe Korean barbecue sauce, the slow-cooked brisket leaves a lasting tart impression on the palette and the diner eager for the next bite. For those who don’t favor an acidic takeaway, the smoked prime rib melt is a fine substitute.
— Adam Van Brimmer
402 1st St. (second floor), Tybee Island. backriverbrewery.com.
Credit: Adriana Iris Boatwright
Credit: Adriana Iris Boatwright
Market fish over succotash from Cotton & Rye
Looking for a taste of nostalgia? Cotton & Rye offers fish (usually catfish) that is dusted with cornmeal, perfectly pan-fried and placed atop a mound of one of the South’s best farm side dishes — succotash. The catfish usually is fresh-water and almost always is served as a filet, due to its tough skin and plentiful bones. It’s the succotash that takes the dish over the top — butterbeans, corn off the cob, bell pepper bits, tasso ham and a creamy corn puree make this a dish worth sopping up with a piece of cornbread. Microgreens splayed over the fish top off this delectable dish.
— Martha Giddens Nesbit
1801 Habersham St., Savannah. cottonandrye.com.
Smoked pork ribs from Randy’s Bar-B-Q
You don’t need a fork or knife when you pick up your ribs from Randy’s, but you will want napkins — lots of them. The pork comes already cut and is slathered in a mustard paste barbecue sauce that Goldilocks would appreciate — not too sweet and not too spicy, a perfect complement to the flavorful meat. Randolph Frazier’s no-frills storefront, located just east of the Historic District, is a true grab-and-go, with no dining room and not even a table or bench outside. The menu includes only four items — ribs, chicken, deviled crab and cake for dessert — so you’ll want to provide your own sides.
— Adam Van Brimmer
750 Wheaton St., Savannah. Order ahead at 912-412-2671.
Credit: Rosana Lucia
Credit: Rosana Lucia
Fried green tomatoes from Sundae Cafe
Finding a casual fine-dining restaurant in a former ice cream shop in a strip mall is a welcome surprise. Sundae Cafe’s delicious fried green tomato appetizer is sprinkled with goat cheese. The green tomatoes are sliced thickly, battered, fried and served hot. The restaurant offers a serving of four as an appetizer, drizzled with apricot horseradish sauce and sprinkled with feta cheese. If, for some reason, you don’t want your tomatoes fried, you can have them blackened and topped with grilled scallops as a main course. Either way, Sundae Cafe, open for dinner only, is worth the trip to Tybee.
— Martha Giddens Nesbit
304 1st St., Tybee Island. sundaecafe.com.
Credit: Courtesy of Chiriya's
Credit: Courtesy of Chiriya's
Chiriya’s special noodles from Chiriya’s Thai Cuisine
The signature noodle dish at this neighborhood eatery is named for the proprietor but just as easily could carry the name of her husband, John Moore. Traditional pad thai is a favorite of his, but when the couple moved from Hawaii to Texas, none of the nearby grocers sold the thin rice noodles needed. The stores did stock ramen, though, so Chiriya substituted the dorm room staple. Her husband liked the dish so much that he suggested it be part of the menu when the restaurant opened in 2007. Chiriya’s also offers pad thai, but the special noodles are a big hit with customers. Those who like heat should ask for the dish to be prepared “scorpion hot.” If you have someone in your party in the mood for something other than Thai food, consider the Hawaiian burger — teriyaki-marinated beef topped with fresh pineapples.
— Adam Van Brimmer
3017 E. Victory Drive, Thunderbolt. chiriyasthaicuisine.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Goldenboy from Goody’s
Across the street from its sister restaurant, Bull Street Taco, the new breakfast and lunch spot Goody’s hit the ground running with the Goldenboy — a hearty fried chicken breast on a large house-made biscuit. Rich add-ons, including a fried egg, cheese and honey butter, are available, but the dish is decadent enough on its own. It’s available on the breakfast menu, 7-11 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays.
— Bill Dawers
1526 Bull St., Savannah. goodyssavannah.com.
Credit: Adriana Iris Boatwright
Credit: Adriana Iris Boatwright
Cauliflower tacos from Bull Street Taco
This favorite local Hispanic spot offers battered and fried cauliflower florets as a taco filling. Served on a flour tortilla, with a smear of sauce, shredded lettuce and a sprinkling of cheese, the cauliflower taco is a customer favorite, particularly with the flavorful carnita — heavily seasoned bits of roast pork and pineapple chunks. A margarita or some sangria can turn this little taco duo into a celebration. Located in the popular Starland District, Bull Street Taco is friendly, casual, affordable and authentic.
— Martha Giddens Nesbit
1608 Bull St., Savannah. bullstreettaco.com.
Credit: Adam Van Brimmer
Credit: Adam Van Brimmer
Savannah shrimp and grits from the Public Kitchen & Bar
You can’t swing a cast net around Savannah without hitting an eatery with shrimp and grits on the menu. The Public Kitchen’s take on the dish attracts even Yankee transplants who substitute hash browns for grits at breakfast. The grits are simmered with bacon and cheddar cheese, and plump local shrimp share space in a sherry cream gravy with sweet peas, bits of chorizo sausage and tomatoes.
— Adam Van Brimmer
1 W. Liberty St., Savannah. thepublickitchen.com.
Credit: Courtesy of Chive
Credit: Courtesy of Chive
Chilean sea bass from Chive Sea Bar and Lounge
Are you in the mood for an intimate dinner in a casually elegant restaurant? Try Chive’s spectacular steak of Chilean sea bass, perfectly cooked, drizzled with Asian-inspired red curry sauce and served on a bed of flavorful orzo. There are travelers who order the sea bass at Chive every time they are in the city. It doesn’t hurt that Chive’s décor is classy, the wait staff is experienced and attentive, and the specialty drinks are delicious. They don’t take reservations, so try coming early or late.
— Martha Giddens Nesbit
4 W. Broughton St., Savannah. chivelounge.com.
Credit: Stephen B. Morton for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Credit: Stephen B. Morton for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Haitian cookies from Unforgettable Bakery and Cafe
Owner and self-taught baker Belinda Baptiste has built a reputation for layer cakes with signature cream cheese icing and a variety of pound cakes, but the cookies that reflect her Haitian heritage are singular. There is bon bon amidon, a melt-in-your-mouth starch cookie made with cornstarch. Bon bon sirop and komparét both are dense cookies reminiscent of gingerbread. The former is made with dark sugar cane syrup (the “sirop”) while the latter brings the zing of crystalized ginger and supporting notes of coconut, honey and warm spices. Load up on these sweet Caribbean treats at the shop, hit up its booth at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market every Saturday, or order them online for shipping nationwide.
— Ligaya Figueras
238 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah. unforgettablebakery.com.
Credit: Courtesy of Leopold's Ice Cream
Credit: Courtesy of Leopold's Ice Cream
Tutti-frutti from Leopold’s Ice Cream
This ice cream parlor has been churning its tutti-frutti flavor since its founding in 1919 by brothers George, Peter and Basil Leopold. Their recipe features rum ice cream studded with candied fruit and roasted Georgia pecans. It tastes like an ultra-creamy frozen take on fruitcake. Waiting in line under the bright red Leopold’s sign for a scoop or two of this famed ice cream completes a Savannah rite of passage.
— Martina Yvette
212 E. Broughton St., Savannah, and two locations at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. leopoldsicecream.com.
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on X and @ajcdining on Instagram.
