Eating in Savannah: A Food Guide

Eating in Savannah

Savannah’s food scene punches well above its population weight. The combination of SCAD-driven creative energy, proximity to Georgia’s coast and agricultural regions, and a sustained national interest in Southern cooking has produced a cluster of genuinely excellent restaurants. The best are concentrated in the historic district and the Starland District, with a few worth-knowing options on River Street for convenience. This guide covers the full range, from high-end dinners to the city’s best ice cream.

The Grey and The Grey Market

The Grey at 109 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd is the most acclaimed restaurant in Savannah and one of the most discussed in the American South. It occupies the restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal — the curved Art Deco lunch counter, the tile work, and the curved ceilings have all been preserved and integrated into a genuinely beautiful dining room.

Chef Mashama Bailey’s cooking she describes as Port City Southern — deeply rooted in the food traditions of coastal Georgia, the Low Country, and West African culinary heritage. Shrimp with rice, oxtail, smothered collards, and Georgia cobia are staples of the approach; the menu changes regularly. Entrees approximately $32–$55 as of 2026. A reservation is necessary and often requires two to three weeks’ planning for weekend service.

The Grey Market operates next to The Grey from the same kitchen team, in a counter-service format. Sandwiches, grain bowls, deviled eggs, and house-made pickles; most items approximately $12–$18. Open Tuesday–Saturday for lunch and early dinner. An efficient way to experience the kitchen’s sensibility without the reservation commitment.

Husk Savannah

Husk at 12 W Oglethorpe Ave applies chef Sean Brock’s well-known philosophy to Savannah: only ingredients grown and produced in the American South can appear on the menu. The physical setting — a 1896 Victorian mansion in the historic district — is one of the most atmospheric dining rooms in Georgia.

The menu changes daily based on what arrives from partner farms; expect wood-roasted proteins, serious vegetable cookery, and Southern grain preparations. Entrees approximately $28–$52. Reservations strongly advised; book via OpenTable. Closed Monday.

Cotton & Rye, Starland District

Cotton & Rye at 1801 Abercorn St is the anchor restaurant of the Starland District, approximately half a mile south of Forsyth Park. The kitchen does Southern comfort food with care — shrimp and grits, fried chicken, pimento cheese biscuits — and the weekend brunch is consistently among the most popular in the city. Entrees approximately $18–$36. The bar program is strong for a neighborhood restaurant of this scale. Reservations available and recommended on weekends; closed Monday.

Local Seafood

Georgia shrimp, blue crab, oysters from Georgia’s coast, and fresh-caught fish are the foundations of Savannah coastal cooking.

The Wyld Dock Bar — 2740 Livingston Ave (approximately 4 miles southeast of historic district, on the Herb River). A waterfront bar and kitchen on a dock, serving excellent Low Country boil, oysters, and fried shrimp in a completely unpretentious setting. Most mains approximately $16–$26. The setting — over the water, with boats at the adjacent dock — is unique in Savannah. Takes reservations; rideshare recommended.

Huey’s on the River — 115 E River St. A reliable River Street option for seafood without the tourist-bait quality of many River Street neighbors. Shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and fish tacos; entrees approximately $18–$32.

JB’s Seafood Shack (Tybee Island, 1402 Butler Ave). For the full Low Country coastal experience — fried shrimp, crab claws, boiled peanuts — this Tybee Island institution is the easiest recommendation. Plates approximately $14–$24.

Southern Comfort and Neighborhood Dining

The Ordinary Pub — 217 W Bryan St. A British-inspired pub that sources local Georgia products seriously. The menu crosses pub comfort (sausage rolls, scotch eggs) with genuinely good Georgia seafood and vegetable preparations. Entrees approximately $16–$28. A reliable choice for a casual dinner without a long planning horizon.

Alligator Soul — 114 Barnard St. Upscale Southern cooking in a subterranean brick-vaulted dining room that was a Civil War-era warehouse. The duck, alligator, and wild boar preparations are the most distinctive items. Entrees approximately $28–$48.

Public Kitchen and Bar — 1 W Liberty St. A mid-range Savannah institution in a restored Liberty Street building, with a long menu of Southern and American comfort food. The bar is popular for a late-night drink; entrees approximately $18–$32.

Leopold’s Ice Cream

Leopold’s Ice Cream at 212 E Broughton St is a Savannah institution since 1919, now run by the fourth generation of the Leopold family. All ice cream is made on-site in small batches. The Tutti Frutti (the original flavor, dating to 1919) and the Lemon Custard are the most locally beloved, but the seasonal rotation includes Honey Lavender, Pralines and Cream, and others.

Single scoops approximately $5–$6 as of 2026. Waits in summer and on weekends can reach 30–45 minutes but the line is outside in a pleasant location on Broughton Street — one of Savannah’s main shopping streets. Worth it.

Farmers Markets and Provisions

Forsyth Farmers Market — Forsyth Park, Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m., year-round. One of the best urban farmers markets in Georgia, with local produce, pastured meats, artisan cheese, baked goods, prepared food, and coffee. The weekend social hub for Savannah residents.

Broughton Street Corridor — The main retail street through the historic district has a small but improving collection of specialty food shops, bakeries, and coffee bars, including The Vault Kitchen and Market (at City Market) for picnic provisions.