A Local's Guide to Savannah

Introduction

Welcome to the sixth borough!

I love Savannah. I have lived in Savannah since 2019 and every time I start the familiar walk from our home near ghetto Kroger to the Forsyth Park fountain and then north up Bull Street to the river, I am still amazed by its beauty, the hospitality of its people, and its uniqueness.

Morgan and I have stayed, ate, and drank at pretty much every place in Savannah because the number one social activity amongst Savannahians is to stay, eat, and drink at every place so that when guests come to town (and guests are always coming to town), they get the best Savannah experience.

With that in mind, I am treating this list as if you were my Savannah guest. Amongst Morgan and me, and what we would do with you or recommend you do.

* All recommendations are in the downtown district except those

colored red, which are in the Starland/Victorian District.

Fun Fact to Know! Savannah is open-container in the downtown district. While that is technically from Gaston Street to River Street, in practice as long as you are north of Park Street (i.e. the last street of Forsyth Park) you are good to go.

Lodging.

The Best. Forbes Travel Guide, which is my only trusted source for hotels, does not include Savannah hotels in its rankings. However, based on stays there I believe these two hotels deserve a Forbes “recommended” ranking.

Perry Lane Hotel: The best hotel in terms of service and location. Their rooftop bar, Peregrin, has the best froze I’ve ever had, great views and an attractive but stand-offish staff. Fortunately, the staff in the hotel itself are great, the rooms are new, and the Emporium’s food is really good. One downside is no spa. Also, the preferred hotel of the actors and actresses who are filming things in Savannah if you are into celebrity sightings. Additional plus—it’s a Marriott brand hotel if you have a kajillion points.

Hotel Bardo: The former Forsyth Mansion has been completely remodeled (goodbye collection of women’s hats from the 1920s!!) and its brand new pool has been turned into the “it” spot in town (hello extremely attractive pool tiles that are slippery as ice when wet!). We stayed here our last time through Savannah and found that while the hotel is still going through its growing pains, the rooms are really well done and the pool lives up to the hype.

The Rest:

The Thompson: Not a great location--- on the way far-end of River Street that makes walking to anything past Broughton Street a mile-long jaunt, and not a great pool--- it is covered in shade most of the day and has no service, but the rooftop restaurant has really good pizza and the downstairs restaurant has a good brunch. The rooms were nothing to write home about—on the small side and with a level of amenities around the same as an Autograph Collection— but it is dog-friendly! We stayed four days here and really that’s the max I would recommend for a stay.

J.W. Marriott: Easily the best and most bustling lobby of any hotel in Savannah, maybe in the country. This is the crown jewel of the Kessler collection, a hotel magnate based in Savannah (his house is the Armstrong Mansion, the white behemoth at the end of Forsyth Park on the corner of Bull and Gaston Street) and his style is very eclectic. We once booked a random hotel in Orlando and as soon as we walked in and I saw a 5-foot statute of high heels covered in red sequins, I said to Morgan “this is a Kessler” and I was right! He was also the owner of the aforementioned 1920s women’s hat collection at Forsyth Mansion. He also looks exactly like Andrew Lloyd Weber if you eating somewhere and wonder why the British composer is eating next to you.

AirBnB: The most popular choice for the many, many bachelorette parties that come through this town. If you are considering a private home, I recommend you book through Lucky Savannah who has the best properties in the city.

Fun Fact! The collective noun for bachelorette parties in Savannah is a "woo of Beckys"

Dining.

Breakfast/Brunch.

Clary's: the most famous greasy spoon in town, due to being featured both in Forest Gump and Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil and it still looks like a true diner and has a central location. The only problem is it's not very good and usually crowded with tourists. I recommend instead you walk the two blocks to the Perry Lane hotel and breakfast at Emporium.

Goose Feathers: Great option if you are staying all the way downtown near Broughton Street and like Quiche Lorraine. I've honestly never had anything else from here because the quiche is so good.

The Grove: While it is in City Market i.e. a very touristy spot, and it attracts mostly tourists, the food and drinks are good enough that we still venture there on non-weekends. It's also very big, so it can handle parties even when other places are too crowded. I recommend a second-floor balcony for the best people-watching.

Foxy Loxy: Morgan's favorite place for coffee and it is right on Broughton Street! I've never had the food here.

Java Burrito: This was one of our favorite Hilton Head spots and I am glad to see it open a Savannah outpost. Even though it is called Java Burrito, I actually recommend the breakfast tacos instead. The location is pretty far east downtown too and so a lot of tourists do not venture over to it, making it a prime spot on busy weekends to get something without waiting too long.

Mate Factor: Our neighbors! Come for the Ol' St. Joe coffee, egg and cheese sandwich, spanakopita, and cinnamon rolls and stay for the free literature on joining the 12 Tribes of Israel. If you are lucky you will be able to see this Christian sect's 1960s van, the Peacemaker.

Collins Quarter at Forsyth Park: Another place we frequent, though never on the weekends when it is a mad-house. It is pricey, the service impersonal, and the food decent while being totally forgettable. Yet, its location and outside patio make it the perfect spot when the weather is nice.

Lunch/Dinner Casual

Starland Yard: This is Savannah's version of the outdoor beer gardens with food trucks that have sprouted up over every city. That being said, it is dog friendly, only a five minute drive/uber from Forsyth Park and Cafe Vitorria has the best Italian-style pizzas in town. The mixed drinks are only okay but decently-priced.

Treylor Park Pizza Party: The best slice of pizza if you're near Forsyth Park. They used to have a slice and Miller Lite lunch deal for $5 but it's risen in price to where it is only an okay deal now. This is deep-dish style pizza.

Vinnie Van GoGos: The best slice of pizza near Broughton/Bay Street and my pick for the best pizza in Savannah. These are large New York-style slices.

Olympia Cafe: Greek dive diner that is the only place on River Street I know of that locals actually go to and love. There is a sit-down side that has great fish and Greek food, but the to-go side is the only spot to get an amazingly delicious gyro.

The Wyld: Warning! This is neither downtown nor in Starland district, but it is on the water and the most low-country, marsh experience you can get without having to cross the border in Bluffton or Beaufort South Carolina. The pain-killers here are my favorite frozen drink in Savannah.

Sly's: A robust menu of slider burgers and two-bite hotdogs with the best French fries in Savannah.

Kayak: Good salads, good sandwiches and GREAT wings.

Lunch/Dinner Sit Down (cheapest to most expensive)

Green Truck: Easily the best burger in Savannah but getting a spot in the dining room can be difficult, even on weekdays. Also, they make their own ketchup for the french fries and it is...interesting (I bring my own ketchup).

Crystal Beer Parlor: This is a prohibition-aged burger joint that was bought by an off-shoot of the Greek family that owns Olympia Cafe. With its location on the far-west side of downtown and doing no advertising, this is definitely a locals-heavy place. The Greek-inspired food is the best and the beer list is extensive.

Flock to the Wok: My single-favorite restaurant in Savannah. This unassuming Chinese restaurant right off of touristy Broughton Street seems like it would be a forgettable tourist trap. Instead, the food is inventive, and they even have a cocktail lounge downstairs called the Peacock Lounge serving the most high-end cocktails in the city. I love the drunken noodles here but you cannot go wrong with any of the dishes.

Pirate House: It's a tourist trap. The food is mediocre, and it's overpriced. That being said, it does embrace the fact it's a tourist trap, the food is mediocre, and it's overpriced. It's old and comfortable in its own skin. Good to sit at the bar, split a watered-down drink and app and people watch the crowds of tourists coming in. Closest thing to Disney in Savannah.

Old Pinke House: Savannah's most famous restaurant and a cool spot. Avoid the restaurant and mediocre food and head directly to the basement for a drink. While it is nearly all tourists on the weekends, on weekdays, it is filled with Savannah's old money. This is a do-it-once-to-say-you-did-it spot.

Brochu's: This and Flock to the Wok are my two can't-miss spots in town. The only problem is getting a table on under 48-hour notice is nearly impossible. I recommend instead that you limit your party to two and try for a seat at the bar. The fried chicken (either half or full) is incredible.

Circa 1875: Savannah's classic French restaurant. Impossibly small and chic on the restaurant side, the bar side nearly always has space and has the same menu. You cannot go wrong with any French traditional dishes here, from escargot, to steak and frites. The most expensive meal I've eaten in Savannah was here, but also, I've come to the bar side on several early evenings for a bowl of their French onion soup and a crisp glass of Sancerre and been just as happy.

Husk: Savannah's best high-end restaurant, with prices to match. It specializes in both fresh takes on southern classics such as biscuits and honey, and mac and cheese, as well as putting southern touches on all-American classics such as pork and sword fish. We go about once a year for appetizers and drinks and while it's expensive, we've never had a bad time.

Coming Soon:

Here is the list of things I am working on for this guide:

- Best spots for drinks

- Spots to Avoid

- Three Day sample itinerary