The 16 Best Restaurants And Bars In Savannah

Compared to some other Southern cities, Savannah has historically been glossed over in favor of larger metropolises — and established dining hubs — like Charleston, Atlanta, and New Orleans. But this timeworn Georgia city has been on quite the cultural ascent of late, and its food scene has a lot to do with that renaissance. Nestled on the northeastern corner of the state, a few miles from the coast and amidst fertile terrain that lends itself to fresh ingredients year-round, Savannah is not only uniquely positioned for bountiful dining, but its chefs and restaurants know how to maximize it.

As evidenced by the fact that Savannah chef Mashama Bailey won the 2022 James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef, this is a city commanding the spotlight. Coupled with dining destinations new and old, from historic soul food institutions in colonial mansions to sleek new hotel restaurants putting spins on seasoned Southern staples, the city's distinct culinary landscape is just as stunning as its famed architecture and Spanish moss-lined roads. Here are the best restaurants and bars in Savannah.

If there's ever been a chef helping to forge a path forward and upward for Savannah's culinary community, all while honoring and harkening to the city's soulful roots, it's Rob Newton. The author of "Seeking the South," he's also the driving force behind Fleeting, a stunning new restaurant in the Thompson Savannah hotel that, in spite of its youth, feels like an instant classic. Located on the ground floor of the mod hotel in the city's burgeoning Eastern Wharf, Newton commands an ever-changing, dynamic menu that maximizes local produce, fish, and seafood (the Savannah River is literally right outside the front door), all served up in sleek confines by an expert team of consummate hospitality professionals.

Before dinner, stop for a sophisticated cocktail at Bar by Fleeting in the hotel lobby, then settle in for some serious wow factor at dinner. Hyper seasonal and locally sourced, the menu updates often, but elegant and intricate interpretations of coastal Georgia cuisine is rest assured. Start with a Georgia pork and cheese plate, or the country captain spring rolls, a riff on a curried chicken dish originated by sea captains, made with roasted rice powder, almond, vadouvan, and coconut. Larger plates include wood-grilled strip steak, pan-roasted market fish, and spiced duck breast, while sides offer the likes of a hefty shaved collard salad with cured egg yolk and anchovy dressing. Fleeting also offers breakfast, and the cocktail list devotes a section to impressive spirit-free libations.

A buzzy new entry on the Savannah food scene comes courtesy of one of the most acclaimed chefs in Chicago, as Andrew Brochu decamped Alinea Group to move South and open his dream project. The result is Brochu's Family Tradition, a rustic-chic newcomer in the Starland District that focuses on regional comfort foods like roasted oysters, fried chicken, shrimp, and banana pudding — albeit each and every item comes with a unique twist.

At once casual and elevated, offerings include a whole section devoted to oysters (raw, steamed, grilled, roasted, and casino-style with bacon and green pepper), plus chicken sandwiches, fried chicken, dirty rice with grilled chicken and egg yolk, and a familial chicken dinner that comes with thighs, charred breast, chicken salad, biscuits, and pickles. Other options include barbecue swordfish, cheeseburgers, cheddar rillettes, crab dip, honey pie, and banana pudding with bourbon bananas, while drinks include a few beers, bourbons, esoteric wines, and "boat drinks," a.k.a. tropical cocktails made with the likes of coconut gin, pineapple rum, and citrus cordials.

Despite the exciting surge of splashy new restaurants and swanky rooftop bars, Savannah will always be a city that honors its roots. The type of city that doesn't shun old-school institutions in favor of the hot new thing, that sentiment is made abundantly clear by the eternal popularity and omnipresent crowds at The Olde Pink House, a soul food fixture that's been open since 1971.

True to its name, the institution is an easy-to-spot pastel-pink building in a historic colonial mansion, where diners come from far and wide to feast on Lowcountry Southern suppers. At once timeworn and inventive, the menu bridges the gap between the old and the new, outfitting fried green tomatoes with sweet corn cream, stuffing spring rolls with shrimp, crab, and sausage, and rolling "Southern Sushi" in coconut-crusted nori. Entree options are numerous, from the iconic fried chicken and the deep-dish chicken pot pie to fried pork chops, pecan-crusted chicken, and ravioli stuffed with caramelized Vidalia onions and sweet potato.

Outfitted with numerous themed restaurants, lounges, cafes, and rooftop bars, the sprawling JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District is like the EPCOT of dining and drinking destinations in town, and chief among those must-visit watering holes is the singular Baobab Lounge. A love letter to the Mother Continent, this pan-African bar and lounge serves inspired snacks and sips in a transportive den lined with funky faux taxidermy, crocodiles dangling from the ceiling, and ostriches strutting alongside African art.

The signature drinks are among the most unique in Savannah, from Tamarind Martinis and rum punch spiked with baobab syrup to Nyati, made with bourbon, ginger liqueur, pineapple and lemon juices, sumac syrup, and both sassafras and sorghum. In addition to some South African wines, the menu also offers small plates like biltong, a type of South African dried meat, along with chicken skewers, beet hummus, malva pudding, and plantain tostadas topped with basil yogurt and spicy ground lamb.

Housed in a venerable corner location in the historic district, in a longstanding pub space originally operated by a London transplant, Six Pence Pub keeps the real-deal British vibes alive with flavors, beer, and ambiance that instantly transports guests from the streets of Savannah to a charming pub in the U.K. Steps from the iconic Savannah Theater, Six Pence Pub emerged in its current form in 1999, complete with British flags and a classic phone booth outside, and all manner of British Monarchy ephemera inside.

The Queen Elizabeth memorabilia isn't the only element that sings of British escapism, though. The pub is authentically cozy and rustic, outfitted with polished wood and lots of homey nooks and crannies to sit. Then there's the lengthy central bar, a comfy place to perch and sample English and Irish ales and ciders (remember that drinks can be taken to-go in this part of town, as the historic district has an open-container policy). The food is the most authentic part, from Scotch eggs and Welsh rarebit to shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and beef Guinness stew served in bread bowls.

With a look and feel more akin to Austin or Portland, Starland Yard is a fun and hip food truck park in the Starland District, offering a rotating roster of internationally inspired vendors, along with a Neapolitan pizzeria, a bar, and recurring live music and events. Vittoria Pizzeria is the only consistent food concept, courtesy of chef Kyle Jacovino, adjoined by a dynamic lineup of trucks slinging everything from cookies and burgers to grilled cheese, Italian ice, tacos, and Japanese rice bowls.

An outdoor drinking mecca, the resident Yard Bar boasts a deep selection of cocktails and beer, including a huge assortment of draft beers from Georgia breweries. Cocktails exceed food truck expectations with the likes of the March to the Sea, made with gin, mezcal, lemon, and carrot-ginger shrub, while seasonal hot cocktails offer winter warmers like the No Glitter, Please, with pumpkin cordial, allspice dram, spices, and coffee.

With Savannah's downtown historic district having open container laws that allow guests to take alcoholic drinks to-go and drink as they mosey, one of the best — and most unique — pit stops is The Georgia Tasting Room. This pint-sized bar may look frills-free and basic, more like a takeaway bottle shop than your standard bar, it's loaded with distinct drinks you won't find anywhere else in town, including a portfolio of impressive Georgia wines (which can be purchased by the cup or bottle), and a beer lineup that is entirely comprised of Georgia breweries.

The star attraction, though, is the wine smoothies. Not quite as health-centric as the name implies, these icy tipples are more like extra-boozy wine slushies, blending together Georgia wines in huge cups with add-ons like fruits, syrups, and spirits. A highlight is the Peach Sangria, a sunny blend of Southern peach with fruity sangria, as well as the Shenanigan Shake, with mango, piña colada, and key lime. Not boozy enough? The bar also serves frozen moonshine smoothies.

One of the great assets of Savannah is its close proximity to the coast and all the seafood and fish that comes with it. On nearby Tybee Island, residents and visitors have easy access to the beach, along with an endless array of beachside restaurants, dining docks, and open-air bars. Then there's A-J's Dockside Restaurant, a haven of seafood and super-sized cocktails in a league all its own.

Located on the island's interior side on a dock on the Back River, the restaurant and bar is a kitschy wonderland of seafaring memorabilia and eccentric comfort food. It's all best enjoyed on its namesake dock, where diners can feast and slurp under a canopy of colorful umbrellas as fishing boats dawdle by. The menu runs the gamut from boiled shrimp and conch fritters to po'boys, gumbo, fried oysters, and key lime pie, while the bar provides dozens of bottled beers and fruity margaritas in jumbo glasses.