Savannah’s food scene runs on butter, coastal seafood, and family-style tables where strangers end up sharing a meal. Eight dishes keep showing up as the ones worth planning a trip around.
Shrimp and Grits
Savannah’s version of this Lowcountry staple leans into plump, garlicky shrimp sautéed in a rich sauce over stone-ground grits cooked until custardy and thick. The sauce should coat every bite without drowning the texture of the grits underneath.
The Public Kitchen & Bar has held onto its reputation for the city’s best version for years running, according to regulars. Theirs comes with crumbled sausage and a deeply flavorful sauce that keeps people coming back specifically for this dish.
Fried Chicken
A proper Southern fried chicken plate here means a crisp, well-seasoned crust giving way to genuinely juicy meat underneath. Nothing about it should taste rushed, from the seasoning in the flour to the oil temperature it’s fried in.
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room serves its chicken family-style at shared tables of ten, and diners routinely call it the best they’ve ever had. The wait outside can stretch past an hour, and almost everyone who’s tried it says it was worth standing in line.
Fried Green Tomatoes
Firm, tart green tomatoes get sliced thick, coated in a crisp cornmeal crust, and fried until golden while the inside stays slightly tangy and soft. The contrast between the crunchy exterior and the tomato’s tartness is the whole appeal…