Along with stately oaks and Spanish moss, Savannah, Georgia is famed for its beautiful historic buildings and its excellent food. So what better way to experience the city as a history lover than to combine the two?
That's certainly what I did during my week-long visit in the city, so below are are my favorite historic restaurants in Savannah. They are all centrally located in the Historic Landmark District and all very walkable.
We visited all of these restaurants personally, as a selfless service to you, dear reader. Recommendations are based on quality of food, dining experience, age of the building, and historic ambience.
Note: We were seated pretty quickly at all these restaurants, with no reservations, but it was November and we tended to eat at off-peak times.
Note 2: Dates listed below refer to construction of the buildings, not the origins of the restaurant.
Now go forth and "dine historic"!
In This Post:
- Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room (1870)
- Planter's Tavern at The Olde Pink House (1789)
- Pirates' House (1734; c. 1753)
- Collins Quarter (1836-67)
- b. Matthews (1854)
- The Fitzroy (1854)
- The Ordinary Pub (1901)
- Crystal Beer Parlor (c. 1905)
- Chart House (c. 1790)
- Coco + Moss
- The Sentient Bean
- Honorable Mention: Vinnie Van GoGos
- What do you think?
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room (1870)
Best for: nationally famous southern food, social experience
Cuisine: traditional southern
No self-respecting article on Savannah's food can fail to mention Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. The building is beautiful and historic and the business is an institution, founded by its namesake as part of a boardinghouse in 1943. Mrs. Wilkes continued to manage the restaurant until her death in 2002 at age 95.
Alas, we were not able to fit it into our schedule so I can't include it in my personal rankings, but I'm certain it would have risen to the top like southern cream. Mrs. Wilkes' food is said to be some of the best in the city, especially the fried chicken, and it is served family-style around tables you share with friends you haven't met yet. The menu is set (bonus: no decision fatigue!) but rotates regularly.
As our experience shows, Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room is not easy to visit. This is part of its charm, but also means you should plan for where to fit it into your itinerary. It is only open Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm, and it is incredibly popular. Since reservations are not taken, a long line is virtually guaranteed.
It is a cheerful, convivial line on a beautiful oak-shaded street, but can be as long as an hour. We were fully prepared for the wait, but didn't realize it was only open on weekdays... so we didn't prioritize it until it was too late.
Have you been to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room? Please tell us about it in the comments!
Planter's Tavern at The Olde Pink House (1789)
Best for: historic building, dark romantic ambience, gourmet food
Cuisine: modern southern
The Planter's Tavern is a lesser-known gem located in the cellar of The Olde Pink House, a historic and very well-known gem that is super fancy, super expensive, and is booked several months out.
I was aware of the Pink House and had taken some photos of it, as seen here, but did not even bother trying to make a reservation for the aforementioned reasons.
However, on our last night in Savannah, we had a wonderful Lyft driver bring us back from Tybee Island, who gave us lots of great recommendations and information.
Jeff told us about the Planter's Tavern underneath the Pink House, along with the crucial information that it has the same menu as the famous main restaurant. He thought we had a pretty good shot at getting into the tavern, as it does not take reservations — and even more importantly, the local college had ended its term the very day before. It's apparently a very popular place with students.
So, after a quick stop at our Airbnb to spruce up a bit, we set out on the short walk to the tavern while trying to not to get our hopes up too high.
We descended some hidden stairs and opened an old door to a delightful scene of wood beams, romantic candlelight, and a live pianist and bassist playing classic Christmas music. Wow!
It was a packed house in a small space, but to our further delight, we were seated immediately at the bar. The cozy tables looked even better, but we were thrilled to be seated at all.
We were seated next to a friendly couple from Wisconsin, who have a perfectly Wisconsin career: they sell cheese packaging.
The bartender was outstanding. He made drinks for the entire tavern, took detailed food orders without writing anything down, and personally took care of all of us at the bar - all while remaining calm, cheerful, and friendly. He seemed happy to take the time to discuss drink choices and food ingredients and made all of us feel special.
And then there was the food. Holy moly it was amazing - The Olde Pink House menu is certainly worth the hype. We chose hush puppies for an appetizer with our cocktails, then I got a beautiful ravioli dish and Roland received a giant headless fish.
(Apologies for the bad lighting and poor quality photos - it was so dark in there that we had to use a phone flashlight!)
We also sampled several traditional southern sides. We were especially delighted to find Tillamook Cheddar Grits on the menu, since Tillamook is in our homeland of Oregon and we love their cheese. Those grits were incredible.
Another major highlight was the butter beans - it sounds like such a simple dish, but I love beans and the flavor knocked my socks off.
After dinner, we wandered around the historic space a little...
I also feel comfortable recommending The Olde Pink House upstairs, since the food is the same and I'm sure the atmosphere is fantastic, too. There's a reason it's booked so far in advance!
Pirates' House (1734; c. 1753)
Best for: oldest history and some arrrrrchaeology
Cuisine: southern, seafood
After a long day out at Bonaventure Cemetery and Wormsloe Historic Site, we asked our Lyft driver to take us directly to the Pirates' House for dinner. I had heard about its historic credentials somewhere, but had done no other research, so it was all a fun discovery.
It turns out that the Pirates' House was built in 1753 as a tavern and inn for visiting sailors. It is almost certainly the oldest restaurant in Savannah. It is very well preserved and emphasizes its history throughout.
Even more impressive, the Pirates' House contains what is said to be the oldest house in the state, built of local brick in 1734. It is right inside the main dining area and includes a few tables, so you might be lucky enough to be seated in there!
Called the "Herb House," this was the gardener's cottage for the Trustees' Garden, where the earliest settlers experimented with what would grow in this unfamiliar climate.
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If that wasn't enough, Robert Louis Stevenson visited the inn and it may have inspired the central story in Treasure Island. Early edition pages from this famous book, sent from the author's home city of Edinburgh, are proudly displayed in the restaurant's Treasure Room.
I'd expected a casual restaurant of pub food — fine dining doesn't really come to mind when thinking of pirates — but it turned out to be on the upscale side with white tablecloths and a refined menu of seafood and steak dishes.
It was not terribly expensive or in the least stuffy, however, and many fellow diners were families. Our server was wonderful - friendly and informative; attentive but chill; all with a bonus English accent.
We shared an appetizer of fried green tomatoes and each tried different seafood dishes for dinner. Everything was excellent.
After dinner, we explored the building, which was great fun. Even a trip to the restroom will lead you down maze-like hallways with frequent turns, interesting things on the walls, and glimpses into a surprising amount of rooms for private events.
One corner of the dining room contains an intriguing, glass-covered glimpse into the depths of what the sign calls "an eerie underground chamber" discovered by workmen in 1962. The sign asks visitors not to throw coins into it, because it upsets the ghosts.
In the other corner, you can peer down stone stairs, through an arch, and into a dark tunnel. According to legend (the sign says), this tunnel once ran from the inn's rum cellar all the way to the river - and was used to transport unconscious men to be shanghaied on ships with crew shortages.
Stairs near the entrance lead up to a large gift shop on the second floor, where I found an overpriced pirate cat T-shirt that I couldn't live without.
Collins Quarter (1836-67)
Best for: light brunch on the patio
Cuisine: modern, fresh American
There are two locations by this name in Savannah; one downtown and one on Forsyth Park.
We visited the downtown Collins Quarter, where we were seated on a sidewalk patio on Oglethorpe Avenue. It's a busy road but one of the most pleasant thoroughfares in Savannah, with generous green spaces and live oaks.
The restaurant's interior looks wonderful as well, with big windows, tall ceilings, and walls of bare stone and brick.
The service at Collins Quarter was outstanding. The host, server, and others were attentive, friendly, and quiet. I chose an iced chai and Smash Peas, which was toast topped with a unique combination: bright green peas smashed with mint, beet hummus, a poached egg, and halloumi cheese. It was incredibly delicious!
Roland went for the Avo Smash, which is avocado toast made fancier with heirloom tomatoes, beet hummus, poached egg, goat feta cheese, and sesame seeds. It was also excellent, but I liked mine slightly better for its uniqueness and greater depth of flavors.
Other brunch items on offer include Bananas Foster French Toast, Moroccan Scramble, and Open-Faced Breakfast Tortilla — see menu with drool-worthy photos here. If we had longer in Savannah, we would have gone back multiple times to try many other things and enjoy the interior ambience as well.
b. Matthews (1854)
Best for: date night
Cuisine: modern Southern
One afternoon we stopped for a drink in Abe's on Lincoln (historic and recommended, but not a restaurant) and got chatting with locals seated at the bar. I asked one of them where we should have dinner, he said b. Matthews, so that's where we went — no questions asked. It's located on East Bay Street, conveniently close to the river and our Airbnb on Factor's Walk.
We were seated right away at a table partially under a staircase. The waiter was a little concerned about our comfort, and my 6'4" dining partner was also concerned... but I loved the cozy Harry Potter vibes. I took the seat with the limited headroom and simply had to maintain my usual bad posture to have enough space.
There was only one vegetarian entrée but it sounded amazing and was amazing: risotto with butternut squash, mixed mushrooms, leeks, broccolini, Parmesan, and pistachios. Holy moly!
Roland's fancy burger looked really good too, which he confirmed, and the fries were exceptional - peels on and lightly battered with whatever magic makes extra crunchy, delicious fries. You know the ones.
Service was fantastic and our waiter was awesome as well. He said the menu was brand-new for fall and he hadn't tried many of the things, so really wanted our feedback. He was familiar with Oregon since he used to tour with a band in the Pacific Northwest and introduced me to a funny Instagram account about Portland.
The Fitzroy (1854)
Best for: historic and cool ambience, rooftop dining
Cuisine: elevated pub fare, craft cocktails
We chose the Fitzroy restaurant based on its historic building (of course), cool design, and especially - rumors of a rooftop patio. On our way upstairs, we admired the interior area as well - exposed brick, dark wood, cool bar. I regret that I didn't take any photos inside!
The Fitzroy rooftop is surrounded on three sides by historic walls and its view is only of a nondescript historic building across the street, but we still found it worth the experience. String lights criss-cross overhead, but unfortunately they were on the fritz during our visit — they turned on, but only with seizure-inducing flashing, so everyone agreed they were better left off. Heaters were available (and necessary) on the windy November night we dined there.
The entrees are meat-centric, but we made an excellent meal of appetizers and sides. First up was a rainbow of vegetables including green, yellow, and purple cauliflower, bell peppers, and multicolored carrots, served with an incredibly delicious beet hummus and a good tzatziki sauce. Pita chips aren't normally worth writing home about, but those were remarkably good as well.
We then shared a side of macaroni and cheese, which was amazing, and mushroom poutine, which was very good. I also wanted to try the ricotta toast, which includes roasted grapes and honey, but ran out of stomach room. Alas. They have a small menu of delicious-sounding desserts as well, but... alas.
The Ordinary Pub (1901)
Best for: delicious pub fare, fun ambience
Cuisine: pub food
The Ordinary Pub is located on Bronaugh Street, a major commercial thoroughfare in the historic district. The front door leads immediately down a flight of stairs to the basement, where you'll find a surprisingly large yet cozy pub.
We visited the Ordinary Pub at extraordinary speed on our last day, before heading to the airport for an evening flight. Our waiter was great about helping us choose dishes that would come out faster — and they were indeed served very fast.
We tried their Bananas Foster French Toast Sticks (a fun throwback to a childhood treat at Burger King, but better), Avocado Toast, and Loaded Pub Fries. The fries, covered in gouda cheese sauce and scallions, were SO good. I was sad I couldn't eat more before we had to run out of there.
Crystal Beer Parlor (c. 1905)
Best for: convivial atmosphere at a local institution
Cuisine: American pub food
Located on the southwestern edge of the Historic Landmark District, the Crystal Beer Parlor is a local institution in a residential neighborhood, a bit off the beaten tourist path.
It is very popular and was quite full when we arrived for an early dinner, but we were able to put our name on the list and sit at the bar for our estimated 30-minute wait time.
In the end, we decided to stay at the bar even when a table was ready for us. It was a convivial scene, with a busy but friendly bartender, a local couple on our right (who enjoyed teasing said bartender), and a man from Houston on our left.
The local couple are regulars - I was seated next to the husband and he said this is their Cheers and he is Norm. I had fun chatting with them about Savannah, while Roland talked architecture and politics with the Houston guy next to him.
They have an extensive array of local beers on tap and a large menu of traditional pub food. The full menu is available at the bar, so we started with a German soft pretzel — described as "about the size of a steering wheel" — with cheese sauce. I can confirm that it was bigger than my sizable camera and was really, really good.
Roland later ordered a burger with huge chunks of brie cheese, while I went with a plate of sweet potato fries. Both were good but not as amazing as others in town. I still recommend coming here, primarily for the 20th-century history, beer, and cheerful local atmosphere.
Chart House (c. 1790)
Best for: a fancy night out by the river
Cuisine: steak and seafood
The Chart House is part of a chain, but occupies an impressively historic building in a great location across a historic street from the Savannah River.
According to the official website, it is "the oldest masonry building in the state of Georgia." Other online sources, albeit none particularly authoritative, agree that it was a warehouse built before 1790 out of ballast stones brought in by trading ships.
We were the only crazy customers on the chilly outdoor terrace, where we enjoyed excellent food and service. We had outstanding cocktails as well, including a fancy wood-smoked concoction made right at our table.
Coco + Moss
Best for: lighter and healthier alternative
Cuisine: Japanese, poke
In the mood for something lighter and different than southern fare? Coco + Moss is a wonderful choice. Conveniently located on Ellis Square near the Savannah River, this modern Japanese restaurant offers a wide array of fresh sushi, grain bowls, poke bowls, salads, miso soup and more in a bright, casual, cool atmosphere.
I dined here three times during my week in Savannah and the service and food were excellent every time. I tried the miso soup, cucumber sushi, seaweed salad, grain bowl and salad.
On one occasion I inquired about mocktails and the server offered a custom creation she makes often for herself, then modified it to my preferences. It was absolutely delicious and included a rubber duckie!
The Sentient Bean
Best for: coffee and green eating (literally and figuratively)
Cuisine: vegetarian, breakfast
Located on the south side of Forsyth Park, the adorably-named Sentient Bean is a must for environmentally-minded foodies. It lands last on this list only because of its limited historic ambience and location outside the main historic district.
It serves organic, fair-trade coffee and vegetarian breakfast items. Their electricity comes from renewable energy sources, recycling and compost bins are provided, and all their to-go packaging is compostable.
The cafe is housed in an airy barn-like building filled with art and quirky details. Instead of a table number, you're given an old trophy, a fun touch that makes you feel like a winner. (In our case, we won a 2003 pie-eating contest.)
The menu contains a variety of tempting choices, most with a choice between vegetarian (with egg and cheese) or vegan (with tofu) versions. I had a breakfast burrito and my partner ordered breakfast tacos. They were both tasty but he made the better choice - those corn tortillas were awesome.
Honorable Mention: Vinnie Van GoGos
Best for: New-York-style pizza, so we hear
Speaking of witty names... we didn't get a chance to visit this pizza restaurant, located in the City Market area (in a non-historic building), but it was highly recommended by our Lyft driver, Jeff.
Jeff is not only a Savannah local but a former owner of a pizza restaurant who made a pilgrimage to New York to try 10 different pizzerias. He said there is something special about New York pizza - and that "something" is the water.
But... Jeff thinks Vinnie Van GoGos is better than 7 out of the 10 New York pizzas he tried. So, just thought you should know.
What do you think?
These rankings are obviously subjective and we could only visit so many restaurants during our week-long stay. So, if you're a Savannah local or have visited recently, I'd love to hear your opinion on my rankings. Did we miss any good ones??