The 22-square grid laid out by James Oglethorpe in 1733, bounded roughly by River Street, Forsyth Park, MLK Jr Boulevard and East Broad. Husk, The Grey, Olde Pink House, Mrs. Wilkes and Leopold's Ice Cream all sit here.
Mashama Bailey's Grey runs from a restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal on MLK, a Port City Southern menu rooted in West African and Lowcountry technique.
Signature: Foie gras and country ham, Country captain
Order: Whatever is running in the dining room that night; the bar serves a tighter Diner Bar menu walk-up.
Tip: Book via Resy for the formal Dining Room. The Diner Bar takes walk-ups along the bar and runs a la carte until close.
The fourth Husk opened on Oglethorpe in January 2018, running the heritage-grain Lowcountry programme Sean Brock built at the original Charleston room.
Signature: Wood-grilled coastal Georgia fish, Heirloom-grain plates
Order: Whatever the wood grill is running tonight, paired with a glass of small-producer Southern wine.
Tip: Reserve via Resy. The bar serves the full menu walk-in 17:00 onwards. Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday 10:00-14:00.
An institution in the 1771 Habersham mansion on Reynolds Square, serving classic Southern menus in candle-lit upstairs rooms and a Planters Tavern basement.
Signature: Crispy scored flounder, She-crab soup
Order: The crispy scored flounder with apricot shallot sauce, plus the she-crab soup as a starter.
Tip: Book OpenTable a week ahead for upstairs; the Planters Tavern in the basement is first-come and runs the same menu.
Saint Bibiana inside Hotel Bardo opened September 2023, now led by executive chef Jim Anile; coastal Italian, house-made pasta, wood-fired plates, aperitivo.
Signature: House-made pasta, Al fresco spritzes
Order: Whatever pasta is on the chalkboard tonight, plus a spritz on the courtyard.
Tip: Book Resy 2 weeks ahead for dinner; brunch on Friday to Sunday 8:00-14:00.
Adventurous Southern in a Colonial cellar on Telfair Square since 2003. Cajun-Creole technique meets coastal Georgia, with a wild-game special board nightly.
Signature: Candied alligator, Wild boar volcano shank
Order: Candied alligator to start; whichever wild game is on the special board for main.
Tip: Book OpenTable. The Marsou Room runs a 7-course chef's tasting by separate reservation.
Vic's runs in a restored 1859 cotton warehouse on Bay Street, river views through the upstairs dining room. Classic Lowcountry, white-tablecloth service.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Crab cakes
Order: Shrimp and grits with the Carolina shrimp sauce, plus a crab cake to share.
Tip: Ask for an upstairs window seat at reservation time for the Savannah River view.
Brandy Williamson's Public Kitchen sits at Liberty and Bull opposite Madison Square. Midcentury-modern, local-farm bistro menu, indoor-outdoor seating.
Signature: Crab cake sandwich, Coastal Georgia fish
Order: The crab cake sandwich at lunch; the coastal fish plate at dinner.
Tip: Reserve OpenTable for dinner; lunch and brunch usually take walk-ins.
Treylor Park anchors a string of Bay Street rooms running playful Southern bar food in a brick courtyard. Chicken-and-pancake tacos, a long bourbon list.
Signature: Chicken and pancake tacos, PB&J wings
Order: The chicken and pancake tacos, plus a round of PB&J wings.
Tip: Walk-in only; expect a wait after 19:30 on weekends. Patio fills first.
Anthony Debreceny's Australian Collins Quarter opened on Bull at Oglethorpe Square in 2014, the city's brunch flagship since. A second by Forsyth Park.
Signature: Avocado smash, Lavender mocha
Order: The avo smash on sourdough with poached eggs, plus a lavender mocha.
Tip: Brunch is first-come, first-served; arrive by 09:30 on weekends or expect a wait. Dinner takes OpenTable bookings.
B. Matthew's has run from an 1850s building on East Bay for over two decades, brick walls and wooden beams under a daily-changing brunch board. A mainstay.
Signature: Fried green tomato and crab cake benny, Bourbon bacon burger
Order: Fried green tomato and crab cake benny at brunch; the bourbon bacon burger at dinner.
Tip: Book OpenTable for brunch on weekends or expect a 30 minute wait.
Sorry Charlie's runs an oyster bar in one of Georgia's oldest commercial buildings, overlooking Ellis Square. Raw bar, steam pots, Bamboo Room tiki upstairs.
Signature: Raw oysters, Steam pots
Order: A dozen Sapelo oysters on the half-shell, plus a Lowcountry boil for two.
Tip: Happy hour runs daily 16:00-18:00 with discounted oysters. Rooftop and tiki bar open evenings.
Fleeting at the Thompson Savannah runs coastal fine dining on the second floor over the river. Wood-fired meats, hyper-seasonal Sunday jazz brunch.
Signature: Wood-fired seafood, Coastal Georgia tasting plates
Order: Whatever is on the wood-fire that night; ask for a window seat at booking for the river view.
Tip: Reserve OpenTable two weeks ahead for a window seat; the bar runs walk-up.
Mrs. Wilkes has run from a Jones Street basement since 1943, Southern home cooking at ten-person communal tables Mon-Fri. Family-style daily-changing dishes.
Signature: Fried chicken, Cornbread dressing, Sweet potato souffle
Order: Whatever fried chicken comes out hot; the sweet potato souffle and black-eyed peas as sides.
Tip: Cash or check only. Daily $35 per person communal lunch (tax included). Opens 11:00; arrive by 10:30 for a manageable wait.
Treylor Park on East Bay runs playful Southern bar food in a brick courtyard. PB&J wings, chicken-and-pancake tacos, a long bourbon list, sister rooms nearby.
Signature: Chicken and pancake tacos, PB&J wings
Order: The chicken and pancake tacos with hot honey, and the PB&J wings.
Tip: Walk-in only; expect a wait after 19:30 on weekends. Patio fills first.
The Public Kitchen sits at Liberty and Bull opposite Madison Square. Midcentury-modern, indoor-outdoor seating, a local-farm bistro menu by Williamson.
Signature: Crab cake sandwich, Coastal Georgia fish
Order: The crab cake sandwich at lunch; the coastal fish plate at dinner.
Tip: Reserve OpenTable for dinner; lunch and brunch usually take walk-ins.
The Collins Quarter on Bull at Oglethorpe Square runs Australian-inspired brunch, lunch and dinner. Avocado smash, ceviche, lavender mocha, specialty coffee.
Signature: Avocado smash, Lavender mocha
Order: Avo smash on sourdough with poached eggs; lavender mocha to drink.
Tip: Brunch is first-come; arrive by 09:30 on weekends. Dinner takes OpenTable.
B. Matthew's runs from an 1850s building on East Bay with brick walls and wooden beams under a daily-changing brunch board. A Lowcountry mainstay since 2008.
Signature: Fried green tomato and crab cake benny, Shrimp and grits
Order: Fried green tomato and crab cake benny at brunch; the bourbon bacon burger at dinner.
Tip: Book OpenTable for brunch on weekends or expect a 30 minute wait.
Vic's runs in a restored 1859 cotton warehouse on Bay Street, river views from the upstairs dining room. Classic Lowcountry with white-tablecloth service.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, She-crab soup
Order: Shrimp and grits with the Carolina shrimp sauce, plus a she-crab soup to share.
Tip: Ask for an upstairs window seat at reservation time for the Savannah River view.
Sorry Charlie's runs an oyster bar in one of Georgia's oldest commercial buildings, overlooking Ellis Square. Raw bar, steam pots, Bamboo Room tiki upstairs.
Signature: Raw oysters, Steam pots
Order: A dozen Sapelo oysters on the half-shell, plus a Lowcountry boil for two.
Tip: Happy hour runs daily 16:00-18:00 with discounted oysters Walk-ins usually OK.
Crystal Beer Parlor has run on the corner of Jones and Jefferson since 1933, red booths and dark wood under a long beer list. Burgers, fried green tomatoes.
Signature: Crystal burger, Fried green tomatoes
Order: The Crystal burger with a side of fried green tomatoes.
Tip: No reservations; arrive by 18:00 on weekends or expect a 30 minute wait.
Classic Southern on Reynolds Square in the 1771 Habersham mansion. Candle-lit upstairs since the Balish 1992 restoration; Planters Tavern walk-up basement.
Signature: Crispy scored flounder, She-crab soup
Order: Crispy scored flounder with apricot shallot; she-crab soup as starter.
Tip: Book OpenTable a week ahead for upstairs; tavern downstairs is first-come.
The Coffee Fox's Broughton Street flagship, serving in-house Foxy Blend espresso and pour-over alongside fresh pastries and craft beer. Wide front windows.
Signature drink: Chemex pour-over with Foxy Blend
Mirabelle is a small European-style cafe across from Saint John's Cathedral on Lafayette Square, with a boutique inn upstairs. Joe Coffee, waffles, pastries.
Signature drink: Gourmet waffles and espresso
Gallery Espresso has run on Bull and Perry on Chippewa Square since 1993, Savannah's oldest continuous coffee shop. Local-artist exhibits, fresh pastries.
Signature drink: Espresso and house-baked pastries
The Coffee Fox's roastery and coffee lab on Louisville Road, open to the public for cupping events and direct retail. Roasting for the three downtown cafes.
Signature drink: Foxy Blend espresso
A small Abercorn Street macaron patisserie running gluten-free French macarons with almonds ground in-house. Seasonal flavours; dairy-free vegan options.
Worth the queue: Key lime, bourbon pecan and pistachio macarons
Founded 1919 by Greek-immigrant brothers George and Peter Leopold, the city's reference ice-cream parlour. On Broughton since 2004 under Stratton Leopold.
Worth the queue: Tutti Frutti ice cream, banana split
Byrd has baked cookies in Savannah since 1924; the Waters Avenue flagship is a retail-tasting shop with the bake floor visible behind glass. Benne signature.
Worth the queue: Benne wafers, key lime cooler cookies
Savannah's Candy Kitchen on River Street is the city's reference praline shop, cooks pulling pralines in copper kettles behind the front window. Taffy, fudge.
Worth the queue: Pecan pralines (made in the window)
The Coffee Fox's roastery, fulfillment and coffee lab on Louisville Road; the in-house Foxy Blend powers the three downtown cafes on Broughton and Bull.
Sources from: Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras
How they serve: Espresso, Pour over, Filter, Whole bean retail, Wholesale
Savannah Coffee Roasters on Liberty Street runs a roastery and cafe under one roof, with a French-leaning breakfast and pastry programme alongside the roast.
Sources from: Brazil, Colombia, Sumatra
How they serve: Espresso, Drip, Whole bean retail
Cup to Cup runs the Cafe showcase on Abercorn at Oglethorpe Square, established 2009, with the production roastery on Wilmington Island. Small-batch focus.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Pour over, Cold brew, Whole bean retail
Origin Coffee Bar's Savannah flagship on MLK is the brand's cafe, roastery and kitchen in a restored early-20th-century building. Pour-over and espresso.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil
How they serve: Espresso, Pour over, Drip, Whole bean retail
208 Wine Bar sits in a historic cotton warehouse on Factor's Walk behind River Street, 50-plus wines by the glass and Savannah River view from the terrace.
Signature pour: Flight of three by-the-glass pours
Wine focus: Over 50 wines by the glass, flight or bottle
Food: Cheese and charcuterie boards
Common Restaurant on East Broughton: Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence 2022 through 2025, DiRoNA 2025. Located in Historic District.
Signature pour: Sommelier-curated by-the-glass list
Wine focus: Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence (500+ bottles)
Food: Elevated Southern, oysters, steak
Emporium at the Perry Lane Hotel runs an American brasserie alongside a retail wine market, pick a bottle to drink at table. Located in Historic District.
Signature pour: Buy-and-pour from the retail wine shelves
Wine focus: American brasserie with retail wine market
Food: New American, brunch, dinner
Artillery opened 2016 in an 1896 Georgia Hussars armory on Bull, with a tile-ceilinged Venetian-Gothic interior, leather menus, call-light cocktail service.
Signature drink: Seasonal craft cocktails
Food: Snacks and small bites
Bar Julian on top of the Thompson Savannah is the city's tallest rooftop, east-west terraces over the river. Cocktails, Mediterranean menu, music and DJs.
Signature drink: Hand-crafted cocktails with river views
Food: Mediterranean small plates and wood-fired bread
Pinkie Masters on Drayton has been Savannah's reference dive since 1953, with 1950s nostalgia, no-frills menu and a Cheers-like local crowd. Cash only.
Signature drink: Cold beer, well drinks
Food: No kitchen
Crystal opened in 1933 as one of the first American eating establishments to serve alcohol after Prohibition. Dark booths, red leather, long draft list.
Signature drink: Long draft list and historical cocktails
Food: Southern pub menu
Peregrin on the roof of the Perry Lane Hotel runs a crafted-cocktail program with a strong mocktail menu, pool deck and skyline views over Broughton.
Signature drink: Crafted cocktails and mocktails
Food: Snacks and shareable plates
The Lost Square sits on top of the Alida Hotel with views over the Savannah River and the Hutchinson Island skyline. A casual rooftop room for sunset drinks.
Signature drink: Cocktails with river views
Food: Snacks
The Bohemian Hotel's rooftop bar on Bay Street runs classic cocktails over the Savannah River, with deep upholstered furniture and fire pits.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails over the river
Food: Light bites
Abe's on Lincoln is a local-favorite dive on Lincoln Street with cheap beer, dark wood and walls of Abraham Lincoln portraits. Wood booths and a jukebox.
Signature drink: Cheap beer, Lincoln portraits
Food: No kitchen
The Rail on Congress runs as Savannah's reference Irish pub, with a deep whiskey list and a back-room dart and pool space. Local regulars and SCAD students.
Signature drink: Whiskey list, draft beer
Food: No kitchen
Leopold's counter-service ice cream on Broughton has been the city's reference walk-up sweet stop since the parlour moved here in 2004. Founded 1919.
Try: Hand-crafted ice cream, root beer floats
Walk-up praline counter on River Street, with cooks pulling pralines in copper kettles behind the front window. Saltwater taffy, fudge and chocolates inside.
Try: Pecan pralines pulled in the front window
Service Brewing on Indian Street is veteran-owned (founder Kevin Ryan), opened 2014. A historic warehouse, outdoor beer garden, tours and charity events.
The Savannah Bee Company flagship on Broughton runs guided honey and mead tastings at a counter bar, alongside retail honey, beeswax, gifts.
Plant Riverside District's seasonal spring market runs Saturdays with local food vendors, arts and crafts and live music along the Savannah River boardwalk.
Savannah Taste Experience's flagship walking tour visits multiple tastings across the original Oglethorpe squares with a history guide. Daily, 14 guests max.
Savannah Taste Experience's East Side walking tour visits Zunzi's, Sorry Charlie's, Mint to Be Mojito and Leopold's ice cream across the historic district.
Savannah Foody Tour runs three named walking tours from a Visitor Information Center meeting point, Southern Traditions Dinner, True South Lunch.
Savannah Bee Company runs honey and mead tasting at the Broughton flagship store, guided counter-bar tastings of single-source and wildflower honeys.
Service Brewing runs brewery tours of the Indian Street production warehouse with a tasting flight of the rotating lineup. Reservations required.
Savannah Coffee Roasters runs roastery walk-throughs at the Liberty Street cafe, with a cupping demo plus a flight of single-origin pours. Small-group.
Savannah's Candy Kitchen runs ongoing praline-pulling demos at the River Street front window. Cooks pull pralines in copper kettles throughout the day.
Savannah's St. Patrick's Day is one of the world's largest celebrations, drawing 500,000-plus to the Historic District. Green fountains, pub food, a parade.
River Street Seafood Festival runs the first weekend of May along the Savannah River boardwalk, with local chefs serving shrimp, oysters, crab and crawfish.
Savannah Food and Wine Festival runs five days each November with grand tastings, paired dinners, chef collaborations and wine seminars across Historic D.
Three-hour hands-on classes from the Hotel Bardo kitchen on Forsyth Park, successor to the 700 Kitchen programme. Themed pasta-making to market-inspired.
Savannah's Candy Kitchen runs scheduled praline-making classes at the River Street store, walking attendees through the copper-kettle technique behind it.
Savannah Taste Experience runs an occasional Lowcountry cooking demo paired with a walking-tasting tour, a hybrid cooking-class-plus-tour format.
Savannah Bee runs honey and mead tasting workshops at the Broughton flagship, walking attendees through varietal honey tasting and beeswax craft.
Mrs. Wilkes has run from a Jones Street basement since 1943, $35 communal Southern home cooking at ten-person tables. Sweet potato souffle, cash or check.
Try: Communal-table Southern lunch
Goose Feathers near Ellis Square serves a full breakfast under $15: bagels, croissants, eggs Benedict on house croissant buns. Savannah staple since 1986.
Try: House croissant breakfast, eggs benedict
Clary's runs Southern diner breakfast and lunch plates under $16: corned beef hash, crab cake Benedict, pancakes. 404 Abercorn has been a cafe since 1930s.
Try: Diner breakfast classics
Treylor Park's chicken-and-pancake tacos, PB&J wings and shareable Southern small plates are well under $20 each. Walk-in only on East Bay; weekend wait.
Try: Southern small plates and PB&J wings
Leopold's ice cream cones, root beer floats and banana splits come in under $10 each at the working soda fountain. Walk-up Broughton open until midnight.
Try: Ice cream sundaes and floats
Crystal's $15 burgers, $12 fried green tomatoes and $14 she-crab soup keep a 1933 historic-pub lunch under $20. Dark booths, long draft list, no reservations.
Try: Crystal burger and Southern pub plates
Anthony Debreceny's Collins Quarter on Bull at Oglethorpe Square has been the city's brunch flagship since 2014. Botanic interior, sidewalk, lavender mocha.
Order: Avo smash on sourdough with poached eggs and lavender mocha
B. Matthew's daily brunch board runs from breakfast classics to fried-green-tomato Benedicts and shrimp and grits in a brick-walled 1850s East Bay room.
Order: Fried green tomato and crab cake benny
Clary's on Abercorn opened as a drugstore in 1903 and became the city's reference Southern diner under Luther Clary in the 1930s. Midnight in the Garden role.
Order: Corned beef hash and crab cake Benedict
Goose Feathers on Ellis Square has been baking 2,000 croissants a week since 1986. All-day breakfast, sandwiches, sweet preserve-filled pastries, croissant.
Order: Eggs Benedict Savannah-style on a house croissant bun
Saint Bibiana inside Hotel Bardo runs a Friday-through-Sunday Italian brunch with house-made pasta, frittatas and aperitivo cocktails. Reservations on Resy.
Order: Whatever pasta-brunch hybrid is on the chalkboard
The Diner Bar at The Grey runs a Sunday brunch service in the front bus-terminal-bar room. Walk-up only, a la carte; the formal Dining Room takes Resy.
Order: The Sunday brunch board, plus a martini
Husk's Saturday and Sunday brunch runs the heritage-grain Lowcountry programme as morning plates: coastal fish over Anson Mills grits, biscuit-gravy bennies.
Order: Wood-grilled coastal fish over Anson Mills grits
Fleeting's Sunday jazz brunch on the Thompson Savannah second floor runs a coursed brunch with live jazz and river views. The hotel's most-booked service.
Order: Whatever the chef is running over the wood fire; mimosa
Brunch at The Public Kitchen on Liberty runs an American-bistro programme: crab cake benedict with Hollandaise, biscuits and gravy, classic eggs and pancakes.
Order: Crab cake benedict with Hollandaise
Pinkie Masters has been Savannah's reference late-night dive since 1953, with 1950s nostalgia, cash only and no kitchen. Regulars know which counters open.
Try: Cold beer, well drinks
Abe's on Lincoln runs cheap beer and well drinks until 03:00 daily, walls of Abraham Lincoln portraits, dark wood booths and a jukebox. Late-night dive bar.
Try: Cheap beer, no kitchen
Leopold's on Broughton stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday, the 1919-founded ice-cream parlour handling late-night sweet stops at the fountain.
Try: Hand-crafted ice cream, root beer floats
The Rail on Congress runs as the city's reference Irish pub late, with a deep whiskey list and back-room darts. Local regulars and SCAD students.
Try: Whiskey list, draft beer (no kitchen)
Club One opened on Jefferson Street in 1988 and moved one block to Williamson Street in April 2026, with an upgraded performance space and sound system.
Tip: Drag shows Thursday through Sunday; arrive by 22:00 for headliner performances. 21+ after 22:00.
Bar Julian on top of the Thompson Savannah is the city's tallest rooftop, eye-level with the ships on the Savannah River. Hand-crafted cocktails.
Tip: Sunset happy hour daily; live music Tuesdays, vinyl Fridays, DJ Saturdays.
Peregrin on top of the Perry Lane Hotel runs a crafted-cocktail and mocktail program with a pool deck and skyline views over Broughton.
Tip: Pool deck open to hotel guests; bar open to public. Arrive by 17:30 for sunset.
The Lost Square on top of the Alida Hotel has casual rooftop seating with Savannah River and Hutchinson Island skyline views. Lighter casual feel than other.
Tip: Sunset seating fills fast; arrive by 17:30 on summer evenings.
Artillery sits in an 1896 Georgia Hussars armory with Venetian-Gothic ceilings, leather menus and call-light service. Speakeasy-style cocktail program.
Tip: Mon-Thu 16:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-24:00; closed Sunday. Reservations not required but smart on weekends.
Club One is Savannah's LGBTQ+ institution since 1988, with drag shows (The Lady Chablis was the first stage performer), dance floor, multiple bars across two.
Tip: Drag shows Thursday through Sunday. 21+ after 22:00; cover applies.
Pinkie Masters on Drayton is Savannah's reference dive bar, open since 1953. 1950s nostalgia, cash only, jukebox.
Tip: Cash only. Open late nightly until last call.
Abe's on Lincoln runs cheap beer and well drinks until 03:00, with walls of Abraham Lincoln portraits and a jukebox. Local-favorite dive.
Tip: Daily 17:00-03:00. Cash or card.
The Rail on Congress is Savannah's reference Irish pub late, with a deep whiskey list and back-room darts and pool. Local regulars and SCAD students.
Tip: Daily late close, typically 02:00-03:00. Whiskey flights at the bar.