What is in season in Savannah. and what to order when the market changes.
Spring
- Wild Georgia shrimp: The spring shrimp run kicks off in May, with white shrimp coming into the docks along the Skidaway and Wilmington Rivers.
- Vidalia onions: Vidalias come into season late April through June. Look for them at Forsyth Farmers' Market and on every Savannah menu through May.
- Coastal Georgia strawberries: Local strawberries hit the market in April and May; Auspicious Baking runs strawberry-cream pastries in season.
- Stone crab claws: Stone crab season runs October through May; the last claws of the season are at their best in April.
Summer
- Georgia peaches: Georgia peach season runs late May through August. The peach cobbler appears on every Lowcountry menu through July.
- Sea Island peas: Sea Island peas (cowpeas, butter beans) come into season July and August; the foundation for hoppin' John and red rice.
- Heirloom tomatoes: Coastal Georgia heirlooms peak July through September at Forsyth Farmers' Market.
- Wild Georgia shrimp: Shrimp season continues through summer; the largest white shrimp come in July and August.
Autumn
- Sapelo Sea Farms oysters: Oyster season opens October 1 and runs through March. Sapelo Sea Farms in the Doboy Sound delivers fresh to Savannah's raw bars.
- Carolina Gold rice (new crop): Anson Mills' new-crop Carolina Gold lands in autumn; the rice for hoppin' John, perlou and crab rice all winter.
- Sweet potatoes and pumpkins: Coastal Georgia sweet potatoes come in October and November, the base for Mrs. Wilkes' souffle and every Thanksgiving pie.
- Persimmons: Wild persimmons ripen in October and November in the coastal woods, a foraged dessert ingredient at Common Thread and Late Air.
Winter
- Collard greens: Collards are at their best after the first frost in November; they appear on every soul-food plate through the winter at Sisters of the New South.
- Stone crab claws: Stone crab season runs October through May; peak claws come in December and January.
- Citrus from Georgia and Florida: Local Satsuma mandarins ripen in November and December, with longer-season Florida citrus arriving through winter.
- Hoppin' John (New Year's): Hoppin' John (Sea Island peas, Carolina Gold rice, pork) is the New Year's Day plate, served at every Lowcountry kitchen on January 1 for luck.