When you take a trip to Savannah, you might as well put your diet plan and healthy eating habits on the back burner. Traveling to the South means eating like a true Southerner, which means biting into crispy fried chicken, smothered pork chops, the cheesiest mac and cheese, deep fried okra, collard greens and fresh-from-the-oven biscuits.
Savannah, Georgia is home to an impressive list of restaurants ranging from casual mom-and-pop diners to finer dining establishments that know how to make the best home cooked Southern meals. After you book your charming Savannah hotel room, be sure you make time to eat at each of these restaurants when in Savannah — trust us when we say it’s totally worth it.
Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room
107 West Jones St.
Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday-Friday
Mrs. Wilkes Fried Chicken photo by Britt Reints
Nestled in the Historic District is the famous Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room. This is where you come for the best homestyle Southern foods served family style, especially for some of the finest fried chicken around. Expect to see a line out in front before the doors open at 11 a.m. (it’s just that good) and to sit with a table of strangers at one of the large tables. But it doesn’t matter where you sit or who you sit with because with Southern hospitality and their delicious menu — which switches up daily — you’ll feel like you’re eating at your home dining room table when eating at Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room.
The Lady & Sons
102 West Congress St.
Hours: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday (Lunch), 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday (Dinner), 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday (Lunch Buffet)
The Lady & Sons Chicken Pot Pie photo by Char
Paula Deen loves to use lots of butter and deep fry in peanut oil, and she knows what she’s doing. Born and raised in Georgia, she understands traditional Southern cooking, and her skills are unmatched in the kitchen. The Lady & Sons, which she started with her two sons, is a crowd pleaser in Savannah and is most known for its Southern buffet. Enjoy some fried okra, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, black eye peas and cream corn, and then wash it down with a cold glass of iced tea.
Sisters of the New South
2605 Skidaway Rd.
Hours: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sundays
If you want to eat like you used to at your grandma’s house on the weekends, then Sisters of the New South is where you go. They don’t have anything fancy or expensive on their menu, and they don’t need to. Sisters has mastered the art of cooking the everyday Southern foods and serves its meals up at reasonable prices. You can’t go wrong when you order their BBQ ribs or oxtails with a side dish of candied yams, lima beans and sweet potato casserole. Sisters claims to prepare “the best soul food in Savannah”, and we can tell you they’re not lying when they say that.
Vic’s on the River
26 East Bay St.
Hours: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and Friday-Saturday (Lunch), 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday (Dinner), 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday (Dinner)
Can you spot Vic’s On The River? Photo by Frank Kehren
Vic’s on the River not only cooks up great Southern foods, it also provides diners with a beautiful view of the Savannah River. With fantastic lunch and dinner menus, including meatloaf or fried chicken livers for a main dish and mashed potatoes or smoked cheddar grits for a side, this restaurant gives you the true Southern dining experience. A must-try appetizer when here is their fried green tomatoes. You won’t taste any better than Vic’s.
The South is a beautiful place to visit, but the greatest thing the South offers is its Southern-style foods. Your stay in Savannah will be an even better experience once you’ve tasted some Southern comfort foods from any one of these restaurants.
Check our latest posts for more great places to eat in Savannah plus our updated Savannah travel guide.
