What to Eat in Savannah, Georgia? 9 Best Local Food To Try in Savannah
For some awesome American cuisine, why not try the local food in Savannah to satisfy your cravings? They will surely leave you a remarkable experience.
Do you know which city is the oldest in the US? It’s Savannah, and it is part of Georgia. This city is in the coastal area and has a port used by the colonials a hundred years ago. It proves that European culture influenced Savannah’s.
One influence that still exists until today is the cuisine. Several types of Savannah’s cuisine are created using European-style recipes and adjusted to the availability of the resources in the city. Here we have 9 best local food in Savannah that are not only influenced by other countries but are also original Savannah recipes that degenerated to these days.
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Table of Contents
1. Shrimp and Grits
On the first list, we have Shrimp and Grits. Shrimp and grits are the original dishes of the Muskogees tribe, one of the Native Americans that inhabited the Lowcountry district. The traditional way to make the grits is by crushing the corn in a stone mill until it has a gritty texture.
To make a grit, it requires the chicken stock, milk, garlic powder, instant grits, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and black pepper. To process the shrimp, it requires a peeled shrimp then season it with unsalted butter, onion, paprika, and other spices.
You can find shrimp and grits in most of the restaurants in Savannah. One of those places that provide shrimp and grits is in Dockside seafood. This restaurant is on River Street that is so popular among tourists. It will satisfy you with the size of the shrimp they served since it’s huge and covered with cream sauce.
Dockside Seafood 201 W River St, Savannah, GA 31401, United States
2. Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes is actually beyond my expectations. It doesn’t look like a tomato at all after the frying process. To make this dish requires large green tomatoes that are seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper. The dough is a mixture of eggs, flour or cornmeal, and bread crumbs.
Fried green tomatoes have so many fans not only locals but also tourists. Most of the Savannah restaurants provide this dish on their menu. You can go to Tubby Seafood if you want to have a taste of this dish.
Tubby’s Seafood 45 Bistro or Belford’s.
3. Green Truck Burger
Burger is one of the most familiar dishes in the US. But each place has its signature; Savannah is not an exception. One type of burger you have to try is the Green Truck Burger. It has a chicken breast or veggie patty that you can choose. You can also enjoy it with fries, salad, soup, or vegan chili. You can also have a gluten-free bun.
Most of the components on the burger are a homemade dish. You can get a fresh burger whenever you come to this place. The green truck pub is a vegetarian-friendly since it’s not only serving vegan burger but also various types of dishes that suit vegans.
Green Truck Pub 2430 Habersham St, Savannah, GA 31401, United States
4. Crab Soup
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The crab soup or crab chowder is not only popular in Savannah but also all over Georgia. Crabmeat is the main ingredient in this dish. The flour is blended with melted butter and milk then stirred until it has a smooth texture. Salt, white pepper, tabasco sauce, grated cheese, and Worcestershire sauce are used to season the mixture. The crabmeat is added right before the dish is ready to serve along with lemon juice and sherry. You can visit the Cotton Exchange to experience the delicious taste of Savannah’s crab soup.
The Cotton Exchange 201 E River St., Savannah, GA
5. Khachapuri
What do you think about when you hear Khachapuri? You might even never heard of that word before. Khachapuri is Georgia’s National dish, and it is a unique cheese-and-egg bread dish.
The based-bread has a similar dough as pizza. The cheese uses as a topping and then baked until the dough is half cooked. Before it’s fully cooked, the dough is ejected from the oven to add the egg and butter on top of the cheese, then baked again until the egg is cooked; the crust is crispy, and the color is golden.
6. Peas and Carrots
This dish might not be tempting for carnivore dieters, but vegans shouldn’t miss it. This dish uses English peas and carrots as the main ingredient. These two main ingredients are then sauteed with the spices. The combinations produce an unexpectedly heavenly taste. You can go to A Lure restaurant to try this dish.
A Lure 309 W Congress St, Savannah, GA 31401, United States
7. BBQ Brisket and Ribs
If you’re not a fan of veggies, you will be happy with this menu. It’s a barbecue brisket and ribs dish. Although Savannah is in the coastal area, it’s also in downtown and land meat is easy to find here.
One of the best places that provide this dish on their menu is Sandfly BBQ. The first restaurant is in the Sandfly area. The second place is the latest branch in the historic downtown Savannah. There are some types of sauce offered here, such as the sweet sauce, mustard zesty based sauce, and spicy vinegar-based sauce. Sandfly BBQ is providing various meat that you can choose, from chicken, pork, and beef.
Sandfly BBQ 1220 Barnard St, Savannah, Georgia 31401 and 8413 Ferguson Ave. Savannah, Georgia 31406
8. Pralines
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Pralines are not only familiar in Savannah but also in New Orleans. It’s not too strange since both cities are neighbors. River Street or City Market in Savannah has many places that provide the fresh-cooked Pralines. You can smell its fresh and sweet aroma along the way.
Pralines came from France that was brought to the US in the colonial era. While the French one has a more compact texture and made from almond, the US version of pralines uses pecan since there is an abundant source of pecans in the US.
9. Chatham Artillery Punch
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Popular all over Georgia, Chatham Artillery Punch is the local’s favorite beverage. This is a champagne cocktail that existed since the colonial era. The name itself comes from the first and oldest Georgia’s military in the late 19th century.
The Punch is a mixture of champagne, rum, brandy, bourbon, lemon juice, and sugar. The original recipe has strong alcohol in it. But nowadays it has less alcohol since many people can’t handle the boozier version. Most of Savannah’s bars and pubs provide this drink on its menu pan.
Although Savannah is in the coastal area, non-seafood dishes are familiar. Hopefully, those dishes above can be your menu reference while you’re staying in Savannah. So, tell us which one of the local food in Savannah do you want to try?
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Hello, just wanted to clarify that 5. Khachapuri is a national dish of Georgia, as a country in Eastern Europe, not Georgia as a state in the US.
Reading this post makes my Mouth water! I really will try all these 9 places when I get there next week! I really love Savannah Georgia and it’s downtown attractions! I really want to have a relaxing experience when I get there for my vacation!
The flavor of Savannah’s BBQ Brisket and Ribs blew me away. I’ve gone to a couple restaurants here. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as well.
This is my favorite part of my trip to Savannah Georgia! Aside from the beautiful beach fronts, the food is really what I love about the place! Now I have ideas on where to dine and feed my insatiable appetite!