I guess I was unprepared for how excellent southern cooking can be! Liberal and unapologetic use of butter, cream and the best local ingredients mean that everything tastes amazing! We were fortunate to arrive in Savannah during Restaurant Week, where many places were offering a $30 prix fix menu with appetizer, main, and dessert, and occasionally a glass of wine! We tried all the local specialties- shrimp and grits, crab cakes, she crab soup and southern biscuits that melt in your mouth. We didn't always take the Restaurant Week deal, but even when we didn't, we found nearly every restaurant we visited cheerfully offered to split entrees and appetizers and provided separate checks with out us asking. We hit the riverside candy houses to try pralines, pecan brittle and stock up on candy gifts to bring home, after securing a promise form the clerk that "what happens in the Savannah's Candy Kitchen stays in Savannah's Kitchen". So I won't be talking, but let's just say every woman on our flight home had a bag from Savannah's Candy Kitchen, and I'm sure it was all for the husbands and children!
Dining Tips
- Book reservations in advance during the busy season, ask the concierge to make difficult reservations
- Rely on local advice for restaurant recommendations; there are some terrific places to eat and then there are some places with incredible reputations. The locals know the difference between the new hot place and the old tired place, and everyone we met was happy to tell us their favorite place. We took local advice all weekend and the only bad meal we had was at the Subway, where we grabbed salads simply because we really needed to use the restroom, and it was the only one we could find!
- If you are planning a girl friends weekend, make a pact that no one will "have the ceasar" and make everyone else feel badly. Commit to embracing the fat, gluten, sugar and alcohol, (unless you have an actual diagnosis that makes it impossible) and just ENJOY!! (every calorie is worth it, trust us, you'll walk it off!)
- Click on the restaurant name for a link to the website and menu, click on any picture to expand.
The Public Kitchen & Bar Vic's on the River Mellow Mushroom