As one of my favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan, says “vacation is us eating in a place that we’ve never been.” This really resonates with me because whenever I go on vacation, eating is the first priority. Luckily, my fellow foodies/Yelpies are a wealth of information and I was able to get several recommendations on where to go when I spent the weekend in Savannah. The open container laws allow you to wander around while getting drunk and eat at whatever place looks tasty in your drunken stuper. From that sentence alone, you can tell I had a great weekend.
Day 1
Lunch/drinks at Treylor Park
When we arrived in Savannah Saturday afternoon, we were ready to tackle some lunch. Treylor Park was pretty crowded when we arrived, and after we looked at the menu, we knew why. With items such as Chicken & Pancake tacos, Grilled Apple Pie Sandwich, and Fried Oreos, we knew we were in for a decadent start.
As you guessed, I of course had the Chicken and Pancake Tacos. There weren’t just pieces of pancake loaded into a taco shell, the pancake was the shell. The pancake was fluffy and held up really well to the rest of the ingredients, making it really easy to scarf down. When you’re hungover from all the walking and drinking, this dish is the perfect way to soak up all the bad decisions.
The cocktail menu was filled with refreshing drinks that you would likely sip on your porch if you were in a different city, but here you could drink them in the streets! I tried the “Flying Wasp,” which had mint tea infused vodka, lemon, and simple syrup. It was a perfect drink for wandering around and soaking up the sunshine.
Dinner at the Ordinary Pub
After lunch I immediately started trolling for places we could go for dinner. When I looked at the Ordinary Pub, the first picture that came up was of a giant Moscow Mule, so that made my decision pretty easy. They had $5 specialty mules during happy hour, so we went for two small ones instead of the giant one. I tried one that was made with tequila and I wasn’t too happy with it. The tequila they used must’ve been pretty low quality because it had an after taste of gasoline.
For dinner, I ordered Grits and Gumbo and Christian had Lowcountry Mac & Cheese. The Grits and Gumbo was spicy and the creamy grits complemented the spice nicely. Christian’s mac and cheese was everything one looks for in a mac and cheese, but with the added bonuses of shrimp and andouille sausage.
Bar Hop to Treehouse & Barrel House South
Our strategy for choosing bars was walking around and seeing which one had the best music and was pretty crowded (as you would do anywhere). The first bar we went to was a place called Treehouse, which had live music until 11, then the DJ came on. It was a rooftop situation, so us Charlestonians had to see how it compared. When the live music was there, it was a small crowd, but when the DJ came out, the place was bustling with people and it was more of a frat house vibe, but it was still a fun time.
We really liked Barrel House South, which had a live Reggae band all night. The vibes were more chill than Treehouse for sure and they had local beer to sip on. If you’re looking for a place to just hang out and listen to music, that’s the place to go.
Day 2
Breakfast at Huey’s
Huey’s was hands down the best meal/service we had in Savannah. It was the southern breakfast plates we all know and love, with a Creole flare. I had the Creole Omelette, which was fluffy eggs filled with shrimp and served with a rich and spicy Creole sauce on top. I got it with a side of Andouille sausage to turn the Creole flavors up a notch.
If you go to Huey’s, you absolutely have to try the Beignets that they are famous for and spring for the praline sauce that comes with it. These Beignets were fluffy, light, and not overly sweet even though we doused them in the praline sauce. Those beignets combined with a cup of coffee was the perfect way to start the day. If you go after 12:30 on a Sunday, you could wash them down with a Bloody Mary or mimosa.
Lunch at Zunzi’s Takeout
When we were walking around on Saturday, we saw a huge line outside of Zunzi’s. We waited until Monday to go and didn’t have to wait long at all. This place had some funky vibes, serving sandwiches ranging from vegetarian to overflowing with meat. We went for both sides of the spectrum by trying the falafel sandwich and the “Fisherman’s Deck” (pictured below).
The best part of both of our sandwiches were the sauces that came with it. They call it their “Shit Yeah!” sauce, and the name is definitely justified. The staff was also very attentive and when we said everything was delicious they followed it up with a “Shit Yeah!” A place that is bold enough to have “Shit Yeah!” as their slogan is a winner in my book.
Dinner at Flying Monk Noodle Bar
Don’t get me wrong, I was loving all the Southern food in Savannah, but we needed to switch it up on the second day. If a restaurant has noodle in the name, they immediately have my attention. I ordered the Spicy Red Noodles with Calamari, which had a nice kick from the kimchi and a bright acidity, but the texture of the noodles was something I had never encountered before.
When I went to pick up a bite, the noodles snapped back like a rubber band, which is is exactly what it felt like when I put them in my mouth. It was kind of funny because the people sitting next to us ordered the same thing and we were both giving each other looks like “is it just me, or are we eating rubber bands?” Maybe I just ordered the wrong dish, but it’s hard to gain my trust if you mess up noodles.
we will be back!
Although not all of our meals were total winners, I think we got a pretty good taste of the Savannah food/drink scene. With it being so close to Charleston, I am sure we will return to sample more of what they have to offer. I will definitely be going back to Huey’s for the beignets and Treylor Park for their unique food and drink. If you have any suggestions for our next trip to Savannah, feel free to leave a comment below!
