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Where to Eat in Savannah, Georgia

There is no denying it, the best seasons to visit Savannah, Georgia are fall, winter, and spring. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, this lovely Southern town is the perfect destination for a long weekend especially if you live in an area of the country that has brutally cold winters. As most of you know, Bo and I were both raised in Savannah, calling it home until we each left for college at the age of 18. While we only get back 3-4 times per year, the gorgeous moss covered oak trees, marsh grass sunsets, beach walks, history, and, of course, our family still make it our favorite city. Whether you are in town for 24 hours or moving there permanently, I thought I would put together a list of our favorite places to eat in Savannah and Tybee Island

where to eat in savannah georgia

Most of these spots are conveniently located within walking distance to downtown, historic Savannah hotels but a few of them are out on Tybee, our beach which is a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Savannah.

Eats

  • B. Matthews Eatery – This bistro located near River Street is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but their weekend brunch is what keeps me coming back! The made from scratch biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, or mayme’s omelette make this a regular stop anytime I’m home.
  • Mrs Wilkes Dining Room – There is no better fried chicken in Savannah. Only open Monday through Friday the wait is well worth it. Enjoy family style Southern food in the heart of historic Savannah and wash it all down with sweet tea.
  • The Olde Pink House – A perfect location for a date night dinner their menu will leave you drooling but leave room for dessert. I highly recommend the scored flounder.
  • Zunzi’s – Incredible sandwiches and an extensive vegetarian menu bring locals and tourists alike to this small spot which blends South African, Italian, Swiss and Dutch flavors together due to the owner’s backgrounds.
  • Vinnie Van GoGo’s Pizza – A cash only Savannah institution serving up thin crust pizzas in the heart of City Market.
  • Crystal Beer Parlor – When all you are craving is a burger and beer there is no better spot than this Savannah institution which reopened downtown a few years ago.
  • Vic’s on the River – Enjoy views of the waterfront while enjoying fried green tomatoes, crawfish beignets, lump crab cakes and shrimp and grits. Go hungry and with a fun crowd because this is one of my favorite places to steal tastes from other people’s plates!
  • Elizabeth’s on 37th – You can go for lunch if you aren’t looking for a formal dinner experience or date night while you’re in town. Everything on their menu is incredible and the staff makes you feel like your family as you dine in an old, Savannah home. The herbs on your salad are from their garden, I dream about their cheddar biscuits and orange marmalade and the restaurant has hosted the likes of the Marc Jacobs and the Dalai Lama to name a few in recent years.
  • Starland Cafe – This is currently my favorite lunch spot in Savannah. While their sandwiches and soups look delicious, the salads are what I always find myself ordering as they include a unique menu of ingredients and are always piled high with fresh, local, seasonal ingredients.  Their famous, homemade pimiento cheese is also a delicious way to start the meal!
  • Treylor Park – This downtown spot is perfect for lunch, dinner or drinks as the fun atmosphere is perfect for almost any occasion. We’ve been to wedding festivities as well as a casual afternoon of “bar food” here and enjoyed the food and drinks both times. While the PB&J wings and friend avocado can’t be missed, their drink menu is creative as well. If you go on a weekend expect to wait as this is a very popular spot especially during the cooler months when their back patio makes the perfect spot to dine or sip.

Sweets

  • Leopold’s Ice Cream– Located on Broughton Street this local ice cream shop has been in existence since 1919 but reopened in the current location in 2004. The small shop draws crowds daily thanks to the delicious, creamy ice cream. My favorite flavors are mint chocolate chip, peanut butter chippy and lemon sorbet.
  • River Street Sweets – A perfect rest stop during your River Street exploration, you can thank me later for introducing you to turtles and Southern pralines.

Sips

  • Rocks on the Roof – The roof of the Bohemian Hotel has become an evening or weekend meeting spot due to the gorgeous views, delicious cocktails and convenient location.

Tybee

  • North Beach Grill – After spending the morning enjoying some beach time or an afternoon climbing to the top of the Tybee Light House there is no better spot on Tybee then sitting beach side enjoying some life music and seafood fritters, fish taco or one of their more Caribbean dishes.
  • The Breakfast Club – This diner features a chef who is a Culinary Institute of America alum and a multi-page menu filled with dishes such as the Blackhawk burrito, Grill cleaner, country fried steak and other solid foods. I personally love their omelets, filled to the brim with vegetables and shrimp or their egg florentine. They do not take reservations so I recommend getting there early, especially in the Summer months.
  • AJ’s Dockside – My family loves enjoying lunch or dinner dockside at this restaurant as they have some of the best seafood in Savannah. Over the years a number of local places have come and gone but AJ’s has been a staple since 2003 and seems to get better with every visit.  Their menu includes all types of options but the only thing I typically order is their fried shrimp and oyster plate.

Feel free to ask me any questions you may have via the comments, Twitter or email!

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A Celebratory Savannah Weekend

We are back in New York after a wonderful, long weekend down in Savannah. It felt wonderful to disconnect and spend time with our families during this last trip before we meet Baby Girl Diamond in June. In fact, this was my last flight and most likely last time leaving the city until after she arrives. This trip was perfectly planned as I truly feel it helped us transition into nesting mode.

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We took the last flight down to Savannah on Wednesday night, which meant we didn’t crawl into bed until 1 AM. Thursday morning we woke up to gorgeous weather, which I enjoyed during a power walk with my mother-in-law. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying lunch and dinner at two of my favorite, casual Savannah spots. My favorite lunch spot in Savannah is Starland Cafe. While their sandwiches and soups look delicious, the salads are what I always find myself ordering as they include a unique menu of ingredients and are always piled high with fresh, local, seasonal ingredients.  We finally tried their famous, homemade pimiento cheese and it was a delicious way to start the meal! IMG_2440IMG_2444

That evening we headed out to Tybee Island to enjoy one of my favororite, Southern indulgences – fried seafood.  My family loves enjoying lunch or dinner dockside at AJ’s Dockside restaurant as they have some of the best seafood in Savannah. Over the years a number of local places have come and gone but AJ’s has been a staple since 2003 and seems to get better with every visit.  Their menu includes all types of options but on Thursday night the only thing I had on my mind was their fried shrimp and oyster plate.

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Friday we balanced things out with a long walk on the beach and beachside salads at North Beach Grill. The weather was 80 degrees and sunny, warm enough for us to enjoy a few dips in the ocean during our walk!

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That night we headed to the first of two reunion events for our high school, Savannah Country Day School. I somehow forgot to take pictures, but it was wonderful to catch up with the staff and fellow alumni while also seeing campus for the first time in at least ten years.

Saturday, I had the joy of celebrating Baby Girl Diamond at a shower hosted by some of my mother-in-law’s dear friends. It was a lovely lunchtime shower that included a delicious shrimp casserole, strawberry and spinach salad as well as cookies from Two Smart Cookies. Their iced, cutout cookies are soft and chewy just the way I love my cookies!  It was so wonderful to spend the afternoon catching up with these wonderful women, many of whom have known Bo since he was a young boy. We laughed and reminisced as I opened gifts and listened closely to their tips and tricks for raising Baby Girl Diamond. I was so thankful that not only my mom and mother-in-law were able to attend but also my brother’s girlfriend and my aunt, who came down from Chapel Hill, NC for the occasion.

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Saturday evening we had our second reunion event, a party for our class at one of our classmates beautiful homes. It was a joy catching up with some people we hadn’t seen in 15 years. I was especially thankful for the words of advice I received from the numerous moms. I walked away with a few good books and blogs to read based on their recommendations.

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Sunday we spent the day relaxing and soaking in the last of our trip with both families. We went to church with Bo’s parents in the morning before relaxing on my parent’s back porch with our books for the afternoon. We pushed our stomachs to their limit with a delicious barbecue birthday celebration for my aunt which included Boston Butt that had been smoked for 15 hours, baby back ribs, squash casserole, pasta salad and birthday cake. 

It’s safe to say that Bo and I are both craving lots of healthy food and workouts this week after a relaxing and indulgent weekend at home in Savannah.  This week I have a number of posts planned including maternity workout gear, an exciting and fun giveaway and more!

Your turn – What’s your favorite meal or food when you’re home?

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24 Hours in Carmel

 

24 Hours in Carmel

It’s hard to believe that our Babymoon was already a month ago. What a wonderful adventure that quick, five day trip was for both of us. It was one of the first vacations during which we both disconnected from work, focused on us and just relaxed together. The entire trip was so amazing that when we discussed it, in preparation for the upcoming posts, there wasn’t one thing that either of us would change. 

As you review our ititinerary, keep a few things in mind:

  • We had limited vacation time since I am saving for maternity leave. If we could have made it a longer trip, we would have preferred to extend it by at least one or two nights.
  • However, since I’m pregnant and the Big Sur Highway was closed, we are hard pressed to think of places we would have stayed longer. Instead, if I wasn’t pregnant and Big Sur wasn’t closed, we would have done one night in Big Sur and a night in Sonoma.

A number of people have emailed me asking for specifics regarding the places we stayed, dined and explored during our trip. Today’s post is focused on the one for which I’ve received the most requests – Carmel or Carmel-By-The-Sea. 

Where We Stayed: We absolutely loved our choice to stay on the coast at Tickle Pink at Carmel Highlands. The inn is located just a quick, ten minute drive from downtown Carmel but it felt a world away with the gorgeous views, large room, ocean waves and service. While we looked at many of the inns located in Carmel, we wanted to enjoy the ocean setting since we knew we’d spend plenty of time exploring Carmel. There are 35 rooms at this small inn and when we booked, our only request was to have a view of the ocean and one of the rooms with a wood burning fireplace.  It was such a treat to sit on our balcony, listening to the waves crashing and watch the sunset, then walk a few steps into our room and enjoy a small cheeseplate and roaring fireplace.

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What We Did:

  • Seventeen Mile Drive – We loved leisurely driving the historic 17-mile drive which takes you through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove while passing famous golf courses, stunning views and mansions. We stopped to have lunch and explore Pebble Beach Golf Club and would recommend having lunch outside at The Bench, their casual terrace restaurant.  
  • Carmel-By-The-Sea –  I would recommend exploring the downtown shops early, before the tourists arrive. We spent an hour meandering through small shops, sipping coffee and enjoying breakfast sandwiches. Check the website to see what time the shops open, depending on the day of the week, to ensure that you’re able to shop as well as meander. Don’t hesitate to make a few wrong turns, get lost and explore as I promise the small alleyways and courtyards are where the magic comes to life.
  • Enjoyed the Beach – We went on two wonderful adventures along the Carmel-By-the-Sea beachfront including an hour beach walk from 4-5pm before sunset and then a 5 mile run along the footpath.  The footpath provided the perfect way to take in the beach’s natural beauty as well as the incredible homes, including the famous Frank Lloyd Wright home, The Della Walker House.

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Where We Dined: Luckily, a few weeks before our trip, we took time to do some research and make reservations as it seems like the top restaurants book quickly. We opted to enjoy seafood while we were there versus one of the many French or European restaurants. Other than dinner, we didn’t worry about any other reservations and just stopped in the small restaurants and coffee shops while we explored.

  • Flying Fish Grill – This cozy, inventive restaurant serves a menu of Asian-Seafood infused dishes that have been delighting locals and toursits alike for years. Known as one of the institutions in Carmel-By-The-Sea, this spot books quickly and even a few weeks out we were only able to snag a late reservation. We loved the California Tower, artichokes and almond encursted sea bass. 
  • Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co – This spot opens early so is a perfect place to grab a to-go cup of coffee before exploring town and a bite to eat. Their miniature cinnamon rolls are amazing!
  • Salumeria Luca – This Italian bakery and sandiwch shop is also home to the Big Sur Bakery Pop Up until the bakery is able to reopen. Therefore, the lines were long while we were in town but well worth the wait and moved quickly.  There are plenty of benches, shady spots and parks in the downtown area, so I would recommend getting your order to go. We enjoyed two of their signature sandwiches as well as a Big Sur Bakery chocolate chip cookie.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments or send me an email as I’m happy to help!

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