The Resy Guide to Dining in Savannah

More than a decade after opening inside a restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal, The Grey remains one of Savannah’s defining restaurants. Chef Mashama Bailey calls her cooking “Port City Southern,” pulling from the foodways of Savannah, the broader South, and her own life and travels.

The menu changes with the seasons, but expect local seafood and produce, thoughtful takes on Southern traditions, and plenty of influences from beyond the region. It’s the kind of place where even sides like buttermilk cornbread with pickled habanero deserve attention, so come ready to share. Not up for a full dinner? Stop into its sibling concept, Diner Bar, for cocktails, oysters, and smaller plates — and a taste of The Grey without making a whole night of it.

The crispy chicken wings are a longtime signature and a good place to start before moving on to a menu that puts fresh spins on familiar Southern flavors. Expect plenty of locally sourced ingredients, housemade touches, and a lengthy list of exceptional sides (did someone say giant tater tot? Yes, please.) And save room for dessert because the pastry program here deserves just as much attention as the savory side of the menu.

Set inside a restored 1897 Victorian home, Common Thread feels special before the first plate even hits the table. The team behind Farm built this restaurant concept around relationships with local farmers, fishermen, and producers, with a menu that looks beyond the Lowcountry for inspiration.

Expect seasonal vegetables, local seafood, and plenty of global influences, all designed for sharing. There’s a playfulness to the cooking here, which makes Common Thread an especially good place to visit with people who like to try a little bit of everything. Order more small plates than you think is reasonable and fill the table with flavor.

The menu changes with the seasons and what’s coming from local farmers and purveyors, so expect plenty of Georgia seafood, vegetables, grits, and other Southern staples interpreted through a modern lens. Then there’s the Husk cheeseburger, a longtime icon that’s worth ordering. Brunch is also a strong move here, especially if your ideal Savannah weekend involves biscuits, grits, and something fried.

Brochu’s Family Tradition feels a little like somebody invited you to a backyard cookout — except the person cooking is chef Andrew Brochu.

Set in a former 1930’s grocery store, the restaurant revolves around fried chicken, oysters, seafood, cold drinks, and plenty of things meant to be shared. The signature whole chicken dinner is the way to go with a group, bringing together fried, roasted, and charred chicken with chicken salad, biscuits, gravy, honey butter, hot sauce, and pickles. Add oysters and a few sides, then settle in. This is not a dinner that needs to be rushed.

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Premium steaks are the main draw, with a range of cuts and accompaniments for building your ideal steak dinner, but seafood gets nearly equal billing. There’s a substantial raw bar, plenty from the sea, and a wine list built for the occasion. Come for date night, a celebration, or simply when steak, seafood, and a cold martini are the answer to any of life’s questions.

Fishbar centers much of its cooking around a custom wood fired grill, charcoal smoker, and dry-aging program, putting a different spin on your typical Savannah seafood dinner. Oysters and other raw-bar selections are a natural place to start before moving on to local and line-caught seafood cooked over the hearth. The menu pulls from Mediterranean and global flavors for offerings that are both familiar and a little unexpected.

If the name Sunday Sunday makes you think brunch, you’re not wrong. But you shouldn’t stop there.

French technique and Vietnamese flavors meet Southern ingredients on a menu that moves from bánh xèo and noodle dishes to more familiar bistro fare. Brunch is a particularly fun way to experience it, but Sunday Sunday works well beyond the weekend morning hours. Its Historic District location also makes it an easy stop before or after a day spent wandering downtown.

The menu covers plenty of ground, from sushi and sashimi to ramen, steamed buns, karaage, gyoza, and Japanese comfort food. The move here is to cover the table: Order a few snacks, add some nigiri or a roll, then work your way toward ramen or one of the larger plates. The lively atmosphere and shareable menu make Ukiyo an easy choice when you want dinner to feel a little more casual.

Chef Kyle Jacovino opened Lucia Pasta Bar in 2025 as a neighborhood restaurant inspired by his Italian American heritage and time cooking in Italy. Grab a seat at the pasta counter if you can; watching the kitchen work is part of the fun.

As the name suggests, handmade pasta is the main event, with shapes, sauces, and ingredients changing with the seasons. There are pizzas and other Italian plates, but you came to a pasta bar, so grab a negroni on draft or a glass of wine from the all-Italian wine menu and commit.

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The menu leans into housemade pasta alongside seafood and seasonal produce, with coastal Italian cooking at its core. Pasta is a particular strength, so make sure you try at least one, but leave room for antipasti and seafood, too. It’s an easy pick for date night or a celebratory dinner, but don’t skip on brunch while you’re in the area, too.

Sometimes you just want a good steak without all the steakhouse fanfare. That’s the appeal of The Steakhouse on Whitemarsh Island, a neighborhood spot that has built a loyal local following.

The menu sticks largely to steakhouse classics, with ribeye, New York strip, filet mignon, traditional sauces and toppings. It’s straightforward and familiar in the best way: pick your cut, order a cocktail or bottle of wine, add a couple of sides, and call it dinner. And don’t let the unassuming location fool you — that under-the-radar quality is part of the charm.

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