Savannah has its distinctive style of southern cooking. Much of it is what might be classified as low country cooking. By its definition, low country cooking is associated with the coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia.
Yes, it’s southern cooking, but it has its own character, generally associated with its abundance of seafood mixed with influences of African cuisine. With many places, it’s hard to separate the two as many places serve traditional southern cooking with a heavy seafood offering.
Regardless of what you call it, while on our Southern Road Trip, we ate a lot of AMAZING Southern cooking. Some of it was BBQ, a bit of Gullah cooking, and a lot of it was low-country, especially while in Savannah.
Two Very Different Experiences
As you search blogs, YouTube, and Yelp, you will find a lot of very different low-country dining experiences. We saw everything from high-brow restaurants boasting farm-to-table experiences with celebrity chefs reinventing southern classics to home cookin’ in takeout boxes.
If you know anything about us, we love street food. We like excellent, fresh local food in a relaxed atmosphere. We want places that tell you about the people and the culture of a city.
And, in Savannah, we went for two drastically different dining experiences.
Sisters of the New South
Wi2605 Skidaway Road
Savannah, GA 31404
We HAD to share this commercial we found online for Sisters of the New South – it sums up what they’re all about!
One of the descriptions we found on their site said: “Real Southern cooking like your Grandma did on Sunday- not any Sunday but communion Sunday.'” So, we knew we had to check them out!
They’re nothing fancy, just incredible home cooking! They’re outside of town a bit in a two-story brick building with a bright green awning. Inside, you line up – socially distanced – and everything is dished up cafeteria-style.
They filled out containers with three sides – Collard Greens, Mac and Cheese, and Okra and Tomato for Mark. Chuck went for Collards and double Mac and Cheese. But they also offer classics like Lima Beans, Red Rice, Yams, and Cabbage.
They Had Us At Fried Chicken
We both knew we wanted their Fried Chicken.
While they offer Oxtails, Turkey Wings, Smothered Pork Chops, and Fried Whiting, Shrimp, and Oysters, we were there for Friend Chicken.
As luck would have it, they had just dished up the last of the Chicken they had on the line. But, within minutes, they were bringing our more crispy Fried Chicken – the smell was everywhere.
We took our to-go containers and the plastic utensils. We found a seat in the adjoining dining room, nothing fancy, just a couple of tables.
Everything was amazing! Tender, crispy, moist, flavorful Fried Chicken. Each side was better than the next. Two pieces of Fried Chicken with three sides were $10.28!!!
We even splurged for a piece of Red Velvet Cake, the kind you’d expect to find at a church social, made by someone who’s made it their whole life!
Sisters of the New South is off the beaten path. But a place you don’t want to miss while in Savannah.
Vic’s On The River
26 East Bay Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Located on the riverfront, the main entrance is on Bay Street between City Hall and the Cotton Exchange. If you are on the riverfront, you can enter through their coffee shop and take the elevator to the fourth floor.
Reservations are suggested; however, dining on their patio is first-come, first-serve. We opted to make a reservation through Open Table for a late lunch seating, heading to the river after a day touring Bonaventure Cemetery.
Vic’s is billed as a fine-dining restaurant in a 19th-century warehouse, serving classic southern cooking. Stylistically it was as upscale as we care to dine on most occasions. The dining rooms had tall windows overlooking the river, old plank flooring, period chandeliers, and white linen tablecloths.
Our server started us off with a basket of freshly baked Biscuits with Honey Butter while she got our drinks. Possibly some of the best Biscuits we had on the whole trip.
Local Shrimp Was a Winner
We started off sharing their Spicy Fried Shrimp appetizer. It was done with Sweet and Sour Aioli and Thai Chili Peppers. It came with a half dozen plump, juicy Shrimp, lightly battered and perfectly fried. They were tossed with the Aioli and topped with some Green Onion. They were delicious, a little under spiced for our taste. But we really like it HOT!
Chuck went classic low country, with one of his favorites, Shrimp and Grits. They served a bowl full of stone ground, Smoked Cheddar Grits with a pile of Shrimp in a Rosemary Barbecue Sauce topped with crisp Bacon! The dish got rave reviews from both of us.
On the other hand, Mark went a little out on a limb with their Fried Green Tomato BLT. They stacked sliced Fried Green Tomato on toasted Sourdough Bread with slices of Bacon, Lettuce, Goat’s Cheese, and a Sundried Tomato Pesto. It was just okay; the Sundried Tomato was a bit heavy-handed and overpowered the tart Fried Green Tomato.
The sandwich came with one side. They offered about eight options – again, the Mac and Cheese was just okay. More school cafeteria than somebody’s southern grandmother.
Our Savannah Tally
If you are keeping track of our Southern cooking consumption, there’s the tally!
From our First Night in Savannah –
Common Restaurant:
Smoked Bacon Bourbon Old Fashioned, Fresh Shucked Oysters and a great Asian spin on Pulled Pork Sliders!
Leopold’s Ice Cream:
…because Georgia Pecans count! The Savannah Socialite – Milk and Dark Chocolate Ice Creams bursting with roasted Georgia Pecans and swirled with Bourbon-infused Caramel. Chocolate Chewies & Cream – Crispy Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Georgia Pecans in their Classic Vanilla Ice Cream.
Wiley’s Championship BBQ:
Pulled Pork, Pork Ribs, Smoked Chicken, Collard Greens, and Potato Salad.
Sisters of the New South:
Fried Chicken, more Collard Greens, Mac and Cheese, Okra and Tomatoes and some delicious Red Velvet Cake
Vic’s On the River:
Biscuits and Honey Butter, Spicy Fried Shrimp, Shrimp and Grits, and Fried Green Tomatoes.
…with more to come!
