Savannah is the perfect weekend getaway for any of y'all living in the Southeast. I've been at least five times, sometimes as a stand-alone trip and others as a brief stop on my drive to Florida. It's 4 hours from Charlotte and four hours from Orlando, so it was the perfect midpoint to meet my mom last weekend. I imagine it would also be super convenient for those who live in South Carolina, other parts of Georgia, and maybe even Alabama. Enough GPS coordinate facts and more about why you should go. Hint: It's not only because it's convenient and would make your US History teacher proud.
I have to admit, on all of my previous Savannah trips I was never particularly wowed and I was usually just there for one night. I've been on a Girl Scout trip specifically to see the Juliette Gordon-Low house, I've stopped while passing through just to eat at The Lady and Sons, and I've stayed overnight to run the Women's Half Marathon in April. I never left feeling like I missed anything and it made me wonder what in the heck I was going to do in Savannah for three and a half days. I found more than enough to do and it all comes down to this list of local eats and drinks you cannot miss.
1. The Grove
When we checked into our Airbnb, the host recommended this place since the weather was perfect and The Grove has rooftop seating. All I had to hear was "rooftop" and I knew this place would be gorgeous for the 'gram. As soon as we walked in, I was tempted to stay seated on the first floor because it was so gorgeous. I love a clean, white shiplap look. It feels good and it looks good. We walked up to the rooftop and while the view was stunning, we couldn't stay. The wind was chilly and there was only one server for the whole rooftop.
It would have taken forever to get service. The server acted like this was not typical though, so I'd definitely recommend giving the roof a fair shake. We came back down and I got to eat in the room I fell in love with after all. The menu is "New American" aka "We serve trendy Instagrammable food." I got grilled cheese with the add on of grilled chicken inside and a side of cheese grits. I wasn't impressed by the sandwich, but loved the grits. They had appetizers that looked like they would have been good as well.
2. The Lady and Sons
This is *the* place people tend to eat (or used to eat) in Savannah. Paula Deen caused herself quite a controversy a few years ago and I think the restaurant has suffered. There used to be a line down the block and this time, we walked right in and were immediately sat. While the restaurant itself isn't super trendy (unless you wanna Instagram Paula's Family Photos), the food is. The food is most importantly delicious, which is why I try to go every time I'm in Savannah. I don't care for buffets, so I always order an entree a la carte. If you do this, you MUST order the Chicken Pot Pie. It is gorgeous and tastes like the Gods baked this for you.
Insider tip: The menu will only list two desserts for purchase (Key Lime Pie and Pecan Pie), but there are more! Each person who gets the buffet gets one of these special mini desserts included. I believe there are 3 options, but the only one that matters is Banana Pudding! I went to this restaurant with the sole intention of getting banana pudding and was devastated when I didn't see it on the menu. The server explained why this was and said I could order it a la carte for only $2.00. I should have ordered 4. Best Banana Pudding ever.
3. Little Duck Diner
Go here, go here, go here. If you go nowhere else in Savannah, go here. I cannot stress this enough. I stumbled upon this place on Instagram under the Savannah tag and I'm so glad I did. When I saw the photo of the rubber duck drink, I knew I had to have it. The inside is absolutely adorable and Instagrammable if you're in the right spot. It was hard for me to get photos because I was in a busy corridor in the center of the restaurant. What I was pleasantly surprised about was just how good the food was. When I saw the drink, I knew I had to go for the novelty and aesthetics, but I never expected the food to be amazing.
I ordered shrimp and grits and it was the best I've ever had. Great flavor without being too spicy and best parts of all: no sausage and no tails on the shrimp. Almost every shrimp and grits dish I see has sausage in it, which I hate. This did not. Also, a lot of places leave the tails on the shrimp. I like the shrimp and grits from the Grand Floridian, but even they serve the shrimp with tails on. The drink with the duck is called the Lavender Bubble Bath Bellini and while I don't know what they use to create the extra foamy bubbles, it's delicious. You have to get it and you have to go. End of story.
4. Blends: A Coffee Boutique
I visited this place for the first time when it was brand new. I can't remember the year, but I know I've been going every year since if I'm in Savannah. It's my go-to coffee after the Savannah Women's Half Marathon and on this trip, I went twice in one day. The decor is everything I want for my home and more. It's clean, polished, and mid-century modern. They roast their coffee in house and they have a giant old school roaster in the back. The coolest part about this place is with every drink ordered, they ask where you want your coffee sourced from.
They offer coffee from Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ethiopia and Sumatra. I ordered a mocha with espresso from Brazil the first time and Ethiopia the second time. They didn't taste significantly different, but I love the concept. I also love the giant window that allows you to see the world going by on Broughton. Recently, a Starbucks opened literally across the street from this place. Can you say rude? Do not go to Starbucks. I promise you, Blends is worth it to try something new.
5. Jen's and Friends
I have no one to thank for this other than some of my lovely Instagram friends. This place is so small and so casual, I would have never sought it out or discovered it on my own. Their door states that they're the home of 300 Martinis and 200 beers. The inside is quaint and dark, which makes it cozy. Unfortunately, there's not much seating and with a bachelorette party inside, I took my drink to go. Fortunately, it's Savannah where walking around with open containers of alcohol is totally legal. Some of the martinis offered are a candy lover's dream! There's a Reese's, served with a full sized Reese's cup on the rim, Rice Krispy Treat, and even S'mores.
I could have tried them all and wish I did try one that was more chocolate-based. I went for a Lucky Charms martini because I had seen photos and it was SO cute. Plus, the concept of cereal in alcohol intrigued me. Mine was served complete with a marshmallow fluff rim and pink milk with a spoon. The good news is, they're strong drinks. Or at least I thought they were. You can definitely taste the alcohol and I was feeling good after. The drinks are so Instagrammable, I couldn't even decide where in Savannah I wanted to take photos with it.
Savannah's old southern architecture is gorgeous and it's the perfect sized town for a long weekend getaway. After a day or two of walking the town, it starts to feel very small. Despite walking across the same squares and down the same streets every day, I was always stumbling across a cafe or restaurant I wanted to try. Savannah may not be famous for its cuisine, but at the very least it should be Insta-famous for its food and drinks.
