The Menu: Savannah + Tybee Island
Recently I regaled you with the story of how a hotel concierge in Atlanta told me once that a woman’s value is only in her cooking and her attractiveness. I don’t find Atlanta particularly beautiful, but if you judge Georgia by Savannah (and not some of the ignorant people in it), then it’s a beautiful lady who can indeed cook.
I was only in Savannah for a few short days, but I have some amazing food to report back on.
Beachview Java & Juice
OK, if I’m being TOTALLY honest, Tybee Island didn’t have much in the way of breakfast places, cafes, or bakeries. Obviously this bums me out. Search “bakery” here, and you’ll see that bakeries/cafes are kind of one of my favorite travel traditions. In fact, there always comes a time on a classic Hashtag Jetlag trip when, after too many European pastry breakfasts in a row (yes, there is such a thing), Jen announces, “My body needs…something green.” Anyway, Tybee has very few beach breakfast options with nary a Wawa in sight. So we had to wait in quite a long line for Beachview Java & Juice, but my croissant BEC was delicious (if not pretty enough to warrant a photo), the space was cute, and there were lots of stray cats hanging around to make a hungry wait in the heat bearable.
StingRay’s Seafood
While I am happy to have squeezed in some travel before this latest Delta outbreak, air travel is *NOT* back to running smoothly, and I didn’t get into Savannah until a few hours later than expected. This left Carly with some alone time on her hands, and she scoped out the food options on Tybee Island, finding StingRay’s, and telling me upon my arrival, “There’s a seafood boat I want to split with you.” So StingRay’s isn’t Edo Mae sushi of Owings Mills, where Carly and I split sushi boats from time to time, so technically what we got was a low country boil platter, not exactly a boat, but you get the idea. LOTS of seafood, and it was delicious, even for a place outside of Maryland. ;)
Local 11ten
We planned our trip to spend our days on the beach on Tybee Island and evenings in Savannah (with the hope that it would be a little bit cooler…it was note). Savannah, like its sibling Charleston, is FULL of amazing restaurants, and my only regret is that we weren’t there longer in order to try more of them. Our first night, we went to Local 11ten off of Savannah’s biggest park, Forsyth Park. The cocktails/mocktails were delicious, the food was super fresh and flavorful, and the service was excellent. Truly, I could not stop ogling Carly’s tomato and corn salad.
Chive Sea Bar & Lounge
As we were finishing our first dinner at Local 11ten, we asked the server for recommendations of things to do and neighborhoods to see around Savannah. A couple celebrating their anniversary nearby overheard us and had recommendations of their own, including Chive Sea Bar & Lounge. I scoped out the website, was immediately into the seafood menu and 20s art deco vibe, and switched our next night’s reservations. Carly asked for a mocktail, and I asked the bartender which cocktail he recommended for someone who likes sweeter, fruitier drinks. He said he’d surprise me, and served me up a perfect cocktail (the jitterbug). The pictures of the food may not look super appetizing, but Carly’s steak was delicious, the mushroom salad was super flavorful, and my tuna ceviche was unlike any other ceviche I’ve had before.
The Collins Quarter
Since we spent two of our mornings on the breakfast desert that is Tybee Island, we made up for it with brunch before leaving Savannah at the Collins Quarter, which has two locations. We ate at the Forsyth Park spot, which has a beautiful outdoor space AND a beautiful indoor space. The coffee options are numerous and tempting, and I really wanted a second Thai iced coffee even though I knew a second coffee would make me feel too jittery. I ALSO wanted one of their many delicious sounding brunch cocktails, but I had cramps because my body only ever lets me travel when I am in pain, so I refrained. I appreciated the healthier options for brunch but also didn’t feel like I was missing out on ANYTHING with the avocado toast.
The Paris Market
Knowing that I’d have some time to kill in Savannah between Carly’s departure by car and my flight and knowing I’d be saddled with my luggage, each evening in Savannah, I scoped out coffee shops where I could potentially park myself with a snack, a drink, and a book. Much like I was sucked in by the 20s vibe of Chive, I was sucked in by the Parisian vibe of the Paris Market.
Once upon a time, on the inaugural HTJL trip to Paris, Jen and I ate lunch at a wonderful cafe and shop called Merci. There I ate beets for the first time, Jen and I bought matching bracelets, and I also bought a Parisian perfume because French girls are sophisticated. TBH, I could not afford most of the beautiful items Merci had to offer, but I came away thinking that a great cafe combined with a shop was the best idea ever. Now, we have that concept in Baltimore, and Savannah has it too in the form of the Paris Market. I read the owners were inspired by a similar Parisian cafe/shop, and I have to wonder if it was Merci. I LOVED the Paris Market. Definitely visit for a pastry and a shmy if you go to Savannah.
Savannah Bee Company
These days if you’re around me for like more than 15 minutes, chances are I will have started a sentence with “I heard on a podcast…” I said it so many times, Carly started following up my chorus with the rejoinder, “Drink!” So I heard on a podcast about tupelo honey, a rare honey since it can only be harvested in the south for a week or two each year. Naturally, I was excited to see tupelo honey at the Savannah bee company, so I tried it and bought myself a (small) jar. I also snagged a few gifts in the form of honey and hand cream to bring back home. It’s not a place to get a meal, but it’s definitely a fun, unique-to-Savannah shop, and they’re doing their part to protect honey bees.
Leopold’s Ice Cream
When I told people I was visiting Savannah, I heard a refrain of “You have to go to Leopold’s!” Apparently their ice cream is very good, and they do seem to have some cool flavors, but when we made our way there after Local 11ten, there was a line for blocks. And to quote Carly quoting some Real Housewife, “Ain’t no dick that good.” So we went to Ben & Jerry’s.
I had clocked a Leopold’s kiosk in the airport on my way in and decided I would grab some on my way home. But alas, I arrived at the kiosk at 6:05 p.m., and the lady beginning to clean up the ice cream tubs was not about to give me a scoop. So I have no idea how Leopold’s is and if that dick is in fact that good.
Have you had Leopold’s? What about other treats Savannah has to offer? Let us know in the comments. I have a feeling I’ll be back!
-Staci
