Savannah: All That Glitters Isn't Fried

When thinking about The South, one often has visions of golden fried chicken...fluffy buttermilk biscuits...collard greens...oh my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Except for the collard greens. Just not my thing. Each time I have gone to Savannah, I save my big "splurge" meal for The Olde Pink House on Reynolds Square, which features the famous BLT Salad with Fried Green Tomatoes.



Even though there are many tasty dishes on the menu, I typically choose the delicious Fried Pork Chop, which practically melts in your mouth while it glides down to harden your arteries. This is why I ran five miles each morning of my trip. I skipped the greens and went for the mac & cheese and bacon buttermilk whipped potatoes as my sides.



There are plenty of restaurants in Savannah that cater to this type of Southern Fried Goodness, but there are also just as many that specialize in farm-to-table deliciousness. Leoci's serves authentic Italian cuisine with Savannah’s best local ingredients.



The tomato soup was a winner; so fresh you could almost taste the vines.



I've had the Bolognese Gnocchi in the past and had to repeat that delicious choice again.



Off Madison Square you'll find the SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) run Gryphon Tea Room located inside the 1926 Scottish Rite Building.



Much of the decor is restored from the pharmacy that was once at this location.



Beautiful stained glass.



Gorgeously ornate light fixtures.



This clock is a favorite detail of mine.



The watermelon feta salad was flavorful.



The Croque-Monsieur sandwich was tasty, but would have been better if it had been served hot instead of luke-warm; it was the only disappointment of my experience there. The staff, SCAD students, were very friendly and attentive. I especially enjoyed the very tart lemonade...just the way I like it.



One night, the rain was coming down in waves. Fortunately, one of my favorite hidden gems restaurants, The Firefly Cafe in Troup Square, was only a few blocks away from my hotel.



The interior is very stylish, tastefully decorated with local artwork, fresh flowers, and fun light fixtures.



Once more, I tried the tomato soup. Different from Leoci's, it was every bit as good.



The Rosemary Lemon Chicken was fab-tastic. Delicious crispy skin, perfectly seasoned.



I was going to venture elsewhere for dessert, but I found myself tempted by the Lemon Blueberry Custard concoction. Yum, yum...and yum.



Another new fave this trip was The Public, also located on Bull Street.



The sleek and minimal decor gives it a modern feel that isn't necessarily a good fit for Savannah, but I still (very much) enjoyed my meal.



For this photo of the bar, I cropped out the two "ladies" sitting at the end, loudly discussing female troubles while downing quite a few large glasses of wine.



The heirloom tomato salad was a good choice.



The delicious stuffed chicken breast guaranteed I would be back on my next visit.



Two nights, I ate my dessert at Leopold's Ice Cream Parlour.



Mary Leopold, one of the owners, was graciously serving water to hot patrons patiently waiting in a line that wrapped around the building. I finally got inside and was able to enjoy my three scoops of Tutti Frutti ice cream. No trip to Savannah is complete without it.



My mouth is watering, anxiously anticipating my next visit.

See more Savannah, Georgia photos on my Lucas web pages.