New Hotspots
Photos: Jesse Blanco
A native of Miami, Florida, Jesse Blanco and “Eat It and Like It” have become synonymous with food in the region, and a brand that made Blanco Savannah and Hilton Head’s “Food Guy.” When he is not writing, eating or traveling, you will find Blanco following one of his favorite sports teams (anything Miami) or enjoying some rare downtime with his wife and daughter.
STRANGEBIRD
Like so many successful eateries, Strangebird started as a food truck, now one of the newest brick and mortar spaces in Savannah’s Victorian District, at the vintage Streamliner Diner. The 30-ish seat space is small, but the food is fantastic. Go-to’s here include the fried chicken sandwich as well as the birria burger, and the queso dip with house made chorizo will have you craving it for weeks. The menu features tacos, burritios, tortas and sides… all of it delicious. strangebirdsavannah.com
LULU’S CHOCOLATE BAR – WHITEMARSH ISLAND
Keeping it sweet, Savannah’s iconic chocolate bar recently announced plans to expand their operation to a space on Whitemarsh Island. Their space on MLK, Junior Blvd. has been very popular for over a decade. Now, the full menu of food and drink will be available at their new location too, including one of Savannah’s best espresso martinis and their signature strawberry suspension cake. luluschocolatebar.com
GOODY’S SAVANNAH
A neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot coming soon just South of Forsyth Park on Bull Street at 32nd. Owned by the same group behind the immensely popular Bull Street Taco, the fast-casual concept will include space to sit and eat, but also plenty of grab and go options for the on-the-run crowd in that part of town. Work has begun on the build out. Owner John Massey says they plan to be open before the end of 2023.
DESPOSITO’S SEAFOOD
Tucked up against the Thunderbolt bridge, Desposito’s Seafood had been a Savannah institution for decades before closing a few years ago. The former ‘fish camp’ style shack was incredibly popular with the locals. The menu was tiny. Boiled shrimp was the specialty. A few years ago, the space was sold, which is making room for the re-birth. The space has been completely re-done. The new kitchen is probably 3 or 4 times the size of the original, and the brand new outdoor bar will seat nearly as many people as used to fit in the old restaurant. The original menu is still being served, and one can also find other seafood favorites that didn’t exist here before like fried shrimp, fried oysters, a pasta dish and others. despositosseafood.com
Crown and Anchor Pub
It’s not at all hard to believe that with so many restaurants popping up in and around Savannah’s Historic District that something was bound to spring up outside the heart of Savannah. It has finally happened in the form of the brand new Crown and Anchor Pub by Pie Society. The pub is classic in every way. Owned and operated by the Wagstaff Family, who moved here over a decade ago from England. The menu includes currys, halloumi, fish and chips as well as proper pints. And there are plenty of televisions where you can catch premiere league football. It’s authentic and delicious.
facebook.com/thecrownandanchorpub
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