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Originally started as a food truck, Strangebird is now housed in a restored 1930’s streamliner dining car right across from SCAD’s fashion department. This is where we love to grab a lunch of one of their elevated Mexican plates like the a burrito with chicken and butterbeans or the birria burger.
This French-leaning bakery and cafe in Starland is a great sun-filled space to pop into for a quick pastry or stay for a sandwich. One thing we know is we’ll always get a cupcake, which pays homage to the space’s longtime tenant, the now closed Back in the Day Bakery.
Opened a few years ago by Michelin-starred chef Andrew Brochu, this hotspot ditches the white tablecloths for more relaxed energy. Expect world-class fried chicken & biscuits, oysters, and banana pudding all while they blast decades of music till close.
Two Tides Brewing's diner-meets-market inside a restored Thomas Square laundromat, basically "Waffle House with beer." Cheesy grits, patty melts, and a world class breakfast burrito all under one roof.
A pocket-sized neighborhood café baking hearth loaves and pulling espresso by day, then flipping to oysters and natural wine at happy hour. Thomas Square's low-key European hangout, SIXBY is the best place to get a Danish-style breakfast plate outside of Copenhagen.
One of our favorite spots to visit whenever we’re in town, this dockside restaurant and bar on the marsh is where boats pull right up for cold beer and Georgia shrimp tacos. No Savannah trip is complete without a sunset over the creek and a smash burger here.
The Death & Co. crew's cocktail-first hotel lobby, where the whole ground floor is one big all-day gathering space. Come for croquettes, crudo, and a Municipal Burger with yolk jam, plus a very new, moody basement speakeasy.
Handmade pasta and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza in an Art Deco room restored to its 1930s glow, with a nine-seat counter facing the kitchen. Chef Kyle Jacovino's Starland follow-up to Florence, and reservations go fast for a reason. When you’re here don’t miss the Steak Pizzaiola: a thinly pounded cut of beef topped with red sauce and mozz, then cooked entirely in the wood-fired pizza oven.
Savannah’s newest restaurant is this tiny, moody French-leaning oyster bar tucked into the garden level of The Douglas hotel. With just a handful of tables and an eight-seat raw bar, Lester’s and its lasagna-for-two is already the talk of the Historic District.
We love this funky little cocktail-and-oyster shack on North Tybee that’s also known for slinging gourmet hot dogs, alongside classic cocktails.
Mashama Bailey's Port City Southern cooking inside a lovingly restored, formerly segregated 1938 Greyhound bus terminal. James Beard–decorated, deeply personal, and one of the most important restaurants in the American South right now.
SCAD's own tea room inside a 1926 Scottish Rite building on Madison Square, stained glass and all. Tiered trays of scones and tea sandwiches, served by art students who'll happily tell you the building's history. Once upon a time, one of those students was coolstuff’s own Anna B!
This globally-influenced yet firmly Southern menu in a restored Victorian home, exemplifies why Savannah is known as a food city. Shrimp and collards by way of Peru and West Africa, chicken and rice by way of southeast Asia, there’s always something to celebrate here.
The city's standard-bearer for laminated dough, started by two former line cooks on Father's Day and now supplying half of Savannah's coffee shops, this Sandfly-based bakery is a perfect stop if you’re venturing outside of Savannah’s downtown.
This soda fountain originally opened in 1919, and now is known just as much for its long lines as its ice cream. There’s a flavor for every Savannah legend: Tutti Frutti for Johnny Mercer, butter for Jimmy Carter, and a few dozen more for the rest of us.
Without diving into the waters of what restaurant in Savannah is actually the oldest, we can say Crystal Beer Parlor has long been a constant in an ever-changing downtown. While many here opt for simple fare of burgers and beer, we can’t visit without getting a cup of their she-crab stew - topped with a few dashes of sherry.
Both of these classic Savannah spots, set in historic homes, are quintessentially Savannah. No first-timers trip to the hostess city is complete without a proper bowl of shrimp & grits and a plate of collard greens. Get your fill here!
To put it lightly, Perc roasts our favorite coffee in the world. In fact, we have a delivery of two bags sent to us in Brooklyn every month. Their Savannah roastery and cafe is a place where you’ll see SCAD students and elderly chess players rubbing elbows and sipping funky, special coffees.
Sitting pretty in SCAD’s Jen Library, Press Cafe has the most fun & colorful space for a catchup with friends. This open to the public SCAD-owned coffee shop has everything you need to sit and stay a while, with every board game you could dream of.
Originally started as a mobile coffee cart, SCAD Grads Matt and Elise Higgins have grown the business significantly since 2020 with two locations and their own roasting wing. We love this cafe to visit if you’re with a larger group or need to get something creative ideas down on paper in a space conducive to working.
This legendary corner bar is much more than what meets the eye. The same bar on which patrons sip ice cold PBR or frozen drinks is the very one President Jimmy Carter stood on to announce he was going to run for office. Alongside old posters, some letters between Carter and the bar’s owner can be found on the wall.
The city’s spot for British fare and a perfect pint of Guinness, we love stopping in for a quick beer at Six Pence or perching on one of their great outdoor tables on a nice day. They might even ask you if you want your beer to-go because it is an open-container city!)
While Savannah has long been a hotspot on the cocktail scene, Late Air Wine was the first natural wine bar in town and it does not disappoint. Lately, they’ve become just as known for their cooking, since chef Daniel Harthausen (winner of an HBO cooking series) took the helm of the kitchen last year.
The speakeasy sister to Municipal Grand, this cool & dark & cozy speakeasy (accessible by the alleyway) is exactly what you want after a long meal upstairs. It’s casual while still feeling special and they’ve got a great original cocktail menu.
While not yet officially open, this all day-to-night coffee shop and wine bar is going to be a real downtown gem. From the same team behind Provisions, [memory] pairs the respective wine and coffee knowledge from its founders, one of whom is a SCAD grad. Rumor has it they’ll have a happy hour wine special below $10 a glass!
Set in one of the city’s most beautiful historic buildings, Hotel Bardo’s bar & restaurant Saint Bibiana is one of the chicest spots for a drink. You can snag a table for dinner, or take you time sipping a perfect martini in the front bar area before a night out on the town.
Savannah is full of great cocktail bars and also great dives, Over Yonder is a great mix of both. With a bowling alley bar called Moodrights up front, we love this take on a Texas dive. Don’t skip the margs and late night bites like their lemon pepper wings and chili cheese fries.
Set in the city’s “Starland District” at the Starland Yard (a great outdoor storage container set up of bars and casual dining), lies Two Tides Brewing. Just upstairs from the below live music and food trucks, you can grab a beer and play a round of uno in this eclectic brewery space.
Recently named a James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Bar, Lone Wolf takes the feel of a classic southern or midwestern dive and makes it feel special. Yes, the interiors feel like a basement, but you can also get a perfectly stirred negroni as the disco lights circle the room.
Located just south of the action in Midtown Savannah, Colleagues & Lovers is the grown up big sister to Pinkie Masters and Savoy Society. Alongside tiny martinis, you can expect daily food specials like their famous Pizza Wednesdays
While this is the kids art cafe sister coffee shop to popular cafes Foxy Loxy & Coffee Fox, this is our favorite cafe of the trio to grab our favorite iced coffee & kolache.
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On a prized corner of the city's famed Broughton Street, Paris Market is stacked full of the chicest in tableware, accessories, art books and vintage treasures sourced straight from Paris. Make sure you hit both level of this expansive shop, and grab an iced latte at the cafe on your way out.
Selling everything from alumni and professor paintings, to your dream SCAD merch, shopSCAD has our favorite selection for sourcing original art and handmade gifts like jewelry, scarves and ceramics.
A constant on our Savannah rotation, Provisions in our go-to spot for all things hosting & the best natural wine shop in the city. We love popping in for a snack and drink on the go, or to snag a bottle of wine for Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t forget to pop next-door for their wines by the glass!
On the southside of Savannah, just a bit outside of the downtown area, lies Tapley’s Mercantile. We’re not sure the last time we were in town and didn’t stop by Tapley’s…so we urge you to do the same. This space is full of booths run by individual vendors sourcing everything from vintage ceramics to one of a kind lamps. Keep your eyes peeled for our favorite booth: Iris & Harp.
As a Savannah native, we cannot in good conscience create a great to the area without spilling the beans on where to get your hands on the best version of the southern delicacy that is known as boiled peanuts. On the drive to the beach just before you hit Tybee Island is David Product “home of the killer tomato”, and this side of the road produce stand is everything you’d want from a fruit stand in Georgia. Don’t miss the boiled peanuts, homemade tomato pies and the best scuppernongs in the area.
Another great thrift & antique shop is Found Objects Market. This gem, owned by an interior designer with a studio just next door, is full of tiny and big treasures waiting for you to take them home.
World renown for its Fashion programs, SCAD recently opened Bazaar - a dreamy boutique where clothing and accessories from current and former SCAD Fashion students is available for sale. In addition to the new and noteworthy designs speckled across the shop, there is also an edited collection of designer vintage, honed by SCAD Fashion Marketing students.
We love stopping by this homewares shop for everything from vintage Alessi tea kettles, to colorful new watch straps. Inspiration abounds in this little general store!
This inleather-goods shop has everything from your next big tote, to the tiny zipper pouch that will fit your lipstick just right. Stop in for color inspiration and to have a little fun with your newest accessory.
You might have heard of this iconic cookie shop serving up teeny tiny cookies of delightful flavors like key lime coolers & Georgia peach for over 100 years, but nothing beats the real thing. This is our favorite spot for holiday gifts like their tin boxes full of cheddar biscuit cookies or their glass jars of chocolate chip.
While you might be wondering why we’re recommending a gas station, once you visit you’ll understand why. This unusually “fancy” version of the city’s gas station chain, Parker’s, was deemed Fancy Parkers by the locals because of their great gift curation at the front of the shop, but the late-night chicken nuggets are what keep us coming back!
This shop is full of small makers in and outside of the south, Asher + Rye is always in our rotation and we typically end up leaving with a new toy for our pup and a perfectly scented candle. Don’t miss their cafe at the front of the shop, serving up Auspicious baked goods and coffee!
Longtime stalwarts of Savannah’s underground and DIY music scene, Graveface Records is decidedly weird. Their selection cuts deep into indie rock and jazz, but they also have one of the best collections of horror soundtracks and oddities. Prepare to feel the haunted side of Savannah in this Starland store.
Highlighting exclusive Latin American designers, Calle Las Ferias stocks clothing and accessories you literally can’t get anywhere else. From Medellin to Bogota, every piece here has a story to tell.
In true art school town fashion, you can snag gently used art supplies at Starlandia in the Starland District. They’re selling everything from yards of fabric, to the best art books and every rube of paint your heart could dream of.
Open since the ‘70’s, this iconic bookshop that sits on the beautiful Madison Square is a treasure trove. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in town winding through each room in E. Shaver, discovering the shop cats along the way.
The place to be on Saturday mornings with a coffee-to go from nearby Asher & Rye and a big empty tote bag. What we love most about this market though, is the selection of independent markets and artists selling their works at the front of the market…some of which are current SCAD students!
One of the greatest arts resources available to SCAD students - a world class fine art museum - is also open to the public. With exhibitions ranging from sculpture and painting to fashion and photography, there is so much inspiration packed into this curated space. Upcoming shows include a collection of work from Andrew Kuo and a fashion exhibition of Tremaine Emory of Denim Tears.
For those whose tastes lean classical, the Telfair Museum and adjoining Jepson Center have an extensive collection of artwork dating back to their founding in 1883. As one of the first public art museums in the South, the main building was designed by acclaimed architect William Jay.
The stunning live oak lined & spanish moss lined avenue of the Wormsloe State Historic Site, is truly what dreams are made of when it comes to the classic, dreamy settings of the lowcountry. Wormsloe's tabby ruin is one of the oldest standing structures in Savannah & boasts a nature trail that leads past the tabby ruins along the marsh. You can drive by to take a peak, or snag tickets to get the full experience.
Attached to the Press coffee shop, Press Play is a listening lounge packed with a great curation of vinyl records waiting to be played. This space, instead of for shopping, is meant for discovering a new record or picking up an old favorite, and having it played on the space’s amazing record players and headphones.
On your trip down south, you may want to take a beat and book something relaxing just for you… Paris Laundry is a little but mighty skincare and wellness shop with a great curation of natural products, and a mini facial studio in the back.
If you're in downtown Savannah, the sight of SCAD in almost every corner is hard to miss. To get a full picture (in a very entertaining way), head to the college's Poetter Hall for their Monday-Saturday free show of SCADstory.
Did you know Savannah was America’s first planned city? One of the greatest features of the city are its 22 squares, dotted every handful of blocks in each direction. These vital community spaces serve as mini parks, filled with beautiful landscaping, sculpture, and plenty of benches to rest.
We may be biased because this is the island that coolstuff co-founder, Anna B., grew up on. But if you're making it out to Wormsloe on your Savannah trip, drive a few more minutes into the neighborhood/island of Isle of Hope for the dreamiest walk down the historic Bluff. You'll get a taste of what it's like to live on the islands of the city, see a dolphin or two, catch a glimpse of the original Moon River, and see swaying live oak tree moss in all it's glory.
If you're a fan of the true crime book and movie adaptation of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Bonaventure Cemetery should be a must on your list. This rural cemetery on the Wilmington River is packed with history, lore, and all the spooky Savannah vibes.
In addition to all of the wonderful places to view and experience visual arts in Savannah, there are three landmark venues to watch amazing films and see live theater. Best of all, when the annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival takes place, many of these spots become home to screenings and talks of the latest films with big hollywood names.
Special thanks to the Savannah College of Art and Design for making this guide possible.