A trip to Savannah isn't complete without a Savannah food tour. Here's why the Savannah Taste Experience is the best tour in town.
When I knew that I was going to be visiting Savannah for a long weekend, the first thing I did was book my reservation the Savannah Taste Experience Food Tour. I do want to emphasize that this is a summary of my experience. The restaurants are not always the same for every tour and can vary according to dates, seasons, availability, etc.
To me there is no other better way to see a city than through its food. I believe that food is the heart of every cultural aspect of travel. The easiest way to a traveler’s heart is through their stomach. Food is everything. And what a better foodie city than the coastal gem of Georgia also known as Savannah? The Savannah Taste Experience offers five different tours - walking or biking - their friendly and informative guides will show the best of the best, and you will not go home hungry.
We first met at The Pirate's House – one of Savannah’s oldest and most popular establishments. This is where Pirates would gather, get their drink on and scheme their next adventure. We began our tour with their world famous award winning Pecan Fried Chicken. Now, I will share most of what we ate (I don’t want to tell you everything- you have to have a few surprises when you do your own tour).
The Pecan Fried Chicken is the Pirate’s House signature dish and though I eat mostly Vegetarian, I could not resist a taste. Oh my Goodness. There is a reason this dish is so popular and wins so many awards. I think pecan sauce is going to be my new thing. And if this was just the start of the tour I could not wait to see what was next.
Each location is a short walk from one another with plenty of stops in many of the park squares that make Savannah famous. And we learned loads of Savannah history. Savannah was built around a series of public squares, with each square serving a purpose for the city. Whether used as a community garden, wash basin or market, each square was meant to bring the community together.
Our second tour stop was Wall’s BBQ, a very hidden-off-the-beaten path joint for homemade family BBQ. Meat eaters enjoyed pulled pork while non carnivore guests were served okra with tomatoes and creamy macaroni and cheese.
(*note: Wall's BBQ is temporarily closed. Again, your tour experience will vary from mine)
The first thing you notice walking into Wall's BBQ is the jumbled menu board on the front counter. Why are words jumbled? Ah, you must take the tour and find out. It’s clever.
The third stop is the 17Hundred90 Inn. The inn is one of the most haunted spots in Savannah and our guide shared some spooky ghostly stories of the very bar we were sitting in. In just the short time we were there, we saw two different bachelorette parties enter the bar. We were served Salmon Salad Crostinis, a food item that is not on the regular menu, but a great indication of the quality of the food that is. Room 204 at the 17Hundred90 Inn is rumored to be the most haunted hotel room in Savannah with many claiming to have experienced the ghost of Anna.
Next we went to Fire Street Food and ate honey glazed fiery shrimp with peppers and onions. Their menu is upscale street food and if the shrimp was any indication of the rest of the menu, this is a definite must eat on any foodie's Savannah bucket list.
Then we moved on to the world famous Zunzi’s Take Out. Thanks to its close proximity to the Savannah College of Arts and Design, Zunzi’s has a line out the door everyday. However, the line moves very quickly and it is worth the short wait. Meat eaters on the tour experienced the Chicken Conquistador, a sandwich featured by Adam Richman on the Travel Channel. I enjoyed a sample of their hummus and pita bread – red peppers and dill hummus to be specific. I can see why the line is always out the door.
Our last and sweetest stop was at Savannah’s Candy Kitchen on the riverfront. As we watched the making of the famous pralines candies Savannah is known for, we got to sample the candies fresh and warm straight from the oven. Of course, one cannot leave the shop without buying 15 dozen pecan praline candies. Seriously.
I was really impressed with our tour guide, Lauren. She was so well versed in all things Savannah from the ghostly haunts to the architectural history to the best places to stay. What a great way to spend an afternoon picking the brain of a local and eating the best of the best fare Savannah has to offer.
This is so much more than just a food tour. You really get to see some parts of Savannah that most tourists don't find. The tour is also very accommodating for varied diets (be sure to check with the tour before you arrive to make sure they can accommodate you).
Visit the Savannah Taste Experience website for tour dates, prices and more information.
Check out these other food tours:
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