Best Food Tours in Savannah

Savannah is one of the most touristic cities in the state of Georgia and its culinary offerings are just as interesting as its history and architecture. Keep reading this post to find out how the gastronomic tours of this city work.

Keyvis Montilva

Keyvis Montilva

11 min read

Best Food Tours in Savannah

Leopold's Ice Cream |©jpellgen (@1179_jp)

One of the best things to see and do in Savannah is the gastronomic exploration of the proposals that exist in the historic district of the city. This place is the perfect mix between the typical flavors of the American South with a modern and sophisticated reinvention for the most demanding palates.

With this in mind, I invite you to familiarize yourself with the best gastronomic tours in Savannah, Georgia, so you will have the opportunity to join one on your next visit to the city. This way you will know how long it will take you to participate in most of them, what are the approximate prices of a service like this and what are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of experience.

The best option

Savannah Food Tour

Savannah's Historic District Food Tours

Meet the city's most talented chefs and the mansions with an interesting past in this southern town.

Recommended if you like the idea of exploring the culinary world of Savannah and especially if you are interested in doing it with a specialist in local cuisine. It is a good plan if you want to visit several restaurants in the same itinerary and with the accompaniment of another group of participants just as interested as you are in exploring the flavors of this city.

It is also a recommended plan if you want to save money on quality culinary experiences, as it is a fixed amount and this allows you to know exactly how much you will spend for a memorable and very entertaining evening.

Savannah Dining Tours

Savannah Sandwich|©HumongoNationphotogallery
Savannah Sandwich|©HumongoNationphotogallery

Savannah food tours are a great way to explore the city's historic district. Most of the upscale, quality restaurants in this community are located in this neighborhood. This is logical, since it is the most touristic area as well as the one with the most beautiful architectural essence of any city.

Some of these tours focus on visiting the best known restaurants in the area, while other itineraries seek proposals that go unnoticed in the city. This with the intention of demonstrating that all the culinary alternatives in Savannah are good places to enjoy an authentic southern food of excellent level.

These types of tours are as pleasant as the historical tours of Savannah, since in reality the guide that accompanies you at all times will take you to where the most talented chefs of the city are located, but you will also pass through specific streets that have some of the mansions with the most interesting past in this important southern town.

On average, these tours usually visit about 6 different restaurants and in each of them you will taste different dishes so that at the end of the tour you will be completely satisfied and impressed with the gastronomic quality that defines this city. Keep in mind that this is a relatively private tour, as there is usually a maximum of 12 people per reservation. Vegetarian options are also available.

Details of interest

  • Price: the approximate rate for this type of gastronomic tour is usually around 65 euros per person. Please note that there are no age distinctions, as the amount of dishes offered is the same for everyone. Water is included in the consumption, but alcoholic beverages are paid separately.
  • Duration: this type of tours usually have a total duration of about three hours. However, you have to keep in mind that in that time a part of it is spent in the historical tour of the city.
  • Means of transportation: this type of gastronomic tours do not usually have any means of transportation, since the way between restaurant and restaurant is usually walked by the group of participants. This is so that the tour guide has the opportunity to tell historical details about Savannah's past.
  • Advantages of this option: 65 euros is a very convenient price considering that you will taste 6 dishes of excellent culinary quality. In addition, you will be accompanied by a guide who will provide entertainment as well as an educational experience.
  • Disadvantages of this option: it may not be the most suitable experience for children, at least for those who are too young and may get bored quickly. At the same time, there are very clear limitations on the amount of alcohol that can be consumed at each of the stops. On average, only one drink is allowed as an accompaniment to each meal.

Gastronomic and cultural tour of Savannah

How to book a food tour in Savannah?

Girl sitting with laptop on her lap|©Sincerely Media
Girl sitting with laptop on her lap|©Sincerely Media

Savannah food tours can be booked in different ways. If you wish, you can buy this service directly from a tourist agency in the city if you have the time and the disposition for it. However, an online reservation is your best alternative and that has to do with several convenient points.

The first one is that you can buy the tour in advance. In fact, from the comfort of your home you can book it for a favorable time and date of your trip when you know you will have the afternoon free and want to have a guaranteed entertainment alternative. There is also some economic convenience, since through an online reservation you can compare prices with other alternatives. You also have the possibility of seeing the references of people who have already enjoyed the service to know if you are getting a good investment.

These advantages associated with the online booking of a gastronomic tour in this city also exist for other tourist services. This is why most of the best Savannah tours and specifically Savannah ghost tours are usually booked through online platforms. This also because of an issue that people want to know the opinions of other buyers to be sure that the tour is worth it and really is a spooky experience.

Spooky Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl and Walking Ghost Tour

Duration of Savannah food tours

People outside the ice cream parlor|©U.S. Department of Agriculture
People outside the ice cream parlor|©U.S. Department of Agriculture

Savannah food tours generally last between 2 to 3 hours. However, it is important to understand that this number is quite subjective and can be analyzed from different perspectives. And is that the tour in its entirety has that duration, but the time you spend eating in each of the restaurants is about 60 or 70% of that time.

All the remaining minutes are used for the walk from one establishment to another and in this part is that the knowledge of the guide begins to shine because it is responsible for sharing historical facts and interesting details of the culture of this city. This makes the evening much more interesting and entertaining for everyone present.

Depending on the season of the year, it is possible that the whole event may take a little longer, since in some restaurants there are no reservations and attention is given on a first come, first served basis. Either way, the fact that it is a group plan makes it a very entertaining experience and a good opportunity to make friends with other tourists who are visiting the city at the same time as you.

On the other hand, if you are interested in a gastronomic experience in the city that is much more rigorous with its timing then you can participate in the best boat rides in Savannah. And there are some that are focused exclusively on offering a dinner with live entertainment to the participants of the tour. Which is quite an exclusive and elegant experience that can become one of the best memories of your trip to this beautiful city.

What am I going to see in this kind of tours?

Burger Meat on the Grill|©The Food Pornographer
Burger Meat on the Grill|©The Food Pornographer

In this type of tours there will be two main components. The first is the food and for this reason they usually choose restaurants that are at the culinary forefront of the city. Every year they change, as the idea is that the participants have the opportunity to get to know the gastronomic world that the locals are enjoying at the time of their visit.

At the same time, there is the fact that this type of tour goes through a good part of the historic district of the city. Therefore, the possibility of seeing some of the Antebellum mansions as well as taking a walk in one of the famous squares in this section of Savannah is another of the great attractions of this type of experience.

Therefore, in this type of tour you not only have the opportunity to see how the culinary world works in the city, but you can also tour the city by the hand of a specialist in its history and specifically in its gastronomic identity. In fact, many of the details that are shared in the tour conversations have to do with the development and evolution of food in this city in its more than 300 years of history.

On the tour route you will usually pass near some of the best museums in Savannah and this means that it is a good idea to visit them before or after participating in these tours. Although keep in mind that you will only be able to do so afterwards if it is a tour that occurs in the early afternoon.

Tips for a food tour in Savannah

People eating at the table|©esthert
People eating at the table|©esthert

There are several tips I can give you to make the most of a food tour in Savannah, however, the best of them all has to do with a matter of satisfaction. And that is that you have to understand that these types of tours are not a small meal experience where you will only taste snacks at each of the restaurants.

The reality is that at each of the restaurants you will taste a full course meal. Maybe not a two course lunch but a starter or at least a relatively small entree. That means that on average you will have a starter, a main course and a dessert at a minimum throughout the experience and at each of the stops you have the possibility of accompanying it with a cocktail or a drink.

In fact, that is the other recommendation I can give you, as the idea is that you do not consume too much alcohol throughout the experience. This is for the simple fact that at the slightest trace of drunkenness the guide has the power to remove you from the tour and this would affect your entire group of companions.

Also, keep in mind that this is not an experience that limits the participation of children, but you have to keep in mind that it is configured as an adult entertainment plan. Therefore, it is preferable that your children accompany you only if they are of advanced age or if they know how to behave among older people. An alternative plan if you are looking for family activities could be the best trolley tours in Savannah, as it is a fun experience for all kinds of people regardless of their age.

How much does a food tour in Savannah cost?

Cardholders|©Avery Evans
Cardholders|©Avery Evans

The average rate for a food tour in Savannah is always between 60 and 70 euros per person. That amount may seem exaggerated if you compare it to a fast food alternative or a one-course dinner. However, you have to keep in mind that in this tour you are visiting five or six different restaurants with experimental gastronomic proposals that are definitely part of the best of the city's culinary industry.

Therefore, in a gastronomic tour in Savannah you are saving money in a way because you are having the chance to visit places that you might not see on your own. That's while you're spending the same amount you would pay if you went to a single moderately expensive restaurant and ordered a plate and a cocktail at that place.

In fact, food tours are so convenient that they are a highly recommended activity for those with a three-day visit to Savannah. And that amount of time is more than appropriate so that a three-hour event doesn't disrupt the logistics of the group too much. Which at the same time reduces the amount of money you have to spend to explore the culinary world of the city knowing that it is a significantly short trip.

What are the must-see places on a food tour in Savannah?

Man preparing food|©DavezPicts
Man preparing food|©DavezPicts

Actually on Savannah food tours you don't have the power to choose which sites you can't miss. This is because the route is set by the guide beforehand according to the restaurants that are in fashion as well as according to the season you are in.

The best thing you can do to enjoy the experience is to let yourself be guided by the knowledge of a specialist in Savannah knowing that you will know good restaurants. Which belong to the privileged group of the best in the city.

Also, if it is a family trip and you are worried about the places you will visit because you are not sure if they are some of the activities to do in Savannah with children then it is best to consult before booking. This is to ensure that they are appropriate establishments for people of all ages. Although in general bars are not usually visited in this type of tours, as the idea is that all kinds of people can participate in them.

Why is it advisable to take a food tour in Savannah?

Dishes on the table|©Affiliated Distributors
Dishes on the table|©Affiliated Distributors

Participating in a food tour in Savannah is recommended for the simple fact that it is a cost-saving experience in every way. First, you get to manage your time properly, since you have the possibility to visit several restaurants in a short time and enjoy the most famous dishes of each of these establishments.

At the same time, it is a significantly economical tour and this implies a saving for your budget that you could spend on other entertainment activities in the city.

In addition, you have to keep in mind that gastronomic tours are a recommended experience in most cities in the world and in a place as diverse and interesting as this one there is no exception to this rule. In fact, for many specialists a food tour is among the top 59 things to do in Savannah, no matter what time of the year you visit the city.

What are the advantages of taking a guided tour vs. visiting Savannah restaurants on my own?

people watching the food|©dahon
people watching the food|©dahon

On the other hand, there are distinct advantages associated with taking a guided tour versus visiting the same places on your own. If you make this comparison it starts to become a logistical issue. With a guided tour, you arrive directly at the restaurants with a good chance that you will have a table reserved. Or at least that they will give you preferential treatment by speeding up your wait due to the fact that it is a tour guide.

On the other hand, when you visit a place you have to deal with the situation of being another private customer. This implies that you would even have to make a reservation with enough days in advance if it is a significantly famous restaurant.

The economic savings is also another distinctive element of a guided gastronomic tour compared to a visit to a restaurant on your own. In the second alternative, you would have to pay tips, which tend to be quite a high percentage in the United States. In addition, by visiting a restaurant on your own you will end up spending much more and you will consume a lower amount of food. At least if you appreciate the fact that on a tour you eat a different dish in at least five different restaurants.

If you are dying for a sightseeing experience that can be arranged on your own then I recommend that you participate in Savannah' s Hop On Off bus tours. This is because their flexible routes allow you to take advantage of the benefits of the transportation system at your leisure.