Laws and I spent four love-filled days in Savannah, GA for our Anniversary and some much needed “Us” time away from the grind of work and home. I have never vacationed here, so my excitement was ramped up 10-fold because I got to RESEARCH! (My inner nerd was cooing like a baby bird.)
On a side note, I often wonder if there are other middle-age, black, slightly neurotic, travelers out there like me. WHERE MY PEOPLE AT? I literally research the hell out of a place before I ever step foot there, so when I arrive, I feel a little less lost and out of place. Shout out to all the fellow researchers who provided me with the information I needed. For some items I searched for hours to come up with the frustrating reality that the content just wasn’t there and that Laws and I were going to have to create it ourselves (I’m low key thrilled about that part of this influencer journey).
Alright, back to our DELICIOUS trip filled to the brim with blackety, black, black, black awesomeness!
Why Savannah? For several reasons. First, my husband and I are eager to learn all we can about our ancestral ties, and for many of us black folk, our American journey began along what is now known as the Gullah Geechee Corridor. Over the next year, in our thirst to grow our roots, we will be taking more trips along the Gullah Geechee Corridor which runs along the East Coast from the Carolinas through Florida. Second, we have heard many, many raving reviews about the food, and Lawd knows we love good cooking! Third, Savannah is close to home for us ~ only a quick four hour ride to this gorgeous coastal get-a-way.
R.H. Travel Tip ~ be sure to check out the weather before you go. We have found that the forecast is pretty accurate up to two weeks before travel. For this trip, rain was predicted, so we planned accordingly.
Day 1
Noon: Arrive in Savannah, GA
Lunch at Geneva’s Famous Fried Chicken and Cornbread @ 1909 E. Victory Blvd. 912-235- 2978. They open at 11am. Check back soon on our YouTube channel to see our restaurant review! The Roaming Henrys – YouTube
Geneva’s is owned and operated by Ms. Geneva Wade, and man oh man does she know how to throw down on some food. This place does not disappoint. Ms. Geneva was there when we arrived, cooking up a storm and greeting her customers. Folks of all colors and ages came in, and that door did not stop opening with customers lined up to prayerfully get a seat or take home what I can honestly say is among the best fried chicken and cornbread I have ever tasted.
2:00 – The Beach institute African-American Cultural Center |Museum and Art Gallery | Savannah GA .
When you are researching Savannah with the goal to visit institutions originated by black folk, what will surely pop up is the Savanah African Art Museum. Just know that this historical venue was not black owned. Know that we do not post this fact to keep you away from what may be very interesting and informative African artifacts. Most museums I’m aware of are not for profit, so please follow your interests on this subject. I also discovered that the curator there is a black woman!
However, I did come across in my research The Beach Institute African American Cultural Center Gallery and Museum developed and owned by the very melanated Mr. Westley Wallace Law.
According to their site, Mr. W.W. Law “is a renowned preservationist, visionary and community activist and a crusader for justice and the civil rights of African Americans. He served as president of the Savannah Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1950 to 1976 and came to be widely known as “Mr. Civil Rights. After retiring from the NAACP, he turned his attention to the preservation of African American history and historic buildings.”
4:00 – Check in to Hotel
6:00 – Explored the Square where we accidentally and most fortunately discovered this black owned and excellent delight ~ Twisted Sugar! Twisted Sugar Savannah | Savannah GA | Facebook. You might as well kick yourself now if you miss out on these amazing cookies. Check out our interview with Mason on Instagram @theroaminghenrys. I really, really, really want a Twisted Sugar Cookie right this very moment and every moment of my life left on this earth. Sigh… the struggle is real.
8:00 – Dinner Reservations at The Grey. The Grey (thegreyrestaurant.com)
R.H. Travel Tip ~ If you are traveling during peak seasons, you many find yourself sad and frustrated that you cannot find a seat at the restaurant you want to visit. Be sure to reserve your table as early as possible, even a month or two in advance. Many of these restaurants, like The Grey, use services such as Open Table or Resy to book their tables. Good Luck!
I was able to secure reservations at three of the four mid-scale dining places we wanted to attend, but I waited too late to get a table at The Grey, and boy was I disappointed. If you search black owned restaurants in Savannah, GA, The Grey will most certainly pop up in your engine. The Grey is iconic and proudly boasts of a James Beard award winning black female executive chef and part owner, Ms. Mashama Bailey.
Thankfully, I put our names down on a waitlist, and that evening, ONE spot opened up. It was pretty late for us, 9:45pm ~ waaaaaayyyyy past my bedtime. But Babe and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to taste what all the fuss was about. Check out our YouTube channel soon for the low-down, because the reviews are, well … mixed. Salt Bae? The Roaming Henrys – YouTube
Day 2
7:00 – “Work out at Hotel because today we will be eating ALOT of amazing products created by some AMAZING black owned business owners!” (That was the original plan ~ hahahah! Yah, who was I kidding – that did not happen. It was coffee and fruit in the hotel lounge while I played solitaire waiting for my husband to wake up.)
10:00 – Back in the Day Bakery – Back in the Day Bakery Head’s up, this famous eatery is only open Friday – Sunday from 10 – 3pm, and for you early birds out there, it is well worth the wait. This super cute establishment is owned and operated by the blacked owned and excellent, James Beard award winning baker, Ms. Cheryl Day. Y’all, even my Babe looked like a delicate flower in this shop.
10:30 – Narobia’s Grits and Gravy. https://restaurantwebexpert.com/NarobiasGrits/. Their hours of operation are from 7am – 1pm – closed on Sunday, so be sure to plan accordingly. Upon entering, this sweet little granddaughter of the owners, probably 8 or 9 years old, greeted us, telling us it was her first day on the job. Awwww… so cute!
This was clearly a family operated place, and I’d love to say nothing but wonderful things about Narobia’s, but… Well, our reviews are mixed. Not because the food was bad. In fact, Babe is of the opinion that this ranked as one of the best breakfast sandwiches he has eaten. I know you are tired of the teaser, but there is just too much video content to put on this blog. We will be posting our full review on our YouTube Channel. The Roaming Henrys – YouTube Plus, I haven’t learned yet how to post videos on this blog 🙁 The struggle is real. But I promise you I’ll get better 🙂
2:00 ~ Sisters of the New South. Home | Sisters of the New South (sisters4me.com).
According to their site, Sisters was founded by Kenneth and Vicky Brown in 2009. The name Sisters was chosen, because many of Vicky’s sisters were involved with the concept. The recipes for the menu are family recipes handed down for generations. In the beginning, Vicky’s mother, Johnnie Mae Bing was involved with the daily operations. She has since retired and still visits with us from time to time to make sure we are still doing her recipes justice.
I know our eating times are wacky, and trust me, the struggle was real today. We were black tourists on a mission to see and taste and experience as much as we could in our short time in Savannah, so adjust your times accordingly. I say that to say, perhaps if we had gotten there closer to a normal lunch time, some of the food would not have looked a bit underwhelming. It was flavorful though, and we would definitely eat there again, but what would draw us back over and over and over again are their desserts. Y’ALL! Ms. Johnnie Mae Bing ~ They did you proud! That LEMON CAKE- Lawd have mercy!
4:00 – Ashford Tea Company ~ Tea Shop Savannah GA | Order Tea Online | Ashford Tea Company High Quality Tea and Tisanes 406 E Oglethorpe Ave. Savannah, GA 31401. The shop opens at 1 – 5 pm and is closed Sunday and Monday.
My in-laws LOVE tea so I looked forward to spending my dollars at this fine black-owned establishment. Imagine my surprise to find myself a tea lover after meeting and speaking with the owner, Mr. Wayne Ashford. He is all about black health and transformative thinking. You simply must visit his tea shop. You will leave better than you came! Check out our visit with Mr. Ashford on Instagram @theroaminghenrys.
5:00 – Explore River Street – No trip to Savannah is complete without a walk down the infamous River Street. It is said that the cobbled stones are steeped in the tears spilled by our ancestors as they built this city, brick by blood-soaked brick. It doesn’t take much research to find out that Savannah’s past is horrid, and its present is haunted. Though there is no denying the charm of this city, never forget that this beauty rose from ashes.
8:00 – Reservations at The Garage at Victory North Bar and Eatery | The Garage at Victory North. Y’all, I was so tired. Luckily, the food at the Garage did not disappoint. It was kind of weird, not gonna lie, but it was tasty.
Mr. Todd Harris is a trifecta of black excellence. He is the executive chef, general manager, and operating partner of the quirky restaurant where the wait staff are dressed in garage overalls and the check is brought to you in a car parts book.
Day 3
8:00 – This morning, we took full advantage of the Free Continental breakfast at the hotel. It rained, so we replaced our walking heritage tour with some coffee and cuddle time.
R.H. Travel Tip ~ Y’all! Don’t forget to pack your ibuprofen. Savannah is definitely a walking city, and we couldn’t justify an Uber 3 minutes down the road to each venue (even though Babe wanted to – insert eye roll here). So, wrap your knees, take your pills, and keep it moving.
1:00 – Reservation for Sunday Gospel Brunch at Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant Good Times Jazz Bar & Restaurant – Live Jazz Every Thursday – Sunday Truly, God favored us as the rain stopped for a few hours and the sun came out. This spot was on point. The Food was absolutely delicious, and the singer unknowingly sang our wedding song. Yes, I was bawling. Check out our Good Times Jazz Bar experience on Instagram @theroaminghenrys.
After we left Good Times, the skies opened and it began to rain in earnest. We ended up canceling our dinner reservations for the evening at Belford’s Seafood and Steaks (which we DEEPLY regretted), ordered some grub, watched Netflix, and reminisced about the good time and the good food we’d had prior to this evening because our take-out was NOT GOOD. Hey, after Geneva’s chicken and Sisters of the New South’s lemon cake, regular old shmegular food just didn’t satisfy. Sigh…
If only we’d had more time, better weather and better knees:
- Go to the Beach
- Belford’s Seafood and Steaks
- SCAD Museum of Art
Savannah, Georgia, we didn’t get enough of you. We will be coming back to your warm, delicious embrace soon.
For those of you traveling to Savannah, I pray you take the opportunity to spend your dollars at some of these worthy black owned establishments.
Have Fun and Travel Safely.
Love,
The Roaming Henrys
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