What to Eat on a Savannah Food Tour
A guide to the Southern and Lowcountry dishes you'll taste on a Savannah food tour — shrimp and grits, pralines, benne wafers, and more.
The food on a Savannah food tour is not random sampling — it is a curated tour through Lowcountry and Southern cooking, with each dish carrying a piece of the city’s history. Before you book, it helps to know what you are likely to taste and why these particular foods define Savannah. This guide covers the classics you’ll encounter and which tours lean toward which flavors. To see and compare every option, visit the Savannah food tours page.
The Savannah Food Story in One Paragraph
Savannah sits in the Lowcountry — the coastal stretch of Georgia and South Carolina where rivers, marshes, and the Atlantic shape what people eat. The cuisine blends West African, English, and Caribbean influences with local seafood and produce. A food tour is, in effect, a guided tasting of that heritage: the guide on the Historic District Foodie Walking Tour explains the culinary backstory of each dish as you go, so you leave understanding the food, not just having eaten it.
The Dishes You’ll Likely Taste
The section FAQ names the Southern staples that food tours sample. Here is what each one is:
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Shrimp and grits | Local shrimp over creamy stone-ground grits — the signature Lowcountry plate |
| Pralines | Pecan-and-sugar candy, a Savannah confectionery icon |
| Benne wafers | Thin, crisp sesame-seed cookies; “benne” is the West African word for sesame |
| Georgia peach dishes | Sweet or savory dishes built on the state’s famous peaches |
| Southern BBQ | Slow-cooked pork and regional barbecue traditions |
Shrimp and Grits
If Savannah has one defining dish, this is it. Shrimp pulled from coastal waters, served over grits — coarsely ground corn cooked slow and creamy. Nearly every food tour featuring savory Southern fare will work in a version, and tasting a few side by side is part of the fun.
Pralines
Savannah’s candy shops are a tourist landmark in their own right, and the praline — pecans and caramelized sugar — is the headliner. It is a reliable stop on food tours and a sweet counterpoint to the savory tastings.
Benne Wafers
Less famous than pralines but more historically resonant: benne wafers are crisp sesame-seed cookies, and “benne” comes from the West African word for sesame, brought to the Lowcountry through the transatlantic trade. Tasting one is a small history lesson, which is exactly why guides include it.
Georgia Peaches and Southern BBQ
Georgia is the Peach State, and peach-based dishes — from preserves to desserts — turn up across menus. Southern barbecue, slow-cooked and regional, rounds out the savory side of a tasting route.
Which Tour for Which Flavors
Different Savannah food experiences emphasize different parts of the menu:
- Broad Southern sampling — The Historic District Foodie Walking Tour stops at 6 specialty food stores and restaurants for a cross-section of local cuisine, finishing near City Market. It is the best all-rounder for tasting variety.
- Hidden and locals-only flavors — The Southern and Secret Food Tour heads off the main drag into speakeasies and locals-only spots, sampling Southern favorites at up to 5 restaurants — better if you have already done a standard tour.
- A full Southern meal — The Southern Traditions Dinner Tour serves a complete meal across several restaurants with a local cocktail included, over three hours — the choice when you want dinner, not tastings.
- Sweet treats only — The Beignets, Donuts & Sweet Treats Walking Tour focuses entirely on donuts, beignets, and pastries from local bakeries — a dedicated dessert crawl.
A Note on Drinks
Most walking food tours focus on food; alcoholic drinks are usually a separate purchase — on the Historic District Foodie Walking Tour they are available but not included. If drinks are central to your interest, the Southern Traditions Dinner Tour builds in a cocktail (or mocktail), and the American Prohibition Museum cocktail class is built around making and sampling cocktails. Knowing this up front helps you match a tour to your appetite.
Coming Hungry: A Practical Tip
Because you are tasting across 6 to 12 stops depending on the tour, the food adds up to a meal’s worth. Most guests skip the meal beforehand — especially before a midday or dinner tour — so they can fully enjoy each stop. Portions are designed to be satisfying without overwhelming, but arriving hungry makes the experience far better.
If you have dietary restrictions, note that Savannah’s traditional cuisine limits some accommodations: the walking tours can handle seafood and nut allergies plus vegetarian and pescatarian diets at most stops, but gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan tastings generally cannot be provided. Flag any needs when you book.
Ready to Book?
A Savannah food tour is the fastest way to understand the city through its plate — shrimp and grits, pralines, benne wafers, and the stories behind them, all in one guided afternoon. Pick the tour that matches the flavors you most want to chase and reserve on the Savannah food tours page, where the Historic District Foodie Walking Tour leads with a 4.8/5 rating from 627 travelers and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Taste Savannah's Southern Classics
The Historic District Foodie Walking Tour samples local cuisine at 6 specialty food stops over 3 hours, rated 4.8/5 by 627 travelers. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Browse Savannah Food Tours