Located in Midtown Savannah's popular Habersham Village, The 5 Spot has quickly garnered a loyal following thanks to good food, reasonable prices and a sleek, modern atmosphere. Breakfast is served daily and is one of the eatery's most popular meals. The menu features classics such as buttermilk pancakes and eggs Benedict, plus fancier fare like grilled salmon served with tomatoes, spinach, hollandaise and poached eggs. Lunch and dinner share the same menu, meaning patrons can keep it simple even at night or splurge during the day. The extensive menu includes a good selection of salads and sandwiches, plus entrees ranging from shrimp and grits to grilled bratwurst. Prices are reasonable.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: One of the newest additions to Midtown, The 5 Spot has quickly become a favorite for Savannahians in the know. Order from the breakfast menu.
Local Expert tip: Check out The 5 Spot's Facebook page for daily specials. Past specials have included creations such as an insanely decadent burger on a Krispy Kreme bun with candied bacon, red pepper aioli and an egg.
Bar · food, located in Midtown's Habersham Village, has a dedicated local following thanks to its chic ambiance, well-stocked bar and outstanding cuisine. The eatery's small plate dishes have a French-Asian influence and include standout items such as Asian noodles topped with duck breast and bleu chips with melted Brie and blue cheese. One of the most innovative items on the ever-changing menu is the Southern Poo-Poo Platter, a take-off on traditional Chinese poo-poo platters featuring meatballs, tomato sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, chicken salad cups and deviled eggs. The fully-stocked bar features a nice assortment of beer and wine, along with an innovative cocktail menu.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: Bar · food is a popular neighborhood bar that also happens to serve superb small plates. Go with a companion and plan to share several dishes.
Local Expert tip: Head to bar · food on Wednesday nights starting at 6 p.m. to enjoy a free oyster roast.
This little eatery, which was awarded Savannah's 2012-13 Small Business of the Year by the Small Business Chamber of Savannah, is located in an up-and-coming area of Midtown Savannah dubbed as Restaurant Row. The café features an array of lunch items that utilize fresh and often organic ingredients. The menu includes four salads, including the Victory chicken salad, a delicious blend of chicken, red seedless grapes, green onions and fresh rosemary, served with a side of Ted's famous zucchini bread. The sandwiches and Paninis, all named after Savannah's squares, are popular choices, with standouts like the Crawford, a Panini with roasted herb chicken, basil pesto, roasted red peppers and provolone. The dessert case is drool-worthy and service is friendly and personable.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: Joe's Homemade Cafe, Bakery & Catering is simple food that's made delicious thanks to fresh ingredients and attention to detail.
Local Expert tip: Joe's Homemade offers a 10-percent discount to members of the military, first responders, higher education faculty and more. Check their website for more information.
Savannah doesn't have many locally owned restaurants that exclusively specialize in steak, but fortunately for meat lovers, Toni Steakhouse fills the void. The Southside eatery, which boasts a sleek, modern interior and friendly service, offers a variety of steaks, including filets, ribeyes, New York strips and sirloins. All steaks are hand-cut, seasoned and char grilled on open fire. True steakhouse aficionados will enjoy Toni's chateaubriand for two, a center cut of beef tenderloin that's grilled and roasted, then topped with mushroom sauce. The restaurant also offers a good selection of other meats, including veal, pork, lamb and chicken, along with salads, seafood and pasta dishes.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: Toni Steakhouse is an elegant Midtown choice for diners craving high-end steak. The restaurant also offers other tasty options, including seafood, chicken and veal.
Local Expert tip: If you go to Toni's for lunch, try the Toni Burger, one of the juiciest, most delicious hamburgers in town.
Just a couple of miles from the Historic District in Midtown, Bella's Italian Cafe has been Savannah's go-to Italian restaurant for more than 20 years. The cafe's Habersham Village location is convenient to most of the city, and ample parking is available directly in front of the restaurant and in a large, adjacent parking lot. The cozy, romantic eatery features an extensive wine list and several standout dishes, including baked ziti with sausage, chicken parmesan and turkey scaloppini marsala. The restaurant also offers a number of paninis and sandwiches, along with pizzas and salads. Traditional Italian desserts, among them cannoli and tiramisu, are the perfect finish to a great Italian meal at Bella's.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: Bella's Italian Café has been a favorite spot for authentic Italian cuisine for years. The breadsticks are reason enough to try this Midtown hotspot.
Local Expert tip: Bella's pizzas are delicious but can take a bit longer to make, so plan accordingly. They're well worth the wait.
Restaurateurs Ele and Sean Tran have made their mark in Savannah, opening a trio of highly regarded Asian-fusion eateries around the city. All three restaurants owe their success to the pair's first venture, The King and I, located in Midtown Savannah. The King and I specializes in Thai cuisine, offering an array of traditional dishes including curry and stir-fry. Most dishes can be ordered with chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu and are accompanied by steamed jasmine rice. The King and I also has a nice selection of noodle dishes, seafood and specialty dishes like sizzling duck. The restaurant's elegant décor, which includes a deep red color scheme and traditional Thai wall hangings, makes it the perfect spot for a quiet lunch or dinner.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: The King and I's cuisine always delivers. If you're a Thai novice, try the pad thai. If you're a hardcore fan, go for the Massaman curry.
Local Expert tip: Order the coconut or ginger ice cream for dessert. They're the perfect end to a spicy meal.
Tucked away in a shopping center in Midtown, The Noodle Bowl is one of the best places in Savannah for Southeast Asian cuisine. The eatery offers an array of dishes, including teriyaki, pad Thai, Mongolian and curry, which can be made with beef, chicken, shrimp or tofu. All of the flavors are authentic, and the dishes aren't overcomplicated with too many extraneous ingredients. Most entrees are served with your choice of steamed jasmine rice or four types of noodles--egg, rice, clear or flat. Portions are large, prices are reasonable, the restaurant is spacious and quiet, and the staff is attentive and courteous.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: The Noodle Bowl has slowly and quietly developed a reputation as having some of the best Asian food in town.
Local Expert tip: If you don't see exactly what you're looking for on the menu, the kitchen can usually customize a dish to your liking.
Sweet Potatoes touts itself as serving "endearing food," and this popular Midtown eatery, indeed, specializes in the kind of familiar comfort food your grandmamma made. The restaurant offers an array of salads and sandwiches, but it's the entrees that really shine. From fried freshwater catfish to peach glazed barbeque chicken to meatloaf, there's something to please every Southern food-loving palate. Picking an entree may be easy, but choosing the accompanying two sides may prove more challenging. The long list of side dishes includes corn pudding, lemon collard greens, dilled lima beans, sweet potato salad, black eyed peas, fresh sliced tomatoes with vinaigrette, sliced cucumbers with vinaigrette and rice, plus a rotating selection of daily specials. If you're finding it hard to make up your mind, you can always opt for the vegetable plate, a reasonably priced entree that includes your choice of four sides.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: Sweet Potatoes is Southern and soul food done right. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable.
Local Expert tip: If you're in the mood for a sandwich, try Sweet Potatoes' take on the BLT. The filling sandwich features several crispy strips of bacon on a hoagie roll with lettuce, tomatoes and a delicious house-made tartar sauce.
This hidden gem in Midtown serves the best Caribbean cuisine in Savannah. The Jamaican owners go out of their way to ensure that customers feel welcome and are always glad to assist with food selection. Diners can choose from several entrees, including traditional Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken, curry goat, beef stew and salt fish, along with fried shrimp, hot wings and beef ribs. Side dishes, which come with most entrees, include rice and peas, plantains, green beans, mac and cheese and more. Sweet Spice also offers sandwiches for the less adventurous and a special menu for those watching their waistlines.
Recommended for Best of Savannah's Midtown because: Sweet Spice's Caribbean cuisine is the best in town. Portions are generous, the flavors are just right, and the owners are welcoming.
Local Expert tip: Be sure to order a side of plantains.