What Tourists Ordered In Savannah Restaurants In The 1970s Will Surprise You
Back in the groovy 1970s, Savannah’s restaurant scene looked nothing like today’s polished tourist paradise.
Visitors stumbled into quirky establishments where menus featured bizarre combinations and long-forgotten specialties that would make modern foodies scratch their heads.
I’ve spent years digging through old menus and talking to longtime locals about what really filled plates during that funky decade.
Get ready to discover some wild culinary choices that painted Savannah’s dining landscape in ways you never imagined.
1. She-Crab Soup Beyond Charleston
Charleston folks always claimed ownership of she-crab soup, so tourists arriving in Savannah got quite the surprise when every menu featured this creamy delicacy.
The Pirates’ House had been ladling it out for decades, creating a friendly rivalry between the two coastal cities.
Visitors often did double-takes when servers described the rich soup as a “Savannah tradition.”
Many had researched Charleston’s famous dish before their trip, only to discover Savannah had its own proud she-crab heritage that locals defended with serious passion.
2. Massive Seafood Platters from Yesteryear
Golden platters arrived at tables looking like something from a 1950s road trip diner, piled high with fried fish, shrimp, and mysterious crab stews. These weren’t delicate presentations but hearty, no-nonsense meals that could feed a small army.
I remember my aunt describing these platters as “serious business” – portions that made modern restaurant servings look like appetizers.
Tourists expected refined coastal cuisine but got authentic fish house fare that prioritized substance over style, leaving visitors both surprised and completely satisfied after every massive bite.
3. Country Captain Chicken’s Curry Surprise
Mrs. Wilkes’ boardinghouse served up the ultimate plot twist: a mild curry dish masquerading as traditional Southern cooking.
Country Captain Chicken featured tender meat swimming in tomato-curry sauce over rice, completely blindsiding visitors who expected standard fried fare.
The Anglo-Indian origins of this dish created serious confusion among tourists who couldn’t wrap their heads around finding curry spices in classic Lowcountry cuisine.
Many questioned whether they’d accidentally wandered into the wrong restaurant, but locals assured them this exotic-seeming stew belonged right alongside the collard greens.
4. The Communal Boardinghouse Experience
Forget individual menus – Mrs. Wilkes’ operated like your grandmother’s Sunday dinner, where strangers became temporary family members passing endless bowls around long tables.
Tourists queued up for this unusual dining format that felt more like a community gathering than restaurant service.
The sheer volume of dishes circulating simultaneously created controlled chaos that fascinated visitors. Fried chicken, greens, butter beans, and biscuits moved in constant rotation while everyone grabbed whatever looked good.
This family-style free-for-all represented something completely different from typical tourist dining experiences across the country.
5. The Birth of Chicken Fingers
Spanky’s on River Street claims to have invented the now-ubiquitous chicken finger, and tourists in the late 1970s were among the first to experience this revolutionary concept. What seems ordinary today was absolutely groundbreaking back then.
Picture confused visitors staring at menus featuring this mysterious new item that hadn’t yet conquered America’s casual dining scene.
The simple breaded chicken strips served at this riverfront hangout would eventually become a national obsession, but early tourists had no idea they were witnessing fast-food history in the making right along Savannah’s waterfront.
6. Fresh Pralines Straight from the Marble
River Street Sweets opened in 1973, serving warm pralines to visitors exploring a waterfront area that barely resembled today’s bustling promenade. These sugary pecan confections became instant souvenirs during Savannah’s early tourism development.
Back then, River Street was still rough around the edges, making the sweet shop feel like a hidden treasure. I love imagining tourists stumbling upon this candy haven while the surrounding area was still being transformed.
The contrast between gritty industrial remnants and these delicate Southern sweets created an unexpectedly charming experience that helped define Savannah’s emerging tourist identity.
7. Barbecue Meets Ballroom at Johnny Harris
Johnny Harris delivered the ultimate dining contradiction: pit-style barbecue chicken served in an elegant ballroom atmosphere.
This mid-century landmark confused tourists who couldn’t decide if they were at a fancy supper club or a backyard cookout.
The restaurant’s unique combination of refined ambiance and casual barbecue fare represented quintessential 1970s Savannah dining.
Visitors dressed up for dinner but ordered messy, sauce-covered chicken that required serious napkin strategy.
This mashup of high-class setting with down-home cooking created an experience that perfectly captured the era’s relaxed approach to formal dining traditions.
8. Riverside Catfish Adventures
Love’s Seafood required a scenic drive outside Savannah’s historic district, where tourists discovered authentic river dining that felt worlds away from downtown’s colonial charm.
Bone-in catfish dinners and hushpuppies dominated tables overlooking the Ogeechee River.
This rustic establishment attracted adventurous visitors willing to venture beyond typical tourist zones for genuine local flavor.
The contrast between Savannah’s manicured historic squares and Love’s unpretentious riverside atmosphere provided tourists with authentic regional cuisine.
Many discovered that some of the area’s best seafood required leaving the guidebook trail behind for more adventurous culinary exploration.
9. Time Travel Dining at The Olde Pink House
Opening as a restaurant in 1971, The Olde Pink House immediately transported diners into an 18th-century mansion where scored flounder and pecan-crusted chicken graced tables surrounded by authentic colonial architecture.
Tourists felt like they’d stepped directly into Savannah’s storied past. The restaurant’s instant popularity surprised many visitors who hadn’t expected such polished historical dining experiences in early 1970s Savannah.
The combination of genuinely old surroundings with sophisticated Southern cuisine created an atmosphere that made every meal feel like a special occasion.
This elegant approach to historic dining helped establish the template for Savannah’s future restaurant scene.
10. Pizza Pioneers on the Waterfront
Spanky’s Pizza Galley & Saloon brought casual pizza and burgers to River Street just as the waterfront began its transformation from industrial wasteland to tourist destination. Young visitors gravitated toward this easygoing hangout that felt refreshingly modern.
The restaurant’s youth-oriented vibe stood in sharp contrast to Savannah’s traditional dining establishments, offering tourists a relaxed alternative to formal Southern cuisine.
Pizza wasn’t yet standard tourist fare in most Southern cities, making Spanky’s feel surprisingly contemporary.
This laid-back approach to waterfront dining helped establish the casual, fun atmosphere that would eventually define River Street’s restaurant scene for decades to come.
11. Candy Shop Souvenirs
River Street Sweets became the standard final stop for departing tourists who loaded up on boxed pralines and assorted candies as edible memories of their Savannah adventure. This 1973 establishment created the template for tourist souvenir shopping.
Long before River Street became a major destination, this little candy shop was already part of visitors’ standard itineraries.
The concept of buying local sweets as travel mementos wasn’t yet common in most tourist cities, making these sugary souvenirs feel special and uniquely Savannah.
Smart tourists learned to save room in their luggage for these sweet reminders of their Southern getaway.
12. Rooftop Sophistication at The DeSoto
The DeSoto Hilton’s upscale dining and rooftop scene surprised tourists who expected only colonial-quaint experiences during their Savannah visits. This modern hotel offered dressed-up dinner dates with city views that felt distinctly contemporary.
Many visitors hadn’t anticipated finding sophisticated hotel dining alongside Savannah’s historic attractions, creating an interesting contrast between old and new.
The DeSoto’s marquee status attracted travelers seeking upscale evening entertainment beyond daytime sightseeing.
This elegant hotel scene proved that 1970s Savannah could satisfy tourists craving both historical charm and modern luxury dining experiences under one trip itinerary.