Savannah seafood: Lowcountry boil, shrimp and grits and Tybee Island

Coastal Georgia shares its cooking with the South Carolina Lowcountry: shrimp, crab, oysters, rice, corn, sausage and sweet tea, cooked in big pots and served with plenty of napkins. Savannah is the hub, with Tybee Island twenty minutes away and marshes in every direction. Here are the dishes you will meet, where to eat them, how to ask if the seafood is local and how seasons change what is available.

What is a Lowcountry boil?

A Lowcountry boil, also called Frogmore stew, is a one-pot meal of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn on the cob and small potatoes, boiled with seasoning and poured onto a table covered with newspaper or paper. Everyone eats with their hands. The name Frogmore comes from a community in South Carolina, and there are no frogs in it. In Savannah, restaurants serve it by the portion, and some do large pots for groups. It is messy and communal, so wear clothes you don't mind getting wet, and expect to peel shrimp.

What is shrimp and grits?

Shrimp and grits pairs shrimp sauteed in butter, garlic and sometimes bacon or sausage with creamy ground-corn grits. Once a fishermen's breakfast on the coast, it is now on dinner and brunch menus across the South. Grits should be creamy and rich, not lumpy. Ask whether the grits are stone-ground, which gives a coarser, more corn-forward flavor, and whether the shrimp are local. The dish varies a lot from kitchen to kitchen, with versions that include tomato gravy, andouille, mushrooms or cheese.

For breakfast, many Savannah kitchens serve a version with a poached egg or a gravy. Locals tend to prefer a simple dish where the shrimp and the grits are both good, with little more than butter, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. If the menu uses the word creole, expect tomato, peppers and spice. If you are unsure, ask the server how the dish is made and what sets it apart. Portions are generous, so sharing is common.

What other coastal dishes should you look for?

Red rice is a tomato-flavored rice dish with smoked sausage that is served at many Southern tables. She-crab soup is a creamy crab soup with roe, found in the Lowcountry. Deviled crab, crab cakes and fried oysters turn up on menus. Oysters are eaten raw, steamed in roasts or fried, and their season is traditionally the months with an r in the name, though modern farming has changed that rule. Fried flounder, grouper and shrimp are everyday plates. Praline candy, a sweet pecan sugar confection, is the usual dessert gift.

What is Tybee Island like for eating?

Tybee Island, Savannah's beach, is a small island with a lighthouse, a pier and a main street of casual restaurants. Expect fried seafood baskets, tacos, burgers, ice cream and bars with outdoor decks. In summer, the island is crowded, parking is paid and the causeway can back up, so go early. Off-season, many places cut their hours. The beach restaurants are casual, and flip-flops are normal.

How do you ask whether the seafood is local?

Ask the server where the shrimp came from. Georgia has a wild shrimp fishery, and local shrimp are sold at docks and markets during the season. Many restaurants buy imported or farmed shrimp, which is not a problem, but you may want to know. Wild Georgia shrimp are usually described as such on the menu. Seasons and rules for shrimp, crab and oysters are set by the state's natural resources agency, so check for current dates if you plan to catch your own.

When are crowds worst?

Spring weekends, St. Patrick's Day, summer holidays and the Christmas season fill Savannah and Tybee. Hotels book out. Plan dinner early, and be ready for a wait. Midweek and winter are quiet, and prices are lower.

Parking on Tybee Island is paid by the hour or the day, with meters and kiosks that accept cards, and some lots are cash only, so carry a card and small bills. Restaurants near the pier fill on warm weekends, and waits of an hour are common. If you want a quieter beach lunch, walk away from the pier toward the north end, where smaller places serve sandwiches and fish tacos.

How much does it cost?

Seafood dinners cost more than casual lunches. A Lowcountry boil for two is a mid-priced meal, and shrimp and grits is usually cheaper than a seafood platter. Sales tax is added at the register, and the usual tip is 18 to 20 percent. Beach restaurants may add a charge for large groups.

If you are traveling on a budget, lunch specials and early dinners are the best value. Some restaurants offer a smaller portion of the boil or a shrimp and grits at lunch for much less than the dinner price. Happy hour menus at bars sell oysters and peel-and-eat shrimp at a discount. Compare menus before you sit down, and ask whether market-priced items such as crab or lobster are quoted per pound.

What about allergies and children?

Shellfish and fish are major allergens, and fried foods share a fryer. Tell the server at the start of the meal. Children usually enjoy shrimp, fries and corn, and many restaurants offer a simple plate. A Lowcountry boil is good for older children who like to peel their own food.

How do you remember the best Lowcountry boil you ate?

A boil leaves you with butter on your fingers and no notes. Mosey is a food app for finding, rating and sharing places to eat, and it rates by the dish, so the boil, the shrimp and grits and the fried flounder each earn their own score and a tag such as Fresh Seafood.

Collect your coastal favorites in a list, share the invite link with whoever shared the newspaper-covered table with you, and follow friends who spend summers on Tybee. When someone asks what to order, you can point to a list instead of guessing.

Rate your best seafood plate in the Mosey app.

More guides to read next:

• Savannah food guide: family-style lunch, ice cream and the squares
• A Savannah food day: Forsyth Market, City Market and River Street
• Best restaurants near me in Savannah: a guide by area and meal (2026)

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