Savannah, GA · Chatham County
Savannah dinners cooked inthe courtyard, not across town
Savannah weekends are built around walking: squares in the morning, River Street at dusk, a long stroll home under the live oaks. By dinner, a lot of groups would rather stay put in the rental and let somebody else handle the cooking, which is exactly the job we drive down for.
What a hibachi night looks like in Savannah
The historic district's grid of squares, laid out in General Oglethorpe's original plan, is where most visiting wedding parties and girls' trips end up staying, often in townhouses with a walled garden or a carriage house on the lane behind. South of Forsyth Park the houses get roomier in the Victorian District, and farther out, Ardsley Park and the streets around Daffin Park have the kind of deep backyards that suit a family birthday or a graduation dinner for the SCAD crowd.
Then there's the water side of Chatham County. Isle of Hope has screened porches looking over the Skidaway River, Wilmington Island is full of docks and boat lifts, and Skidaway Island holds The Landings, a large gated community where retirees host grandkids every summer. March is its own animal: the St. Patrick's Day parade turns the whole city green, rentals book far ahead, and downtown streets close, so plan any party that week early and well away from the parade route. Fall and spring are the gentlest months for an outdoor dinner, with cool evenings and fewer mosquitoes than July.
From the grill
Setting up in Savannah
Downtown lots are narrow. The chef usually comes in through the rear lane and sets up in the courtyard or on the parking pad beside the carriage house, as long as there is open sky above and about ten feet of flat brick or concrete. Wrought-iron balconies and second-floor piazzas are off the table. For The Landings and other gated neighborhoods, add the chef to the gate list before the day. Summer evenings are heavy and humid, and afternoon thunderstorms roll through often, so a covered spot with open sides is worth scouting.
Savannah questions
Our rental is a historic-district townhouse with no yard. Can we still do this?
Often, yes. Most of these homes have a rear courtyard or a parking pad off the lane, and that's all the grill needs. Send a photo of the space when you book and we will tell you honestly whether it works.
Can you cook for a rehearsal dinner in Savannah?
Yes. Rehearsal dinners at a rented house near the squares are common here; see our rehearsal dinner page for how the evening usually runs, then check the venue or owner allows an outdoor propane grill.