Coming to The Wilkes House is like having Sunday lunch at grandma’s: you seat at large communal tables in a warm, homey dining room and feast on fried chicken, meatloaf, sausage, beef stew, and veggies. Guests are invited to share, ensuring a friendly, communal meal. The menu changes often, and locals and regulars alike will definitely not get bored. It all started in 1943, when Mrs. Wilkes would serve a boardinghouse lunch in Savannah. Eventually, this lunch became a venerated dining experience about which food experts continue to rave to this day.
Mrs. Wilkes’ house, which serves as the location of the restaurant, is a beautiful grand dame of Savannah that still operates as a boarding house with two upstairs apartments. Guests are welcome to enjoy a free lunch. Today, Mrs. Wilkes’ young grandson Ryon Thompsan owns the restaurant, and he continues to uphold the tradition of Southern cooking and maintain friendly relationships with the local farmers who bring fresh supplies daily.
107 West Jones St., Savannah, Georgia, Phone: 912-232-5997
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