I know I am not alone when I say St. Patrick’s Day weekend is kind of a beginning and an end.
The end of our winter hibernation around here.
And the beginning of the most beautiful time of the year.
Flowers are in bloom everywhere. Blankets are being tossed out onto the ground in our parks as people start taking their parties outdoors — all day long sometimes — finally excited that they can save some money on fake-n-bake and actually soak up a few rays munching on their bag of whatevers.
In the park or on the porch, coffee or cocktail, salad or sandwich — whatever we are doing, we are doing it outdoors this time of year, and there is no shortage of spots to take in a good bit of it.
A few patios have opened up in town lately — Moon River, B&D Burgers on Congress — and a couple more are coming soon, including the new Blowin’ Smoke BBQ on Habersham. Those guys and some of the usual suspects — Vinnie’s, Leoci’s, Rocks on the Roof and the beach aside — here are some of my picks for Eating and Liking It outdoors:
VIC’S ON THE RIVER
You don’t typically equate fine dining with eating outside, but Vic’s has a patio in a beautiful setting. Gas lamps on this side, Live Oak trees and City Hall on this side. The perfect time of the year to not feel too muggy enjoying one of Savannah’s best al fresco. 26 E. Bay St. vicsontheriver.com
WET WILLIE’S CITY MARKET
Brand new — only been open a week now on Jefferson Street. Yes, they are more than well known for their cups of frozen wonderfulness, but the food at Wet Willie’s is surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because I get asked a lot and most people don’t even know they have food, much less good food. Their chicken quesadilla is one of my go-to quick bites when I am on River Street. I usually get it to go and make my own outdoor dining along the river, but their new City Market location has some tables outside. Perfect for sitting in the shade with a nice cool breeze. City Market. wetwillies.com
PERCH @ LOCAL 11 TEN
Absolutely love this space on the roof at Local 11 Ten. You walk up there and the decor immediately takes you somewhere not at all Savannah. Great, comfortable setting, and the food is also some of the city’s best. They close for the winter, but are open again this weekend with small plates, cheese and charcuterie boards. Sounds like a plan. 1110 Bull St., local11ten.com
BONNA BELLA YACHT CLUB
Arguably Savannah’s prettiest setting open to the public. Cold beer, oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp? Need anything else? 2740 Livingston Ave., bonnabellayachtclub.com
UNCLE BUBBA’S
Another one of our “Great Outdoors” here in Savannah. The atmosphere at Bubba’s is frankly tough to beat: kids playing corn hole, fans to keep you cool if it’s a smidge too warm, and marsh views that are just enough to make you smile about how lucky you are to live here. Great way to get The Lady’s Fried Chicken without wrangling for a parking space, too. Yeah, I’m sneaky. 104 Bryan Wood Road, unclebubbas.com
Of course there are others, and everyone has their favorites, but as long as the weather cooperates, these spots won’t disappoint. Enjoy.
Jesse Blanco is a local news anchor at WTGS and host of the Emmy-nominated “Eat It and Like It,” Savannah’s only TV show dedicated to its culinary scene. Visit him at www.eatitandlikeit.com or email jesse@eatitandlikeit.com.
QUICK BITES
• Betty Bombers at the American Legion on Bull Street, just south of Forsyth Park, is now open for lunch. Ultimate Chicken Sandwich. Roasted chicken, swiss, bacon, lettuce and tomato. All hyperbole aside, one of the top two or three sandwiches I have had in this area. They’ll even let you bring your own beer if you’d like.
• Our Gourmet Foodie Tour is also back from a nap. Five stops, five wine parings, one air-conditioned ride around town. Next one is this Sunday night. Check out www.eatitandlikeit.com for details.
• And for those of you who missed Iron Chef 2013 at the Southern Women’s Show, it is now available for you to see what you missed — a great competition captured for your TV screen. See it on SGTV Comcast Channel 8 and also at www.eatitandlikeit.com.