The Savannah dining scene’s November 2025 highlights include a new lease for a longtime Greek restaurant on the riverfront, a nonprofit fundraiser that spotlights Georgia oyster growers, the return of a popular food truck festival and the opening of an intimate new bar.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Olympia Cafe gets a new lease on River Street
The Greek restaurant Olympia Cafe has been a mainstay of River Street for almost 35 years. With the recent renewal of its lease, the restaurant seems poised to be in the same spot near City Hall for many years to come.
Olympia Cafe occupies the ground floor in the historic, city-owned Thomas Gamble Building. By law, city officials could not extend the existing lease beyond Dec. 31. There was considerable local angst about the possibility of Olympia Cafe being unable to continue in its longtime home, but the restaurant emerged from a competitive bidding process with the highest scoring proposal.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
When the lease was approved by Savannah City Council on Oct. 9, Mayor Van Johnson asked all those in favor to say “Opa!”
In his remarks to the council, owner Vasilis Varlagas brimmed with emotion as he recounted the history of Olympia Cafe while standing next to a framed photo of restaurant founder Nick Pappas, who died in May.
Because of planned renovations of the Gamble Building, Olympia Cafe will temporarily close around Jan. 1. The new lease will likely begin in the third quarter of 2026 and will have a maximum initial term of five years, with an option to extend an additional five years.
Olympia Cafe. 5 East River St., Savannah. 912-233-3131, olympiacafe.net
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Nonprofit hosts Georgia Oyster Revival
The nonprofit organization ECO Georgia, which stands for education, community and oysters, will host its second annual Georgia Oyster Revival on Nov. 9 at Starland Yard. The event brings together local chefs, oyster farmers, brewers, educators and students to celebrate the revival of Georgia’s oyster industry and raise funds for hands-on coastal education programs.
“This event sustains ECO’s programming and ensures it remains accessible to students across coastal Georgia,” said Laura Solomon, founder and board chair of ECO Georgia and co-founder of Tybee Oyster Co.
“Through the support of our community and grants from partners like The Nature Conservancy and the Birkley Heynen Foundation, we’re able to connect students directly to science, sustainability and the ecosystems that make this region so special.”
ECO Georgia’s educational initiatives include partnerships with numerous area schools, Savannah State University and 4-H programs in Chatham, Lee and McIntosh counties.
The inaugural Georgia Oyster Revival in 2024 raised more than $10,000 and drew hundreds of attendees who had the opportunity to taste locally grown oysters, learn about aquaculture and connect with the people restoring Georgia’s shellfish heritage.
Georgia Oyster Revival will feature dishes created by more than 15 participating chefs, tastings from four coastal growers and live music by the Intracoastal Playboys.
Georgia Oyster Revival, 3-6 p.m. with VIP access at 1:30 p.m., Nov. 9. $100 and up. Starland Yard, 2411 De Soto Ave, Savannah. givebutter.com/GOR2025
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
New subterranean cocktail den opens off Broughton Street
The Hot Eye, an intimate bar with room for about 50 guests, opened in mid-October beneath the new Municipal Grand hotel at the intersection of East Broughton and Abercorn streets.
The entrance to the Hot Eye is on East Congress Lane on the north side of the renovated midcentury commercial building. The interior features a black slate bar, serpentine banquettes and deep red walls lined with art.
The bar program, led by head bartender Alexis Cooper, offers a wide range of cocktails, including the Crushed Vice, a tequila variation of the Mai Tai with corn and pasilla chiles.
“The Hot Eye may live under Municipal Grand, but it isn’t just the hotel’s bar,” Cooper said. “It’s meant to be a place for Savannah — for the SCAD community, for industry friends, for anyone looking for an offbeat spot that feels a little electric and alive.”
Municipal Bar, the lobby restaurant at Municipal Grand, was featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s coastal dining update for August.
The Hot Eye, 125 East Congress Lane, Savannah. 912-456-1760, municipalgrand.com/food-and-beverage/the-hot-eye
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
2nd annual Eastern Wharf Food Truck Festival returns to riverfront
Eastern Wharf will hold the second annual Eastern Wharf Food Truck Festival 1-6 p.m. Nov. 15. The free event will feature more than 30 food trucks and live music throughout the afternoon.
“For the second year in a row, we’re bringing together the best regional food vendors and four of Savannah’s most iconic bands to represent the breadth and depth of our local music talent for one amazing festival on Savannah’s beautiful riverfront,” Eastern Wharf Executive Director Kayne Lanahan said.
Food trucks will serve Asian, Latin, Jamaican and Caribbean dishes, as well as classic American fare and Southern favorites, from smoked BBQ to fresh seafood.
In addition to businesses from the immediate area, the event will feature food trucks from across the region, including Wild Caught Seafood from Fayetteville; Miso Hungry from Statesboro; Don Que’s Southern BBQ, La Taqueria Oaxaquena and Shake It Up Milkshake Bar from Brunswick; and Oakan, Orale and Lowcountry Lobster from Bluffton, South Carolina.
The music lineup consists of the country band Lyn Avenue, indie rock trio Whaleboat, bluegrass band Salt Flat Pickers, and blues ensemble Willie Jackson and the Tybee Blues Band.
Eastern Wharf Food Truck Festival, 1-6 p.m., Nov. 15. Free. Eastern Wharf, 101 Port St., Savannah. https://theparkateasternwharf.com/food-truck-festival
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