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A Savannah, Georgia Tradition…Lunch At Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room!

Mrs. Wilkes one

Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room: 107 W. Jones St. in Savannah, Georgia

 

We heard about Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room from the flight attendant when we were just about to land in Savannah. She was walking by checking passenger seat belts and happened to say out loud…”I can hardly wait to get off of this plane. I have a layover in Savannah… so that means that I can have lunch at Mrs. Wilkes!” Someone across the aisle said, “Me too!” and we knew we better ask who in the world “Mrs. Wilkes” was and how they both knew her.

 

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We asked immediately and found out that they were talking about the famous (except to us) Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room. Originally a boarding house, this iconic restaurant is a throwback to yesteryear. Guests are seated in groups of ten in the dining room even if they have never seen each other. No worry…everyone will be getting along by the time lunch is over!

 

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In the dining room, there are large tables and the food is brought in pretty dishes…to be passed around to everyone. There is no menu. The dining room staff select the choices and the selection is changed daily.

 

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The food is delicious and totally Southern style and made even more appealing by the location. Mrs. Wilkes‘ Dining Room is located in a historic house…built in 1870.  Author William Schemmel describes Mrs. Wilkes’ as “a treasure hidden away in a beautiful historic district townhouse”…be prepared to wait in line on the sidewalk! The wait is worthwhile!

 

Famous guests at Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room

I tried Brunswick Stew for the first time at Mrs. Wilkes’ and it is still one of my favorites…

 

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MRS. WILKES’ BRUNSWICK STEW

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork or chicken, cooked and chopped

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon hot sauce (your choice)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup pork drippings or 1/3 cup bacon, fried and chopped

1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your choice)

1 1/2 cups catsup

2 cups diced potatoes, cooked

3 (16 ounce) cans cream style corn

 

Directions:

Place all ingredients in large pan, cover and heat slowly on top of the stove. Salt and more hot sauce may be added according to taste preferred.

Makes about two quarts.

 

ENJOY!!!

 

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11 thoughts on “A Savannah, Georgia Tradition…Lunch At Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room!”

  1. That looks like a great place to visit! Now I just have to convince my husband that vacations can be take when traveling east and south. He thinks all vacations head west and detour through the Black Hills in South Dakota.

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  2. Great article and lovely photos. Mrs Wilkes looks like an incredible place to go and such a great idea to sit people together and have no menu. I love that. Assume it’s just a fixed cost for every person to sit down then? Looks amazing.

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    • Thank you a bunch, Jonno! Mrs. Wilkes is so fun and just like going back in time! Everyone just tries everything…so much easier than a boring menu!! Yes…it is a fixed cost. Have you visited Savannah, GA? So historic with some absolutely beautiful homes. Plus…it is near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina…one of our most favorite places!!!

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  3. I love this post! What a wonderful place to dine, thank you so much for the terrific description and pictures!

    “Brunswick Stew” played a fascinating role in American political history, and I’m always tickled when I see it show up on a menu. Modern iterations are a bit of a far cry from the original version(s), which tended to be more heavily flavored with squirrel, and no veggies other than onion. (The American Heritage Cookbook, 1964, vol. 2, and The Dictionary of American Food and Drink, J. F. Mariani, 1983)

    I think I’ll order the modern version. Squirrel doesn’t agree with me 🙂

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    • I was surprised when I first made this recipe from Mrs. Wilkes…I never dreamed that it would have bbq sauce and catsup! And can creamed corn??? However…it is delicious. I have some other Brunswick Stew recipes that I have collected that are a bit different. Some have mentioned the poor little squirrels! Makes me think of people cooking something made with “roadkill”…like a possum stew! I need to find a copy of The American Heritage Cookbook! Also The Dictionary of American Food and Drink. Thank you for the information!

      Just thinking about squirrel in a Brunswick Stew gives me a headache! We have so many squirrels in our yard…those scared little babies!

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