10 GEORGIA DISHES Meatloaf at PhatGirlz POOLER Sometimes the best eats hide in unsuspecting places – like gas stations. That’s what Coleman discovered when she visited PhatGirlz , a soul-food restaurant that resides in a Chevron near the outlet mall in Pooler . Helmed by Willa Dukes, a single mother chasing her dream of cooking delicious soul food, the restaurant specializes in classics like barbecue ribs and fried shrimp. Coleman, however, is a fan of the meatloaf. “I’m not really a meatloaf person, but I really love this one,” says Coleman. It’s served thick and smothered in a savory brown gravy and comes as a combo with mashed potatoes, green beans, and macaroni and cheese. Anything at The Grey SAVANNAH When Orino moved to Atlanta in 2018, she and Gan took a trip to Savannah to dine at The Grey . Owned by Johno Morisano and chef Mashama Bailey, the restaurant resides in a former Greyhound bus station built in 1938 and has racked up national accolades since it opened in 2014, including a James Beard award for Best Chef Southeast in 2019. “I love when you don’t demo something and you turn it into something beautiful and useful,” says Orino. “In our culture, we never throw anything away. We try to preserve, and they turned this space into something really beautiful and kind of sexy, too.” It’s hard to pinpoint just one dish on The Grey’s menu, which changes frequently with the seasons, but it’s known for its thoughtful approach to Southern cuisine with dishes like foie and grits (made famous on Bailey’s appearance on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table”) and whole fish topped with salsa verde. Brunch serves playful dishes like crab beignets and duck pastrami served with potato rosti. EXPLOREGEORGIA.ORG 95 FROM TOP: PHATGIRLZ, POOLER | EXPLORE GEORGIA; THE GREY, SAVANNAH | EXPLORE GEORGIA
Official State Travel Guide 2026 Georgia Official State Travel Guide: Page 95
