Cafe culture is strong in Savannah. With dozens of coffee shops and casual spots to grab a bite, it’s easy to forget about the city’s spectacular dining scene. Both are worth checking out, but if you’re grabbing a coffee, it makes sense to add a little book browsing while you’re at it! Aside from our top cafes and coffee shops to visit in Savannah, we’re also spotlighting three bookstores that are not to be missed. We hope you left some space in your luggage because it’ll be impossible not to leave with a new book or two.

CAFES & COFFEE SHOPS TO VISIT IN SAVANNAH

Cafe M
A French escape in the heart of downtown Savannah, Cafe M is a reprieve from the tourist-driven businesses on and near River Street. A Parisian cafe outfitted with European decor and sounds, Cafe M is the perfect spot to grab a coffee – or mimosa - all day long while snacking on a delicious French pastry. Grab a bistro table inside or on the dog-friendly patio with a good book or a few friends for “French Delights with Southern Hospitality.”

The main menu at Cafe M is filled with a combination of traditional French and American items. Grab a breakfast sandwich to go or settle in with a Quiche Lorraine. Sandwiches are served on a choice of buttery croissant, baguette, or double-decker club style. A daily selection of croissants, pastries, and other sweet treats will tempt even those blessed without a sweet tooth. A pre-fixe brunch menu is affordably priced under $25 with three options: Parisian, Healthy, and American. Add on bottomless classic mimosas for $12, and you’ve got yourself a deal.

Flora + Fauna

A dinner club by night, Flora + Fauna is a new concept by the same team as Common Thread. During the day, Flora + Fauna is a bright, aesthetically pleasing coffee house and bakery offering French-style pastries, sandwiches, and coffee. While much of the cuisine is traditionally French, Flora + Fauna holds true to the company’s dedication to using locally sourced ingredients and produce. Start the day with a hearty breakfast sandwich on a biscuit or brioche toast, or enjoy something more indulgent like S’Mores French Toast. Flora + Fauna also serves sandwiches from Chicken Salad to Parisienne Ham, soups, salads, grits, and more. The space features distressed brick walls, large windows to let in plenty of natural light, reclaimed wood accents, comfortable seating, and bright color details dispersed throughout the space, just enough to bring it to life.

Franklin’s

A traditional Southern coffee shop, Franklin’s is in the heart of historic downtown Savannah, perfect to grab a coffee and bite to go. Franklin’s serves brunch until 3pm with casual counter service in an art deco-inspired space. Enjoy items like the Quiche Florentine with a baby kale salad, Peppadew Turkey Melt with roasted turkey and housemade peppadew cheese, or Steak & Egg Sandwich with prime rib, melted cheddar, and horseradish cream. The extensive coffee menu offers classic hot and cold beverages, coffee shooters, and specialty coffees like a Horchata or Lavender Latte. Need something a little stronger? Coffee cocktails are served until the evening for a pick-me-up with a nice kick. Seating is limited, and Franklin’s is popular. So be ready to wait for a spot to open up or plan ahead to take your order to go.

Le Cafe Gourmet

Hidden in the heart of Savannah, Le Cafe Gourmet is a French bakery near City Market. The bakery partners with local coffee roaster Cup to Cup and prides itself on using organic fresh produce and quality imported ingredients like French flour, chocolate, and butter. Choose from sweet or savory crepes, sandwiches on freshly baked baguettes and specialty breads, quiche, soups, and more. Pastries and croissants are made daily, including tartes, eclairs, cruffins, and other delicious bites. Artisan breads are also available with standard options like baguettes and sourdough loaves, as well as specialty items like rosemary bread. Besides the primary downtown location, you can find Le Cafe Gourmet at Farmer’s Markets throughout the region.

Marche de Macarons

You can always find us where the macarons are. Marche de Macarons is a Savannah bakery specializing in the French sandwich cookie. Lucky for anyone not heading to Savannah soon, they ship nationwide! Choose from over 25 daily flavors like Chocolate Ganache, Cappuccino, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Raspberry, Mexican Spice, Blueberry Cobbler, and more. They also serve seasonal flavors, including Violet Cassis in February, Chocolate Mint in March, Pina Colada in spring, S’mores and Pumpkin Spice in fall, Cinnamon Roll in December, and Champagne in winter. They have the cutest gift boxes to choose from to protect your precious treats, even if they fly home with you!

Mirabelle Savannah

One of the cutest cafes in Savannah, Mirabelle is located in a vintage 1800s building across the street from the iconic St. John’s Cathedral. Mirabelle is known for serving gourmet waffles and pastries alongside coffee and espresso beverages. Beautifully aesthetic, don’t be surprised to find Mirabelle’s packed. The Liege waffles honor the traditional Belgian-style street food using a naturally fermented dough peppered with pearl sugar for a deliciously sweet texture. Choose from sweet and savory options like Ricotta Toast with housemade jam and bee pollen or the Croque Monsieur featuring maple smoked ham, melted Swiss, and black pepper bechamel.

The Gallery Espresso

Savannah’s oldest coffee shop, The Gallery Espresso, is over thirty years old and located in a historic building off Chippewa Square (the one made popular in Forrest Gump). The coffee shop offers an eclectic mix of tables great for working or comfy oversized chairs perfect for settling in with a book. Enjoy a wide selection of coffee, espresso, and tea, including non-traditional options such as Turkish Coffee and Iced Thai Coffee. The Gallery also offers coffee and tea for purchase and assorted non-coffee beverages, including wine and Italian sodas. Aside from the beverages, The Gallery offers an extensive food menu with everything from bagels and pastries to sandwiches and salads. Even though The Gallery tends to be busy, it has that old coffee shop feel with leather chairs, wood floors, and a warm, comfortable ambiance that makes you want to stay a while. If you happen upon this spot with a lighter crowd, settle in and enjoy the space.

The Paris Market

Part cafe, part market, The Paris Market is inspired by open-air French markets, allowing the two concepts to blend seamlessly. Located in a 19th-century grocery, The Paris Market pulled details from the building’s original character and blended it with old-world charm for a truly unique experience. Items for sale are sourced worldwide, such as French-milled soaps, kitchen tools found in hidden corners of European markets, books devoted to culture, and more. From nostalgic knick-knacks to luxurious novelties, the market portion of the business has hundreds of incredible finds that will keep you browsing for hours.

What’s the perfect complement to shopping? A hot beverage. The Paris Market Cafe serves coffee, espresso drinks, tea, wine, and Champagne to be enjoyed with fresh-baked pastries and sandwiches. The cafe overlooks Broughton Street with seating inside or out. Grab a cappuccino and pain au chocolate while watching people walk by, or take a scone to-go and wander the shop to find a treasure waiting to be discovered.

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3 BOOKSHOPS WORTH VISITING IN SAVANNAH

Books On Bay

A small shop in the historic district, Books on Bay offers thousands of vintage books dating back centuries. From Ernest Hemingway’s entire collection to old children’s books, Books on Bay is a true gem in the heart of Savannah. As a book lover, it’s impossible to tear yourself away from browsing all the old spines and delicate pages. Walking in, you’re greeted immediately with the scent of old books. The shelves are filled with limited editions, well-loved copies of favorites like The Great Gatsby, and book-related accessories like eccentric book ends, artwork, and more. This spot is a spectacular find and worth visiting if you have even a slight interest in books and literature.

E. Shaver Booksellers

A delightful shop in a space built by a female builder in 1842, E. Shaver Booksellers is the kind of space with twists and turns and hidden alcoves that all somehow lead back to the entrance. You’re immediately drawn in by a collection of cleverly named candles, best sellers, and new releases – and that’s if the cats don’t greet you first. E. Shaver has collections in nearly every genre, from romance to classic literature, horror to spiritual, and more. The shop has a comfortable seating area towards the back and a typewriter where customers are encouraged to write and tape a few words onto the wall. With murals and artwork throughout the space and many unique finds, it’s easy to spend hours in E. Shaver.

The Book Lady Bookstore

Located near Franklin’s and The Gallery Espresso, The Book Lady is tucked away in an entrance that’s easy to miss. Opened in the 70s, The Book Lady is a full-service independent bookstore offering new, gently used, rare, and out-of-print books. While The Book Lady sells over 40 different genres, they’re known for having an extensive collection of work with ties to Georgia and the South. It’s a treat exploring what The Book Lady has to offer, as every single tome was hand-picked by staff in a thoughtful, almost reverent manner that deeply appreciates literature and its cultural role. Wander the shelves, choose your next read, and head over to The Gallery Espresso to start reading while you sip an espresso.