New live-fire dining concept adds heat to Savannah’s Starland District restaurant scene

Credit: Marley Davis

Credit: Marley Davis

When the space at 2218 Bull St., formerly occupied by Squirrel’s Pizza, became available early this year, SCH culinary director Oliver Dollard recruited Barbee to develop the concept. Barbee, who’s declined past offers to work in Savannah, felt this role was coming at the right time and place.

“I grew up here, so I knew what the Starland District was. It always had kind of an artsy, grunge scene,” Barbee said.

When he flew from Montana to meet Dollard and see the space, he was impressed by the neighborhood’s rising food scene, with newcomers like Brochu’s Family Tradition and Flora & Fauna. He calls the corridor the “perfect location” for the ingredient-driven, Mediterranean-style small plates he envisions.

A “living menu” — an approach Barbee says he learned from his time working at Charleston’s The Grocery — will fluctuate based on fresh catch, seasonal produce and local purveyors through the dual use of open flames and ice. Hot dishes may include butter poached lobster with caviar, charcoal chicken or charred Pearson peaches, while cold dishes will include crudos and local oysters farmed year-round.

The team is also planning a list of biodynamic wines, providing options that Barbee feels have been lacking on Savannah menus. In recent years, popular wine bar Late Air and shops like Provisions Wine & Groceries and Limestone Wines have brought diversity to the local wine offerings.

The long, narrow space is currently undergoing a renovation, with help from SHAH Architecture & Interiors. The aesthetic is a wash of organic materials and colors. With seating at the chef’s counter, guests will have a clear view of the open kitchen and custom wood-fired grill. Besides the 50-seat interior, there will also be exterior seating for 20.

Credit: Marley Davis

Credit: Marley Davis

FishBar is also just a few doors down from SCH’s Ukiyo Izakaya & Ramen Bar, which debuted in 2022, inspired by the global travels of the group’s owner, Anthony Debreceny. With FishBar, the SCH aims to further build upon Debreceny’s success, which started with the opening of the Collins Quarter in 2014 as a nod to his native Australia. In the decade since, he added a second Collins Quarter in Forsyth Park, plus more concepts across Savannah and Tybee Island despite challenges wrought by the pandemic, including staffing shortages. Soon, Debreceny and the SCH team also plan to introduce La Vetta with upscale Italian fare on Broughton Street.

“We’re getting back to the level where we can hire people like Max, and Mike Hanlon at Ukiyo and Daniel Rinehart at the Fitzroy,” Dollard said. “We’re bringing in serious talent to the city.”

With SCH, Barbee is hungry to solidify Savannah’s reputation as a dining destination. Recently, the Michelin Guide announced it would expand across several Southern states with an inaugural regional guidebook; however, within Georgia, it will only consider Atlanta restaurants.

“I’ve always believed that Savannah should be the food capital of the South,” he said, citing the Grey as one of the leaders in the local culinary scene. “When you look at SCAD, all the history, the art and characters in the city, we should have a much larger food scene,” Barbee said. “It’s time for that to change.”

“We want the best for Savannah,” Dollard added. “We want to promote and grow the city in general.”

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