Back in the Day Bakery

We’re located in the Starland District. The pandemic closure in 2020 gave us an opportunity to reimagine the space. We put in a to-go window to stay connected to our customers, started offering virtual classes, and launched Janie Q Provisions, a line of jams named after my mother. Customers can come into the retail space and shop the Janie Q line alongside some of my favorite things, like vintage cookware. I love hearing the conversations among the customers in line—the regulars often make recommendations to the visitors.

Our former dining room is now Day Studio, a light and airy space where we teach classes and host events. During the week, I teach baking classes that focus on paying homage to history—both my own family history and the broader history of American baking.

SCAD Museum of Art

I recommend checking out the Walter and Linda Evans Center for African American Studies. There are works by Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Clementine Hunter, and many others.

E. Shaver Booksellers (and the Savannah Tea Room)

E. Shaver is a quintessential Savannah spot, located downtown in a house that dates to the 1840s. I like to browse their selection of cookbooks. If you like tea, stop by the Savannah Tea Room next door. There’s not much room to sit, but you can get a tea to go and sip it while you walk around the city and take in the squares and the architecture.

The Garage at Victory North

My absolute favorite neighborhood restaurant right now is a new spot called The Garage at Victory North. Todd Harris is the executive chef. A Chicago transplant who grew up in his family’s barbecue restaurant, he’s a young Black chef to watch. The restaurant serves small plates—the menu changes regularly, but don’t miss the collard green Caesar salad or the crispy mushrooms if they’re available. The food and the atmosphere are elevated yet approachable. It’s everything you want a neighborhood restaurant to be. I’m in there at least once a week.