It’s been a rough week. Hell, for a lot of people around here, it has been a rough year or more. I think it is fair to say that most of us, however, don’t see it. Certainly not like I like to think I do. I’ve been sitting in or near the front row of our city’s food scene for over a decade. I know when the pH levels appear to be out of balance.

The average consumer sees the headlines. “Olympia is not returning.” “Wang’s II is closed.” but there have been a series of other closings here in Savannah that haven’t made major headlines beyond social media the last 8 months. Silk Route closed last week on Mall Blvd. NaRobia’s on Habersham closed in March. Of course, The Lady and Sons closed last summer. Squirrel’s Pizza closed at the end of the year.

Not only has it been a lot, but it has been a lot of big names. In some cases names that have been major parts of our culinary landscape for as long as many of us have lived here. It causes a lot of people to be unnecessarily cynical. Well, check that. Some people are going to be cynical anyway, but still others are uncomfortable with the inevitability of change.

The whole thing bugged me enough that I started a running list of the great things happening on Savannah’s food scene right now. Within 30 seconds I had 5 or 6. It was at that point I thought I’d come up with a full 10 and share them with you. In an effort to simply let you know that the sky is most certainly not falling.

1. Have you seen the cover of this month’s Georgia Trend Magazine? A full decade after Kay Heritage took a chance on a pizza food truck in Savannah, Big Bon Bodega has established itself as a major brand in this area with 2 bagel shops, a Colombian concept on the way in Thomas Square, and a total revamp of Miss Sophie’s at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth in Pooler. That’s Kay and her business partner Shahin Afsharian on the cover of Georgia Trend. Incredibly well deserved.

*Marbled and Fin is a legit next level steakhouse in Savannah. Which, I believe, now gives us two.

*Right behind them this year will be Lester’s, La Vetta and Le Flâneur (apparently the ‘L’s were on sale) are all on the way downtown. They will be serious eats. And I put them all in one category because I want to prove that the good news isn’t all downtown.

Gary Gordon and 520 Wings celebrated 16 years this week on Bull Street. In a renovated building with ties to Savannah’s African American past. One more step to cleaning up a corridor that was in need of some TLC. I sat with him Wednesday as he looked out with a smile at how far the neighborhood (Bull at Victory) had come in a decade and a half and what it will look like in 3 short years.

Down the street, that beam of light you see every weekend in the sky is the smile coming from the Williams family and Slow Fire BBQ. If you haven’t heard, they are setting up shop on 37th and Price later this year. Their school bus food truck is there Thurs-Sunday now. A kitchen build out is underway.

On Wilmington Island, Bread and Butter is one of the better food stories of the last year. Ask anyone who has been there.

Same goes for The Laundry Diner at Paulson and Anderson. As they say, if you don’t know, you betta ask somebody.

Meanwhile, on Tybee Island, two young men opened a window. Yes, a window. No seating to speak of. They sling burgers, sandwiches and breakfast biscuits. Take a ride to see The Window on Tybee Island sometime.

Also on Tybee, AJ’s is getting a makeover that will look as good as anything on the islands. Any of them. Long overdue if you ask me. I’m just still trying to figure out where everyone is going to park.

It has been reported that Publix is seeking permission to build near Eastern Wharf. One less abandoned warehouse with a caved in roof is a good thing from my seat. Let’s hope we see it.

I could go on with more good news that is public knowledge and some stuff we know that I can’t repeat yet. All that to say, it’s not getting worse around here. It’s just different. That may not sit well with a lot of people, but that certainly isn’t going to stop it, so the sooner we embrace it, the better we might feel.

Thoughts? Give us a shout. tips@eatitandlikeit.com. We are always listening.

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