16 Best Restaurants in The Coastal Isles and the Okefenokee, Georgia

This colonnaded restaurant inside the Jekyll Island Club maintains a tradition of fine dining first established in the 19th century. Signature dishes are the rack of lamb, duck breast, and the filet mignon, all seasoned differently depending on the season. Offering unique twists on Southern classics, the menu also includes local seafood and upscale takes on regional dishes such as shrimp and grits. A huge fireplace, views of the pool, and sparkling silver and crystal all contribute to the old-world atmosphere.

While there is a "jacket preference" for male dining guests, there is not an official dress code.

Chef-owner Dave Snyder's devotion to quality and homemade dishes (everything but the ketchup is made on the premises) has earned this elegant but relaxed restaurant a faithful following of discerning locals. Halyards, his flagship, is focused on the finest seasonal and local ingredients. Headliners of the changing menu include Georgia white shrimp and grits, and "The Burger," featuring grass-fed beef, blackened tomato, and caramelized onion.

The fresh, locally sourced seafood at this spot overlooking the Morningstar Marina on the Frederica River, just inside the St. Simons Sound, is among the best on the island and perfectly complements the sunset views from the outdoor dining patio. The banks scallops and shrimp are a crowd-pleaser, perfectly paired with a butternut squash puree with hints of ginger and pistachio. Seafood lovers shouldn't pass up the raw oysters; Georgia's own are in season during months that include the letter r. The turf dishes are equally satisfying, with options such as pork tenderloin with wild mushrooms and house-made gnocchi.

Everything's home-cooked at this half-century-old local institution, and it's all good—from the fried shrimp to the black-eyed peas. It opens early for breakfast and has a daily lunch and dinner buffet piled with Southern favorites.

This upscale take on the fish camp theme lies at the foot of a public dock on the Darien River, where working shrimp boats moor. It has a beautiful courtyard pond and an open-air oyster bar. Popular menu items include Georgia white shrimp, ribs, and fried flounder. Arrive early on weekends, when there's usually a wait.

A local staple, this quintessential coastal restaurant, which overlooks the Sapelo River as it runs to the Sapelo Sound, offers fresh-from-the docks seafood dishes and surf-and-turf specialties. Menu favorites include the seafood linguine with Sapelo Sea Farms clams and whole fried Altamaha River catfish with hush puppies, local shrimp, and deviled crab.

Although it's in a shopping center, this Italian eatery with the same owner as the more refined Halyards bills itself as a neighborhood restaurant. It has spaghetti and meatballs and pizzas piled with favorite toppings, as well as a remarkable antipasto with prosciutto and various cheeses and a superb take on braised short ribs over goat cheese ravioli, with sun-dried tomatoes as the mystery ingredient.