Georgia's Affordable City Near Savannah Offers Tasty Bites And A Vibrant Community

When exploring Georgia, historic Savannah offers a wide variety of experiences. Known as the Peach State's oldest city, it offers lush gardens, picturesque streets, and tasty Southern food. However, while visiting the Hostess City of the South, it pays to go off the beaten path and explore some of the cities in the surrounding county. 

One such place is Bloomingdale, perched about 13 miles outside of Savannah, and shielded by the low hills of Chatham County. Home to fewer than 3,000 residents, Bloomingdale not only sports a vibrant community with seasonal events, but it is also a very affordable location. According to real estate data provider BestNeighborhood, housing is approximately 40% cheaper than the state average, with the median cost of buying a house around $150,000 compared to Georgia's average of about $231,000.

One of the big perks of visiting Bloomingdale is exploring its modest yet accessible culinary scene. Sure, you won't find any restaurants of Michelin fame or bistros with hard-to-get tables, but, instead, you can enjoy tasty, affordable bites.

Despite its quaint size, Bloomingdale contains a diverse selection of fast-casual eateries. Among its top-rated establishments is Roma Pizza, a pizza parlor with a relaxed atmosphere, and all your usual suspects from pepperoni pie and stromboli to toasted ravioli and Mediterranean pizza – a smorgasbord of grilled veggies, ricotta, and balsamic glaze.

For tasty tacos and Tex-Mex food, Sonora Grill is a solid option. Tacos, burritos, tamales, carne asada, sopes, and tostadas are all on the menu, and save for one item (the topped nachos), many dishes are priced below $10. You can comfortably dine in or opt for takeout. 

And as you are right in the town center, you can head to another top-rated eatery in Bloomingdale, located on the next street over. A self-proclaimed donut paradise for the "best donut you ever had," as their motto goes, the Donut Shop offers both sweet and savory options and donuts made fresh daily and hand-cut. "The donuts are bomb!!" remarked one Google reviewer, where the eatery holds 4.8 stars and over 600 reviews. Cheese-filled breakfast sandwiches, chicken biscuits, and loaded grits share the menu with donuts in dozens of flavors, including old-fashioned, blueberry cake, and coconut crumble. For something more substantial, the Donut Shop also dishes out cheeseburgers and salads for lunch.

Bloomingdale may not have the picturesque waterfront appeal and scenic dining that Savannah undoubtedly offers, but the city is proud of its diverse eateries. Beyond its restaurants, Bloomingdale's charm lies in its community life and peaceful residential streets. Stroll past Bloomingdale Elementary School along the tree-lined Pine Street, past the Baptist Church, and onto Cherry Street, right by the city's top eateries.

The city, founded in the 1830s, now has a community centered primarily around education, construction, and general transportation sectors. That variety is reflected in the low-key seasonal festivals the city puts on, and modest attractions, which include an immersion in agrotourism at Ottawa Farm — where you can pick your own berries during the warmer months — and live music organized by Randy Wood's Pickin' Parlor, in the hands of Bloomingdale's craft instrument maker and repairman, Randy Wood.

You can easily drive to Bloomingdale from Savannah in less than half an hour, depending on traffic. But the city is also well connected to other neighboring hubs, including the charming town of Richmond Hill on the Ogeechee River, which is about 20 miles away, and packs historic sites, art galleries, and coastal outdoors fun all under one roof.