TRAVEL BYTES: Molly MacPherson's Pub and Grill
Dining Review: Molly MacPherson's Pub and Grill
Location: Savannah, Richmond Hill and Pooler, Georgia
Lang may yer lum reek (may you live long and stay well) with Molly MacPherson’s
It’s no secret – I’m Scottish. My family is directly descended from the Harkness clan found in the Scottish Highlands, and I married into the legendary Bruce’s. My husband and I are both interested and active about learning our personal histories, want to one day tour the country and enjoy light debates on our clans.
I love whiskey. Scottish beers make me smile, and traditional food fair from the region is one of my weaknesses. So when I found Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub and Grill in Savannah, Georgia, I was in paradise.
Picture from Molly's Tumblr page of inside of the Savannah location
The business started when the current owners’ great-grandmother Molly and her daughter Bernice relocated from Scotland to Nova Scotia in the 1890s. Once there, her love for her home was so great that she decided to open a pub. When Molly’s daughter Bernice grew up and moved to New England, she decided to go into the same business, sharing all of her traditional Scottish recipes with her children, who in turn opened up the first Georgia location in 2005. Molly MacPherson’s has three locations in the state – the original on Congress Street in downtown Savannah, one off the highway in Richmond Hill, and their latest location in Pooler.
Steak and Guinness Stew
The menu reads somewhat like a map. The dishes guide you through traditional food like Neeps and Tatties or Scotch Eggs and also provides you with some more modern pub favorites like cheese sticks or their take on a burger – Toasties. The selection offers an intimate glance into what Americans might find if they were to ever stay with a long lost Aunt in Scotland. Bangers and Mash (Scottish sausage and garlic mashed potatoes… if that doesn’t make you drool, I don’t know what will) are listed right above Steak and Guinness Stew - rich broth from a Guinness braised sirloin engulfs slow cooked vegetables that can only be tamed by the delicate balance found in a roll from Molly’s. This makes it hard to find comfort as it’s listed next to the Shepherd’s Pie. The section ‘Pub Grub’ sums up this restaurant: comfort food served in a gourmet style, in an intimate pub atmosphere. I wish I could pick a favorite but I can’t. I recommend going with a large group and ordering one of everything.
Scottish Meat Pies
The appetizers are diverse enough to appease any eater. There is lighter faire if you are there to indulge in mainly drinks, such as Cheese and Fruit Boards featuring their Baked Brie and Whiskey Sauce, or Salmon Fingers, which is Scottish Salmon, stuffed with cream cheese and chives. If it’s your first time there I recommend trying Molly’s Scottish Combo that features small portions of their favorite appetizers. These include the always-delicious Scotch Eggs. These are hard-boiled eggs, which are encased in sausage and than fried. What’s better than that? How about a homemade pastry filled with pork and beef and topped in rich gravy? The Scottish Meat Pies are a must!
The perfect compliments to these Scottish delicacies are the vast Scottish beers on their menu. Molly’s always has the latest concoction from Innis and Gunn’s Brewery. This Scottish beer brewer is known for their barrel-aging process. The rich malts are complimented by being aged in bourbon, oak and other various barrels. This pub is one of the only places in the entire South that you can get your hands on this award-winning beer.
Beer Flight
Not in the mood for a beer? Molly MacPherson’s boasts having the best selection Single Malt Whiskey on the East Coast. They offer tastings and flights from various regions to help expand their public’s knowledge and taste buds. Between the three locations, they offer 270 variations of whiskey.
Collectively, the bars offer different weekly events. This is everything from live local music to trivia nights and even open mic nights. Savannah and the surrounding area are home to parts of the Airforce and Army, along with various colleges. It’s a mecca of culture and diversity. Needless to say, Molly MacPherson’s has become a hub for these differences to meet, come together, play some trivia, eat some comfort food and raise a pint.
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Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pubs and Grill
311 West Congress Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401
912-239-9600
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3742 South Highway 17
Richmond Hill, Georgia 31324
912-459-9600
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110 Towne Center Drive, Suite 300
Pooler, Georgia 31322
912-348-3200