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Parker's Market Urban Gourmet
Rating Details »
Categories: Specialty Food, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Convenience Stores, Delis [Edit]
222 Drayton StSavannah, GA 31401
(912) 233-1000
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast, Lunch, Late Night, Dessert
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
13 reviews for Parker's Market Urban Gourmet
Living in CA now, I'm used to seeing snooty words like "gourmet, urban, organic". In my head, I now realize that those buzzwords are usually synonymous for "overpriced, renovated, and salads made with spinach that look like leaves". So when I saw a gas station by my hotel that said "Urban gourmet", I figured it was just another one of THOSE kind of places.
But this wasn't your typical CA-ish snooty store. This joint was actually a gas station and it attracted all kinds of people from all different walks of life. You won't see a 10 year-old corn dog under a heat lamp at this place. From families buying really good food at the deli to fancy cheeses, to hundreds of bottled sodas to drunks buying their booze, its all there. But its all presented in a very upscale way. I mean how many gas stations do you know where people sit at tables in a gas station to just hang out? And how many other gas stations do you know with Wi-Fi?
The best part though is that the people who work there are friendly. True to its southern roots, people in this neck of the woods actually say hi to each other and the employees genuinely seemed to like their jobs. It was the first time in a long time that I've had a conversation with the gas station attendant who was totaling my purchase. And it made me miss the South.
Overall, the place is slightly more pricy than your average 7-11. But its much cheaper than buying a $4 water bottle from the Hilton. And its a great template for urban renewal. I'm a fan.
So it's after midnight, you're hungry, you want something yummy, maybe chocolate cake, you want a beer, some exotic cheese and crackers, laundry detergent, gas for your car, a birthday card for your mom, a treat for your dog, shampoo, wine, cleaning supplies, a grilled vegetable Panini, apple sauce, a cliff bar, and some candy? Okay.
Parkers is twenty four seven people! It is the place to go for everything but hard liquor. It's a gourmet grocery store with all the gas station essentials. My personal favorite is the endless supply of gummy bears and red bull but, to each their own.
If you're new to town, this is the first place to go. Ask anyone where it is... we are more than happy to help. And, as if what's inside isn't enough, there is outdoor seating to enjoy your snacks while people watching. Everyone comes to Parkers for everything, whether they are homeless, drunk, rich, poor, hipster, out late at night, or on their way to work early in the morning, or wanting a snack at any time throughout the day, Parkers is a necessary destination.
24/7 gourmet market/gas station/booze store/cigarette spot.
you can count on running into the locals, or your drunk friends, or people you know. parking can be a bitch if you're getting gas. but it's a hot spot, in the center of townzo.
This place is a gas station? Wow, I'm a retard. All I noticed was the supermarketish health food options.
Anyway. Would you believe that this is the only freaking place in Savannah where one can find decent yogurt? Some hotels offer dinky yogurts for their continental breakfasts, but I mean real yogurt. I can't tell you how many blocks back and forth I walked to find some. But yeah, Parker's came through.
Their pastries look great, but I'd personally stay away from the deli section. None of those sandwiches looked very appetizing at all. The rest of their selection of products look very nice. The store is also clean, well lighted, and stuff is (mostly) clearly marked.
What I didn't like however, was how friggin' expensive everything was. Not my cup of tea. But you're kinda cornered into paying the prices when they're the only place that carries certain things. Oh well.
One of the more unique gas stations I've visited in my lifetime. Very upscale, and while the prices reflect this the convenient location and funky stuff they have for sale are worth it.
First of all, this is the only gas station in downtown Savannah that sells beer late at night (they stop somewhere between 12-2am) making them very important to the drinkers of Savannah. They have a full kitchen where they freshly make all sorts of food and desserts. Their chocolate cake is sooo good, even at $6 a slice it still takes me three days to eat an entire piece (in addition to downing tons of milk.)
The entire place is bright, clean and always smells good. You have to ask for a strange key to use the bathrooms, but once inside they are clean and decorated really cool.
Where else can you gas up your car while dialing into the net on your iPhone thanks to free wifi, purchasing overpriced organic laundry detergent, pasta sauce, or a huge slice of chocolate cake, and watching a constant and fascinating stream of pre-clubbers, SCAD hipsters, and bicycle totin' townies? Only in Savannah, folks!
Honestly, the food and goods at Parker's are consistently overpriced, the selection is never as comprehensive as you'd like it to be, and the lines can sometimes be long, but the experience of visiting a gourmet minimart is, in my opinion, absolutely priceless.
Whether you are craving a bottle of Cherry Coke or a $30 bottle of wine, a pack of cigarettes or a bowl of mac-n-cheese, there's something for everyone here. The fact that they never carry that ONE item that you really need is just part and parcel of this bizarre experience.
On the more practical side, Parker's is great when you're in a bind and you need something fast, especially for those who live close by and have a late-night craving. There are tables and umbrellas outside (around the corner from the gas pumps, so it's not as loud) should you have a moment to stop and relax. The wifi is reliable, strong, and, as mentioned, free.
Like virtually every other reviewer here, I can't vouch for the gas, since I've only been there on foot. But it seems like plenty of people stop by there pretty often for gas.
What a great place for a tourist to stumble into!
Great selection of gourmet food, sandwiches, soup, salads, you name it. Despite the upscale food, the counter lady calls you "honey." Welcome to Savannah.
There are tables outside where a tired tourist can sit down and eat and there's free parking in a lot next door.
Parker's is a great concept: a gas station that has, instead of a standard interior store, a fine wine and foods store plus your typical chips, Cokes, and beer selection you'd encounter in most any gas station. Parker's is, or at least has been when I lived in Savannah, open 24/7 which also makes it a great benefit for SCAD students and tourists alike. In addition to stocking a very extensive wine selection, a number of magazines including some good fashion and food zines, and a fair number of cheeses and other foods not found at Krogers, Parkers even has a deli section.
Now, for the bad news: I have found the deli a great concept but one that's uneven and lackluster in many cases. They make decent sandwiches and such but they also have various salads made up and other dishes that you can get some of to go (e.g., pastas, some seafood dishes). These tend to be expensive and really, if that seafood salad sells slowly I don't think it gets tossed out in a prompt and orderly fashion. That's not to say that anything is out of date, but I have had a few things here (as have friends) that tasted off and I would just encourage people to be discerning in what they purchase here and look the goods over. I have also almost bought cheeses that have passed their sell-by date before . . . just be careful.
Oh . . . and those desserts: very tempting-looking posh cakes that are pretty-pretty, sure. But a couple of these I've purchased have had that taste that goods get when they've been in a fridge too long . . . cakes are very prone to getting that way if not consumed quickly. Again, I don't think they're being, you know, consumed very quickly all the time.
The wine, which isn't going to spoil any time very soon, is a different story: there are a number of very good wines in the $15 to $50 price range here . . . there's less-expensive ones too, but the nice thing is, if you're looking for a better wine that Korgers will carry and it's ten minutes to midnight, where are you gonna go other than Parker's on Drayton? I've bought some really nice wines here and I've been very impressed by the taste of whomever selects wines for Parker's.
I love the fact Parker's is where it is and is what it is and that on my way home from Chuck's Bar or Tantra I could chain up my bike outside and dash in, often running into other SCADlings, and get a magazine, a bottle of wine, and some of their muffins for the morning and head on homeward. I still think the deli could use some help . . . starting with not making five tons of the seafood salad at once and praying it will all sell . . .
Nice alternative to the ghetto gas stations on the out skirts of downtown. Coffee is great, prices are pretty high, they have fun stuff to look at.
I love Parker's on Drayton. You can get all kinds of goodies there that you cant get anywhere else in Savannah. Specialty sodas, good wine selection, fresh food, health products, and also gifts and things of the sort. Friendly staff....only thing ........be careful that you dont get trapped in the gas pumping area....people park there....and sometimes you get STUCK...i hate that.
Really great spot in a really great spot!
great stop for everything you need! its a really nice gas station with a wide selection of foods, wines and gift. Plus they have a little deli, fresh flowers and great staff!
Like a desert oasis....reminded this CA guy trapped in South Georgia (about 90 minutes south of Savannah) of back home....great selection of everything you need to make it through long work trips.
