If you and your family are looking for places to eat in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, we’ve assembled a roundup of local suggestions. We have everything from hearty breakfast meals that start your day right to craft breweries, local ingredient menus, and delectable desserts.
There is no better way for you and your family to experience the Great Smoky Mountain region’s warmth, culture, and heritage than to feast and savor some of its regional cuisine and dining — these are the best restaurants in Gatlinburg.
Breakfast is a serious undertaking in the South, especially in a region with an extended farming history. It has long been a hearty and substantial meal meant to stick to the stomach and last through a long day’s work (or at least until lunchtime).
From flaky biscuits made with homemade red-eye gravy to buttermilk pancakes stacked high, you will find many options that satisfy you, fill you up, and prepare you for a long day of fun and relaxation!
Mama’s Farmhouse is a down-home restaurant serving bountiful Southern cooking family style for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their divine dishes are derived from the owner of the Johnson family’s great-grandmother (Mama to the family) and are prepared fresh daily from scratch.
Owner Kelly Johnson says, “Mama’s Farmhouse is very special and dear to us. Not only do we use her recipe to recreate [Mama’s] amazing food, but the restaurant is decorated with old family pictures from our family, and the actual family china is displayed on the wall.”
The all-you-can-eat breakfast feast includes Pinwheels, Breakfast Stapes, Country Ham, Hash Brown Casserole, Buttermilk Biscuits, Chocolate Gravy, Homemade Fruit Butters, and more. You won’t leave Mama’s Farmhouse hungry.
A breakfast or brunch meal at the Log Cabin Pancake House is a step back in time in a relaxing cabin atmosphere that has garnered over 6,000+ reviews on Google. You can remedy that morning sweet tooth or grumbling gut with various hearty breakfast selections. Whether it’s good old-fashioned pancakes or specialty French crepes, Log Cabin Pancake House features a menu with several pancake combinations.
From more traditional selections like Chocolate Chip Pancakes to more tropical Caribbean Pancakes with bananas and coconut, there is something for everyone here. The menu also offers adventurous options like the unique chopped ham waffle. For those in your party who prefer a more savory morning meal, there are plenty of good old-country breakfasts, with eggs, grits, biscuits, and gravy to boot.
For many visitors to Gatlinburg, a meal at the Pancake Pantry is a time-honored tradition; this pancake house has been on the block since 1960. Tennessee’s first full-fledged Pancake House, Pancake Pantry makes its dishes from scratch. Most importantly, pancakes are topped with the most delicious real butter, freshly made whipped cream, and made-from-scratch syrups and compotes.
Guests love the century-old building in the heart of downtown, adjacent to the Village Shops—one of the best places to shop in Gatlinburg. The menu features everything from Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes to new favorites such as the Austrian Apple-Walnut Crepes served with an apple cider compote.
The restaurant also specializes in omelets and waffles. For those choosing to dine later in the day, burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads are available for lunch options, so there is something for everyone.
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin has made quite a name for itself; it has been voted best pancakes in Tennessee by Delish.com and made the list for Southern Living Magazine’s South’s Best Flavors. Flapjacks Pancake Cabin has been serving pancakes to hungry hikers since 2001.
Now, with six locations throughout Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, you can’t miss this breakfast restaurant around every bend. They serve various pancake options, from local specialties like Wild Mountain Blueberry pancakes to fun and super-sweet varieties like Reese’s Peanut Butter Pancakes and Mixed Berry Pancakes.
Flapjack’s also serves waffles and French toast. Be sure to catch their Campfire Skillets, which include different combinations of eggs and fixings served over a skillet of potatoes.
A favorite spot among the locals, Little House of Pancakes serves breakfast and lunch all day. Its menu features an assortment of fruit pancakes, waffles, and French toast, making it one of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg for breakfast.
Don’t miss their big country breakfast platters, or try their Panhandler Omelet for a special treat. For lunch fare, they offer Chicken Tenders, Catfish, and Country Fried Steak with all the traditional Southern fixings, plus homemade soups, salads, and burgers.
Vacation is a time to relax, have fun, and enjoy the flavors and culture of the places you visit. Check out these regional restaurant favorites highlighting some of the South’s — specifically East Tennessee and Appalachian — cuisine. The regional favorites will give you a flavor for the food, people, and history of the Great Smoky Mountains area.
For an authentic Southern experience, Huck Finn’s Catfish is a feast you don’t want to miss. They’re famous for their “ALL ‘U CAN EAT CATFISH & CHICKEN DINNERS.” Awarded “Best Catfish in Tennessee” by Tennessee Magazine four years in a row, Huck Finn’s Catfish is a meal customers will surely enjoy. The restaurant proudly serves pond-raised, grain-fed Mississippi catfish certified by the U.S. Catfish Institute.
For folks looking for food beyond the pond, Huck Finn’s also features an extensive southern-style menu with legendary Golden Fried Chicken, Country Fried Steak, Frog Legs, Fried & Grilled Shrimp, Ribeye Steak, Chicken Livers, and many more southern favorites.
No Southern meal is complete without delectable sides. For vegetarians, Huck Finn’s offers the “ALL ‘U CAN EAT VITTLES” meal, which includes Creamy Coleslaw, Baked White Beans, and Huck’s Made-From-Scratch Hushpuppies.
Known as a “home away from home” by Gatlinburg locals, Elvira’s Cafe serves delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner with warm, friendly service and a big smile. The cafe’s owner, Elvira, immigrated from Siberia to Gatlinburg and decided to make it her permanent home. She serves up a unique take on the food of Southern Tennessee with just a bit of European infusion.
The breakfast menu includes omelets, hotcakes, eggs, hash browns, and more. Don’t miss the specialty, the Divine Crepes, especially the Berry Buster. Their lunch fare includes hearty, delicious soups and the best local ingredients, such as the Benton Bacon BLT, which features regionally known freshly sliced Grainger tomatoes.
Lastly, Elvira’s dinner menu offers hearty country favorites such as their famous Cafe Pork Chops and ham steak with a wide selection of sides.
Tony Gore’s Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill is a destination restaurant for visitors and residents in Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Knoxville, and the surrounding area. Owner Toney Gore earned his reputation performing as a Southern gospel singer on the road, but the road is also where he mastered his cooking skills, cooking for himself and other performers.
Guests not only get to eat delicious food made by hand, but they are often fortunate enough to experience live Southern Gospel performances by Tony Gore and some of the genre’s biggest names. This down-home cooking is a taste of the region and Southern dedication to barbeque, fixings, and, of course, dessert.
Robert Pearce of Pearce Design & Advertising explains, “Guests to Tony Gore’s Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill can relax on [the] front porch before being seated by friendly servers and staff. Once inside, the atmosphere is homey and warm, and the walls are lined with memories of Tony’s long career as a beloved Southern Gospel performer.”
Famous for its Homemade Apple Butter, Applewood Apple Fritters, and Applewood Julep, a visit to the Great Smokies Region wouldn’t be complete without a meal at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant and Grill. Fun fact: Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant and Grill was once a real working family farm. Though the original farmhouse burned and then rebuilt in 1921, the current restaurant still stands on the original home site.
Breakfast includes all your country favorites, from biscuits with red-eye gravy to delicious vegetable quiches to a divine dish called the Country Boy Breakfast Skillet. It includes breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, shredded jack and cheddar cheese, mushrooms, green onions, tomatoes, and green peppers, all layered and cooked in a cast iron skillet.
For dinner, don’t miss their Applewood Famous Southern Fried Chicken or their signature Apple Julep Grilled Chicken made with their trademarked Applewood Julep Marinade.
Bennett’s Pit BBQ is a local staple in Gatlinburg, TN. The award-winning barbeque has been pleasing palates since it opened in downtown Gatlinburg in 1991. As co-owner Kelly Johnson says, “At Bennett’s, we cook BBQ the way you are supposed to. We slow-smoke things overnight.”
This pit barbeque is prepared with a lot of love and care. Moist, tender, and packed full of flavor, guests can enjoy the Beef Brisket, Pork Ribs, and Catfish basted in Bennett’s special sauce. Bennett’s also offers buffet-style barbeque and sides or a menu for a la carte selections.
Bennett’s also has one of the best Breakfast Buffets in Gatlinburg. The 50-item breakfast bar has everything you could wish for in a country breakfast spread. Kelly Johnson explains that the breakfast bar includes “our best-kept secret: our homemade cinnamon donuts. In addition to homemade muffins, lots of fresh fruit, and pulled pork.”
In operation for over 30 years, Calhoun’s opened its first restaurant in Knoxville in 1983. The following year, Calhoun’s traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, and took home “Best Ribs in America” after winning the 1984 National Rib Cook-Off. Known for its famous hickory smoked BBQ and Ribs, Calhoun’s offers an authentic taste of Tennessee.
While their menu features grand selections of their famous and delicious smoked BBQ and Ribs, it also expands beyond BBQ to offer something for everyone in your family or group of friends. All Calhoun’s serve USDA choice and prime graded beef, portion cuts of ribeye, strips, sirloins, T-bones, filets, prime rib, and portion cuts of fresh pork. In addition, their many bakery items are made fresh daily, including delicious key lime pie and a variety of homemade cheesecakes.
The Gatlinburg Calhoun’s is designed like a handsome mountain lodge and located amidst the Shoppes of Calhoun’s Village. The Pigeon Forge Calhoun’s is one of the newest locations and offers an upscale mountain lodge atmosphere in The Shops at Walden’s Landing (formerly Ogle’s Water Park).
After a long Gatlinburg scenic drive, stop by Smoky Mountain Brewery; it will not disappoint beer aficionados. As Kelsey Chase, Marketing Director for Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants, explains, “There is an onsite brewery at each location that produces several different beers served in the restaurant.”
Their craft beer list includes Thunder Road Pilsner, Cherokee Red Ale, Windy Gap Wheat Beer, Appalachian Pale Ale, Black Bear Ale, Tuckaleechee Porter, Velas Helas, Mountain Light, and seasonal brews. The restaurant serves quality USDA choice, prime graded beef, fresh seafood, fresh bread, and desserts, paired with house sauces and dressings made daily.
With two locations in Gatlinburg and Sevierville, this microbrewery and restaurant is the perfect place to take the family, enjoy a pint of micro-brewed beer and relax. Smoky Mountain Brewery and Restaurant features live music and pub trivia each week. TVs and nightly entertainment make this one of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge’s favorite places to eat and be entertained.
With the slogan, “Eat, Drink, Play,” you can expect to have fun at Puckers Sports Grill. Located on the strip in downtown Gatlinburg, this sports bar and grill is a favorite among locals and tourists; it’s one of the best bars in Gatlinburg, TN. The dark-paneled atmosphere is known for its great happy hour specials and non-stop sports streaming. Open seven days a week, you can stop in and stay late.
There are many fun ways to kill a lazy afternoon or night with pool tables, dartboards, and 12 HDTVs that always show games, including NFL, college game days, and pay-per-view events. Additionally, Puckers entertains nightly with Karaoke, DJs, and dancing. Pool and dart tournaments are also available regularly for competitive types.
For visitors to Gatlinburg looking to spice up their visit and try cuisine from around the globe, many locally-owned restaurants feature international fare. While the authentic recipes and flavors may hail from other lands, these dishes still have the same warmth and friendly service you will find at regional food stops.
Locally owned and operated, Thai Basil prides itself on offering healthy, delicious, and authentic Thai food on its lunch and dinner menu. They are dedicated to introducing new, flavorful, healthy food options to the local area. The restaurant’s delicious Thai selections include stir-fry, curries, noodle dishes, soups, dumplings, salads, and more.
Thai Basil offers many vegetarian and vegan options as well. For an authentic taste of Thailand, don’t miss your chance to try the cuisine at Thai Basil—they also offer a child’s menu and delicious desserts.
A real mom-and-pop spot, the authentic Cuban cuisine at Smokies Cuban Cafe has been compared by eaters to Cuban offerings in Miami, a city famous for its Cuban food. Unassuming from the decor and outside appearance, this authentic spot does not disappoint.
In 2011, this relaxed, family-style café opened with the mission to get to know its customers. Smokies offers takeout, catering, and delivery to many parts of Sevier County. Even if you don’t want to leave your Elk Springs Resort cabin, you can likely enjoy some Smokies Cuban cuisine.
The Borges family proudly prepares their food with love and devotion; they believe their food represents family traditions from generation to generation! They cook meals to order, and while your order may take a couple of minutes longer to get to the table, you can enjoy authentic home cooking that stands above the rest.
Fox and Parrot is a hidden gem well known among locals and beer connoisseurs. This authentic British Pub is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. The Fox and Parrot prides itself on being an authentic British pub or tavern—not a “bar.” Over the pond in Great Britain, a pub is a place or community space where people come together, often at the heart of towns, to talk, commune, eat, and drink.
Inspired by a personal trip to England and his fascination with British ales, Brian Papworth opened Fox & Parrot Tavern on September 9, 1998. Fox and Parrot Tavern made their pub a beer lover’s destination, serving an impressive selection of imported and domestic beers, ales, and ciders. They have a wide selection of ales, lagers, stouts, and porters from the British Isles, Germany, Jamaica, and the U.S.
The made-from-scratch food menu is as authentic as possible, serving dishes such as Bangers & Mash, Welsh Rabbit, the traditional Scotch Egg—a hard-boiled egg surrounded by a Scottish pork sausage jacket—and, of course, Fish and Chips.
China Town Restaurant is located between Pigeon Forge and Sevierville and consistently receives accolades for its fresh flavors and ingredients. It offers traditional Chinese favorites, from chicken, beef, pork, and vegetarian stir fry to lo mein, specialty fried rice, soups, dumplings, and much more.
The restaurant also features authentic Peking Duck with homemade duck sauce. The restaurant cooks everything to order, and if you would like takeout or an express dining experience, China Town Restaurant features online ordering to expedite your cuisine. Chinese delivery is a perfect way to wind down after a long day of hiking trails in Gatlinburg.
With three locations in the Great Smoky Mountains area, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville, you can visit and quickly taste why locals love Big Daddy’s Pizzeria. These locally owned Pizzerias have developed a following for their delicious pizzas made to order with the freshest ingredients.
Co-owner Kelly Johnson describes the family’s approach, “Our pizzerias have no freezers on-premises. Everything is fresh; everything is homemade! The dough is handcrafted; in fact, we have a whole room just to make dough. We use a real wood-burning oven to add extra flavor and tons of fresh toppings. We love creating crazy pizza combinations and experimenting, and of course, we create the classics, too.”
Families with children and teens will love the Pigeon Forge Big Daddy’s location, which features an attached arcade where kids can enjoy fun and games while their pizza is cooking.
Ranked one of the top three restaurants in Sevierville, Nino’s Pizzeria & Eatery is regarded by locals as one of the top Italian spots in the area. It offers a selection of pizza and delicious Italian classics, such as Lasagna and Eggplant Parmesan. Nino’s also offers gluten-free pizza crusts.
Owner Jerry Maltese chose the name Nino’s because it means “boy” in Italian, and he has fond memories of his Italian grandparents referring to his father as Nino while growing up. They opened the pizzeria and restaurant in March 2014, and it has been a local hit ever since.
Sweets are their own food group in the South. A Sunday Dinner meal (actually Sunday lunch) is only complete with a cake, pie, cobbler, or some type of scrumptious, sugary dessert. The Great Smoky Mountains area has a wealth of sweet treats, desserts, and bakeries to satisfy every sweet tooth.
The Wild Plum Tea Room is a gem of a dining experience nestled in the historic Arts & Crafts Community of Gatlinburg. This dining experience was created from the famous tea houses in the mountains of Austria. The menu features daily chef specials, soups, salads, desserts, and more. They also feature vegetarian, vegan, and food-allergy options for your party.
Recipes used at the Wild Plum come from generations of family, friends, and neighbors, passed down and prepared with much love and care. They change their selections daily and seek to innovate using available fresh and local ingredients. The tea room gains its reputation from its chicken salad and wild plum tea, as well as its soups and sandwiches.
The team room offers select domestic and imported beers in addition to tea. Your pooch can also enjoy a cup of tea or a light lunch with you. The Wild Plum is dog-friendly and offers deck dining for guests accompanied by their canine friends.
Opened in 2012 by the local Kelly Family, Mad Dog Creamery is a friendly dessert stop that combines your ice cream and fair favorites. It features various hand-dipped premium ice cream, sundaes, banana splits, floats, and one of the best handmade milkshakes.
As co-owner Kelly Johnson describes the location, “We have delicious, high-quality creamy ice cream, and we are famous for our hand-dipped milkshakes. We do milkshakes in all flavors.”
To top it off, Mad Dog Creamery features freshly made funnel cakes, a to-die-for homemade waffle cone hand-dipped in chocolate, espresso drinks, and affogatos. Also, don’t miss their “Chocolate Dream Cones” rolled in sprinkles or their freshly-made funnel cake with ice cream on top.
The Chocolate Monkey is the perfect candy store for chocoholics and sweet tooths. Owners Steve and Mei Shuen Branham, brother John, and sister-in-law Mary Branham combined their years of experience in retail and customer service and their love of sweets to open the first Chocolate Monkey in February 2009.
The trio worked with veteran candy makers to create and perfect their recipes, and the tremendous success of The Chocolate Monkey led them to open several more locations. They opened their second Chocolate Monkey in the middle of downtown Gatlinburg in March 2010 and the fifth Chocolate Monkey in Sevierville, Tennessee, in March 2013.
The Chocolate Monkey is famous for its creamy, delectable fudge, which is made with real butter and cream. This candy shop also features giant hand-dipped Caramel apples of all flavors and varieties and other chocolate and candy treats.
Cakes by Bakin’ Bishop has become a favorite local spot to savor sweets and relieve that sweet tooth craving. You can pick your cake, icing flavors, and toppings, then chat with the owners while they make and frost your custom cupcake.
The bakery also features delectable homemade cinnamon rolls and breads. If you have an occasion to celebrate on vacation, they feature beautiful cakes for birthdays, weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, and more. If you haven’t tied the knot yet, there are a few reasons to consider Gatlinburg, TN, for a wedding.
A Tennessee original, Gigi’s Cupcakes originated in Nashville. Owner Gina ‘Gigi’ Butler moved to the city with high hopes of becoming a country singer, but Gigi’s small home-order cupcake business soon supplanted that dream. It blossomed into a booming Cupcake Franchise with over twelve locations across Tennessee and beyond.
Gigi’s cupcakes feature time-tested family recipe favorites. Don’t miss their delicious piled-high icing and some of their favorite combinations, such as Peanut Butter Cup, Scarlett’s Red Velvet, White Midnight Magic, Banana Cream Pie, and more.
For a phenomenal, fresh-made donut you can’t find anywhere else, The Donut Friar is a must during your Smoky Mountain vacation. This one-of-a-kind shop in The Villages Shops is one of the best places to eat in Gatlinburg if you want fresh donuts, cinnamon bread, and pastries daily.
They open at 5 a.m. for early risers. Beware, though, these are not just any donuts; they are sinfully delicious and will make it hard to have just one.
Vacations allow you to spoil yourself, relax, and be transported in both mind and body to fresh places and scenery. The Smoky Mountain area offers several upscale dining options with incredible food and structures that will transport guests in atmosphere and flavor.
For an exceptional dining experience and adventure for your taste buds, the Restaurant at the Lodge at Buckberry Creek offers a warm, friendly atmosphere, a superb menu, and breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains. Dinner is relaxed and intimate, with an emphasis on service. The dining decks offer a tranquil setting at sundown, especially during breakfast, as the sun rises and the birds start their day.
The Restaurant at the Lodge at Buckberry Creek is fine dining in Gatlinburg at its best and prepares its food with the utmost care and expertise. This restaurant stands apart from other dining experiences in the Great Smoky Mountains area. Their innovative menu changes daily, using only the freshest local and seasonal ingredients.
The Restaurant at the Lodge at Buckberry Creek prides itself on upscale food and service but in a warm, friendly environment. Therefore, the restaurant welcomes and encourages families. The lodge and restaurant employ a staff committed to serving their guests with the utmost hospitality.
One of the premier steakhouses in the area, The Cherokee Grill, offers top-notch steaks and prime rib in picturesque style. As Kelsey Chase, Marketing Director for Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants, explains, “The Cherokee Grill is one of Gatlinburg’s Great Steakhouses in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. You won’t find a fresher steak or seafood in Gatlinburg! It is located just off the Parkway with plenty of parking.”
A favorite upscale dining experience, Cherokee Grill presents an upscale mountain lodge atmosphere. Its exterior is stone and brick, and its interior has accents of granite and walnut. People know Cherokee Grill for its great selection of hand-cut steaks and Prime Rib.
For a special night or occasion, The Cherokee Grill offers something unique. Mrs. Chase concludes, “Cherokee Grill is a level above most dining in the Gatlinburg area. The beautiful restaurant sits overlooking the Parkway, which has a great atmosphere. You can’t go wrong sitting beside the wonderful stone fireplace or up in the beautiful lounge!”
Located just 200 yards from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, The Park Grill has an outstanding concept and design. The structure itself, both interior and exterior, is unique and artistic in design and ambiance. Designed to showcase and complement the natural environment and beauty of the mountains, the restaurant feels like a majestic mountain lodge.
As Sue Bock, Marketing & Executive Assistant to Geoffrey A. Wolpert, Owner, notes, “We serve aged, never frozen, heavy western steaks and fresh mountain trout, along with a generous, ‘all you care to eat’ salad bar that is included with most entrees. All the grilling takes place on a wood-burning grill fired with Real Tennessee Hickory charcoal.”
While the food and service are amazing, the whole dining experience and the structure of the restaurant makes a meal at the Park Grill a must. As Sue Bock highlights, “Great Smoky Mountains National Park is lacking a lodge, so The Park Grill was designed to be the grand lodge of the Smokies. Our guests will dine on deliciously crafted food while sitting in a massive mountain lodge with photographs and artifacts reflecting and honoring the history of the National Park and earlier inhabitants of the Smokies.”
Places to eat in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, are plentiful, and you won’t want to leave until you try them. Book a cabin and escape to Gatlinburg; whether you’re seeking a budget-friendly getaway or an ultra-luxury experience, there is something for everyone and every family.
So don’t be afraid—slather those butter biscuits in chicken gravy and come home to your cabin for rest and relaxation.
