While many parks like Yellowstone, Zion, and Death Valley have award-winning restaurants within their boundaries, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is pretty much a food desert. Your options are limited to vending machines and whatever you can scrounge up in the visitor center shops. Fortunately, our country’s most-visited national park has welcoming gateway towns with incredible restaurants, especially if breakfast is your favorite meal of the day. According to the Franklin County Times, there’s a pancake house for every 245 residents in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Gluten-free? No problem. In these parts, you’ll also find everything from finger-licking good barbecue (it’s Tennessee and North Carolina, after all) to Thai food so authentic it warrants a passport stamp. Whether you’re entering through Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Cherokee, or Townsend, here are ten of the best restaurants near Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
What Are The Best Restaurants Near Great Smoky Mountains Nationa Park? Try These 10!
1. The Old Mill Restaurant, Pigeon Forge
One of the country’s oldest continually operating gristmills, this historic landmark (originally built in 1830) also claims to be the top-rated restaurant in town. Whether you come for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can always expect a crowd of happy diners hovering over plates piled high with comfort foods and Southern classics. With its general store, gift shop, and candy kitchen, it gives Cracker Barrel vibes, and you’ll actually enjoy the wait for your table.
Nearby KOAs
Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday
2. Crocket’s Breakfast Camp, Gatlinburg
Thanks to the truck-sized frying pan sign outside, it’s hard to miss this local institution famous for its pan-fried cinnamon rolls and pot roast eggs benedict. You also can’t go wrong with an order of corn pone – think cornbread flavor with a souffle texture. Because it’s so popular with locals and tourists alike, it pays to join the online waitlist. And since the portions are so generous, consider splitting an order. Otherwise, you’ll be walking out the door with a doggy bag.
Nearby KOAs
Gatlinburg East / Smoky Mountain KOA Holiday
Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday
3. The Peddler Steakhouse, Gatlinburg
Once a private residence, this log and stone cabin with river views is now the best spot in town to get prime rib and oysters on the half-shell. In addition, it boasts an impressive wine list and a well-curated salad bar (included with every entree). The children’s menu, meanwhile, goes above and beyond the usual mac & cheese and chicken tenders. It also offers elevated options like fresh rainbow trout, charbroiled steak, and even mocktails.
Nearby KOAs
Gatlinburg East / Smoky Mountain KOA Holiday
Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday
4. Junction 35 Spirits, Pigeon Forge
Following the Tennessee Whiskey Trail? Check one of the stops off your list by dining at this distillery-meets-bar-meets-restaurant. Obviously, the spirits here are worth sampling – so do a tasting if you have a designated driver, or buy a bottle to enjoy around the campfire. But since you shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach, start with a specialty like Tennessee poutine, smoked beef bologna, or shrimp and grits. While kids will love the yard games outside, please note that if you’re sensitive to noise, this place is pretty loud when it has a crowd.
Nearby KOAs
Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday
5. Local Goat, Gatlinburg
If you swing by the Pigeon Forge Visitor Information Center, they’ll probably send you here for lunch or dinner. While there’s no goat meat on the menu, Local Goat boasts the most exotic burger selection in town. The “Elvis” comes with peanut butter, smoked bacon, and fried bananas, and there’s also a lamb burger with feta cheese and tzatziki sauce and an uber-lean bison burger. Most of the food is sourced locally, sauces are made in-house, and there’s a small gift shop selling goat’s milk soap, lotion, and other goods.
Nearby KOAs
Gatlinburg East / Smoky Mountain KOA Holiday
Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg KOA Holiday
6. Haywood Smokehouse, Dillsboro
There’s nothing wrong with North Carolina barbecue, but Haywood Smokehouse specializes in Texas-style. Think brisket (smoked at least 16 hours) so tender you won’t need a knife and rib meat that falls off the bone the second you look at it. Choose from a variety of sauces and sides like collard greens, burnt-end baked beans, and Nana’s creamy coleslaw. Don’t be surprised if something is sold out – this place is popular. Your best bet is to show up at 11 a.m. when they open for the day, or an hour before the dinner rush.
Nearby KOAs
Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA Holiday
7. Dalaya Thai Cuisine, Sylva
It’s hard to get khao soi (curry egg noodle soup) outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand. But you can find it, along with other authentic Northern Thai dishes, at this unassuming red wooden shack-like structure. Chef Kanlaya likes to switch up the menu, but you can always count on exotic ingredients prepared meticulously to create an experience, not just an entree. Note: it’s not the best spot for picky eaters, and it can ruin all other Thai restaurants for you. It’s seriously that good.
Nearby KOAs
Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA Holiday
8. High Test Deli and Sweet Shop, Bryson City
What it lacks in abundant seating, this beloved mom-and-pop shop with a filling station theme more than makes up for with its hearty sandwiches and fresh soups, including an award-winning chili. High Test’s ice cream sandwiches, which come in rotating flavors, are also famous. According to Yelp, they’re the best in North Carolina. While the chili and ice cream sandwiches aren’t an ideal to-go option (unless you have a YETI cooler and a Jetboil), most of what’s on the menu is perfect for bringing on a hike in the park.
Nearby KOAs
Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA Holiday
9. Native Brews Tap & Grill, Cherokee
This popular brewpub, with indoor and outdoor seating, is the brainchild of Collette Coggins, a granddaughter of one of the last recorded medicine men in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Each ale brewed here is inspired by the Cherokee tradition (they used fermented drinks during tribal ceremonies). For an appetizer, try the nachos featuring housemade chips and a golden lager queso. If you still have room, order the “Big Chief Dog” which comes on Indian fry bread. No one goes hungry here. The kids’ menu even has a 10-ounce sirloin (pre-sliced, so they don’t need to mess with a steak knife).
Nearby KOAs
Cherokee / Great Smokies KOA Holiday
10. Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend
If you identify as a foodie, Dancing Bear is a destination in itself. Last year it was ranked in the top 1% of all fine dining restaurants on TripAdvisor, and you may have even seen its recipes in Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, and Southern Living. It’s one of the region’s only restaurants with a resident sommelier, and the farm-to-fork menu changes more often than seasonally (i.e. call ahead to see what’s being served that night). Reservations are highly recommended, and even if there’s a wait, you can always sit by the fire pit outside and enjoy the ambiance.
Nearby KOAs
Townsend / Great Smokies KOA Holiday
Katie Jackson is a writer and media specialist based in Montana’s Big Sky Country. Living and working everywhere from New York to Nicaragua, Katie is no stranger to adventure. When she’s not traveling the world (or writing about it!) she’s busy chasing after a Leonberger named Zeus. Follow Katie’s travels on Instagram @katietalkstravel.
