When you visit the Smoky Mountains, you’re in for a treat when it comes to food. The area is home to some of the most delicious restaurants. If you’re craving Southern comfort food, you’ve come to the right place. Check out our list of 7 of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains for Southern cooking.
1. The Old Mill Restaurant
The Old Mill Restaurant provides a true taste of Southern hospitality, making it one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge. Food & Wine Magazine recently named it one of the best breakfast places in the nation! You can start your day with a full Southern breakfast of fluffy biscuits, cooked-to-order eggs, pancakes, grits, pepper gravy, and so much more. You can also enjoy a hearty Southern meal for lunch and dinner, with options like country-fried steak, sugar-cured ham, and chicken pot pie. For dessert, try a slice of their made-from-scratch pecan pie. After your meal, stop by the General Store to get some of their mixes for pancakes and muffins to take back home with you!
2. Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant
The Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is a favorite among both locals and visitors. Located in a peaceful setting in the heart of Sevierville, the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is a place the whole family will love. Your meal will start off with some of their famous apple fritters, homemade apple butter, and applewood julep. For breakfast, try a Farmhouse Special Breakfast, served with eggs, home-fried potatoes, Southern grits, cinnamon apples, sausage gravy, and a Southern-style biscuit. For lunch or dinner, try some of their famous Southern fried chicken or old-fashioned chicken and dumplings! Whatever you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
3. Huck Finn’s Catfish
Huck Finn’s Catfish claims to have the best Southern cooking in the Smokies! Without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge, you can enjoy their all-you-can-eat catfish and chicken dinners. Their Southern-style menu includes a variety of mouth-watering items, like golden fried chicken, chicken livers, fried shrimp, and even a gator tail that’s cut into bite-sized pieces, hand-breaded, and deep-fried. All of their dinners come with bottomless sides, which includes favorites like their made-from-scratch hushpuppies and baked white beans with turkey ham.
4. Mama’s Farmhouse
Mama’s Farmhouse is another one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge for Southern country cooking. When you visit this Smoky Mountain restaurant, enjoy an all-you-can-eat, family-style meal. You can visit for breakfast to try their warm buttermilk biscuits with chocolate gravy, hash brown casserole, applewood bacon, and other breakfast staples. Or, visit for lunch or dinner for some fried chicken, meatloaf, turkey and stuffing, sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, and so much more.
5. Five Oaks Farm Kitchen
Five Oaks Farm Kitchen quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in the Smoky Mountains and provides hungry travelers with a Southern-style breakfast and supper. Start your day off with a Harvest Morning Bounty breakfast with all your favorite breakfast staples, or visit for supper to try a Farm Table classic or something from their Smoke House menu! Be sure to save room for dessert. You can enjoy old-fashioned chocolate cake or banana pudding!
6. Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen
Located at The Island in Pigeon Forge, Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen is one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge for families to go to to enjoy a Southern meal. This Smoky Mountain restaurant offers guests classic Deen family recipes, including Southern-style entrees, side dishes, and desserts. You can visit for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Everything is served family-style. Breakfast favorites include chicken and biscuits, breakfast casserole, and apple cinnamon french toast, and lunch and dinner favorites include beef pot roast, chicken and dumplings, and Southern fried chicken.
7. Pottery House Cafe
Pottery House Cafe at The Old Mill is one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge that you don't want to miss! Located in what used to be an old potter's home, this restaurant is warm and inviting, with handcrafted pottery all around and delicious Southern cooking that's a favorite among visitors and locals alike. There's all the Southern classics like BBQ pork, shrimp & grits, catfish, and even fried chicken livers, as well as sandwiches, salads, burgers, steaks, and more. The bread here is baked fresh daily and made from grain that's ground at The Old Mill. Between Pottery House Cafe and The Old Mill Restaurant, guests have two great option for Southern food when spending time in Old Mill Square!
More Restaurants in Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains
These are just some of the many delicious restaurants to visit when you’re in the mood for a hearty Southern meal. Check out more best restaurants in Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains and decide where you want to eat during your vacation.
