There is no comparison to the coziness provided by southern cuisine. The food crafted by Southerners possesses a special allure, largely due to the fact that each dish showcases their affection for their region, as well as the admiration they hold for their forefathers and customs.
There are two ways people view Southern cuisine. Some people consider Southern food as “soul food”—which, at its core, is home cooking that’s been passed down through many generations, with its roots in the rural South.
Others view Southern cooking as a blend of different cultures, particularly African, European, Western, and Native American cuisine.
Regardless of differing views, no one can deny that Southerners created some of today’s most well-known and well-loved dishes, including pork chops, green beans, southern fried chicken, slow-cooked bbq, mashed potatoes, and chicken wings.
If you’re looking to experience authentic southern comfort food, look no further than Pigeon Forge in Tennessee. The city is home to a wide range of restaurants and hidden eateries serving delicious food. Here are all the places you should consider trying if you find yourself in the city.
Local Goat Restaurant
The Local Goat is a New American restaurant in Pigeon Forge that uses locally-sourced ingredients to create each dish. To start, we recommend trying out their fried green tomatoes or deviled eggs.
Apart from its farm-to-table menu, The Local Goat is also known for its southern classics, such as wings and sandwiches. What makes the restaurant shine, however, is its gourmet burger, which includes a TN whiskey glazed burger with smoked bacon and crispy onions and an Elvis burger topped with peanut butter, bacon, and bananas.
The Local Goat Restaurant is open from Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and is located at 2167 Parkway.
Visit their website at localgoatpf.com
The Old Mill Restaurant
Housed in an 1830 gristmill, The Old Mill is one of the most popular restaurants in the area, serving southern classics that the whole family would love. The restaurant’s chefs follow recipes that have been passed down through generations, giving patrons a taste of real Smokey Mountain cooking.
The restaurant is known for its divine treats, such as chicken pot pie, country fried steak, beef pot roast and chicken dumplings. But what patrons keep coming back to is their southern-style fried chicken, which—coupled with their coleslaw and gravy—presents a truly delectable dish.
The Old Mill Restaurant is 175 Old Mill Avenue and is open from Sunday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Visit their website at old-mill.com.
Pottery House Cafe & Grille
Also situated in the Old Mill District is the Pottery House Cafe & Grille. This Southern gem serves local favorites with a bistro twist, including pecan fried chicken, pimento cheese sandwich, homemade lemon pie, and a variety of quiches.
Apart from its menu, the cafe also serves freshly baked bread and other baked goodies.
The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille is located at 3341 Old Mill Street. The cafe reopened on Feb. 4, 2023, and will serve patrons from 10 a.m. to 9 pm. daily.
Visit their website at old-mill.com.
Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen
Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen is one of the most beloved restaurants in Pigeon Forge. First opened in April of 2015, the restaurant quickly became one of the top places to eat in Pigeon Forge, serving good ole’ family-style Southern meals.
Some of the most popular menu items at Paula Deen’s include Apple Cinnamon French Toast, Sweet Piggies in a Blanket, Seasonal Cobbler, and Ol’ Fashioned Southern Meatloaf.
The 300-seater dining area is located at 131 The Island Drive and is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visit their website at pauladeensfamilykitchen.com.
Blue Moose Burgers & Wings
Are you looking for the perfect venue for family getaways and sports team gatherings? Look no further than Blue Moose Burgers and Wings.
Blue Moose’s family sports grill offers a wide range of hearty meals, including cheeseburger and steakhouse burger for meat lovers. However, if you really want to know why locals keep coming back, you have to try out their signature chicken wings. They offer 23 different flavors of chicken wings, including dry rubs like lemon pepper and Mesquite BBQ.
Blue Moose Burgers & Wings is located at 2430 Teaster Lane and operates from Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Visit their website at bluemooseburgersandwings.com.
Alamo Steakhouse
If you’re in the mood for steak, don’t miss your chance to dine at Alamo Steakhouse. This restaurant is extremely popular among locals, especially meat lovers.
Alamo Steakhouse serves only the best cuts of steak, each of which is hand cut, aged, and seasoned in-house. Each cut is also grilled over oak fire, which helps seal in all the juices and natural flavors of the steak.
If you’re not looking for something heavy, Alamo Steakhouse also offers soups, breads, mozzarella sticks, and burgers—particularly ones where the meat they use has been grinded in-house.
Alamo Steakhouse is located on 3050 Parkaway and is open Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Visit their website at alamosteakhouse.com.
Wild Bear Tavern
We’re going a little different with this suggestion. Wild Bear Tavern is a quiant restaurant in Pigeon Forge serving German cuisine. Despite it not having Southern items in its menu, the restaurant offers deliciously prepared comfort food to satisfy any craving.
There are a number of dishes that locals love in Wild Bear Tavern, including Oma’s Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Potato Pancakes, Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich, German Pot Roast, and German Chocolate Cake.
Wild Bear Tavern is located in 4236 Parkway and is open Thursday to Monday, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/WildBearTavern.
Lil Black Bear Cafe
After a long walk around the city, there’s nothing quite like sitting down in a nice cafe and munching on sandwiches and homemade goodies. If that’s what you’re looking for, then consider visiting Lil Black Bear Cafe.
Nestled along Pigeon Forge’s trolley route, this cafe is one of the best-rated restaurants in the city, with patrons lining up at its door to fill their bellies with a hearty meal.
The cafe’s sandwiches and homemade desserts are delectable, but their hot golden pancakes are definitely a showstopper. Each pancake is at least two inches thick and covered with your choice of toppings and syrups.
Lil Black Bear Cafe is located on 3068 Veterans Blvd and is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sawyer’s Farmhouse Restaurant
Sawyer’s Farmhouse Restaurant is a family-owned Pigeon Forge restaurant that has been serving locals the best food possible since 2014.
Sawyer’s is known for serving a plethora of American breakfast goodies, including Belgian waffles and stacks of extra-thick pancakes. They also served freshly-whipped butter that melts easily over the waffles and pancakes, mixing perfect with their homemade syrups.
If you’re feeling quite hungry, consider indulging in their Mountain Man. This dish offers an array of menu items in a single plate, specifically gravy, three pancakes, potatoes, bacon, sausage, ham, and eggs.
Sawyer’s Farmhouse Restaurant is located at 2831 Parkway and is open Monday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bullfish Grill
There are quite a number of seafood restaurants in Pigeon Forge, but the one restaurant that both locals and tourists constantly rave about is Bullfish Grill.
Their menu is pretty extensive, featuring both seafood entrees and delicious steaks (hence the name Bullfish). However, their seafood dishes are a must-try, especially because the ingredients are caught and delivered daily.
If you find yourself visiting Bullfish Grill, we recommend trying their Seared Ahi Tuna, Blackened Tilapia Orleans and Fried Shrimp. Cap off your meal with a slice of their strawberry cake paired with one of their many beverages on the drink menu.
Bullfish Grill is located at 2441 Parkway and is open from Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visit their website at bullfishgrill.com.
Big Daddy’s Pizzeria
No food trip is complete without trying a slice of pizza. What better way to do that than to taste a slice from Big Daddy’s Pizzeria.
This restaurant does not serve the average pizza slices. Each pie is cooked in a 550 degree, wood-fired flame inside a brick oven, giving the pizza slices that unique smoky flavor and aroma.
In addition to their wood-fire oven, what gives their pizzas a unique taste is the fact that the dough they use is handcrafted and homemade. Their sauces are also made by their in-house chef. The end product then becomes that classic Neapolitan slices with a crispy crust.
Big Daddy’s Pizzeria is located in 3053 Parkway and is open from Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Visit their website at bigdaddyspizzeria.net.
4 Hidden Gems Worth Visiting in Pigeon Forge
There are plenty of great places to eat in Pigeon Forge, most of which are popular among locals and tourists alike. However, there are several hidden gems that truly reflect the spirit of Pigeon Forge (but with a lot less time spent waiting in line.)
Here are some of the local restaurants you should visit in the city.
Apple Valley Creamery
If you’re looking to cool down amid the summer heat, the best (and frankly, yummiest) way to do so is by trying out the many ice cream flavors at Apple Valley Creamery.
Every scoop you order from Apple Valley Creamery is handmade from the best ingredients. The dessert shop uses local fruits and products to make its ice cream flavors. Each scoop also comes with chunks of real fruit, making it worth the trip.
Additionally, the shop also sells other dessert items for sweets lovers, including the most amazing milkshakes, banana splits, and the award-winning Smoky Mountain fudge.
Technically, Apple Valley Creamery is outside Pigeon Forge as it is located in Sevierville. However, it sits close enough to the border that it’s easy to get to.
The Apple Valley Creamery is located at 230 Apple Valley Rd, Sevierville, and is open from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Visit their website at theapplevalleycreamery.com
Huck Finn’s Catfish
Huck Finn’s Catfish is a family-owned and operated restaurant in Pigeon Forge. The restaurant serves some of the best catfish and chicken in the world. In fact, they serve only U.S.-raised and grain-fed catfish.
Huck Finn’s menu is extensive, with dishes ranging from country-fried steak and grilled chicken to frog legs and Boom Boom Shrimp. Guests are also given the choice of all-you-can-eat “vittles,” which is coleslaw, white beans, fries, mashed potatoes, hushpuppies, and onion slices.
Huck Finn’s Catfish is located at 3330 Parkway and is open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Visit their website at huckfinnsrestaurant.com.
J.T. Hannah’s Kitchen
Considered one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge, J.T. Hannah’s Kitchen serves mouthwatering burgers and amazing steak entrees. If you’re feeling a little bit more adventurous, you can also sample their award-winning St. Louis Spare Ribs, which is cooked low and slow with a special blend of spices that give it a sweet and tangy flavor.
The restaurant was opened in honor of J.T. Hannah, a prosperous businessman in the Great Smoky Mountains, and carries on the tradition of serving great food and drinks at an affordable cost.
J.T. Hannah’s Kitchen is located at 3214 Parkway and is open Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Visit their website at jthannahs.com.
Junction 35 Spirits & Kitchen
Straight from the Smoky Mountains is Junction 35 Spirits & Kitchen, which is one of the newest hot spots in town. Junction 35 is a distillery, kitchen, bar, and gift shop all in one.
Each spirit offered in Junction 35 is crafted in-house. They also offer a full stock in the gift shop so you can take a bottle (or two…or ten) home.
Drinks are not all they offer. The perfect way to enjoy a nice glass of liquor is to pair it with delicious food. Junction 35 offers a full menu, with items like barbecue, wings, and burgers.
Junction 35 Spirits & Kitchen is located at 2655 Teaster Lane and is open from Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
