Gatlinburg Restaurants

We're heading to the Smokey Mountain area next weekend for our first anniversary, and are looking for dining suggestions. We'll be bunking in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, and are looking for some ideas that aren't so touristy. We'll be attending a BBQ festival, but we love good Q, so more of that would be welcomed. Down-home would be nice, but we'd also like some more upscale/imaginative/unique ideas as well. We're adventurers, and will have GPS in hand to do some general wandering, so it doesn't have to be right in that area. TIA!

Cracker Barrel?

Just kidding. It's been years since I've been in the area and that's about all I remember. Loads of Cracker Barrels

LOL! Too funny!

Pancakes?!

The Pancake Pantry is the one place I remember eating at on the couple of trips I took there as a child.

There isnt much there but there is an Italian restaurant called the Gondolier that really surprised me. It was quite good.

I think "Gatlinburg" and "not touristy" is an oxymoron . . .

The Pancake Pantry (out of Nashville) is good, but if you don't like it there are approximately 873 other pancake houses between Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg!

We've hit a couple of trout houses that aren't all that touristy, and had good fresh trout from the area (really from farms in the area), but none that I'd tell you to rush out to.

Actually, the best food we had was at the Dixie Stampede show - truly hokey, but fun, and roast cornish hen, smoked pork steak, turnover, soup, et al!

For info, try http://dininginthesmokies.com/ . . . it's an advertising site, but they do have "166 menus on-line"!

I can second the Gondolier as a decent place to eat, also less expensive than places like Conners(?). There is a Gondolier in E-Town on Ring Road if you have time to try it out before going.

http://www.gondolierpizza.com/menu.html

Brian

I think "Gatlinburg" and "not touristy" is an oxymoron . . .

I know, and I should probably clarify that Gatlinburg isn't our destination - the mountains are our destination, we just thought we might stay in that general area. But the more we research, the more we're thinking of staying further into the Smoky Mountain National Park. We're going to wander through the park, regardless, so location really isn't an issue. We don't really want chain restaurants or tourist destinations, but things off the beaten path. And we definitely want some good Q. We were thinking of checking out the BBQ and Bluegrass Festival in Dollywood, but it looks like that's going to be a mess of people, and obvious flashy/touristy, so we'll probably skip that as well. Thought I could get over it for some good bbq and bluegrass, but probably not the scene we're looking for. Besides, I'm pretty sure we can find good lots of good bbq around Tennessee!

Thanks all for the suggestions, and for the links. If this clarified info prompts new suggestions, we're open!

The Greenbrier is a good bet. A bit pricey for the area but wonderful setting. Kinda hard to find. We loved the Burning Bush but I heard it has closed. Also try the Log Cabin for their cornmeal pancakes. There was a place just outside of town on the way to Cobbly Knob where you could catch your own rainbow trout and they would pepare it for you including all of your sides. Fun for kids!!

The Greenbrier is a good bet. A bit pricey for the area but wonderful setting. Kinda hard to find. We loved the Burning Bush but I heard it has closed. Also try the Log Cabin for their cornmeal pancakes. There was a place just outside of town on the way to Cobbly Knob where you could catch your own rainbow trout and they would pepare it for you including all of your sides. Fun for kids!!

Do you mean the Greenbrier in WV? They have some neat chef events coming up at the end of Oct. that I was planning on posting, but yeah, it's pretty much out of our price range for this weekend. Beautiful though. I'm from WV, and we thought about heading to the eastern part of the state, but I think it would be a longer drive, and we're only taking 2 days. But you might be talking about something else all together!

I'm making a note of the Log Cabin and Cobbly Knob - both sound great, and we appreciate the suggestions!

OK, say what you want about pancakes, Pancake Pantry is a gem. I've tried multiple different flavored pancakes at their Nashville location, and the Gatlinburg location, and there is a reason people stand in line to get their pancakes.

You could drive out to Blackberry Farm for a nice dinner.

No, There is a palce in Gatlinburg called the Greenbrier.

my to favorites in Gatlinburg would be The Peddler, and The Apple Barn(Pigeon Forge). The Apple Barn has to be the best country cooking I've ever had