13 Places
Southern & Comfort Food
Country cooking at its finest. Enjoy family-style meals, fried chicken, pot roast, cornbread, and all the Southern comfort food the Smokies are known for.
Sevierville
Holston's Kitchen
Quality steaks and fresh ingredients
Pigeon Forge
Corky's Ribs & BBQ
Memphis-style ribs & barbecue favorites
Dandridge
Perkins American Food Co.
American comfort food
Gatlinburg
Ole Red Gatlinburg
Southern comfort food with live music
Gatlinburg
Calhoun's Village & Restaurant
Southern BBQ in Gatlinburg
Sevierville
Tony Gore's Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill
Slow-smoked BBQ with scenic views
Sevierville
Chubby's Restaurant
Family comfort food restaurant
Dandridge
The Woodshed Restaurant
American comfort food
Sevierville
Five Oaks Farm Kitchen
Southern breakfast and dinner favorites
Gatlinburg
Hungry Bear BBQ
Smoky barbecue with Southern flavors
Gatlinburg
Southern Comfort
Hearty Southern cooking in Gatlinburg
Knoxville
Dead End BBQ
Award-winning smoked BBQ
Dandridge
Tinsley-Bible Soda Fountain
Classic soda fountain
What to Know
Best Seasons
Year-round. Country cooking spots tend to be consistent regardless of season. Look for seasonal specials: apple dishes in fall, stack cake near Thanksgiving, fresh corn and tomatoes in August.
What to Bring
Appetite and an open mind about anything labeled "country style" on a menu. Southern food is rich and portions tend toward generous.
Finding the Right Southern Food for Your Group
For Food Travelers
The Smokies are one of the few places in the country where Appalachian mountain food is still served as it was made for generations. Seek out the less polished spots for the most authentic experience.
For Picky Eaters in Groups
Southern cooking is almost universally crowd-pleasing for large groups. Even non-adventurous eaters tend to find comfort in fried chicken, mac and cheese, and biscuits.
For People Who Have "Had" Southern Food Before
Appalachian mountain food is distinct from Lowcountry Southern food or Gulf Coast cooking. Sorghum, ramps, ramps, dried apple stack cake, and leather britches beans are mountain-specific and different from what most people think of as Southern cooking.
Tips and Getting There
Insider Tips
- Fried pickles at a good Southern diner are one of the most underrated bar snacks in American food. Get the battered version, not breaded, if you have a choice. They should be thin-sliced dill chips.
- If you see "pinto beans" or "soup beans" on a menu, get them. Mountain-cooked pinto beans with fatback, served with cornbread and sweet onion, is one of the most satisfying things you can eat in this part of the country.
- Ask at your cabin or the front desk of any local business where the employees eat lunch. That answer is almost always better than any list you will find online.
Getting There and Parking
Authentic Southern cooking spots are distributed throughout Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Townsend. They are not concentrated in one area. Use Google Maps to search "meat and three" or "country cooking" near your current location for the most honest results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Appalachian food different from other Southern food?
What are fried pickles?
What is a meat-and-three?
Where can I find stack cake in the Smokies?
What is country ham?
Are there vegetarian-friendly Southern food options?
Vantage Stays · Smoky Mountain Guide
Southern & Comfort Food
Southern restaurants in the Smoky Mountains. Fried chicken, biscuits, country cooking, and comfort food favorites in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
Scan for live
hours & details
What to Know
Best Seasons
Year-round. Country cooking spots tend to be consistent regardless of season. Look for seasonal specials: apple dishes in fall, stack cake near Thanksgiving, fresh corn and tomatoes in August.
What to Bring
Appetite and an open mind about anything labeled "country style" on a menu. Southern food is rich and portions tend toward generous.
The Checklist
| Place | Rating | Hours | Phone | Address | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dandridge | |||||
| Perkins American Food Co. | 4.3 ★ | 501 Patriot Dr, Dandridge, TN | |||
| The Woodshed Restaurant | 4.7 ★ | Newport, TN | |||
| Tinsley-Bible Soda Fountain | 4.7 ★ | 1224 Gay St, Dandridge, TN | |||
| Gatlinburg | |||||
| Ole Red Gatlinburg | 4.5 ★ | 11 AM - 10 PM, Fri/Sat Midnight | (865) 325-6500 | 511 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 | |
| Calhoun's Village & Restaurant | 4.4 ★ | Daily 11 AM - 10:30 PM, Fri-Sat til 11 PM | (865) 436-4100 | 1004 Parkway #101, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 | |
| Hungry Bear BBQ | 3.8 ★ | 11 AM - 9 PM | (865) 325-8005 | 490 East Pkwy, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 | |
| Southern Comfort | 4.1 ★ | 11 AM - 9 PM | (865) 430-4838 | 915 Westgate Resorts Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 | |
| Knoxville | |||||
| Dead End BBQ | 4.5 ★ | Tue-Sat 11am-8pm | 865-524-7427 | Knoxville, TN | |
| Pigeon Forge | |||||
| Corky's Ribs & BBQ | 4.1 ★ | 11 AM - 9 PM | (865) 453-7427 | 3584 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863 | |
| Sevierville | |||||
| Holston's Kitchen | 4.4 ★ | 11 AM - 10 PM | (865) 365-1085 | 639 Dolly Parton Pkwy, Sevierville, TN 37862 | |
| Tony Gore's Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill | 4.7 ★ | Sun-Tue 11-4, Thu-Sat 11-8, Closed Wed | (865) 429-7771 | 1818 Winfield Dunn Pkwy, Sevierville, TN 37876 | |
| Chubby's Restaurant | 4.7 ★ | 7 AM - 8 PM | (865) 774-7666 | Sevierville, TN | |
| Five Oaks Farm Kitchen | 4.7 ★ | 7 AM - 2 PM, 4 PM - 9 PM | (865) 366-1555 | Sevierville, TN 37862 | |
Picking the Right One for Your Group
For Food Travelers
The Smokies are one of the few places in the country where Appalachian mountain food is still served as it was made for generations. Seek out the less polished spots for the most authentic experience.
For Picky Eaters in Groups
Southern cooking is almost universally crowd-pleasing for large groups. Even non-adventurous eaters tend to find comfort in fried chicken, mac and cheese, and biscuits.
For People Who Have "Had" Southern Food Before
Appalachian mountain food is distinct from Lowcountry Southern food or Gulf Coast cooking. Sorghum, ramps, ramps, dried apple stack cake, and leather britches beans are mountain-specific and different from what most people think of as Southern cooking.
Insider Tips
- Fried pickles at a good Southern diner are one of the most underrated bar snacks in American food. Get the battered version, not breaded, if you have a choice. They should be thin-sliced dill chips.
- If you see "pinto beans" or "soup beans" on a menu, get them. Mountain-cooked pinto beans with fatback, served with cornbread and sweet onion, is one of the most satisfying things you can eat in this part of the country.
- Ask at your cabin or the front desk of any local business where the employees eat lunch. That answer is almost always better than any list you will find online.