In order to understand the true Smoky Mountain experience, you will want to have at least one traditional Southern meal while you are in town. The country cooking will remind you of what Grandma used to make for family dinner! The delicious food mixed with the friendly Southern hospitality will make you feel right at home in the Smokies. Here are 4 of the best Southern restaurants in Pigeon Forge:
1. Old Mill Pottery House Cafe
The key to a true country style meal is the made from scratch menu items. There is just something that tastes better when everything is made fresh. That is exactly what you will find at The Pottery House Cafe. In the true spirit of Appalachia, everything on the menu is made from scratch using only the best local ingredients. When you enter the restaurant, one of the first things you will notice is the sweet smell of freshly baked bread. All of the bread at the restaurant is baked on-site daily using grains straight from the mill outside! That is about as fresh as you can get! Be sure to try one of their delicious sandwiches made with fresh cooked bread to go along with a bowl of their famous soups. On the way out, you can buy a loaf of bread to take back home so you can enjoy a taste of the Smokies no matter where you live.
2. Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen
Located at The Island in Pigeon Forge, Paula Deen's Family Kitchen is the true definition of a Southern meal. Not only will you be treated to delicious menu items, but everything is served the way it should be, family style! You better come hungry because you will be treated to an all-you-can-eat experience featuring your choice of several delicious entrees, including pot roast, fried chicken, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, and much more! All of the recipes used in the restaurant come straight from the cookbooks of famous Southern chef Paula Deen herself, so you know it’s going to be good! Not only will you have a great meal, you are also guaranteed to have amazing service. The staff at Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen treat every guest like they are just another member of the family showing up to dinner at Grandma’s house. Instead of feeling like you are walking into a restaurant, the goal is to make everyone feel right at home!
3. Mama’s Farmhouse
Nobody can make a meal quite like your own Mama, but Mama’s Farmhouse strives to be a close second. That is why it is considered to be one of the best Southern restaurants in Pigeon Forge. They feature all the same home cooked meals that the Johnson family’s great-grandmother (known as Mama to the family) made for the family gatherings. They believe in making every guest feel as comfortable as possible, which is one of the reasons they decided to serve everything tableside instead of at a buffet. Because the meals are family style, don’t be shy to ask your waitress for another helping off all your favorite dishes! Good luck picking a favorite by the way because it will all be delicious! Every meal is not complete without a steaming hot biscuit to go with it. At Mama’s Farmhouse, they have some of the most appetizing buttery biscuits you will find in the Smoky Mountains. In fact, they won first place at the International Biscuit Festival in Knoxville a few years back!
4. Huck Finn’s Catfish
You may have noticed a theme on this list, and that is that most of the best Southern restaurants in the Smokies have an all-you-can-eat feature. This is because one you get a taste of the true country style cooking of the mountains, you will not be able to get enough! At Huck Finn's, you will be treated to as much catfish, fried chicken, and vittles you can handle! Since 1995, Huck Finn’s has been locally owned and operated bringing the best Southern food and hospitality to the locals and guests of the Smoky Mountains. If you love catfish, you will not want to miss a trip to this restaurant because they have been voted as the best catfish restaurant in East Tennessee multiple times!
Now that you know about some of the best Southern restaurants in Pigeon Forge, be sure to check out some of the other places in town to get a delicious meal! We hope to see you soon in the Smoky Mountains!
