Pigeon Forge restaurants range from farm-to-table, local eateries to fast food and everything in between. Come hungry and stay for the food! On our recent visit, we were excited to try a few of the most popular places and found their reputations well-deserved.
Best Restaurants in Pigeon Forge
The Local Goat
While there are plenty of Pigeon Forge restaurants that are independent, there aren’t too many that use local and sustainable foods and make everything from scratch. The Local Goat is a farm-to-table craft restaurant and bar that prides itself on finding locally sourced foods.
Everything in their kitchen is homemade, including the amazing fresh bread, right down to the hamburger buns! With craft cocktails and a fine wine list, The Local Goat offers something for everyone in your party.
If it’s warm, sit on the outdoor covered patio and enjoy the beautiful mountain views. And if it’s cold, try to claim a seat near the indoor fireplace—or just grab a seat at the bar, which is our favorite way to dine if it’s just the two of us.
The menu changes seasonally, but if available, try the Fried Green Tomatoes with bacon jam and caramelized onions. Bacon Jam. That is a thing.
And there are these Strawberry Sriracha Honey Wings that are not to be missed—a sweet heat version of wings that will tantalize your taste buds from start to finish.
Have you ever tried Deep Fried Deviled Eggs? I’ve had some that were unimpressive, but the ones at The Local Goat are top-notch. They start with excellent quality free-range eggs, then lightly bread the egg white portion with panko crumbs and deep fry it. Then the fried egg white is stuffed with creamy deviled egg and garnished with candied bacon, sriracha, and chopped green onions. It is divine.
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Now, let’s talk dessert. All the Pigeon Forge restaurants offer splendid desserts. Ice cream shops, candy shops, bakeries—you can find them all. But if you’re looking for something a little more special, The Local Goat is your place.
If a restaurant has creme brulee on the menu, I have to try it and theirs was perfect. In a shallow dish, so you get good crispy caramelization in every bite, creamy vanilla custard, and just a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Yes, please!
But you don’t want to miss the White Chocolate Bread Pudding either! Maybe you should order one of everything.
The Pottery House Cafe and Grill
There are plenty of Pigeon Forge restaurants right in the downtown area, which is littered with fun shops and cafes, and one of the most notable is the inviting Pottery House Cafe. Grab some friends and dine al fresco in the lovely outdoor courtyard while koi swim nearby in a small pond complete with a waterfall.
Here, you must try the crispy homemade potato chips topped with melted cheddar jack cheese, bacon bits, scallions, and sour cream. Oh. My. Goodness. These chips are served with a delightful homemade avocado ranch dressing for dipping. Just sit back and loosen your belt and dig in.
Since you’ve feasted on those homemade loaded potato chips, you might want to go a little lighter for your actual lunch and just have some wonderful Tomato Basil Soup.
Or loosen your belt a little more and have the Pimento Cheese BLT—Fried green tomatoes, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and pimento cheese served on grilled sourdough bread with steak fries. Um, YES!
Before you head out to walk around downtown, be sure you get a slice of the famous Pottery House Peanut Butter Pie. Creamy luscious peanut butter filling over a crumbly shortbread crust, drizzled with chocolate. This is not to be missed. Pinky Promise.
Where to Eat in Pigeon Forge
Bennett’s Barbecue
Barbecue is a mainstay at several Pigeon Forge restaurants—you are in the South, after all, and we love our barbecue! So if you’re in Tennessee, barbecue is a must and Bennett’s is some of the best.
The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy and the servings are generous with the favorite barbecue sides to choose from.
The coleslaw has just the right amount of creaminess and the baked beans are delicious.
If you order a combo platter, you can get a few ribs and Bennett’s famous Burnt Ends, a genius way to use the top portion of brisket that leaves your mouth watering for more.
Bullfish Grill
When you need a place for dinner that will make adults and kids happy, stop in at the Bullfish Grill in Pigeon Forge. The large dining area and full bar means that you’ll have plenty of room for a big group and excellent service to keep your glasses filled.
Try the Beer Cheese Dip or the huge thick-cut Onion Rings here and get ready for your taste buds to dance a happy jig. The wine list here is prime, with Sonoma Cutrer and Cakebread Chardonnay, two of my favorites!
For your dinner selections, try the Grilled Atlantic Salmon or the Cilantro Lime Grilled Shrimp. And for the little ones, you can choose good old standbys of fried shrimp or a burger.
More Pigeon Forge Restaurants
Old Mill Restaurant Pigeon Forge
One of the most famous of Pigeon Forge restaurants, and attached to the Old Mill Pigeon Forge, is the Old Mill Restaurant, a multi-story affair that offers a wide variety of menu items.
The restaurant is known for its Southern food and the dining room overlooks the Little Pigeon River with some pretty views.
The Old Mill Restaurant Pigeon Forge is a great way to begin the day with a hearty breakfast. You’ll get a little basket of biscuits and muffins, then you can move on to stone-ground grits that were ground right next door, along with cooked-to-order eggs, pancakes, sausage and gravy, bacon, and much more!
If you drop by for lunch or dinner, you’ll find old Southern favorites like country-fried steak, sugar-cured ham, pot roast and gravy, chicken and dumplings, chicken potpie, and much more.
All entrees come with the delicious corn chowder and fresh vegetables and sides served family style—and of course they offer homemade desserts.
The restaurant is famous for their pecan pies which are baked from scratch daily and are available to take home.
This is a small sampling of the amazing food to be found at some of the Pigeon Forge restaurants. Be sure to visit MyPigeonForge.com for information on many, many more Pigeon Forge restaurants and cafes, as well as all the amazing attractions in Pigeon Forge.
Special thanks to the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism who sponsored this post so I could experience these wonderful Pigeon Forge restaurants. All opinions are my own.
Check out my travel guide to restaurants on Amelia Island, Florida, and Chicago Restaurant Guide.
