Big Daddy’s Pizza in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg: Is It Worth It?

There are no freezers. Let’s get that out of the way at the top. 

At Big Daddy’s Pizzeria, they are so committed to freshness, there ain’t a freezer in the place. 

But how do they get ice for the drinks? 

Oh, I’m sure they have ice machines, you know, for the drinks. 

Don’t ice machines use freezers to make the ice?

Yes, I would think they would have to have some kind of freezer to freeze and store the ice – for the drinks.

But NOT for anything else! This is Big Daddy’s, and they don’t freeze nothin’ except for the aforementioned ice. 

That’s what they want you to know right off the top. No freezers. It’s right there on the front page of the website. 

But what do they do with the meats and the dairy products that need to be stored? They’re not just putting the saucisse and goat cheese up on a shelf somewhere Tuesday night and hoping for the best when they get back on Thursday, right?

Yeah. No. They’ve got refrigeration. They never claimed they weren’t gonna keep things cool.

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Are the pizzas at Big Daddy’s made fresh?

Yeah, the point is, it’s fresh. We’re digressing. What do the folks at Big Daddy’s want you to know about their pizza pie? 

“This is not your average pizza pie!” Ba-da-boom! 

Right there, baby. This pizza is not average. 

Oh. Average means kind of the median, right? I mean if a pizza pie is not average, it could be better than average but it could also be worse than average? That’s how that works, right?

OK. We got a wise guy over here. The pizza pies are better than average, all right? They’re way above average. In fact, it says right there on the site. World-class pizza. 

Well, again. The world’s a big place. In the grand scheme of things when you factor in non-pizza producing countries what does it mean to be a world-class pizza? Better than Antarctica? Better than Scandinavia? Is Scandinavian pizza better than average?

I’m an educated man. A worldly man, but I’m afraid I’m not prepared to speak intelligently on the quality of pizza in Scandinavia.

So what makes Big Daddy’s pizza pies above average? 

It’s right here on the “Our Story” page. The story? It involves handcrafted, homemade dough pulled by a “pizzeoli” which via context clues I believe to be a pizza artisan. And the end result is a crispy crust.

What can that delicious crust come with? Fresh mozzarella cheese? And fresh provolone cheese? Fresh Parmesan cheese, too? Check.

“It is then topped with one of our homemade sauces and fresh ingredients.” You can even get freshly made Flavor Dippers which offers not only cheese sauce and garlic sauce, but unique dipping sauce choices such as honey garlic, garlic butter and pineapple-jalapeno.

Again with the fresh?

Get past it. We’ve got bigger things ahead because at the heart of this operation is a 550-degree, wood-fired flame inside of a one-of-a-kind brick oven.  

One of a kind? 

Unique in the world!

But doesn’t Big Daddy’s have three locations in Sevier County?

Yeah, so wha … dang it.

Ok. Now that we’ve had a little fun with the PR people, let’s get real. 

How big are Big Daddy’s pizzas? How much are they?

The pizzas at Big Daddy’s are available in 10 inches or 14 inches.

A small cheese pizza starts at about $8.99 at the time of this writing. If you go into a large specialty pizza, you could spend upwards of $19.99-24.99.

For example, a big pie like the Mamma Mia will set you back about $24.99 for the large. It features marinara sauce, a mozzarella-provolone blend, pepperoni, Genoa salami, Italian sausage, prosciutto, green peppers, red onion, black olives and mushrooms.

The Smoky Mountain Cheesesteak is another one of the specialties that will cost closer to $20, which has an alfredo base, mozzarella and provolone cheese, shaved steak, green peppers and caramelized onions.

A child’s pizza is $6.99.

The price is worth it for the specialties. But if you prefer your pie to be more simple, you’re not alone. There’s a lot of beauty in the cheese pie since the freshness and perfection of the dough can shine through.

Big Daddy’s pizza in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg

Big Daddy’s Pizzeria has three locations around East Tennessee in the Smokies.

Located at 3053 Parkway in Pigeon Forge, 714 River Road in Gatlinburg and 1820 Parkway in Sevierville, Big Daddy’s does offer some great wood-fired pizza. 

If you’ve never eaten at a brick oven, wood-fired pizzeria, it is certainly different from your average pie.

I’m not just talking about the low-carb pizza for the keto-based diet which I haven’t yet tried. 

I’m not here to sell you on the pizza. Pizza no longer needs marketing.

You’re familiar with pizza’s work and, in all likelihood, you’re a fan. Pizza comes in many forms, levels of quality and somehow even when it’s bad, it’s good. 

Pizza very well may be man’s greatest achievement. What else are we talking about, the wheel? They’re both round but you can only eat one of them. Pizza wins by a mile. 

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What’s on Big Daddy’s pizza menu?

Big Daddy’s has some fun options. I do like alternative pizzas, so the Big Kahuna with pineapple – it’s fresh pineapple, by the way – Canadian Bacon and a goat cheese mozzarella-provolone blend is good.

There’s no lack of toppings here. Other popular toppings include green olives, artichoke hearts, jalapenos, banana peppers, red peppers, Roma tomatoes, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, fresh basil, red onions, scallions ricotta or swiss cheese and caramelized onions.

And special pizza base sauce choices include sweet BBQ sauce, wing sauce, alfredo sauce, ranch dressing, homemade marinara sauce and alfredo sauce.

In addition, for the vegetarians, try the Herbivore pizza loaded with spinach, fresh tomatoes, cheeses, roasted garlic, mushrooms, red peppers and topped with feta cheese.

Also on the menu is the Taco Pie with refried beans, ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. I know some people are like “When I eat tacos, I eat tacos and when I eat pizza, I eat pizza.” But honestly, why not both?

Meat lovers can try the Porky Pie. Based with BBQ sauce, it includes fresh cheese blend, pork, bacon, black forest ham and Italian sausage.

You can also build your own pizza. But, If you’re not in the mood for pizza, Big Daddy’s offers a selection of salads, sandwiches and apps.

For an appetizer, be sure to try the Dough Daddies, which are rolls with garlic, virgin olive oil and parmesan cheese.

For sandwiches, you can’t go wrong with the Cuban, Italian Roast Pork or Big Daddy’s Submarine. Try the chicken alfredo. Try the meatballs, if you like your food spherical. In fact, everything’s good.

A house salad, antipasto, Caesar and even a wood-roasted chicken salad are also offered.

Also if you’re in the mood for a dessert, Big Daddy’s has two: A piña colada cheesecake and a cannoli. My friends, take the cannoli. 

Big Daddy’s is a member of the Johnson Family of Restaurants – which includes Alama Steakhouse, Mama’s Kitchen Chicken and Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que.

The kids can try the Personal Kid’s Pie, which is reportedly just the right size for your munchkin. It includes a kids drink and a homemade cinnamon sugar donut.

Does Big Daddy’s offer takeout or delivery?

A word of caution, Big Daddy’s does not deliver, but you can order carryout. 

All locations are closed on Wednesdays at the time of this writing.

Click here to view the full menu for Big Daddy’s pizza.

Have you eaten at Big Daddy’s Pizzeria? What did you think? Let us know in the comments.