A New Wave of Taco Restaurants Puts the Classic Mexican Dish on the Frontline of the Smoky Mountain Culinary Scene For decades, the Smoky Mountain dining scene has been dominated by the ubiquitous pancake house, all following a similar mode. Open for breakfast and lunch with menus featuring familiar breakfast favorites and a handful of sandwiches and burgers. The model
Celebrating the Unique Dining Spots in the Smokies Mimicry in the Smokies is king. Success breeds imitation. That’s why everywhere you look, it’s pancake houses and go-kart tracks and mountain coasters as far as the eye can see. But the Smokies isn’t all about imitation. Some folks eye the landscape and decide to carve their own path. When everyone else
While many Smoky Mountain Restaurants are marketed as being a ‘mom and pop,’ these are as authentic as you’ll get As a writer, I sometimes become attached to the literal meaning of words or ideas. You spend your life mulling the minutia of second and third definitions – or fourth or fifth – and you can get a little lost
A Local Offers Tips for Creating the Perfect Smoky Mountain Picnic While I appreciate the value of a good walk through the woods or a scenic drive through Cades Cove or along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, my favorite thing to do in the mountains is a good family picnic. When I was kid, my stepfather’s family would come
Many Smoky Mountain Attractions Sell Themselves As Historic or Use Historic Theming, but the Old Mill Is the Real Deal In the Smoky Mountains, history sells. Countless attractions try to grab visitors’ attention by overplaying their connections to history. They may borrow the history of someone or something local or create a theme around a historic figure or place that
These are the 6 most irresistible desserts in Gatlinburg, according to a local I’ve always believed that half of the experience of a Smokies vacation is experiencing the local cuisine. From chicken and dumplings to barbeque, you have to admit, East Tennesseans know how to get the most out of some good old-fashioned southern homestyle cooking. But a tragically unsung
A local reviews Mel’s Classic Diner in Pigeon Forge There is a reason the classic American diner has endured from its heyday in the 1950s into modern times. And it goes well beyond nostalgia. You give the right person a griddle and a few classic ingredients, and magic happens. There are a lot of great dining options in the mountains,
A Smoky Mountain native offers his opinion on Calhoun’s in Gatlinburg I remember the first time I set foot in a Calhoun’s restaurant, the iconic East Tennessee dining tradition. It was 1994 and the NCAA tournament Men’s Regionals was in Knoxville at Thompson-Boling Arena. In fact, basically right across the street from Calhoun’s on the River. My stepdad suggested we
A local breaks down what may be the biggest season of change since tourists started flocking to the mountains One thing about life in the Smoky Mountains is that change is always just around the bend. One season, you’re doing big business selling pancakes, racing go-karts or touting your special and authentic brand of moonshine. The next season? Your life
A chef-driven restaurant is changing the possibility of what dining in the mountains can be I’ve thought a lot about the right words to use about my new favorite restaurant in the Smokies. Words that can convey the experience without seeming like they’re hyperbole or exaggeration. I’ve thought a lot about the peculiar combination of artistry, science, passion, and expertise