Legends of the Fall in the Smokies

The best places to get a taste of fall in the mountains of East Tennessee

Autumn is approaching full swing in the Smokies. That means warm days and crisp nights. It means the advancing of a rustic colors down from the high mountains all the way to the valley. The very air feels and – when you’re in the mountains – smells differently.

But the seasonal sensory experience changes in the mountains aren’t just limited to sight, smell and touch. Fall – if you’re doing it correctly – should taste differently, too. And no, we’re not just talking about pumpkin spice and cinnamon – though it that’s your thing, we don’t judge.

We’re talking about the flavors of the fall harvest. The return to heavier meats and spices that help gird us for the coming change in the weather. Yes, fall is here and you can still order a hamburger or get a plate of pasta at any one of a dozen places with cookie cutter menus. But, if you want to get into the true spirit of the season, you’ve got look for the places that offer the spirit of the season.

With this in mind, here are the best places to get a taste of fall in the Smoky Mountains.

1. The Appalachian – Sevierville

Frankly, the No. 1 restaurant in the Smokies is good for any season with its flexible menu that is based on what locally sourced ingredients are available at the time. But with its roaring fire grill, dark wood interior and extensive selection of high-end whiskeys and drinks, The Appalachian shines through the fall into the winter.

While the Butterbean Hummus with local raw vegetables is a favorite year-round, it’s a perfect autumnal appetizer. Likewise, the roasted chicken breast with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and spiced chicken jus is perfect for anyone whose spent a cool fall day in the outdoors – hiking trails or chopping logs or doing any number of other autumn activities that require sweaters and – possibly burly men in beards. While I think of many of the wood-grilled meats as a year-round kind of thing, the 8 oz. Elk loin is another fall-style classic.

The Appalachian is located at 133 Bruce St. in Sevierville and the website can be found here.

2. Seasons 101 – Sevierville

What better place to get a taste of one of the four seasons than this downtown Sevierville eatery that also features an ever-changing seasonal menu. Consider the Hunter’s Platter with elk tenderloin, rack of lamb, clove and shallot scented duck. It’s essentially a fall classic for those who grew up in a family that hunts game. Their appetizers include a Duck and White Bean Chili and a Pumpkin Bisque that offers the extremely popular fall flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Seasons 101 is located at 101 E. Main Street in Sevierville. The website can be found here.

Clifftop Restaurant Anakeesta – Gatlinburg

This one is a little bit more about the total experience than the specific flavors, but the Clifftop Restaurant experience at Anakeesta – high atop the mountain – was custom built for fall. With spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, the Clifftop is maybe the ideal dining spot to experience fall. Does the menu scream fall? Not really. But with such magnificent fall ambiance even the most year-round menu options suddenly become fall favorites.

If you want something that really puts you in mind of the fall? The Brisket Chili is probably your best bet, washed down with seasonal ale from the nearby Bar at the Top of the World. I generally enjoy the dining experiences at Anakeesta but paying a cover charge just to get in and buy dinner often stops me from recommending it. However, in the fall evenings, the views – and then the nighttime ride down the Chondola make it worth the added expense.

Anakeesta is located at 576 Parkway in Gatlinburg. The website can be found here.

Wild Bear Tavern – Pigeon Forge

Maybe it’s the whole Oktoberfest thing, but German food feels custom made for fall. Heavy on the potatoes and spiced sausages, beer and schnitzel. I’ve never been to Germany, but from a culinary standpoint it feels like they Bavarians and their neighbors skip spring and summer altogether. They have three autumns and a winter each year with a maybe a fortnight of spring and summer rolled into one.

Start with the sausage sampler and follow with the pot roast or pork shank. Skip past the whiskey flights, bourbon and wine (honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever strung those particular words together before) and ask for the seasonal draft – 23-ounce size of course. At the Wild Bear – the entire fall is Octoberfest.

Wild Bear Tavern is located at 4236 Parkway in Pigeon Forge. The website is located here.

Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant – Sevierville

Part of the fall traditions remain amongst the apple orchards. Now, East Tennessee isn’t apple country like you’ll find in the higher elevations of Western North Carolina, but you can guarantee the mountain people of East Tennessee were growing apples for the fall and winter months. With a restaurant, grill and distillery on the property, the Applewood Valley is the perfect place to get your hands on fresh apple cider – and maybe some harder cider as well.

Classics like chicken and dumplings, meatloaf and turkey and dressing are perfect for your Autumn outing. Sides include fall classics like mashed potatoes, cornbread sausage dressing and pinto beans. Now, fried okra is not necessarily a fall classic, but if you give me the option, I’m getting the okra any time of year. Each meal comes with apple fritters, apple butter and an Applewood julep to add a little more fall flavor to your meal.

Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is located at 240 Apple Valley Rd. in Sevierville. The website can be found here.

Carver’s Orchard and Applehouse Restaurant – Cosby

Speaking of Apples, Carver’s located near the Cocke-Sevier County line, offers Southern Style Cooking as well as fresh apples. While it doesn’t have a U-Pick-Em option, it is a more authentic experience that the Applewood that – while good – is a little more of a tourist centric operation.

The orchard and Applehouse Restaurant is located at 3460 Cosby Hwy. in Cosby. The website can be found here.

What are your favorite fall eats in the Smokies? Let us know in the comments!