How Much Is That Sausage in the Window?

Ranking carnival food on the strip in Gatlinburg

My affinity for carnival food goes back to my days as a youngster in the tiny Indiana town of Mitchell. In September, the downtown area was shut down for the Persimmon Festival. A harvest gathering which features carnival games, rides, and food.

I had a handful of dollars in my pocket and was free to do as much as I could before my curfew. Though I was never much for the rides, I was obsessed with the games, the food and maybe more than anything, the vibe.

Those days running around with my junior high friends remain some of the happiest of my life. In fact, I wish I still had the collection of tiny mirrors featuring rock band logos that I won throwing darts at balloons. Judging by this Def Leppard model priced at $41.99, I could probably retire. But alas. 

Anyway, I think those memories are why I have such a strong affinity for carnival food still today. I dropped dollar after dollar chasing the elusive Twisted Sister mirror. But I always saved enough for a drink and a sausage and peppers for dinner. Today, whenever I’m near a stand selling traditional carnival fare like sausage and peppers, cheesesteaks, funnel cakes or corn dogs, I’m taken back to those happy days. 

Where to find the best smoked sausage on the strip

As a carnival food aficionado, I’ve managed to frequent my favorite destinations on the strip. Sure, we could have fantastic sandwiches at Tennessee Jed’s or great barbecue at Calhoun’s. But I’m not sure that I’m ever happier – at least from a culinary standpoint – than with a good smoked sausage, fresh off the griddle and covered in pepper and onions and a little bit of mustard.

There are four main stands on the strip currently that serve up classic smoked sausage in what I consider authentic carnival style. That means you won’t find Nathan’s Famous on this list. It’s a hot dog, not a sausage. You also won’t find any sit-down places that serve sausages. Calhoun’s certainly has a smoked sausage appetizer that’s quite good. But this is just for that classic experience of walking by a stand, getting whiff of carnival-style delicacy and being drawn in. 

Stanga’s Big Sausage

Located two doors down from Stanga’s Big Slice – it’s pizza – Stanga’s Big Sausage is like somebody took a carnival food truck and placed it inside the building. I legit feel bad for the guys working there. The space is so small and packed with the necessary pieces for a great carnival style meal.

In addition to the Big Sausage, they serve other carnival fare. There’s funnel cakes, fresh lemonade, cheesesteak, and some variety of fried things including fried Oreos. They also have massive turkey legs on a rotisserie.

However, I only had eyes for the sausages, which were indeed big, as well as plump and juicy. Served on a bun substantial enough to hold up to the job – the architecture of a sausage delivery system is key – it’s flavorful and perfect.

They dice the onions and peppers which is weird to me, I usually see them in more substantial chunks. But the dicing makes the overall sausage a little easier to manage which is important because you’ve either got to sit down on the street bench or eat the thing on the move. I applaud innovation in the sausage space. Stanga’s is located at 715 Parkway #7 in Gatlinburg.

Fannie Farkles

Located essentially across the parkway from Stanga’s, Farkles has the advantage of having been founded by actual carnival people. With more than 40 years on the strip, it’s a classic arcade that serves carnival food, including the excellent footlong corndog known as the Ogle Dog, which is the Farkles’ specialty. Lemonade, slushies, and cheesesteaks are also on the menu.

If I’m honest, I thought that Farkles would come out on top. It’s got true carnival roots and history on its side. However, while the Farkles sausage is good and the pepper and onions are prepared in the traditional way, I found myself really impressed with the Stanga’s Sausage.

That said, in fairness to Farkles, the “Sausage Sub” is about the fourth thing they’re focusing on behind the arcade, the lemonade, and the Ogle Dog. Still, you could do a lot worse than a Farkles Sausage for dinner. Farkles is located at 656 Parkway in Gatlinburg.

Cousins Lemonade

The number of businesses that open locations not very far apart on the strip astound me. Chocolate Monkey, Ole Smoky Mountain Candy Kitchen, Waffle De Lys and Ole Smoky Distillery are just a few that leap to mind. Add these two lemonade stands that also sling a little smoked sausage to the list.

At the lower location, space is a little limited in the spot just outside the Subway Restaurant. The fairly small griddle only had a handful of sausage, peppers and onions ready to go. But that seemed fine, because it was a hot day. Therefore, the lemonade seemed to be the main seller.

The second location, a few blocks up the strip, has a little bit more room to operate. That said, the sausages remain second fiddle which makes sense because these are lemonade stands with a giant plastic lemon dangling out front to attract customers. Still, the sausage is flavorful and they’re generous with the peppers and onions.

It’s maybe not on par with the other two but certainly worthy, especially if you pause for a lemonade and the sausage mood suddenly strikes. Cousins is located at 636 Parkway #3 & 600 Parkway both in Gatlinburg.

Do you have a favorite sausage stand in Gatlinburg? If so, let us know in the comments!