Things Not To Do at The Appalachian

Don’t make these mistakes when dining at Sevier County’s best restaurant

If you grew up in East Tennessee in a certain era, there wasn’t much reason to stop in Sevierville or ever visit downtown. I suppose if you needed something from the Kmart, you’d swing by. Or maybe you had a home improvement project and preferred one of the downtown shops to a big box store.

But, if you were in town for something fun, a meal, a little adventure, there were very few reasons to even tap the breaks once you turned off Chapman Highway until you hit the traffic in Pigeon Forge.

Things have changed. Sevierville has grown and downtown has been reborn as the heart of a thriving culinary scene. From The Appalachian to Pinchy’s to Graze Burgers to Seasons 101, there is something delicious and interesting in Downtown Sevierville and you will be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t give it a try.

Five things not to do at The Appalachian

1. Don’t be afraid to try something new

Look, you have to think of a trip to The Appalachian as something of a culinary adventure. Sure, you could get the hamburger with a side of french fries. It would certainly be among the best you’ve had in your life. But you have to embrace the experience of trying something different.

You don’t have to go crazy. Maybe pick an appetizer you normally wouldn’t – like the buffalo frog legs or the savory delight of the chicken liver and waffles. And then reward yourself with a classic steak or the roast chicken breast. Or maybe push your boundaries a little more with the elk loin or the amazing roasted quail with mushroom duxelles, pistachio, crispy grit cake and squash puree.

The thing to remember is a meal at The Appalachian is always the opportunity to try something different. The menu changes seasonally, based on what’s available and what’s interesting to the staff.

2. Don’t skip dessert

You know the drill. You’ve had a big meal, maybe an app and the wait staff approach cautiously, “did you save room for dessert?” You’re shaking your head before the question is even finished. At The Appalachian, you should at least entertain the idea.

What should you try? Well, it’s hard for me to say as the menu is a moving target, but you can’t go wrong with the fruit cobbler and vanilla ice cream nor the goat cheese cheesecake. We had the chocolate apple cake – bourbon caramel, grille apple butter, and vanilla ice cream. On paper, I wasn’t sure the flavors would be for me, but it was fantastic.

3. Don’t be shy

When out in public, I’m not the most outgoing guy. When shopping – whether it’s for shoes or a new car – I don’t want to be approached. I’ll find you if I need you. At a restaurant, I’m much the same way. I know and accept a little friendly banter is the way of the world. But I want to keep it as much to a minimum as possible.

But not at The Appalachian, where the passion for what they do bleeds through. Once, on a slowish night, we were able to talk to various members of the culinary team – many of whom created the dishes we were eating. They explained the choices they made in creating the dish. And also, the goals they were shooting for and the execution of the mission. We learned about mushrooms grown on a farm in Knoxville and where the sea salt was harvested from.

We also heard about the team trip to the George Dickel Distillery to pick out the specific barrel for the restaurant. Now, if the restaurant is hopping and everyone is covered up, you might not get to have those conversations. However, if the opportunities present themselves, it’s highly fascinating.

4. Don’t forget to make a reservation

You might not need one for a random Tuesday in the off season. However, if you want a Friday or Saturday night dinner when the tourists are all in town, you’d better call ahead. The Appalachian doesn’t have the biggest dining room and things can fill up quickly.

5. Don’t be intimidated by the drinks menu

In a place where the menu is changing all the time, I imagine being the person in charge of curating and printing the drinks menu is a little bit like being the chief librarian in the Library of Congress. The depth and breadth of available beer, cocktails and spirits is intimidating as heck.

Certainly, what drink you pick will be determined by if you have a favorite, or if you want to be in a certain price range, but rest assured there is something on the drinks menu for every variety of taste. Pours start at $8 and rise from there. Pick a favorite or try something new, there’s a little something for everyone.

Have you eaten at The Appalachian in Sevierville? Let us know what you think in the comments!