Your Guide to the 6 Best Gatlinburg Restaurants for Families
Gatlinburg is one of the top destinations for family vacations, which is no surprise considering all the great family-friendly things it has to do. When you’re in town visiting with your family, you’re going to want to find places to eat that everyone will enjoy. To help you decide where you should eat, we’ve put together a guide to the best Gatlinburg restaurants for families, including places with kids menus and a wide variety of dishes to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Here is our guide:
For Breakfast:
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you’re going to want to choose the right place to enjoy it! Here are our top 2 breakfast spots for families:
1. Pancake Pantry
Your visit to Gatlinburg wouldn’t be complete without having breakfast at the Pancake Pantry. This Gatlinburg restaurant has been serving made-from-scratch meals to its visitors since 1960. Not only do they serve a variety of pancakes, from Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes to Caribbean Pancakes, but you can also order all your other breakfast favorites, like eggs, waffles, and omelettes. If you have younger kids in your family, they’ll love having a menu just for them, which includes the popular bear-shaped pancakes!
2. Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
If you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast, head to Crockett’s Breakfast Camp. Their breakfast dishes are big enough that 2 members of your family can share! The menu is full of any breakfast food you can imagine, like waffles, breakfast skillets, oatmeal, French toast, and so much more. One popular dish is the Postmasters Favorite, which includes chicken fried steak, homestyle sausage gravy, and 2 farm fresh eggs.
For Lunch:
There are plenty of great Gatlinburg restaurants to visit for lunch, and with so many options it can be hard to decide on just one! Here are our top 2 lunch spots for the family:
3. Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que
Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que serves meals that are packed full of flavor and basted in their special sauce. One of the reasons this is a top choice for families is because of their Family Feast. You’ll get smoked barbeque, barbeque beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and bread — enough to feed up to 8 people! You can even choose to get your meal to-go and enjoy a picnic in the park. If you have a larger family, this is definitely the best place to dine. The restaurant has a semi-private dining area that can seat about 45 people.
4. Johnny Rockets
For a casual family lunch, Johnny Rockets is the best choice. This classic American restaurant serves up freshly made burgers and the best hand-spun shakes in town. Whether you’re in the mood for a salad, sandwich, or juicy burger, you can find it at Johnny Rockets. They also have special meals just for the kids! In addition to food, there’s fun! You can expect some family-friendly singing and dancing happening when you dine at this restaurant.
For Dinner:
There are endless options for delicious dinner restaurants in Gatlinburg. Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to eat with younger kids or a nice sit-down restaurant that has something for everyone, you can find it in Gatlinburg. Here are our top 2 Gatlinburg restaurants for a family dinner:
5. Big Daddy’s Pizzeria
You can never go wrong with a pizza dinner! Big Daddy’s Pizzeria is the perfect spot for families. With a variety of pizzas and toppings, there is something to satisfy everyone’s appetites. Each pizza starts with handcrafted, homemade dough that’s topped with homemade sauces and fresh ingredients. Stick with the classic Cheese Pizza or try something different like the Taco Pie, with refried beans, ground beef, and cheddar cheese, topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cheese sauce. Be sure to save room for a cannoli or some tropical cheesecake for dessert!
6. Calhoun’s
When you dine at Calhoun’s, you’ll be able to taste Tennessee’s best BBQ, ribs, steak, and more. With a mountain lodge atmosphere, this restaurant is great for all occasions. We recommend trying their famous Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Que Ribs or a tender steak! There’s also a kids menu available for the little ones in the family. If you want to take an order to-go to enjoy in your cabin or the national park, get one of their Family Packs! The Family Packs can feed 5 or 10 people and include your choice of protein, baked beans, creamy country slaw, and plates and napkins.
More Gatlinburg Restaurants
These are just some of our favorite restaurants in Gatlinburg for families to try. You can’t go wrong no matter where you choose to dine! Take a look at more Gatlinburg restaurants and decide where your family should eat on your vacation.
