Best Brunch Spots in the Smoky Mountains for a Bachelorette Weekend

Why Brunch Matters on a Smoky Mountains Bachelorette

Your group is going to be tired. Between the cabin, the drinks the night before, and the sheer size of the Smokies, you need a real meal before you do anything else. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge do brunch better than almost anywhere in Tennessee, and it is not fussy about it.

This is not a mimosa-and-avocado-toast scene. It is thick pancakes, biscuits the size of your fist, and chicken and dumplings before noon. Plan your morning around one of these spots and you will have the fuel to survive whatever the group has planned for the rest of the day.

The Best Brunch Spots

1. Crockett's Breakfast Camp

Best for: the group that wants a legendary breakfast and does not mind waiting for it | Price: $10 to $20 per person

Crockett's is the one everyone in your group will have already seen on Instagram. The Aretha Frankenstein's Pancakes are about an inch thick, plate-sized, and made from a secret recipe. Most entrees run $9.99 to $14.99. Get there before 8am or use their waitlist, because a line forms fast and they do not take reservations.

Order this: the Aretha Frankenstein's Pancakes, around $12

"This place is definitely the best place I've ever ate for breakfast!" Yelp review

2. The Old Mill Restaurant

Best for: a sit-down group meal with history built in | Price: around $12 to $18 per person

The Old Mill has been standing on the Little Pigeon River since 1830, and the restaurant next to it serves the kind of Southern homestyle food that photographs well and tastes better. It is a first-come, first-served spot, so expect a wait if your group is large.

Order this: the chicken and dumplings, made from scratch and simmered all day

"I am obsessed with their chicken and dumplings." Tripadvisor review

3. Pancake Pantry

Best for: the group with picky eaters | Price: $10 to $16 per person

Pancake Pantry has been in Gatlinburg since 1960 and offers more than 24 kinds of pancakes, plus crepes and homemade syrup. It is a Gatlinburg institution, which also means the line can wrap around the block on a Saturday.

Order this: the sourdough pancakes with a side of their house syrup

4. Sawyer's Farmhouse Breakfast

Best for: a quieter, locally owned option in Pigeon Forge | Price: $10 to $15 per person

Sawyer's is smaller and less of a tourist scene than Crockett's or Pancake Pantry, which your group will appreciate if anyone is nursing a rough morning. The menu covers crepes, Belgian waffles, and made-from-scratch pancakes.

Order this: the Belgian waffle with fresh berries

5. Buckhorn Inn

Best for: a more upscale, sit-down brunch | Price: $15 to $22 per person

Buckhorn Inn is a historic bed and breakfast with a dining room that welcomes non-guests for breakfast. The eggs benedict and the homemade bread get consistent praise, and the pace here is slower than the tourist-strip spots.

Order this: the eggs benedict

6. Ruby Sunshine

Best for: New Orleans flavor without leaving Tennessee | Price: $12 to $18 per person

Ruby Sunshine started in the South and brought its brunch menu to Gatlinburg. Expect a livelier atmosphere than the other options on this list, plus a full bar if your group wants a bloody mary or mimosa with breakfast.

Order this: the shrimp and grits

Honorable Mentions

• Paula Deen's Family Kitchen, family-style Southern breakfast served as a group meal

Planning Tips

• Book a same-day waitlist spot online for Crockett's before you leave your cabin. Walk-ins wait the longest.
• If your group is 8 or more, call ahead to the Old Mill or Buckhorn Inn. Large parties are harder to seat without notice.
• Saturday mornings are the busiest across the board. If your schedule allows it, brunch on a weekday morning instead.
• Pigeon Forge spots tend to have shorter waits than Gatlinburg's Parkway strip, especially before 8am.