7 BEST Places to Enjoy Breakfast in Gatlinburg TN
Find the best restaurants for breakfast in Gatlinburg before you start exploring!
Located at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg Tennessee is a city worth exploring.
Whether you plan to go hiking on the Smokies trails with the hope of discovering waterfalls and seeing a few black bears along the way, or you want to spend the day sightseeing in this charming Southern town with a rustic twist, you will need plenty of nourishment to fully enjoy your adventures.
Fortunately, breakfast in Gatlinburg is serious business. Many restaurants in the city boast having the best breakfast, allowing you to find a place that has the kind of food you are craving in the morning. At any of these places, you are sure to enjoy a famous Gatlinburg breakfast.
Pancake Pantry
628 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Today, the Gatlinburg breakfast experience is well known. But in 1960, when Pancake Pantry was founded in the heart of the city, the idea of a pancake restaurant was an unusual concept.
Breakfast dining was not quite the experience that it is today, and the owners of this restaurant were taking a leap of faith by establishing this innovative restaurant in this vacation destination.
More than 60 years later, the Pancake Pantry is considered the first and best breakfast in Gatlinburg Tennessee. It is still located in its central spot on the Parkway and is open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Fun Fact: In a 2024 survey of over 800 people, Pancake Pantry was voted the #1 Place to Eat Breakfast in Gatlinburg!
Pancakes are, obviously, the most popular item on the menu — and pancake enthusiasts will be amazed at the choices. There are more than two dozen types of pancakes on the menu, including corn meal pancakes, pecan pancakes, and of course, old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes.
If pancakes are not your preferred breakfast dish of choice, don’t worry. This restaurant has a variety of waffles, omelets, and breakfast specials too.
Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
1103 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Situated on the Parkway in between the heart of downtown Gatlinburg and the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Crockett’s Breakfast Camp is more than just a breakfast restaurant. It offers a true dining experience, particularly one that families who are traveling to the area love.
Fun Fact: In the same survey mentioned above, Crockett’s Breakfast Camp came in a close second place for best breakfast in Gatlinburg.
The restaurant is designed to honor Davy Crockett and has a frontier vibe, as well as an Appalachian-inspired menu. Stepping into this log cabin building transports you to another era when most food was cooked over a campfire and meals were meant to sustain you for the day ahead.
Whether you are the type of person who enjoys a savory or sweet breakfast, you will find a meal that satisfies your cravings at this restaurant. Known for its larger-than-life portion sizes, Crockett’s Breakfast Camp is the kind of place where you show up with an appetite.
From egg, toast, and meat specials to piled-high breakfast sandwiches, you will find unique and delicious meals on the menu. Not to be missed, of course, is the cinnamon roll — this massive gooey pastry will arrive on a skillet and be large enough to share with the entire table.
Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant
600 Glades Rd #10, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
While most of the Gatlinburg breakfast restaurants are obvious, Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant is a bit of a hidden gem that is largely considered by locals to serve the best breakfast in Gatlinburg.
Run by a local husband-and-wife team, this restaurant is only open a few days a week during the breakfast and lunch mealtimes. It’s a bit off the beaten path, so it may feel like you are the only person who knows this restaurant exists. The reality is that you are likely going to face a wait when you arrive.
It takes a while to serve the food, but the wait is worth it — at Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant, every meal is homemade. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming because no one is in a hurry to rush off and dive into the hustle and bustle of the day.
The Atrium Gatlinburg
432 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
For breakfast with a view, consider starting your day at The Atrium Gatlinburg, where you can indulge in a towering plate of pancakes while listening to the rushing sounds of the waterfall nearby.
This restaurant has been serving some of the best pancakes in Gatlinburg Tennessee for more than 20 years, making it a staple in the community. Both locals and visitors believe that it is one of the best places to grab breakfast in Gatlinburg.
The menu at this restaurant features several types of pancakes, such as bacon pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, banana nut pancakes, and of course, classic buttermilk pancakes. Many people choose to combine their pancake orders with home fries, meat, or a side of bacon.
In addition to pancakes, you will also find scramblers and omelets on the menu, giving diners the variety that they crave when they start the day. There are few places in the city where you can begin your day with the best possible meal while soaking up the unbelievably beautiful views of waterfalls.
The Donut Friar
634 Parkway #15, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
If you are looking for a grab-and-go breakfast in Gatlinburg, or you simply want to start your day off with a sweet treat, then The Donut Friar is the best place to go. This tiny bakery is located inside The Village in Gatlinburg — which is practically a small town within the city of Gatlinburg itself.
Inside this charming village that is modeled after an Appalachian town, you will find The Donut Friar serving fresh pastries on a daily basis. Opening at 5 a.m. each day, this bakery is ready for visitors who want warm, fresh, and tasty doughnuts as quickly as possible.
Each day, there are new varieties to discover and try, but some of the most popular doughnuts include coconut delight, chocolate dipper, and cinnamon twist. The Village may largely be considered a tourist destination, but even locals know that this is the best place to go in Gatlinburg for great doughnuts.
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin
956 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin was founded in Gatlinburg Tennessee at the turn of the 21st century, and despite the business owners entering into a crowded breakfast market, they quickly made their mark on this community.
Over the past two decades, Flapjack’s has grown to include four more locations in Gatlinburg and become one of the best places in the region to enjoy a delicious breakfast. By 2011, Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin had served more than 5 million people and quickly became famous for its fluffy and fulfilling pancakes.
However, the game changed entirely when it created sticky buns pancakes in 2012, which are now the most popular menu item. These pancakes combine the best of cinnamon rolls with the light, airy texture of pancakes, making them one of the most unique breakfast options in the city.
With several locations in the area and a reputation of excellence in the community, this is one of those places where you know you are going to enjoy great service and an unforgettable meal.
Log Cabin Pancake House
327 Airport Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
There is no better place to go for breakfast to immerse yourself in the spirit of Appalachia than the Log Cabin Pancake House. It’s easy to find this restaurant on the Historic Nature Trail in Gatlinburg — it’s the only one with a covered wagon marking the entrance.
As you step up the creaky wooden stairs, you’ll find that it might be tempting to sit down on one of the porch rocking chairs and relax for a bit. When you realize how great the breakfast is, though, you won’t want to waste another minute waiting for your meal.
The Log Cabin Pancake House has been a local staple since 1976, making it one of the oldest breakfast restaurants in the city. Its homelike atmosphere and fireside dining are relaxing and enjoyable, but it’s the menu that truly shines.
Fun Fact: Log Cabin Pancake House took third place in our survey!
The specialty pancakes include diverse options that can’t be found anywhere else, such as butterscotch chip pancakes, buckwheat pancakes, and pigs in a blanket. In addition to its mouthwatering pancake menu, this restaurant also serves crepes, specialty French toast, breakfast biscuits, omelets, sandwiches, and more.
So whether you are craving a salty, savory breakfast or a sweet, indulgent treat, you will find what you are looking for at the Log Cabin Pancake House.
Spoil Yourself With a Breakfast in Gatlinburg Tennessee
The Great Smoky Mountains have long been home to people who understand that hearty food is required to endure the elements of the region. As a result, many restaurants are famous for breakfast in Gatlinburg Tennessee, appealing to not only tourists but also locals who are lucky enough to call this city home.
And if you’re looking for lunch or dinner in between exploring things to do in Gatlinburg, you’ll find a variety of Gatlinburg restaurants to satisfy your appetite.
And the Survey Says…
For those wondering about the survey referenced above, here are the results.