It’s no secret that vacation time is the perfect opportunity to indulge in great food and sweet treats. However, if you’re visiting the Smokies and Gatlinburg you may find the never-ending opportunities for great culinary experiences a little overwhelming. That’s why we have put together details for 3 of our favorite places to eat in the area that have extra special desserts on their menu. We’ve highlighted each restaurant’s final course but you’ll find exceptional entree dishes, appetizers, sides and spirits at each spot as well.
1. The Melting Pot
The Melting Pot is well known in many areas of the country and there’s a chance that you may have already dined at a location near your hometown. So, though it isn’t unique to Gatlinburg, it is one that can’t be missed. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, out for a romantic night on the town with your sweetheart, or just looking for a fun experience, stop by and try one of their chocolate fondue options. First, fondue refers to the communal pot that the chocolate is kept hot in, so having fondue as a dessert immediately means that it’s more of an interactive type of experience than one in which the server sits your dessert on a dish down ready to eat. Each of The Melting Pot’s dessert options is made up of a type of melted chocolate and then dippers to place in the chocolate. Dippers include cheesecake cubes, strawberries, bananas, brownies, rice krispies treats, and more. The Melting Pot in downtown Gatlinburg also offers a gluten free option for dippers and 4 types of gluten free chocolate fondue. Yin & Yang, Create Your Own, Pure Chocolate, and Chocolate S’Mores are all gluten free. The Original and Flaming Turtle are the final two and are signature items. A few tips: When staying at The Appy Lodge you’ll receive a free parking pass for the Bearskin Parking Garage located next door to The Melting Pot, but they will also cover your parking fee when you dine with them. You can make reservations and you can stop in just for dessert!
2. The Park Grill
The Park Grill is also located in downtown Gatlinburg and offers parking to their guests directly in front of their building. The restaurant is a favorite among both locals and visitors to the area. The decor is made up of historical images from our Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is an excellent spot to combine with a day in the park. They have a menu that will make all the guests in your party happy, so no worries there. Last but not least, the dessert is everything you could hope to find in the hills of Tennessee. Hot blackberry cobbler, Nanner Puddin’, Black Bear Brownie Bash, Jack Daniel’s Creme Brulee, Peanut Butter Mud Pie, a dessert sampler, and bowl of ice cream are all items that complete their sweet treat list. And well, it sounds like a bunch of southern grannies got together to whip up something delicious for Thanksgiving, only here in Gatlinburg, they’re available every day!
3. The Greenbrier
Just outside of downtown Gatlinburg and tucked up in the woods on the hillside is the highly rated food and spirit outpost, The Greenbrier. They serve up some of the best culinary experiences in all of Tennessee with their chef-driven menu and we can’t recommend dining with them enough. It’s the perfect location to celebrate a special occasion, enjoy time at their bar, or just treat yourself to a laid-back and rustic, but high quality dining experience. Don’t get too carried away before dessert though because you’ll want to save room for one of their delectable dessert dishes. Based on a the legend about The Greenbrier being haunted by a troubled spirit named Lydia, the Lydia’s Chocolate Suicide for Two is first up and includes a brownie, vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate syrup. Their Homemade Buttermilk Pie is a southern classic. You can’t go wrong with Strawberry Cheesecake or Cranberry Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. If that’s not enough, enjoy the Chocolate Eruption that’s sure to make your sweet tooth happy.
Now that we’ve caught you up on some of the best desserts and places to eat in Gatlinburg, it’s time to help you plan your trip to the Smoky Mountains!
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