The best breakfast in Gatlinburg can be found right on the Gatlinburg Strip, but which restaurant reigns supreme? With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to decide where to eat breakfast, so we’ve compiled a helpful guide to help you pick where to go whether you want pancakes in Gatlinburg or an all-you-can-eat Gatlinburg breakfast buffet…or maybe something else entirely! These are the absolute best places to eat breakfast in Gatlinburg.
Where to Eat Breakfast in Gatlinburg
This Gatlinburg breakfast guide includes the best pancake houses in Gatlinburg as well as the best breakfast buffets. It includes where to find the best waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and everything else in between. Plus, we list our top 10 favorite of all-time breakfasts in Gatlinburg. We’ve organized this guide into the following segments below:
10 Best Breakfast Restaurants in Gatlinburg
Where to Eat the Best Pancakes in Gatlinburg
5 Best Gatlinburg Pancake House Menus
Where to Eat the Best Waffles in Gatlinburg on the Strip
Gatlinburg Breakfast FAQ
The Best Breakfast in Gatlinburg
10 Best Gatlinburg Breakfast Restaurants
1. The Pancake Pantry – Gatlinburg Best Breakfast on the Gatlinburg Strip
It’s hard not to notice The Pancake Pantry when you first walk past it. It sits at the heart of the Gatlinburg Strip, and when adorned in festive Christmas lighting during the holidays to offset the soft glow of its already eye-catching, decorative lanterns, it’s hard to resist the temptation to peer inside those large glass windows and wonder just what type of treats they’re serving inside. This is probably also the most popular restaurant for breakfast in Gatlinburg because it’s the one I most often hear other people talking about. Even the complete strangers who we shared a sky lift with on the ride up to Anakeesta mentioned that they had eaten here after being recommended it by another traveler.
The Pancake Pantry Gatlinburg is known for being Tennessee’s first pancake specialty restaurant and has been in existence for over 60 years. They serve breakfast in Gatlinburg all day, and they offer 23 different variety of pancakes in addition to waffles, farm fresh eggs, omelettes, ham, bacon, grits, and other breakfast favorites. With that many different types of pancakes, it’s no wonder that they’re known as the best place to eat pancakes in Gatlinburg. The Pancake Pantry is open from 7 AM to 3 PM and is located adjacent to The Gatlinburg Village Shoppes, so it’s a great spot to get some shopping done after you’ve finished eating the best breakfast in Gatlinburg. (For a list of the specific varieties of pancakes offered by The Pantry, see the Pancake House Menu section located near the bottom of this article.)
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip –
The Pancake Pantry Gatlinburg
628 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
The Pancake Pantry is open daily from 7 AM to 3 PM with breakfast on the Strip served all day long.
2. The Donut Friar – Best Gatlinburg Breakfast On-the-Go for Extra Early-Risers
The Donut Friar is open every day at 5 AM. Since most of the other breakfast spots on this list don’t open until 7 A.M. or later, that makes this charming little shop the perfect stop for tummies that start grumbling even before the sun rises. A breakfast bakery famous especially for its donuts, the shop serves fan-favorite flavors such as glazed, chocolate, rainbow, cinnamon, powdered, coconut, and eclair. Many of the donuts cost just 99 cents, and all of them are made fresh each morning hours before the little shop opens. The Donut Friar also serves a tasty, house-made cinnamon bread–one of its top sellers–as well as a variety of specialty coffees and espressos.
The building is housed inside the Gatlinburg Village Shoppes (sometimes spelled Village Shops)–which is quite possibly the cutest and coziest place to hang out on the entire Gatlinburg Strip–so grab a seat next to the fountain and be sure to snap lots of pics for keepsakes before you go!
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip –
The Donut Friar
634 Parkway, Suite 15
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
The Donut Friar opens everyday at 5:00 AM. It closes at 6 PM on weekdays, 8 PM on Saturday, and 9 PM on Sunday.
3. The Atrium Gatlinburg (formerly Atrium Pancakes) – Best Breakfast in Gatlinburg for Baked Apple Pancakes
Atrium Pancakes is so good that it’s been featured in Taste of Home Magazine as well as the Food Network. This Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant is best known for its Baked Apple Pancakes which feature layers of gooey apples baked between sheets of fluffy dough that’s been cooked to perfection with golden, crispy edges, but if that doesn’t make your mouth water, then you have 24 other varieties of pancakes to choose from–25 total types! Blueberry, Chocolate-Covered Strawberry, Peanut Butter, M&M, and Pecan are other top favorites. Even the syrup at Atrium Pancakes is completely homemade. The restaurant also serves omelets, scramblers, waffles, French toast, muffins, biscuits, grits, and oatmeal. Call ahead to reserve a table seated next to the scenic waterfall!
Update: After typing up this review, it seems the Atrium Gatlinburg has removed many of the pancake choices from their menu and are no longer offering the M&M, chocolate-covered strawberry, or peanut butter varieties of pancakes. (But they have added Bacon Pancakes!) Because we’re not sure if this is just a temporary change due to the state of the world currently, we’re going to wait a bit before we remove all mention of these other flavors from our review–just in case they bring their old menu back. We’ve updated our pancake menu section at the bottom of this article, however, to reflect only the current list of pancakes that they have listed on their new menu, but if there’s a particular flavor you are seeking, it’s probably best to call ahead to ask if they have it.
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip –
Atrium Pancakes / The Atrium Gatlinburg
432 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
Atrium Pancakes’ breakfast is served daily from 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM.
4. Crockett’s Breakfast Camp – Best Breakfast in Gatlinburg for Cinnamon Candied Apple Waffles & the Waffle of Insane Greatness
You can’t go wrong with a waffle that’s quite literally named “Waffle of Insane Greatness.” That’s the kind of food and vibe you can look forward to if you choose to eat your breakfast in Gatlinburg at Crockett’s Breakfast Camp. The signature waffle comes with whipped butter, powdered sugar, and optional whipped cream or fresh fruit toppings. My favorite, however, is the Old Fashioned Cinnamon Candied Apple Waffle. It’s topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, and Fuji apples that have simmered for hours alongside hot cinnamon candies. The dish is served with one egg–any style–and your selection of either two sausages or two strips of pecan smoked bacon. In addition to waffles, Crockett’s Breakfast Camp also serves French toast, griddle cakes, omelets, corned beef hash, oatmeal, grits, country fried steak, scramblers, pan-fried cinnamon rolls, and three different styles of Eggs Benedict. Like most of the other entries on this list, you can find this popular breakfast restaurant on the Gatlinburg Strip!
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip –
Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
1103 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit their Website
Breakfast is served 7 AM – 1 PM on Friday through Sunday and 8 AM – 1 PM on Monday through Thursday.
5. Log Cabin Pancake House – Best Breakfast in Gatlinburg for All-You-Can-Eat Biscuits N’ Gravy
The first thing you’ll notice about the Log Cabin Pancake House is the covered wagon that sits on the roof of the building. I wish I’d thought to take a picture of it, but I wasn’t anticipating writing an article about the best breakfasts in Gatlinburg at the time. The Log Cabin Pancake House has been serving breakfast in Gatlinburg since 1976. On the menu, you’ll find a dozen different types of pancakes and a dozen different types of waffles in addition to many different types of French crepes and French toast, pigs in a blanket, eggs, omelets, biscuits, and a variety of breakfast meats. Perhaps what they are best known for, however, is their all-you-can-eat biscuits n’ gravy! Or for a special treat, try some of their fried apples!
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant –
Log Cabin Pancake House
327 Historic Nature Trail
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
Open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 2 PM with breakfast served all day
6. Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin – Best Gatlinburg Breakfast for Kids
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin has been serving pancakes in Gatlinburg for over 50 years. They serve one of the cutest breakfasts in Gatlinburg — adorable little pancakes called Jr Bear Cakes that come in the shape of a teddy bear’s face that your kid is sure to love. (Although I’m not ashamed to admit that I would eat these myself!) If a teddy bear pancake is not your vibe, then there’s also plenty of other types of pancakes as well as waffles, crepes, French toast, eggs, omelets, and a variety of different breakfast skillets. For those with gluten-free diets, they can also convert any of their pancake flavors into a special one made without gluten. Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin also now has 3 separate locations in Gatlinburg!
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip –
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin (before Traffic Light 1)
146 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin (after Traffic Light 8)
956 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin (before Traffic Light 1A)
478 E Parkway, Hwy 321
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Open 8 AM to 1 PM weekdays
7. Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant – Best Place in Gatlinburg to Eat Breakfast in a Log Cabin
Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant is known for its cozy, woodsy ambience. You’ll feel right at home dining inside a log cabin, as if you’ve stepped inside someone’s rugged country home and are relaxing in their living room while waiting for grandma to finish cooking breakfast. Their breakfast menu is small and limited but has great reviews. You can order flapjacks, French toast, biscuits and gravy, an omelet, scramblers, a scramblers sandwich, or their signature breakfast combo plate which is called the Coal Miners Breakfast.
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant –
Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant
600 Glades Road #10
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Timbers Log Cabin Restaurant is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 AM to 3 PM.
8. Tennessee Jed’s – Best Gatlinburg Breakfast Sandwiches
Tennessee Jed’s is a bit of a breakfast secret. Known for their amazing sandwich lunch offerings, this cozy place also serves spectacular breakfast sandwiches, and the best part–they cost just a couple dollars each. Choose from Ham Egg and Cheese, Sausage Egg and Cheese, or Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwiches.
This hidden spot is located on the Gatlinburg Strip but easy to miss if you aren’t actively looking for it. That’s because it’s tucked inside a shopping area and not immediately visible from the street. Keep your eyes peeled for the world’s tallest man in front of the Guinness World Records Museum, and then head straight back behind and beside it until you find Tennessee Jed’s on the upper terrace of the shopping plaza. If you love breakfast sandwiches and don’t need much else, it definitely ranks amongst the best breakfast places in Gatlinburg.
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip –
Tennessee Jed’s Gatlinburg
631 Parkway Suite A8
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
Tennessee Jed’s Gatlinburg is open 8 AM to 3:30 PM everyday on the Gatlinburg Strip.
9. Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que – Best Breakfast Buffet in Gatlinburg
Update – Most (if not all) of the buffets in Gatlinburg have closed down due to the current state of the world, and sadly Bennett’s Pit BBQ is no longer offering its breakfast buffet at this time. We’re going to leave this entry here for now, however, in hopes that they will start serving breakfast again someday. In the meantime, you can still join them for both lunch and dinner, as they remain open to serve you their famous Pit Bar-B-Cue.
If you’re still looking for an alternative breakfast buffet in Gatlinburg, it looks like Shoney’s Gatlinburg is open and currently serving their breakfast buffet. While Shoney’s wouldn’t normally be our first choice, they do have a large selection of breakfast foods, and kids especially always seem to love Shoney’s. The food is pretty tasty and affordable.
Where to find this Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant on the Strip-
Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que (currently not serving their breakfast buffet; see alternative below)
Shoney’s Gatlinburg
942 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
Shoney’s Gatlinburg is open Sunday through Thursday from 8 AM to 5 pm and Friday and Saturday from 8 AM to 9 PM.
10. Coffee and Company – Best Morning Coffee in Gatlinburg for Breakfast
If you’re just not much of a breakfast eater but absolutely must have a morning coffee to jumpstart your day, then Coffee and Company might be the perfect spot for you. As Gatlinburg’s oldest roasting coffee shop, they sell a variety of flavored coffees, including popular favorites: Smoky Mountain Mist, Snickerdoodle Cookie, Southern Pecan, and Creme Brulee. Like The Donut Friar, Coffee and Company is located inside the Gatlinburg Village Shops (just to the right of the fountain). The store is cozy, cute, and smells absolutely amazing, so if you’re looking for somewhere to get coffee in Gatlinburg, then you definitely won’t want to pass this place up.
Where to find this Gatlinburg coffee shop on the Gatlinburg Strip –
Coffee and Company – Gatlinburg Village Shops
634 Parkway #13
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Visit Their Website
Coffee and Company is open 7:30 AM to 8 PM Mon-Thurs and 7:30 AM to 10 PM Fri and Sat.
Where to Eat the Best Pancakes in Gatlinburg
If you’re specifically looking to eat pancakes for breakfast in Gatlinburg and don’t care about any other restaurant offerings, then we recommend the following 5 top Gatlinburg pancake houses – The Pancake Pantry, The Atrium Gatlinburg, Crockett’s Breakfast Camp, Log Cabin Pancake House, and Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin.
For the largest variety of pancakes in Gatlinburg on the Strip, the winner is the Pancake Pantry with its 23 different flavors of pancakes. It’s by far our favorite pancake place in Gatlinburg. You’ll find 23 varieties of pancakes at the Log Cabin Pancake House as well, but it’s located just off the Strip on a side road (It’s only a couple of blocks away though, so if you’re looking for pancakes on the Gatlinburg Strip, you might not want to exclude this place anyhow.)
For more eclectic flavors and unique styles of pancakes in Gatlinburg on the Strip, we recommend The Atrium Gatlinburg (formerly Atrium Pancakes). They have more unusual flavors such as Bacon Pancakes or their Famous Baked Apple Pancakes which feature layers of fresh apples baked (instead of fried ) in between layers of fluffy pancake dough.
If you’d rather choose a pancake restaurant for kids in Gatlinburg, Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin serves 14 different types of pancakes, including 3 types that are made especially for a kids’ menu. Our favorite are the Jr Bear Cakes which are designed to look just like a little teddy bear smiley face, complete with chocolate chip eyes and a chocolate smile. This restaurant also serves gluten-free pancakes and can offer any of its 14 pancake flavors in a gluten-free version as well.
We’ve featured the menus (and complete list of all types of pancakes offered) for each of these top breakfast restaurants below.
5 Best Gatlinburg Pancake House Menus
Pancake Menu for The Pancake Pantry Gatlinburg
- Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes
- Silver Dollar Pancakes
- Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Sugar and Spice Pancakes
- Banana Bread Pancakes
- Apple Walnut Pancakes
- Caribbean Pancakes
- Smoky Mountain Buckwheat Pancakes
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Pecan Pancakes
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Santa Fe Cornmeal Pancakes
- Plain Cornmeal Pancakes
- Georgia Peach Rolled Pancake
- Strawberry Shortcake Rolled Pancake
- Raspberry Delight Rolled Pancake
- Cherry Supreme Rolled Pancake
- Apricot Lemon Rolled Pancake
- Swedish Pancakes
- Chocolate Sin Pancakes
- Blintzes
- Pigs in a Blanket (served in buttermilk pancakes)
Note: The Pancake Pantry’s website mentions that they offer 23 different varieties of pancakes, but I could only find 22 pancakes listed on their actual menu, so I’m not sure what the other mystery pancake is or if it’s been discontinued. But 22 types of pancakes is still a lot of pancakes!!
Pancake Menu for Atrium Pancakes (now rebranded as The Atrium Gatlinburg)
- Famous Apple Pancakes (their house specialty! – these are oven baked instead of pan-fried and feature fresh apples and brown sugar baked in between fluffy layers of pancake dough, served with apple syrup)
- Bacon Pancakes
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Pecan Pancakes
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Strawberry Pancakes
- Banana Nut Pancakes
Pancake Menu for Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
- Griddle Cakes (with optional toppings: southern pecans, candied apples with white raisins, wild berry compote, fresh blueberries, strawberry compote, chocolate chips, powdered sugar, and real whipped cream)
- Cinnamon Roll Swirl Pancakes
- Crockett’s Buckwheat Fruit and Nut Pancakes
- Thick Aretha Frankenstein’s Pancakes
- Hogs in a Blanket
Pancake Menu for Log Cabin Pancake House
- Plain Old-Fashioned Pancakes (fluffy buttermilk pancakes)
- Miniature Pancakes
- Cabin Special (buckwheat pancakes with crushed pineapple, hot syrup, and whipped margarine)
- Wild Blueberry Pancakes
- Butterscotch Chip Pancakes
- Caribbean Pancakes (banana, nuts, and coconut)
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- White Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Pancake Royale (special secret sauce)
- Log Cabin Pecan Pancakes
- Log Cabin Black Walnut Pancakes
- Log Cabin Cornmeal Pancakes
- Buckwheat Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Pigs in a Blanket
- French Crepes
- Apple Crepes
- Blackberry Crepes
- Blueberry Crepes
- Cherry Supreme Crepes
- Orange-Pineapple Supreme Crepes
- Parisienne Crepes
- Peach Crepes
Pancake Menu for Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin
- Gluten-Free Pancakes (plus any of their pancake flavors can be made as a gluten-free version)
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Sticky Bun Pancakes (cinnamon swirl with pecans and cream cheese icing)
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Pancakes
- Mixed Berry Pancakes
- Strawberry Pancakes
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Pecan Pancakes
- Cinnamon Harvest Multi-Grain Pancakes
- Fresh Fruit Crepes (choice of toppings: strawberry, blueberry, banana, or mixed berry)
- FOR KIDS – Jr Cakes
- FOR KIDS – Jr Bear Cakes (Bear Smiley Face Pancakes with chocolate chip eyes and a chocolate smile)
- FOR KIDS – Jr Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Where to Eat the Best Waffles in Gatlinburg on the Strip
We believe Crockett’s Breakfast Camp has the best waffles in Gatlinburg right on the Strip! They’re best known for their Waffle of Insane Greatness, but we also really love their Old Fashioned Cinnamon Candied Apple Waffles. “What’s on a Waffle of Insane Greatness?” you might be asking. It features whipped butter, powdered sugar, whipped cream, and fresh fruit toppings. The Cinnamon Candied Apple Waffle similarly includes whipped cream and powdered sugar but it also is topped with Fuji apples that have simmered for hours alongside hot cinnamon candies. We’ve included the full waffle menu for Crockett’s Breakfast Camp below:
Waffle Menu for Crockett’s Breakfast Camp
- Waffle of Insane Greatness – whipped butter, powdered sugar, optional fruit and whipped cream
- Old Fashioned Cinnamon Candied Apple Waffle – Fuji apples simmered with cinnamon candies, whipped cream, powdered sugar, served with 2 eggs any style, plus a choice of either 2 sausage links or 2 pecan smoked bacon strips
- Aretha’s Pecan Waffle – pecan waffles topped with fresh bananas and served with a side of caramel sauce
- Healthy Mountain Waffle – loaded with granola, topped with Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries
- Bacon Waffle & Eggs – waffle with bacon cooked into the batter, served with 2 farm fresh eggs any style
FAQ for Breakfast in Gatlinburg
What’s the best all-you-can-eat breakfast in Gatlinburg?
Log Cabin Pancake House is famous for its all-you-can-eat biscuits and gravy. If you’re looking for a full breakfast buffet in Gatlinburg, Shoney’s is a great option for kids right on the Gatlinburg Strip.
What’s the best Gatlinburg Breakfast Buffet?
We recommend Shoney’s Gatlinburg because it appears to be the only breakfast buffet in Gatlinburg that has remained opened on the Strip in 2022. Most of the other buffets have shut down due to the current state of the world.
Where can I get a gluten-free breakfast in Gatlinburg?
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin serves Gluten Free Pancakes. They also have a variety of different flavored pancake options on their menu that they can happily make in a gluten-free version for you as well. Don’t be afraid to ask! (and if you have any little kiddos in tow with you as well, this is also one of the few Gatlinburg breakfast restaurants that has separate, special pancake menu just for kids.)
What’s the best Gatlinburg breakfast restaurant for kids?
The best kids breakfast restaurants in Gatlinburg are Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin and Shoney’s Breakfast Buffet. Kids always love buffets, so you can’t go wrong with Shoney’s Gatlinburg. They have a huge selection of different breakfast foods to eat on the Gatlinburg Strip, and big kids at heart (like my boyfriend) really love it, too. However, with the current shape of the world, you might be looking for something a little less germ-spready, so Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin would be the better choice for you. They have a kids menu just for pancakes, and we especially love the Jr Bear Cakes — adorable bear smiley face shaped pancakes that have chocolate chips for eyes and chocolate sauce for the smile. We also really love that Flapjack’s is not a national restaurant chain. When we eat at restaurants in Gatlinburg, we always try to find unique local spots that are one-of-a-kind, and you won’t be able to find Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin anywhere else but Tennessee.
Where can I get the best breakfast coffee in Gatlinburg?
For the best coffee in Gatlinburg on the Strip, we recommend the Donut Friar as well as Coffee and Company. See our entries up above for more details on each of these restaurants and coffee shops.
Best Breakfast in Gatlinburg
Have you eaten at any of the breakfast restaurants on this list? Which one do you think is the overall best breakfast in Gatlinburg? If we had to choose just one, we’d probably pick the Pancake Pantry Gatlinburg as the overall winner, but we really love all 10 entries that made it to this list. Which ones are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below.
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