The Smokies run on barbecue and fried everything, but you can eat well without meat. We looked for places with real vegetarian dishes: Indian, Thai, farm-to-table kitchens, a cafe with jackfruit sandwiches, and a few easy pizza and breakfast stops. Three of them are spots we already send our guests to. The rest we found by checking menus and reviews. Menus change and the small places rotate dishes, so call ahead and ask what is meatless that day.
Indian cooking is meat-free-friendly by nature, and this Parkway restaurant prints separate vegetarian sections on its menu. Appetizers include samosas, onion bhajia and paneer tikka. Mains run from dal makhani, chana masala and aloo gobhi to palak paneer, malai kofta and a vegetable biryani. If you eat vegan, ask which dishes are made without ghee or cream.
A small cabin tea room tucked into the Arts & Crafts Community, away from downtown. Its ever-changing menu includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes, and you can request a special meal when you reserve. Menus rotate, so ask what is meat-free that day. Open Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 3pm, by reservation. The tea room closes for the season on November 29, 2026 and reopens in mid-March 2027, so confirm before you go.
A locally sourced bistro on Glades Road whose menu changes with what area farms have available. Past menus have included a Beet Napoleon, a vegetable savory crepe torte, a Bistro Sampler with roasted eggplant dip, hummus and stuffed grape leaves, and a veggie burger. Open Thursday through Sunday evenings, so plan ahead and ask what is meat-free tonight.
A casual cafe where the online menu lists jackfruit “veggie’que” and a jackfruit veggie cheesesteak as meatless sandwiches, plus a veggie wrap that diners report can be made vegan. Confirm the current menu with the restaurant.
A great little family-run Thai place up in Sevierville by Soaky Mountain. Really quality food and prices. If you want a break from big southern food restaurants, this is a welcome change. For meatless meals, the stir-fry entrees can be ordered with tofu or extra vegetables. Ask about sauces, since some curries are made with fish or oyster sauce.
At the heart of Big Daddy’s is a 550 degree, wood-fired flame inside of a one-of-a-kind brick oven. Handcrafted, homemade dough topped with homemade sauces, fresh ingredients, and a deliciously crispy crust. For meatless eaters, you can build a custom pizza with the vegetables you like and ask about vegan cheese.
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Pigeon Forge’s Parkway lies the Lil’ Black Bear Cafe. Family owned and operated, this diner is legendary. It offers a selection of homemade breakfast foods, sandwiches, subs, and a variety of seasonal soups and desserts. Vegetable omelets, pancakes and salads make an easy meatless breakfast or lunch.
Our cabins put you within reach of Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville, so you can eat out when you want to and cook in when you don’t.
