The Best Places to Grab a Pizza in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg's pizza options range from a New York slice shop open until 11PM to a wood-fired Neapolitan operation to a brewpub that does pizza well alongside its house beer. Here are six worth knowing about before your visit.

Best Italian Cafe & Pizzeria

Best Italian Cafe & Pizzeria has been operating in Gatlinburg since 1976 — a New York-style Italian restaurant that has outlasted the tourist corridor's constant turnover by doing the fundamentals well. The pizza is customize-your-own from a long list of toppings, the crust is thin and properly chewy, and the cheese-to-sauce ratio is dialed in from decades of practice. The restaurant has two locations on the Parkway; the Elks Plaza location is generally considered the better of the two by regulars. Beyond pizza, the pasta dishes draw their own following — it's a full-service Italian restaurant, not just a pizza spot. For a Gatlinburg dinner that won't require a reservation or a wait list, Best Italian is a reliable choice with a track record that speaks for itself.

Gatlinburg Brewing Company

Gatlinburg Brewing Company at 458 Parkway (corner of light #3) is the brewpub option — house-brewed beers alongside a kitchen that takes pizza seriously. The combination of craft beer and above-average pizza makes it one of the more practical dinner stops on the Parkway for groups with mixed drink preferences. The pizza program at Gatlinburg Brewing runs alongside the full pub menu; the kitchen handles it competently enough that local pizza rankings consistently include it. The location at light #3 makes it easy to find on the Parkway without GPS.

Big Daddy's Pizzeria

Big Daddy's Pizzeria is the wood-fired operation — a 550-degree brick oven, fresh-made dough prepared daily by the restaurant's "pizzeoli," homemade sauce, and a Neapolitan-style result with a crispy, properly charred crust. The menu runs from classics (cheese, pepperoni, margherita) through creative specialty pies like the Taco Pie and the Big Kahuna, plus prosciutto-topped options that lean toward upscale pizza territory. The Dough Daddies appetizer rolls are frequently mentioned by regulars as a must-order starter. For visitors who want the actual craft pizza experience rather than thin-crust New York or stone-baked pub pizza, Big Daddy's is the right choice.

Mellow Mushroom

Mellow Mushroom is the stone-baked, creative-topping option — a regional chain with a devoted following for its homemade crust and unconventional pizza builds. The Pacific Rim (red sauce, mozzarella, honey ham, applewood-smoked bacon, caramelized onions, pineapple, jalapeños), the Holy Shiitake, and the Kosmic Karma are the specialty pies that distinguish Mellow Mushroom from a standard pizzeria. The atmosphere is psychedelic and loud; it's a comfortable choice for groups or families who don't need a quiet dinner. For visitors who already know Mellow Mushroom from a home market and want the familiar option in Gatlinburg, it delivers consistently.

Smoky Mountain Brewery

Smoky Mountain Brewery's Gatlinburg location combines the house-brewed beer program with a solid pizza offering — a practical dinner stop for groups who want beer and pizza without committing to a full sit-down dinner. The pizza at Smoky Mountain Brewery is a secondary focus to the brewing program, but it holds up as a meal rather than an afterthought. The Gatlinburg location gives visitors a local brewing experience distinct from the Pigeon Forge sister location, and the Parkway position makes it an easy stop on an evening walk.

Slice Pizza Bakery

Slice Pizza Bakery at 117 Airport Road is the late-night, by-the-slice option — New York-style slices that are genuinely large (reviewers consistently note that one slice is enough for two people), a thin foldable crust, and a focused menu of cheese and pepperoni without the extensive topping list of the other restaurants on this list. It's located beneath the Gatlinburg Space Needle in the arcade complex, which gives it a casual, grab-and-go character. Four local beers on tap round out the menu for adults. The hours — 11AM to 11PM most nights — make it the practical choice for a late dinner after a show, after the Parkway crowds have thinned, or when everyone in the group wants a quick slice rather than a sit-down meal. For value per bite, it's hard to beat.

Frequently asked questions

Which Gatlinburg pizza place is best for a late-night stop?

Slice Pizza Bakery — open until 11PM most nights, by-the-slice format, and no wait for a table. It's the right call after a dinner show, a late hike, or when the sit-down restaurants have closed or filled.

Which restaurant has the most creative pizza options?

Mellow Mushroom for the most unconventional topping combinations, and Big Daddy's Pizzeria for the best craft execution on specialty pies with quality ingredients. Best Italian is the right call for traditional New York-style customization.