Top 5 Places for Fresh and Delicious Salads in Gatlinburg
Published Jan 27, 2025
Gatlinburg's restaurant scene skews toward barbecue, steaks, and Southern comfort food — which is exactly what most visitors come for. But every one of these restaurants also has a salad program worth knowing about, from The Peddler's legendary all-you-can-eat salad bar to Cherokee Grill's seared ahi tuna on Asian slaw. Whether you want a full entree salad or a side worth building a meal around, these five deliver.
1. The Peddler Steakhouse
The Peddler's salad bar is one of those things that Gatlinburg regulars cite specifically — not as a side to the steak, but as a destination in its own right. Set up around a rustic wooden bar, it offers an unusually wide range of fresh-cut vegetables, fruits, cheeses, house-made dressings, and premium additions including steamed oysters. The bar is all-you-can-eat, included with entrees or available as a standalone meal. It's the most reliably good salad option in Gatlinburg because the ingredients are genuinely fresh and the selection is broad enough to build something different on each pass.
The setting adds to the experience — a bluff above the Little Pigeon River, with the creek audible through the windows. The Peddler is one of Gatlinburg's most beloved restaurants overall; arriving with a reservation (required for parties of four or fewer online, by phone for larger groups) and planning enough time to fully work through the salad bar is the right approach.
2. Smith & Son Corner Kitchen
Smith & Son Corner Kitchen sits at the corner of Airport Road and the Gatlinburg Parkway — easy to find, centrally located, and serving a comfort food menu that covers a wider range than the location might suggest. The salad program is a genuine strength: the taco salad features seasoned ground beef, avocado, and pickled jalapeños in a format that works as a full meal; the strawberry chicken salad offers fried or grilled chicken with crunchy tortilla strips; and the Cobb salad is the hearty version with smoked turkey, grilled chicken, and bacon.
The restaurant has a bar-forward exterior that understates what's inside — a broad menu, reliable execution, and the kind of casual atmosphere that makes it work for both a quick lunch and a more extended evening meal. No reservation typically needed, though weekend evenings can fill.
3. Calhoun's
Calhoun's is Gatlinburg's Tennessee BBQ benchmark — hickory-smoked ribs, pulled pork, and award-winning sauces — but the salad menu is more developed than you'd expect from a barbecue-first restaurant. The oriental chicken salad layers teriyaki chicken with pineapple for a savory-sweet combination that works particularly well in summer. The smokehouse salad is the protein-forward option, stacking country ham, chicken, and bacon on crisp greens. The Turkey Creek salad takes a lighter approach with romaine, spinach, turkey, berries, and pecans.
Calhoun's doesn't take traditional advance reservations but offers call-ahead seating — phone in when you're leaving the cabin and they'll put your name near the front of the queue. Worth the two-minute call on busy evenings; the waits without it can be significant.
4. Cherokee Grill
Cherokee Grill is the best option on this list for seafood-forward salads. The seared ahi tuna salad — tuna on mixed greens with Asian slaw — is the standout, the kind of preparation you wouldn't necessarily expect to find executed this well in Gatlinburg. The seafood salad tops lettuce with crab and shrimp for a more traditional approach. For land-based options, filet mignon and grilled chicken both appear as salad proteins. The mountain lodge dining room, with its warm wood-and-stone interior, makes every meal feel like a special occasion even when you're just stopping in for lunch.
Cherokee Grill sits directly across from the Ober Gatlinburg tram base on the Parkway — easy to combine with a morning on the mountain before or after. Reservations available by phone or website; recommended for weekend dinners.
5. Smoky Mountain Brewery
Smoky Mountain Brewery has been a Gatlinburg institution since the mid-1990s — a lodge-style building behind Calhoun's Village, known for its craft beers and a broader food menu than the pub format might suggest. The salad program runs to several options: build-your-own combinations with steak, chicken, shrimp, or chicken salad added to a Caesar or house base; a portobello mushroom salad with garlic-roasted tomatoes and banana peppers; and the Brewmaster's Club salad for a heartier option. The beer pairing angle is genuine — the servers know the draft lineup well enough to make a real recommendation for whichever salad you order.
Smoky Mountain Brewery is the most casual of the five restaurants here — no reservation needed, walk-in friendly, and appropriate for the full range of ages. It's the right call when you want good food in a relaxed environment with a craft beer alongside. The brewery has been a local regular's choice for over two decades, which says something about the consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Gatlinburg restaurant has the best salad bar?
The Peddler Steakhouse — the all-you-can-eat salad bar is its own destination, with fresh vegetables, fruit, cheeses, multiple house-made dressings, and premium additions including steamed oysters. It's included with entrees or available as a standalone meal.
Which restaurant is best for a seafood salad in Gatlinburg?
Cherokee Grill — the seared ahi tuna salad on mixed greens and Asian slaw is the standout, alongside a seafood salad with crab and shrimp. Both are better than you'd expect to find in a mountain town of this size.
Do these restaurants require reservations?
The Peddler and Cherokee Grill both take reservations and are worth booking in advance for weekend evenings. Calhoun's offers call-ahead seating by phone. Smith & Son Corner Kitchen and Smoky Mountain Brewery are walk-in friendly with no reservation needed, though peak times can have waits.
Where should I stay near these Gatlinburg restaurants?
All five restaurants are on or near the Gatlinburg Parkway — a Gatlinburg cabin puts you within 10–20 minutes of all of them. The Gatlinburg Trolley also stops near most Parkway restaurants, making it easy to dine without worrying about parking.
