There is no one definition of breakfast in the NC Smoky Mountains. For some, it’s an old-fashioned breakfast feast piled high with country goodness at a no-frills diner, for others it’s the bite of an inky espresso accompanied by a flaky pastry, and for others, it’s breakfast elevated to the status of fine dining. Here is your guide to finding what breakfast means to you.
Our Top Five Places to Grab Breakfast in the Smokies
Bent Willow Bakeshop
Bent Willow Bakeshop in Franklin tops our list of favorite breakfast spots in the Smokies. Start with your beverage from a seemingly endless list of options and flavors. How about a Macchiato with house-made Lavender Elderberry Syrup or a London Fog with earl grey tea, steamed milk, and house-made vanilla syrup? The Mushroom Hero is a magical blend of 7 medicinal mushrooms, maca and cacao, sweetened with maple syrup and served iced or hot with milk.
And we’re just warming up. Next, choose Blueberry + Chevre Scones, fluffy, pillowy cinnamon rolls, or lemon poppyseed muffins. Their buttery, flaky croissants literally melt in your mouth with each bite. Their smoked ham + gouda croissant will live in your dreams, and their quiche with mushrooms, Swiss, and kale will bring you back again and again. Grab a fresh loaf of Tomato + Basil Focaccia on your way out, or better yet, learn to make it yourself in one of their bread classes.
Sunday Diner
When you’re craving an omelet, head over to the Sunday Diner in Clayton, GA, where every meal feels like Sunday Dinner. Their Meatsa Omelet is stuffed with ham, bacon, sausage cheddar cheese, and their Mediterranean is an explosion of tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and feta cheese. The Country fried steak with white gravy, 2 eggs, any style is a local favorite. Don’t leave without trying a side of Fried Apples! Their philosophy is “Simple. Southern. Good.” When your food is as good as this, you don’t need to say anything else.
Sunset Restaurant
Connoisseurs of the traditional, classic mountain breakfast will find everything they are craving at the Sunset Restaurant, Franklin’s oldest eating establishment. Family-owned since 1955, this landmark has been serving up southern breakfasts like French Toast with Country Ham in a warm, comforting setting. You’ll feel the love that went into making your breakfast every time, because here you’re family.
Julie’s Place
Murphy’s own Julie’s Place is the place to go for some of the best Buttermilk Pancakes that will ever cross your lips. Grilled to the perfect golden-brown, these breakfast stars only get better with some pecans blended in. (You can also choose chocolate chips or blueberries.) You’ve heard of Chicken and Waffles, but Julie’s Place takes it one further with their Chicken and Pancakes. They start with their famous buttermilk pancakes, pile them high with 2 hand-breaded, deep-fried chicken tenders, and serve them up with 2 eggs and grits or home fries.
Fryemont Inn
For a little history with your breakfast, dine at the Fryemont Inn in Bryson City. Dating back to 1923, this bark-covered hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Breakfast is included in your room rate, but visitors are also welcome to say good morning with a simple cup of coffee and the Breakfast Express with scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, and a biscuit. For other quick bites to start your day, order a 3-egg omelet, French toast or buttermilk pancakes.
Honorable Mentions
You’ll find yourself sitting up a little straighter in the Everett Street Diner in Bryson City, where “Food is enjoyed, Family is cherished, and Faith is immutable.” They offer 2 “benedicts” daily, both served with their sausage gravy instead of the “fancy, flatlander sauces.” For a breakfast that will keep you full until dinner, order the Steak & Eggs with a tender ribeye, 2 eggs, creamy grits, and a fluffy dinner biscuit.
Insider Tip: Don’t show up at 11:01 am expecting breakfast, because they stop serving it at 11:00 am sharp, so don’t even ask!
At Southern Gals Country Cooking in Robbinsville, they don’t mess around. The “Panwich” is ham or sausage with cheese between 2 pancakes smothered with butter and syrup. No one said delicious has to be healthy!
If you’re lucky enough to get a table at The Buttered Biscuit in Waynesville, you’ve just bought yourself a ticket to Paradise. Their credo is “Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy.” They start with homemade biscuits, rolled out in the early morning hours and served with fried baloney, country-fried steak or whatever your preference is. Order the “City Slicker” with sausage and blueberry waffles or the “Country Folk,” featuring country ham and biscuits and gravy.
You can’t talk about the best breakfast spots in the Smoky Mountains without mentioning Peter’s Pancakes & Waffles in Cherokee. Serving breakfast and lunch in a traditional diner setting, Peter’s draws a crowd of diners. But the wait-time for a seat in this rooster-themed brunch spot is totally worth it for “A Breakfast to Crow About,” as they like to say. Everything on the menu is good here, but their corned-beef hash is one of the best you’ll ever have.
In Franklin, the 828 Café focuses on organic, sustainable ingredients with a Latin touch. Treat yourself to the Farm Fresh Bowl of 2 eggs any style, house potatoes, bacon, pressed avocado, Pico de Gallo, and cheddar jack cheese. Or opt for the Mexican Bowl featuring chorizo, black beans, sour cream, house-roasted salsa, and fresco cheese. Craving something sweet? Their Guava French Toast boasts thick Challah bread, guava syrup, powdered sugar, and butter. Yum!
At first, you may not know what to make of this basement-level hole-in-the-wall, but Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub in Franklin manages to serve up some of the best coffee drinks and craft beers in the area without compromising either one. Try their homemade quiches, scones, cheese bread, and muffins for the perfect beginning to your day.
Featured image: Bent Willow Bakeshop