Gluten Free in Gatlinburg Part 2

Hi guys! Welcome to Gluten Free in Gatlinburg Part 2. One of the awesome things about Gatlinburg is that there’s so much to do, you always feel like you have to come back for more! From hiking in the National Park to Anakeesta to Ober to Ripley’s attractions to putt putt to mountain coasters to shopping…there is sooo much to do! 

There’s also sooo much to eat! It can be hard to know where to look for safe, gluten free options. I’ve had good luck eating in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the past, but there’s so many restaurants, I knew there had to be more gluten free gems out there.   

We ended up going to as many places in close walking distance to our hotel, Margaritaville, as possible. We also went to places further down the Gatlinburg Parkway that were on our way to/from attractions when we were already in car. It can take a looooong time to drive down that Parkway when there is bad traffic, and there usually is!  

SPOILER ALERT! We didn’t make it to a steak house, AGAIN. I look forward to giving some a try when the kids are older and better behaved at restaurants. For now, close and casual works for us!

Did we eat healthy meals? Heck, no. Did I enjoy the gluten free options in Gatlinburg? Mostly, YES!

A GLUTEN FREE DINING SAFTEY REMINDER

Always be sure to tell the Server you want the gluten free (name of food item) and that you have a gluten allergy or celiacs. In my experience, “gluten allergy” seems more understood than celiacs, but we are getting there!

Also ask any questions you feel like you need to concerning cross contamination and your protection and verify when the food comes out that is the gluten free version.

If your food is fried, ask if it’s a gluten free fryer.

All of these restaurants understood gluten free and I did not get sick from any of them. But you are always eating at your own risk when there’s gluten in the kitchen.

With that said, these restaurant reviews are in chronological order—so come with me on my gluten free Gatlinburg journey in the Smokeys!

No Way Jose Cantina. Yes Way, All Day

Someone on my very own local Cinci gluten free Facebook group recommended this restaurant and I was super excited to try it!

I loooove authentic Mexican, so this was right up my alley. It’s also right next door to Margaritaville (our hotel), so definite bonus points for being able to walk. 

There’s a very cute and fun looking outdoor bar area that’s no kids allowed, so we ate in the rather tight indoor area with our kids. Or rather, we scarfed down our meals in about five minutes while the kids melted down and refused to eat anything. THEY ARE SO FUN!

No Way Jose’s menu is misleading as the guacamole and chips, as well as the nachos are labeled gluten free, but I checked with the Server who said that the chips do NOT go in a dedicated gluten free fryer. So those are literally off the table. I usually bring my own chips to Mexican restaurants at home, but I did not think to pack any on our trip.

A little disappointed but not to be deterred, I ordered the Jalisco Trio, which is an enchilada trifecta of shredded beef with ranchero sauce, shredded chicken with chile con queso, and shredded cheddar jack cheese and onion with enchilada sauce.

It was sooooooooo gooood, y’all. I wish I could do the whole meal over again right now despite my kids being absolute terrors. 

Truth be told, there are not many GF options on their menu. But do you really need a lot of options with three different enchiladas in one meal that are this delicious? I don’t. 

P.S. No Way Jose also has a Pigeon Forge location and their website says their salsas and sauces are prepared daily using only the freshest produce and spices.

Dollywood’s Iron Horse Pizza. I Love Dollywood but Horses Eat Better Than This

I put in our name in at Front Porch Cafe as I’ve heard that is the best place to go in Dollywood for food allergies. We also wanted to eat somewhere inside to get out of the rain and I’ve been dying to try their Hot Pimento Cheese Dip with pork rinds for dipping. However, Front Porch Cafe had a 45-50 minute wait (plan ahead and put your name in early!), so we got pizza at Iron Horse Pizza instead.

My Iron Horse Pizza was also vegan and maybe I’m not used to vegan cheese and pepperoni, but the gluten free crust was also some of the worst I’ve ever had.

I then attempted to get a hot dog from Dollywood’s Dogs N Taters…

I had read on Dollywood’s gluten free Facebook page that Dogs N Taters had gluten free hot dog buns.  After my not-very-good-pizza, I decided to go try a hot dog.

After asking if they could change gloves for my order and watching the gluten-filled kitchen environment with rapidly increasing nervousness, a worker came out and told me that there’s so much cross contamination present that there’s no way for them to be sure that any of the hot dogs haven’t been touched by gluten.

Without hesitation I said no thanks then, and asked for a refund. I then waited some more for a manager to come and refund my order. FUN STUFF!

Dollywood Could Definitely Do A LOT Better with Gluten Free

Have I been spoiled by the gluten free options at Disney and even King’s Island? Absolutely! I may have set the bar too high for Dollywood. They have a long way to go if they want to come close to the gluten free offerings of their competitors.

Gatlinburg Margaritaville’s Landshark Restaurant. Landshark?! Try Beached Whale

As hinted in my subtitle, I consumed about a week’s worth of calories during this meal. But I enjoyed every second of it! Hey, I felt like I deserved it after eating the worst pizza ever at Dollywood for lunch that day.

I’ve had the nachos at Landshark before, and as I’ve said in my first Gatlinburg post (which also features some Pigeon Forge restaurants), I think the nachos at Pigeon Forge’s Landshark are better. The Gatlinburg Landshark nachos are still very good though and I definitely wouldn’t pass them up.

We also got Beach Fries for the table, but mostly for me, and it was my first time having these. Beach Fries are fries with white queso, mixed cheese, bacon, sour cream, scallions, and ranch dressing. They were sinfully delicious.

The Beach Fries was the 2nd best thing I ate on this whole trip. I have such an appreciation for gluten free fried food as it’s so hard to find, and even more difficult for me since our local Quaker Steak shut down. 

Are You Ready for the BEST THING I ATE THIS WHOLE TRIP?!

It was gluten free Peanut Butter Pie from Landshark! Omg, this is the best dessert I’ve had in a long time. It was also such a pleasant surprise as the Server first let me down by saying they were out of gluten free Key Lime Pie, and then almost as an afterthought said “Hey, we do have gluten free Peanut Butter Pie.”

It was PERFECT. I also stopped in the next night after our dinner at Gatlinburg Brewing Company (see below), across the street, to get another piece of pie. 

I took a picture of the gluten free menu at Landshark as I didn’t see it on their website when I was preparing for the trip. I apologize for the picture quality, it was laminated and I couldn’t get a good angle without a glare.

Smokey Mountain Brewery. Maybe Next Time I’ll Reach New Heights

This was another recommendation I got off Facebook, this time from Louisville’s gluten free Facebook group! I was immediately drawn to it for the large variety of yummy sounding gluten free options. It also seemed family friendly and a good casual lunch option.  

Unfortunately, they DID NOT have a gluten free beer. I tried a local gluten free cider which was alright, I’m not the biggest cider fan unless they are really, REALLY good.

We got the Sausage and Cheese Platter for an appetizer. It came complete with a gluten free bun, sliced summer sausage, sharp cheddar, pepper jack, pimento cheese, spicy pickles, banana peppers, and spicy mustard. Everyone seemed to enjoy this and the pickles and cheese kept the kids from eating through my purse snacks during the short wait. Ripley’s Aquarium had made them hungry!

I got the Thunder Road Burger with blue cheese, bacon, and sweet & spicy sauce. I left feeling like maybe I had ordered the wrong entree. The bun was pretty hard and the burger wasn’t very flavorful. I did, however, enjoy the Honey Mustard Potato Salad.

If we went again, I’d probably try the pizza. My husband said his pizza was good, though he did get a gluten one. 

I will say that the staff seemed knowledgeable about gluten free and very friendly. Smokey Mountain Brewery also has locations in Turkey Creek, Maryville, & Pigeon Forge as well. Check out their menu here. 

Gatlinburg Brewing Company. Our 2nd Brewery In One Day & Our Server’s Mom Has Celiacs!

Walking in, the atmosphere of Gatlinburg Brewing Company was interesting. It’s like a sparse hard rocker family vibe. Kinda like if Barb from Trolls opened up a pizza joint/brewery. The restaurant is a circular room with big windows overlooking the Parkway—perfect for people watching and taking in Gatlinburg’s most bustling street. 

When asking the Server about the safety of the gluten free food and cross contamination, he said though he couldn’t make any guarantees due to serving both gluten and gluten free pizzas, but they do take cross contamination seriously. He then said his mom with celiacs eats their pizza without a problem. Sold! 

I ordered a gluten free cauliflower pizza with bacon, garlic, and mushroom. It was just how I like it—thin and crispy with lots of toppings. I definitely recommend getting their house-made marinara as well. They also have a gluten free white sauce. Most of their pizza toppings are GF with a few exceptions. 

Like Smokey Mountain Brewery, where we were earlier that day, Gatlinburg Brewing also didn’t have any gluten free beer. They did have a pear cider I really enjoy though—ACE Perry Craft Cider.  

Basically, their only GF options are pizza, but feel free to have a peek at their menu here. 

Flap Jacks. They Can Make Any Pancake GF, But Will You Like the Texture?

We usually go to Sawyer’s Farmhouse Breakfast in Pigeon Forge on our way out of the area at the end of our trip. Though I love Sawyer’s, I was eager to try something new for breakfast so we would know of a good gluten free breakfast option in Gatlinburg as well. 

We went to the location that’s right near the entrance of Gatlinburg, between the forest and everything else. It has large windows overlooking a picturesque wilderness view. 

The Server said that all of their pancakes and waffles can be made gluten free and they try to keep gluten and gluten free things as separate as possible. However, they do make pancakes from scratch, so there is flour floating around. Eat at your own risk. Encouraged by good gluten free reviews of Flap Jacks, I risked it, and was just fine.

Since cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things in all the world, I immediately picked the Sticky Bun Pancakes—cinnamon swirled pancakes, topped with pecans and cream cheese icing. It was also indicated as being one of “Flapjack’s Favorites” on the menu. I also got a side of eggs as this girl needs her protein in the morning. 

The Sticky Bun Pancakes were ultra-sugary sweet. I hate to say this, but I found the texture of the pancakes to be a little gummy. They came out of the kitchen SUPER hot though and the gumminess seemed to somewhat subside as the pancakes cooled. It’s a lot food.

Flap Jacks has a total of seven locations and it appears that they all have the same menu. 

Want to Learn About EVEN MORE GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS in Gatlinburg as Well as Gluten Free in Pigeon Forge?!

Check out my first gluten free Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area post for even more awesome eats. 

There’s More Where This Came From

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I hope you eat something great today!