Smith & Son Corner Kitchen is an American fare lunch and dinner restaurant in Gatlinburg with a bar upstairs serving signature cocktails. The food is excellent, and hearty, with a large menu selection. This restaurant really is on the corner, at the intersection of Historic Nature Trail (Airport Rd.) and Parkway, at Light #8 – you’ll spot a great Selfie Wall on each side, painted by a local artist, and with a black bear and “Gatlinburg” motif.
Award-winning “The Italian Job” hamburger, image courtesy of Smith & Son Corner Kitchen
The Corner Kitchen is a perfect place to get out of the bustle of the street and dive into a meal of fresh catfish, ribs or sizzling fajitas, and many more – the menu is extensive enough to please everyone.
The Menu
Start with quesadillas, spinach-artichoke dip, or a lovely, chopped salad. Grab a French Dip sandwich or an Ole Fashioned Reuben. This is down home food with an Appalachian flair, and lots of influences. Tuck into smoke meatloaf or a fried shrimp platter with all of the sides that you are looking for. When it comes to sandwiches, burgers and other comforting entrees, Smith & Son has you covered. If you’re looking for something really substantial, consider the chicken fried steak or the Half Smoked Yard Bird, which is chicken that has been slow smoked with a signature Corner Kitchen rub.
Burgers
And before you choose your entrée, check out the hamburgers at the Corner Kitchen. In Gatlinburg’s annual contest for best burger – an event known of course as GatlinBURGER Week – Smith & Son took first place in 2020 and 2nd place in 2021. The contest features numerous local restaurants, frequently with an off-menu creation.
The winner in 2020 which earned Smith & Son Corner Kitchen the title of GatlinBURGER Burgermeister was the unusual and totally incredible “Italian Job”, described by the kitchen as:
Two Prime Brisket blend patties, topped with creamy melted gruyere. Accented with caramelized onions, thin crispy pastrami wedges, and mouthwatering dill pickles. This flavorful burger was finished off with a roasted red pepper garlic aioli. And served on a perfectly toasted sweet brioche bun.
For 2021, chef Michael Tucker went a little south of the border with “The Gatlin Gunslinger” – a half-pound ground beef and chorizo burger. The meat is topped with Gouda, fried egg and pico de gallo. A smattering of ghost peppers and Ole Smoky Mango Habanero Whisky sauce with chipotle ranch was the finishing relish.
Drinks
Start your Smith & Son Corner Restaurant experience with a cocktail from the upstairs sports bar. The drinks menu features a wide range of selections. Unique cocktails, like the Miss Kennedy, Hillbilly Hurricane or the White Trash will give you a taste of the hills. Each drink is handcrafted by a bar staff who want you to enjoy your stay. This is a useful place to unwind after a long day or to enjoy the weekend with friends. If you’ve celebrated too hard, try the Sunday Funday hangover cure cocktail.
Final Touches
No meal is complete without dessert. Ask what the cheesecake selection of the day is. If cheesecake is not what you are looking for, try homemade chocolate cake with chocolate mousse or scratch-made banana pudding with real vanilla flavoring. Each dessert aims to satisfy that sweet tooth. Follow that with coffee to complete the meal.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Smith & Son Corner Kitchen
812 Parkway Ste 105, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 430-1978
Web: smithandsoncornerkitchen.com and Facebook
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-9pm // Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
