Local Goat is a Pigeon Forge lunch and dinner restaurant serving a New American menu featuring creative flavors and fresh, locally sourced ingredients with sustainable practices in mind. You’ll find the typical Southern American classics you’d expect on the menu, such as burgers, steaks, meatloaf, fried green tomatoes and grits. But each of these recipes has an inventive, bold twist that takes those familiar classics up a few notches. And the range of the menu enlarges the southern cooking to include some worldly items.
Image courtesy of Local Goat
The Local Goat scratch-made kitchen isn’t afraid to play with flavor, and it typically wins – winning also with local ingredients. Ninety-nine percent of the menu items are made completely in-house, using locally sourced produce, high-quality grass-fed beef, and local craft beers and wines. The fried green tomatoes here are sourced from Grainger County (well known locally for its prolific, tasty tomatoes), and they’re served with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and bacon jam. Some visitors have slapped a new label on the Local Goat’s menu offerings: “craft food”, to accompany the craft beer and wine they serve. Every down-home classic seems to have a brilliant modern twist.
Even the art on the wall is made by local artisans – adding to the atmosphere of the restaurant. Local Goat isn’t spectacular from the outside, looking a bit like a ho-hum strip mall restaurant, but that’s where the similarities end. In fact, the impressively crowded parking lot should tip you off that this is a highly popular place. Local Goat is a locals favorite for its excellent food, and as it’s become better known to visitors, it can be quite full. It’s a good idea to call ahead for a reservation, and Local Goat actually requires reservations for parties larger than 8, so keep that in mind if you’re visiting with a crowd.
Inside the restaurant you’ll find a clean and cozy atmosphere, friendly and professional service, and the aromas of excellent food wafting through the room. All breads and desserts are made from scratch in the kitchen daily, and beef for the burgers is ground each day. Of the 24 craft beers on the menu, 22 are local to the Pigeon Forge area – and you’ll find an excellent wine list from local vineyards and around the world.
Attire is casual and kids are welcome. The lounge area has large HDTVs for watching the game, but the dining area doesn’t typically get as noisy and chaotic as the typical sports bar – so if you’re heading out for a casual date or a family dinner, you can expect a good atmosphere.
The menu also includes dips, wings, fondue, peppers and fabulous Deep-Fried Deviled Eggs (!) in the starters arena. There are some great salads (including Mediterranean), with protein additions for the salads ranging from grilled salmon and seared tuna to steak and other meats. There’s a bisque and a soup of the day worth asking about.
Entrees include fish and chips, steaks, ribs, bison meatloaf, pork chops, shrimp, salmon, teriyaki, chicken, and pastas – all of which come with their own compelling flavorings. There are lots of different burgers and hot sandwiches, with ingredients ranging from lamb and feta, portobello and goat cheese, and fried bananas, to beef and bacon, chicken, Ahi tuna and a vegetarian meatless.
There are only a few vegetarian meals on the menu, but everything is tasty – the sides are all delicious and the desserts are wonderful. There are plenty of soft beverages. This is a dine-in restaurant, with nothing available to-go. Happy hour happens every day from 3-6pm, with discounts on draft beers and wines by the glass.
Local Goat is located right off the Parkway in north Pigeon Forge, less than 1/4 mile south of the Tanger Outlets. If you want to beat the crowds, visit during non-peak times or make reservations in advance. The parking situation in particular can get a bit sticky at dinnertime.
Useful Information
Local Goat – New American Restaurant
2167 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Tel: (865) 366-3035
Web: localgoatpf.com
Hours: Daily, 11am – 10pm
