What a find. This is good food. My eggplant Parm was so tasty. The fried mushrooms were delicious. The garlic knots? Disappointment! Dry and lacking. Order sauce with them. Our server only was nice and smiley at the end of our visit.
We have been coming to the mountain for several years and every time we visit, we make it a point to dine here.
It's still excellent. We're ordered the artichoke bake as our appetizer and a veggie supreme as our main. Both tastes great.
Service was warm and friendly. We had our two dogs and were able to enjoy our meal out on the riverside patio with a refreshing breeze. They even brought our pups fresh, cold water.
This is a hidden gem of the local area. A MUST TRY!
The food portions are large! I recommend using the buddy system and sharing an entree. The main dishes come with buttery garlic bread knots soft and fluffy on the inside. We had the eggplant parmesan, and it was a mountain of food, we planned to split it, and we still had extra we couldn't finish. We finished with a fresh made slice of carrot cake! We ogled the neighboring tables' dishes, and we wanted to try it all! We sat outside by the creek in the shade. It was a perfect late evening dinner spot to relax after a hot day.
We dined here on the 25th of August 2023.
The service personnel were nice and attentive.
We shared a large pizza, which was more than enough for the two of us. We could have gotten full by sharing a smaller size than we ordered.
We thought the pizza tasted really well but could have had a more flavourful tomato sauce.
Make sure to taste the garlic knots - wonderful!
They have a small but satisfying wine list.
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Best Italian Cafe & Pizzeria shares the outdoor seating area with Howard's. We loved our Howard's experience earlier in the week, and had a craving for pizza this particular evening, we decided to try it.
Little did we know but we had eaten here before, when we'd come to Gatlinburg with our children. We didn't know, then, that they had an outdoor seating area. Plus, the restaurant sits in the back of Elks Plaza, nowhere near Howard's that sits right on the Parkway. No way you would think they shared the patio. This time we did and asked to be seated there. The inside of the restaurant was crowded with families and lots of children. Everyone seemed so happy. Outside, we were at one of only three patio tables that were in use. The sound of the LeConte Creek tumbling over the rocks next to our table was the only sound reaching our ears as we ordered our meal.
The Best Signature Garlic Rolls called to me as well as The Best Deluxe Pizza, and, of course, my husband agreed with my choices. In reality, we struggled with choosing what we wanted. Everything on the menu sounded delicious. It was the names "The Best..." that lead to our final decision. We were happy with that decision. The garlic rolls were SO GOOD; the perfect combination of light, doughy, crispy, with butter, oil and garlic. If it weren't for having ordered pizza, too, we could have eaten all of them. Instead we took a couple back to the chalet for later enjoyment.
The pizza was thin, crispy, not overly cheesy or "sauce-y" with a great combination of vegetables and meats. We ALMOST finished the whole thing, but didn't want to feel too full as we walked around town, so we opted to "doggy bag" out the last few pieces along with the garlic rolls.
This will be on our list of future Gatlinburg dining locations.
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We didn't know that it was Fall break for the school kids in the area the first 2 weeks in October!! All the restaurants in Gatlinburg were lined up around the buildings. Geez, we were hungry!!
Walking down in Gatlinburg we walked through a little plaza low and behold food! No lines and opened at 11am. It was 11am on our watch. When we opened the door one of the girls said they were not open yet. We backed out then another woman said, "Come on in!"
Glad we did. The food was good looking, tasty and hit the spot. I got a calzone with chicken. My parents got an artichoke dip with pita bread and fried mushrooms. They enjoyed it too. See photos.
As I looked around the place there were 2 other couples and us. A hidden treasure. No lines. No big crowds just what I like!! Lol. Plus they were playing 80's music.
Our server, Jordan, was knowledgeable about the menu for only working there a month.
The owner Clayton came over to make sure the food was satisfactory and if we had any questions. My parents talked to him awhile. My mom who is a science teacher and a cook/baker had a conversation with Clayton about food. Lol.
My calzone was huge! I had to take it with me. Not what I was expecting. Too big for me. Lots of cheese maybe too much cheese. I had to search for the chicken. It was good. Clayton said he is going to make a smaller one with less cheese and more chicken (or whatever your protein choice is). I wonder if he will ship that to Pittsburgh?!
Best of luck to you Clayton on your business and being a daddy to your son. A wonderful gift from God.
Jordan, I hope your dream comes true of having a Cajun Cafe in Gatlinburg. Keep moving forward and it will happen for you.
We didn't try the pizza but it did looked good maybe next time.
Allan “Keep Life Simple” Sensenich
+5
Best Italian cafe is off the main road. But really fantastic Pizza 🍕🍕🍕. We had a pepperoni pizza and a glass of wine. Service and food were excellent. Dogs ate the leftovers.
Went in on a Saturday afternoon without reservation, got a table for 4 without waiting.
Ordered the artichoke bake, it tasted different and great. We ordered a marinara chicken pasta but substituted marinara with pesto. It tasted great, light, simple, perfectly cooked chicken and sauteed veggies. Their signature garlic rolls are okay.
Nice place overall.
This place has had absolutely amazing food every time me and my wife have been here. The first visit we ever had the lady running the bar kinda seemed like a jerk, but at the same time everyone else went above and beyond. I was waiting on food to go and everybody made sure I was 100% comfortable and satisfied while I waited and I added things to my order after I had already waited and paid for the initial order and they were so nice and amazing.
The 2nd visit they even walked our food to our vehicle to us, everybody has always been super amazing (excluding the one lady that runs the bar sometimes) and the food has always been amazing.
I highly highly reccomend!
The restaurant has a calming atmosphere, creating a welcoming environment. The dishes were not only flavorful but generously portioned, making it a delightful dining experience that I would recommend to others seeking both relaxation and delicious food. Hollywood Epic Pictures took great photos of us as well.
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