Best Breakfast & Brunch in Myrtle Beach

The Grand Strand wakes up hungry. Pancake houses outnumber almost every other restaurant type, seafood-for-breakfast is a legitimate move, and the brunch scene has expanded from basic buffets to creative, locally-owned spots.

Pancake Houses

Johnny D’s Waffles & Benedicts (multiple locations) — The most creative breakfast on the Grand Strand. Red velvet waffles, crab cake Benedict, and stuffed French toast. Lines on weekends — go before 9 AM.

Best Breakfast & Brunch in Nashville

Nashville does breakfast like a religion — biscuits are sacrament, hot chicken at 8 AM is perfectly acceptable, and the line at Pancake Pantry is a rite of passage.

Biscuit Love — The Gulch

The bonuts (biscuit donuts) are the signature, but the East Nasty (a biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, cheddar, and gravy) is the reason people come back. Located in the Gulch neighborhood. Open daily for breakfast and lunch. Expect a 20-45 minute wait on weekends — put your name in and walk around the Gulch.

Best Breakfast in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg may have more pancake houses per capita than any town in America. The competition has been fierce for decades, and the result is some genuinely excellent breakfast cooking — plus a growing specialty coffee scene for the caffeine-first crowd.

Pancake Houses

Pancake Pantry — The original (since 1960) and still the best. 24 varieties of pancakes. The Austrian apple-walnut and the sweet potato pancakes are signatures. The line wraps around the building on weekends. Cash or check only.

Best Restaurants in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg is a pancake town. There are more pancake houses per capita here than anywhere in America — and some of them are genuinely great. Beyond the pancakes, the Smokies have excellent BBQ, mountain trout, and a growing craft food scene.

Pancake Houses

Pancake Pantry — The original and the best. Open since 1960. 24 varieties of pancakes including Austrian apple-walnut, sweet potato, and Caribbean. The line wraps around the building on weekends but moves fast. Cash or check only (yes, really).

Best Restaurants in Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge’s restaurant scene runs along the Parkway — a 5-mile strip of pancake houses, family buffets, and dinner shows. Mixed in with the chains are some genuinely good local spots.

Dollywood Dining

Aunt Granny’s (Dollywood) — All-you-can-eat buffet inside the park. Southern comfort food — fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cornbread. One of the best values in the park.

Grist Mill Cinnamon Bread (Dollywood) — Not a restaurant, but the cinnamon bread from the Grist Mill is Dollywood’s most famous food item. The line is always long. Get it.