Category: Uncategorized

Written by: Emily Huffstetler

Scouting out vegetarian options in the American South can feel like an Olympic sport. Even a simple bowl of grits might hide sausage, and house salads often come topped with bacon by default. When you’re on a family vacation, the last thing you want is to be that person holding up dinner plans. So we’ve done the legwork for you. Here are our favorite spots for vegetarian-friendly dining on the Peaceful Side. 

Best Fine Dining: Foothills Milling Co. 

This is hands down the most vegetarian-friendly fine dining option on the Peaceful Side. Foothills Milling Co. offers a dedicated vegetarian menu, with creative, elevated dishes that don’t treat vegetables as an afterthought. 

Vegetarian Entrées Include: 

• Tempura Fried Vegetables (Vegan): Tempura-fried asparagus, green beans and sesame-roasted mushrooms over scallion jasmine rice, with sweet Thai chili sauce and baby green beans. 

• Orechiette Mushroom: Orecchiette pasta tossed with basil pesto, wild mushrooms and roasted tomatoes, topped with shaved parmesan. 

• Pasta Primavera (Vegan): Broccolini, baby portabellas, sun-dried tomatoes, heirloom carrots and asparagus in a tomato basil sauce with orecchiette pasta. 

612 Sevierville Rd, Maryville, TN 37804 

Best Budget Bite: Southland Books & Café 

More than just a bookstore and community hub, Southland Café has one of the most expansive vegetarian menus in town—at prices that make you feel like you’ve time-traveled to 2010. 

Highlights Include: 

• Davinci: Pimiento cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato on toasted bread 

• Dalai Lama: Hummus, black olives, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and feta in a wrap 

• Isaac Newton: Hummus, black beans, mushrooms, bell pepper and lettuce in a wrap 

• Thomas Edison: Pimiento cheese, cucumber, Swiss, tomato and lettuce in a wrap 

Chickpea salad sandwiches, tofu sandwiches, vegan BLTs and classic egg sandwiches round out a menu full of comforting options. 

1505 E Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN 37804 

More Great Vegetarian-Friendly Stops 

Peaceful Side Social 

A modern space with a dedicated dietary restrictions menu. 

• Power Bowl: Quinoa, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, half an avocado, lemon vinaigrette 

• Peaceful Garden Salad 

• Truffle Fries: Tossed in truffle oil and parmesan (note: made in shared fryer) 

7967 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Townsend, TN 37882 

Bella 

Upscale Italian spot with lots of veg options (menu changes by time of day). 

• Beet Salad: Mixed greens, poached pear, roasted red beets, candied almonds, citrus vinaigrette 

• Mushroom Rigatoni, Penne al Pomodoro, Fettuccine Alfredo and Crispy Ricotta Ravioli 

• Brunch standouts: Lemon Mascarpone Pancakes, Caprese Frittata 

121 West Broadway Avenue, Maryville, TN 37801 

Maryville Corner Market & Cafe 

A cozy café known for its creative, locally-sourced dishes. 

• Veggie Wrap: Seasonal vegetables sautéed and topped with feta and spinach 

• Pimento Cheese Scoop Salad: Served over greens with fruit and veggies 

• Whipped Ricotta with Lime Thyme Honey: Served with organic veggies 

800 Montvale Rd, Maryville, TN Maryville, TN 37803 

Blackhorse Pub & Brewery 

Casual spot with several veggie-friendly pub fare options. 

• Field Burger: Plant-based patty on a multigrain bun 

• Spinach Parmesan Flatbread 

• Appetizers: Black Bean Hummus, Crispy Brussels and more 

441 N Hall Rd, Alcoa, TN 37701 

Petro’s Chili & Chips 

Quick, customizable and surprisingly vegetarian-friendly. 

Vegetarian Chili: Beans, rice, cheese, chips and toppings 

1427 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37801 

Vienna Coffee Company 

Great for breakfast or lunch with a side of local charm. 

• Crustless Quiche: Spinach, tomato, feta 

• Egg & Cheese Biscuit 

• Hummus and Veggie Wrap 

• Grilled Cheese 

212 College St, Maryville, TN 37804 

Asia Café Xpress 

Local Asian fast food with classic vegetarian entrées. 

Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles and Vegetable Hibachi 

2025 Bridgeway Dr, Maryville, TN 37801 

Jaboni’s Pizzeria 

Pizzeria with standout vegetarian pies. 

Margherita Special, Grande White and The Dillenger (topped with dill pickles and ranch drizzle) 

549 Foothills Plz, Maryville, TN 37801 

Smoky Mountain Brewery 

A reliable choice with hearty vegetarian mains and sides. 

Veggie Philly, Plant-Based Burger, Stuffed Shells, Veggie Pizza or Calzone 

743 Watkins Rd, Maryville, TN 37801 

Subs & Such 

Old-school sub shop with a solid salad bar. 

Veggie Sandwich, All-You-Can-Eat Soup & Salad Bar 

248 S Calderwood St, Alcoa, TN 37701 

The Soup Kitchen 

Offers at least one vegetarian soup daily, like Tomato Rice and Hearty Vegetable 

245 S Calderwood St, Alcoa, TN 37701 

REO Cheesewagon 

Comfort food with nostalgic flair. 

• Caprese, Pimiento Cheese and other grilled sandwiches 

• Sides include Mac & Cheese and Cheese Curds 

429 W Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN, 37801 

Lemon Grass 

Asian cuisine with dedicated vegan dishes. 

• Vegan Mix Veg in Brown Sauce 

• Vegan Eggplant with Basil 

• Broccoli & Mushroom with Tofu 

• Vegan Fried Rice 

912 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37801 

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Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and passionate storyteller of the Greater Smokies region.   

Written by: Emily Huffstetler 

Cades Cove is one of the Smokies’ most familiar landscapes, but its wetlands receive far less attention.  

Across the valley, water collects in several kinds of wetlands, including a seven-acre rush marsh, low-lying areas near Sparks Lane and the forested Gum Swamp.^1,2 It may fill natural depressions, spread across the forest floor or disappear beneath tall vegetation.

Wetlands don’t need to stay flooded throughout the year. Some hold shallow water during rainy periods, then look grassy or dry as the water level drops. Even after the surface water recedes, wetland soils and plants remain. 

Where to Find Wetlands in Cades Cove 

Sparks Lane offers a good place to start. Listen for frogs and check the low ground near the road, where tall vegetation may conceal shallow or seasonal water.¹ 

Rushes and sedges can mark wetter ground after visible water disappears. A shallow depression may also hold water without forming a permanent pond or clear shoreline. Spring rain can cover ground that looks dry by late summer, so the same wetland may appear different from one visit to the next. 

Elsewhere in the cove, Gum Swamp can be difficult to recognize from a distance. The canopy and ground vegetation obscure shallow pools that collect across a natural depression beneath the trees.^2,3 

Stay on roads and established paths while viewing these habitats. Foot traffic can compact saturated soil, damage plants and disturb animals that use the water for breeding or cover. 

What Lives in Cades Cove Wetlands? 

Frogs use Cades Cove’s seasonal wetlands for breeding. Some temporary pools function as vernal pools, remaining wet long enough for eggs to hatch and tadpoles to develop into young frogs before the water level drops later in the year.  

The Smokies support 31 salamander species.⁴ They often live along streams or beneath rocks, logs and leaf litter where moisture remains available. Because they exchange gases and absorb moisture through their skin, salamanders are especially sensitive to changes in water quality and moisture. 

Dragonflies depend on water during their early development. Their nymphs live below the surface before emerging as flying adults.  

Many bird species, including Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, Wood Ducks and Red-winged Blackbirds, rely on Cades Cove wetlands, too.⁵ They use shallow water, forested wetlands or marsh vegetation for food and cover. 

Why Do Wetlands Matter? 

Wetlands cover less than 1% of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but more than a quarter of its plant species grow in them. Eight percent of the park’s plant species occur only in wetland habitat.¹ 

After heavy rain, their soil and vegetation hold water temporarily, reducing the amount that enters streams at once. As water passes through plants and soil, wetlands trap sediment and some pollutants. Slower runoff can reduce stream erosion and replenish groundwater.

Even a small wetland can support species that wouldn’t find suitable conditions in the surrounding fields or drier forests. 

How People Changed Cades Cove Wetlands

Families farming Cades Cove dug ditches and drained wetlands to create more usable land. Their work redirected water across the valley and reduced wetland habitat.⁶ 

After the national park acquired the farms, managers continued to maintain large areas for cattle grazing and hay production. They planted European fescue in many of the fields, covering large areas with a single grass species. As a monoculture, the fescue offered less varied habitat and fewer food sources for wildlife.⁶ 

The cattle and hay leases expired in the late 1990s. Park crews then began restoring selected wetlands and planting native grasses and wildflowers. Since 2002, crews have collected native seeds, grown them in production fields and replanted them across parts of Cades Cove.⁶ 

Crews still mow some fields regularly and maintain others with native plantings and prescribed fire, depending on the goals for each section of the valley.^6,7 

Since 2010, a park-wide inventory has identified more than 600 wetlands, including marshes, floodplain forests and high-elevation seeps. Park managers use that information to guide restoration, manage invasive plants and monitor wetland habitat over time.^1,2

Learn More: Townsend’s Wetland Display

Visitors can learn more at the Great Smokies Welcome Center in Townsend. A wall display installed in fall 2025 combines photographs with scientific illustrations to introduce four of the park’s 10 wetland types: beaver pond marshes, floodplain canebrakes, wet seepage meadows and Blue Ridge high-elevation seeps.⁸ 

Featured plants and animals include beavers, marbled salamanders, giant cane and grass of Parnassus. The welcome center is located at 7929 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway.⁸ 

Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and storyteller of the Greater Smokies region. She holds a Master of Science in Conservation Education from Mississippi State University.     

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Written by: Emily Huffstetler 

Maryville shoppers have two farmers market options this season. 

Rural King’s Blount County Farm Days brings local crafters, homestead vendors, small-scale farmers, food vendors and makers to Rural King twice a month. Downtown, the Maryville Farmers’ Market operates Saturdays at Founders Square with a formal, producer-only structure. 

Rural King’s Blount County Farm Days

Rural King’s Blount County Farm Days started in Maryville in 2022. Store manager Bryce Freebury came up with the idea to bring the community together and celebrate the farm lifestyle. 

The market gives local crafters, homestead vendors, small-scale farmers, food vendors and other makers a low-cost place to sell directly to shoppers. Vendors aren’t charged for a spot, but they do sign a liability waiver to use the parking lot. 

Ashley Sparks of Sparkswood Farm created the market’s Facebook page, helping Rural King’s Blount County Farm Days reach a wider community audience. 

The market takes place on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Vendors can set up at any time, usually by 10 a.m., and the market runs until vendors pack up. The next one is June 13. 

The lineup changes by date. On the farm side, shoppers may find chicken eggs, quail eggs, hatching eggs, chicks, poultry, goats, livestock feed or homestead classes from vendors such as Hobby Hen Farms, Ada’s Quailery, Lil’ Scruffy Homestead, Naked Goat Farms TN and Sulfur Springs Hatchery. 

Food vendors include Knead for Speed, which focuses on fresh-milled sourdough and kitchen classes; Mandar’s Cakesicles and She’s a Dandy Bakery, both cottage-baked sweets vendors; Tammy Duncan, who makes jams, jellies, breads, salsa, relishes and baked goods; and Shearer Marketplace, which sells jams and jellies. 

The market also includes handmade and home-based products. Kriddy’s Kreations sells candles, wax melts, room sprays, soaps and salves. Ashley Family Made makes tallow soaps, whipped tallow, bug repellent, laundry soap and dog shampoo. Marvin’s Metal Works creates furniture and art pieces from repurposed metal barrels. StitchinRita crochets plushies, farm animals, keychains, horseshoe decor and accessories. 

Those interested in participating can join the Blount County Farm Days Facebook group. 

Maryville Farmers’ Market

The Maryville Farmers’ Market is the established downtown option. The 2026 season runs Saturdays through Nov. 14., from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monthly craft days are scheduled during the season, with Holly Day Market dates set for Nov. 7 and 14. 

The market has a formal vendor structure. Categories include farmers and growers, small food manufacturers, processors, prepared food vendors and artisans. Farmers and growers must sell products they grow themselves, products from a family farm, or products grown on land they lease or rent. Members can’t resell products. 

Produce becomes a larger part of the market as summer begins. Octagon G Farm sells vegetables like corn, heirloom beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, potatoes, peppers, okra, greens and beets, depending on what’s in season. The Plant Trolley brings houseplants, and Honey Rock Herb Farm offers herbs.

Shoppers can also find meat, eggs and locally made food products. Wandering Walnut Meadows, a small farm in Greenback, raises pastured chicken, turkey, duck, eggs, pork and grass-fed lamb. C&C Beef is another local meat producer. Smokey Ridge Apiaries sells raw honey and products made with honey or beeswax. 

Prepared foods and specialty products round out the weekly shop. Depending on the date, shoppers may find baked goods from Blount County Bakery, barbecue sauce from Duane Paul’s BBQ and hot sauce from Tennessee Red Man. 

The market has closed vendor applications for the 2026 season. 

Born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee, with roots tracing back to Cades Cove, Emily Huffstetler is a proud Maryville College graduate and storyteller of the Greater Smokies region. She holds a Master of Science in Conservation Education from Mississippi State University.