Oct 16, 2026
Fall Flavors on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies 2026
Written by: Emily Huffstetler
Whether you’re stopping for coffee, sitting down to dinner or looking for something sweet, there’s plenty of fall flavor to discover on the Peaceful Side. Apple butter chai, pumpkin tiramisu, squash-and-pear pasta and cranberry cocktails are just a few of the seasonal specials available across Maryville, Alcoa and Townsend.
Coffee Shops
The Dancing Bean embraces Halloween with a lineup of themed drinks. Boo-Chata pairs pumpkin with horchata, Monster-Mash brings together s’mores and cold foam, and Bloodless Brew marries white chocolate and cherry. Other choices include Lochness Matcha with blackberry, Wicked Chai and Sweater Weather Chai.
Vienna Coffee Company, Maryville
Vienna Coffee Company serves The Great Pumpkin, an espresso latte with housemade pumpkin pie syrup and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. For something without coffee, the Maple Harvest Chai combines maple syrup, chai and milk. The shop also has a savory butternut squash and potato soup topped with crunchy pepitas.
Towns End Coffee Co., Townsend
Apples and pumpkins headline the fall drink menu at Towns End Coffee Co. Choices include the Caramel Apple Macchiato, Apple Butter Chai, Pumpkin Pie Chai with Pumpkin Cold Foam and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. There’s also Honey Crisp Lemonade, Autumn Fog Tea, Caramelized Banana Latte and Stars Hollow Latte.
Just Love Coffee Cafe has a Real Pumpkin Spice Latte and a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffin.
Dunkin’s menu features the Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, Pumpkin Cloud Dunkalatte, Pumpkin Pie Coffee Chiller, Pumpkin Patch Cloud Latte and Nutty Pumpkin Protein Latte, along with pumpkin donuts, Munchkins and muffins.
Sweet Treat Stops
Bigfoot Popcorn’s Pumpkin Spice Popcorn combines cinnamon, nutmeg and other warm spices. Its Caramel Popcorn is another option for fall, though it’s available year-round. Both flavors are gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free.
Pumpkin Spice is back at Nothing Bundt Cakes through November 29. The flavor comes in full-size Bundt cakes, individual Bundtlets and bite-sized Bundtinis, all with the bakery’s signature cream cheese frosting.
Great American Cookies, Maryville
Great American Cookies in Greenway Village has Pumpkin Spice Cookies and Halloween-themed Cookie Cakes.
Apple Valley Cafe makes its Fried Apple Pies fresh daily. They’re available year-round, but they’re especially fitting for fall.
Andy’s Frozen Custard, Maryville
Andy’s blends an entire slice of freshly baked pumpkin pie with vanilla frozen custard in its Pumpkin Pie Concrete. The S’mores Jackhammer combines hot fudge, graham crackers and marshmallow creme. For a more traditional treat, try a hand-dipped caramel apple, plain or topped with pecans or Reese’s Pieces.
Culver’s has the Pumpkin S’mores Concrete Mixer, Salted Caramel Pumpkin Concrete Mixer and Pumpkin Spice Shake. Pumpkin Pecan frozen custard arrives October 26.
Blossom Bowls has two specials, available as smoothies or bowls. The Pumpkin Spice Latte bowl brings together pumpkin, coffee, pecans and caramel, while the Witches Brew bowl features pumpkin, coconut charcoal and fruity toppings.
Restaurants
Foothills Milling Cafe, Maryville
Foothills Milling Cafe’s drink specials include Pumpkin Pie Lattes, Trick or Treat Matcha, Caramel Apple Tea and Sweet Blackberry Tea. For dessert, choose from Apple Streusel Pie, Apple Cheesecake and Apple Caramel Cream Cheese Danish.
The regular menu features a Cranberry, Turkey & Brie sandwich with bourbon cranberry reduction and an Apple Butter BBQ Pork Belly Sandwich with sweet Dijon coleslaw.
Foothills Milling Company, Maryville
At Foothills Milling Company, the Pumpkin Tiramisu layers ladyfingers soaked in pralines and cream with pumpkin mascarpone and caramel. The warm Maple Apple Blondie comes with cinnamon apples, maple glaze and vanilla ice cream, while the Pumpkin Molten Cake hides a white chocolate ganache center.
RT Lodge brings seasonal produce to the dinner table with Squash & Pear Pasta, featuring butternut squash, pear butter, kale and toasted pepitas. The Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast pairs sweet potato, apple, bacon and sage with cider jus.
Desserts include an Apple Cider Bundt Cake for two with brandy ice cream and a Smoked S’mores Bar with graham cake, salted caramel ganache and toasted marshmallow foam. To drink, the Carriage House Sour combines rye, citrus-ginger balsamic, lemon and fall-spiced syrup.
RT Lodge changes its menus daily based on ingredient availability. Call ahead to confirm specific dishes.
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Townsend
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro’s sample menu features Sweet Dumplin’ Squash with purple kale, grains, chestnut mushrooms, hazelnut-butternut romesco and apple cider gastrique.
The menu changes with ingredient availability, so call ahead to confirm current selections.
The Walnut Kitchen’s Turkey AppleWood sandwich, served for lunch, combines Sweetwater Valley cheddar, Blackberry Farm apple butter and applewood-smoked bacon on whole wheat bread. For dessert, the Seasonal Cobbler features local fruit, warm spices, brown sugar crumble and vanilla bean ice cream.
Bars, Breweries & Distilleries
Daisy’s NA Bar & Bottle Shop, Maryville
Daisy’s NA Bar & Bottle Shop specializes in alcohol-free cocktails, including the Harvest Margarita with nonalcoholic tequila, apple, orange, lime and pumpkin. The Crisp Apple Nightcap combines nonalcoholic spirits with sour apple, salted caramel and sparkling cider.
Blackhorse Pub & Brewery, Alcoa
Cranberry, cinnamon and citrus feature prominently in Blackhorse’s cocktail lineup. Sweater Weather mixes bourbon with cranberry and cinnamon syrup, while the Ginger Cranberry Margarita combines tequila, cranberry juice, ginger syrup and fresh lime. Other choices include Rum Cream, Pama Berry Smash, Blood Orange Martini and RumChata Russian.
For alcohol-free options, try the Apple Ginger Fizz with ginger beer, apple juice and mint or Ruby Spice with cranberry and cinnamon.
Beer selections include Oktoberfest, a Märzen-style amber lager, and Wicked Harvest Pumpkin Ale, which incorporates pumpkin, sweet potatoes and seasonal spices.
The regular dessert menu includes Apple Crumb Crunch with baked cinnamon apples, pecan streusel and vanilla ice cream, plus a Cider Float with Blackhorse’s Bad Apple Cider (21+).
Pumpkin takes several forms on Company Distilling’s cocktail menu. The Pumpkin Spiced Old Fashioned combines bourbon, pumpkin syrup and black walnut bitters, while Whiskey Weather mixes bourbon with pomegranate juice, pumpkin syrup and lime.
Apple cider takes center stage in Gin Up, Pumpkin!, which combines gin, pumpkin, maple and lemon, and Autumn’s Apple, which pairs bourbon with hot cider and honey. Dessert-inspired choices include Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Vanilla Latte cocktails.
From October 30 through November 1, Company Distilling will also serve Crimson Kiss, a Halloween special with Nothing Vodka, pomegranate juice, raspberry simple syrup and lemon juice.
For an alcohol-free option, try the zero-proof Leaf Peeper with pumpkin, maple and ginger ale.
Company Distilling even has The Great Pupkin, pumpkin-infused water for dogs.
Peaceful Side Social, Townsend
Peaceful Side Social pours October’s Gold, a 6.6% ABV German-style Festbier with a malty character.
At Tri Hop Brewery, fall brews include Pumpkin Holler Ale and Tritoberfest, a Märzen-style lager. Check the rotating tap list for current availability.
Smoky Mountain Brewery, Maryville
Two returning favorites round out Smoky Mountain Brewery’s selection: Harvestfest, a copper-colored Märzen-style lager with a malty flavor, and Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Ale. They’re available while supplies last.
These offerings reflect menus and specials advertised as of mid-October 2026 and may change throughout the season. Before making a trip, confirm current availability with individual businesses.
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.