Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Que

This is pit barbecue in a tourist corridor: smoked meats with Southern sides, ordered at the table, in a relaxed dining room. If you have been eating at buffets and pancake houses all week, barbecue is a good change of pace. For the current menu and prices, check the restaurant's website; both change often.

Listings disagree on hours, and one shows a day off midweek. Call (865) 429-2200 or check the website before you plan a meal around Bennett's, especially in the off-season. Pigeon Forge restaurants adjust their schedules between summer, the fall color season and winter.

Bennett's is on the Parkway (US-441) in Pigeon Forge. The Parkway is lined with attractions and backs up on weekend evenings, and the Fun Time Trolley, which charges $1 a ride on most routes, can spare you the drive and the parking. Check Pigeon Forge's official tourism site for current routes. From Gatlinburg, expect around 20 to 30 minutes by car in light traffic and much longer on an October Saturday.

Many visitors eat here before or after a show on the Parkway or a day at Dollywood. If you have been out in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the parking tag is $5 a day for any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes, so factor it into the plan if you are heading back in the morning.

Families, groups of friends and travelers who want a reliable barbecue lunch or dinner without a reservation. If you are particular about your barbecue style, look at the menu first; Tennessee pit barbecue usually means smoked pork with sweet and tangy sauces on the side, but each restaurant does its own version.