Donut Friar

The Village Shops opened in July 1969 and are arranged around a cobblestone courtyard, with stone walls, timber framing and a clock tower. You walk through the courtyard to reach the bakery, which makes the stop feel different from an ordinary donut shop. The counter is small. There is a display case, a line and a few people waiting for a fresh batch.

Fresh donuts and coffee are the main event, and bear claws are a favorite. Variety changes with the day, and the case can empty by late morning in peak season. According to local reports, the shop opens at 5 AM daily and sells until the batch runs out, so earlier is better. If you want a dozen to bring back to a cabin, go before 9 AM.

Donut Friar takes cash only. An ATM is on site, but bring small bills to keep the line moving. Prices are in the $ tier, among the cheapest breakfasts downtown.

• Go early. The shop opens before most of downtown wakes up, and the first batches are the best.
• Pair it with coffee. Coffee & Company is in the same Village courtyard if you want a latte.
• Take a walk. The Village is quiet in the early morning, before the Parkway crowds arrive.
• Parking: the Parkway is busy, so ride the free Gatlinburg trolley or park in a city garage.

A donut and coffee is a quick breakfast before a day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which starts at the edge of town. The park requires a parking tag for any vehicle stopped more than 15 minutes, at $5 a day, and federal passes are not accepted in its place.

If you prefer a sit-down breakfast, Gatlinburg has a long pancake-house tradition. Donut Friar is for the other kind of morning, when you want something warm and sweet in your hand and a walk through a courtyard that has changed little in more than 50 years.

The shop's story is part of the draw. A family business surviving for more than five decades on a street full of chains is unusual, and the donuts hold up their end.