Townsend is small, so the good tables are easy to find once you know them. These are the three dinners we send every guest to, plus where we go for breakfast and coffee.
Updated November 2026 by the hosts of Above the Pines
Our top three
Our pick for a family dinner
Craft kitchen and beer garden
Pizzas, salads and shareables with Peaceful Side's own craft beer, served outside with mountain views. There's a big playscape for kids, so it's the easy answer when the whole group is hungry and nobody wants to dress up.
Our pick for a night by the river
Tap room in an old chapel
A former wedding chapel on the Little River, with church pews for seating, 16 taps of local beer and cider, and a patio right on the water. Order at the counter: burgers, smoked barbecue, flatbreads, sandwiches and wings. Local bands play Friday and Saturday nights.
Our pick for a special dinner
Modern Appalachian, farm to table
The restaurant at Dancing Bear Lodge cooks modern Appalachian food from a menu that changes with the seasons and leans on local farms. It's the dinner to book for an anniversary or the last night of the trip. On Sundays there's a bluegrass brunch.
Breakfast and coffee
Apple Valley Café and The Dancing Bean share a parking lot on the way to the park, so breakfast and coffee are one stop.
Our pick for breakfast
Country café in Apple Valley Mountain Village
Pancakes and biscuits in the morning, burgers and pulled pork barbecue at lunch, and the village's famous fried apple pies any time. Afterward, browse the general store and fudge shop next door before you head into the park.
Our pick for coffee on the way to the park
Coffee house in Apple Valley Mountain Village
They roast their own beans and bake pastries fresh every day, a few steps from Apple Valley Café. Grab a seat by the fire inside or out on the deck. There are board games, bubble tea and smoothies for anyone who isn't drinking coffee.
Our pick for serious coffee
Small-batch roaster
They roast organic, fair-trade beans in small batches and take latte art seriously. USA Today once named it the best coffee shop in Tennessee. Pick up a bag to brew back at the cabin.
Hours change with the seasons, so check each website before you head out.
Dining questions
Our top three are Peaceful Side Social for a casual family dinner with craft beer, The Abbey for burgers and barbecue on a riverside patio in an old chapel, and Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro for a special farm-to-table dinner.
Apple Valley Café in Apple Valley Mountain Village serves pancakes and biscuits in the morning, and it's known for its fried apple pies. On Sundays, Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro serves a bluegrass brunch.
The Artistic Bean roasts its own beans in small batches and was once named the best coffee shop in Tennessee by USA Today. The Dancing Bean, next to Apple Valley Café, roasts its own beans and has fireside seating, a deck and pastries baked daily.
It takes reservations through the Dancing Bear Lodge website, and booking ahead is a good idea, especially on weekends and holidays.
Yes. Peaceful Side Social is a craft kitchen and beer garden that pours Peaceful Side's own beer. The Abbey also has 16 taps of local beer and cider.
Peaceful Side Social has a large playscape and outdoor seating, and The Abbey has a family-friendly riverside patio.
Book direct
Pick your dates and see the full price on the booking calendar. Prefer Airbnb or Vrbo? The cabin is listed on both.
Questions? Call Dogwood Cabins at 888.448.9054