Five Fanatical Finger Food Finds in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg is good for a lot of things, but a sometimes overlooked preparation of the experience brings us back to childhood. Finger foods are an important piece of our early life, predating our deft usage of utensils. So it’s little wonder why the things we can grasp in Gatlinburg bring a clearer picture of how we started nourishing ourselves. Whether it’s candy, comfort foods, or savory bites, here are five you should have no problem finding and enjoying with your hands.

Oh, Fuuudge!

I swear you can have plenty of the creamy sweet treat in Gatlinburg. Fudge is a filling favorite that is a close rival with pancakes as an identifiable symbol of the tourist town. It’s one of the first things we took home with us on our first visits. Kilwin’s was our fudge choice in the beginning. We always took advantage of the bundle deal others do—the more you buy, the better the deal. Once we strayed to Chocolate Monkey, there was no going back. The fudge was cheaper, but we found it to be a tastier alternative.

Other fudge options in Gatlinburg include the old stand-by’s, Old Smoky Candy Kitchen and Aunt Mahalia’s. The Fudge Shoppe of the Smokies is another one that’s also been churning out the good stuff for quite a while now. Either way you go, it’ll be an exploration into various types of fudge you’ll want to take.

Taffy

Taffy is the sticky, chewy slivers we all enjoy getting our hands on for a quick fruit burst. Oh yes, I know they come in various flavors that include moonshine and chocolate, but banana, cherry, strawberry, and lemon always are among the first to come to mind. You can, but I’d look no further than Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen and their friendly rival, Aunt Mahalia’s for your fix of taffy in Gatlinburg.

Foot-long Ogle Dog

Delighting travelers for more than 40 years, Fannie Farkle’s Fun Parlor is a must for kids and adults. Games and prizes are the theme of this classic entertainment room. Oh wait, did I forget something? Of course I didn’t! The Ogle Dog is a foot-long corn dog on a stick you can watch being made from the front of the arcade. You can’t walk by and not have your senses driven crazy by the smells emanating from the inside and drifting down the Parkway.

I have to give an honorable mention to my personal favorite, the sausage with peppers and onions. It’s a much messier endeavor to eat with your hands, but I give it the edge because the source of the aroma of Fannie Farkle’s is normally from the grill it’s cooked on in front. It’s close enough for you to reach in, but I’d advise you to take a few steps around and order it without having those precious hands slapped.

Pizza

The biggest, most pleasant surprise when we first started our Gatlinburg trips was and still is the pizza you can find in town. Where I’m from, pizza is omnipresent—almost on the verge of saturation. It doesn’t compare to the pizza in Gatlinburg. I would take any of the pizzas I’ve tried here over any I can find in Lima, Ohio. Truth hurts, but it’s accurate, in my opinion.

The standouts include Smoky Mountain Brewery, (our first pie in the Burg) Best Italian, Big Daddy’s, Slice (under the Space Needle) and Gatlinburg Brewing Company. Our favorite is Best Italian, but the others are worthy of enough praise. Each one is unique, with differing savory flavors and crusts that are never dull. Pick one of these up in Gatlinburg without disappointment.

Donuts From The Donut Friar

Yep, I saved the best for last. Rarely does someone come out of the shadows to voice their displeasure with The Donut Friar. It’s okay. There’s more for us who love this classic donut shop, located in the most eccentrically awesome place in Gatlinburg, The Village.

Like most others on this list, little hesitation is needed before lifting the item into your mouth for a treat like no others in the entire Smoky Mountain area. You can’t find any other competition in downtown Gatlinburg for a reason. Dunkin is gone, and even the Lit’l Donut Shop in town couldn’t survive. I’m not saying TDF was directly responsible, but it is a testament to their lasting legacy.

Your inner-child can certainly be released by including these finger foods into your cuisine choices. I have all but eliminated fudge and taffy from my eating escapades in Gatlinburg, but that is a personal choice I had to make. The others are enjoyed in moderation, but I’m not here to tell you how to eat in Gatlinburg. It’s a vacation, so enjoy all the things that make you happy—and there’s plenty of it beyond your fingertips here!

I hope you enjoyed my latest post! I apologize for the nearly week-long delay in content. At times, life doesn’t allow me to devote the time and energy I want to deliver quality work you deserve from this publication. I haven’t forgotten about you, and you know Gatlinburg is always on my mind!