Sarah E. Kucharski photo
Never trust a skinny cook
Tony Gore, a gospel singer turned restaurateur, has made a name for himself with barbecue—a half rack of ribs at his Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill hangs off the plate, but don’t forget to leave room for cake.
Tony Gore is a man who knows food. Raised on Southern cooking, Gore learned from his mother and grandmothers, opening his first restaurant in 2006—Tony Gore’s Smoky Mountain BBQ and Grill in Sevierville, Tenn.
In an area where fast food and chain restaurants abound, Gore’s is a standout. The smell from the smoker in the restaurant’s wide, gravel parking lot, entices travelers along the four-lane highway bound for Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, but locals make this place a stop of their own. Baby back and St. Louis-style ribs are the specialty of the house. Even a half rack is a belt buster—though there’s a whole menu category dedicated to belt busting that features a choice of two, three, or four meats among St. Louis ribs, pork, brisket, smoked sausage, grilled or fried chicken tenders, and catfish, served with coleslaw and a side item. Here even the corn on the cob is fried and the baked beans loaded with smoked pork. All of the sauces, applied at the table and at will, are made in house.
But just inside the front door, a refrigerated, illuminated glass case is an instant attraction for even the most carnivorous, as long as he or she has got at least one sweet tooth in amongst the rest of the requisite gnashers and grinders. Cakes three layers high, veritable parthenons of buttercream, mandate saving room for dessert—or at the very least getting a piece to go for later. The recipes are said to be from Gore’s grandmother, bless her.
Gore may have made a name for himself in the kitchen, but he had already gained fame as a gospel singer. He took up singing at age 14 and went on to form the group Tony Gore & Majesty. The first song the group released, “Thank God,” was a hit and “Meanwhile In The Garden” that followed went to No. 1 on the southern gospel charts. Gore went solo in 2002 and recently released “God’s Been Good.” He performs at his restaurant regularly during Dinner on the Grounds evenings, held most Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Nov. 1 brings Lulu Roman of Hee Haw fame, and Nov. 4 is the monthly Music Meal & Memories “featuring a full concert with Tony Gore along with his bountiful lunch buffet” for $20. Admission includes the concert, meal, drink, and tax.
Tony Gore’s is located at 1818 Winfield Dunn Parkway (Highway 66), 865.429.7771.