The Best Italian Restaurant in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

10 December 202019 September 2024

When you are dining at “The Best Italian Restaurant”, you expect it to be “the best Italian restaurant”, right? Who doesn’t love all of the rich pasta dishes and foods with a doughy crust, melted cheese, garlic and rich tomato sauce?

While vacationing in Gatlinburg, we visited the Italian restaurant as a recommendation from family friends. They had just returned from their stay near the Smoky Mountains and visited the restaurant three times during their week vacation.

After a short wait, we sat down to a crowded dining room and a very patient waitress. Looking over the menu, we ordered their “World Famous Garlic Rolls” to start with the deep fried ravioli. Needing some additional time, we finally gave the waitress our order which included the fettuccini alfredo, spaghetti and meat sauce, a couple of pepperoni calzones and chicken parmesan.

The garlic rolls would have us tasting garlic for the next several days and were perfectly baked and topped with an abundance of parmesan cheese. The deep fried raviolis were cooked to perfection, oozing with mozzarella cheese with each bite. The alfredo pasta was rich with a thick, creamy cheese sauce topped on thick noodles. The spaghetti with meat sauce had the perfect balance of tomato and sauce. The calzones were doughy with a soft inside and rich tomato sauce with chunks of tomatoes topped with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese.

We had overly stuffed ourselves, not leaving any room for dessert. For now, we were just taking up space, trying to manage the energy to step away from the table. My guess is if we could walk a few miles along the Parkway, maybe we can make room for a small ice cream or sample of taffy.

Have you visited The Best Italian Restaurant in Gatlinburg? What did you order? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.

Many thanks for reading about my lunch at The Best Italian Restaurant and wishing you many Happy Travels.

Where to Eat:

The Best Italian Restaurant
968 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Telephone: 865 436 4345

What to Eat:

Everything on the menu and I highly recommend the Garlic Knots.

Home Cooking at The Farm, Adena, OH

22 April 202022 September 2024

Stephi, from The Black Sheep Vineyard, suggested I visit The Farm for dinner which is located just around the corner from the winery. She mentioned that the restaurant provided home-style cooking and recommended the prime rib with their homemade butter. That sounded absolutely fabulous so I purchased a couple of bottles of wine and made my way over to the restaurant.

I was greeted with a warm smile by the hostess, who led me to a table close to the fireplace. The atmosphere was electric as waiters kept busy with a full house. My server was helpful in providing me with a list of specials which included a Shrimp and Scallop Pasta with Grilled Vegetables & Alfredo with Salad for $22, Baked or Fried Cod with two sides for $14 and a twenty-ounce Cowboy Steak with two sides for $32. There was also a Berry Chicken Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing for $14. The vegetable of the day was Broccoli with Cheese. Everything sounded so fantastic, so I splurged on the Alfredo special and ordered ranch dressing with my salad.

My salad was perfectly chilled with mixed greens, beets, green beans, cheese and croutons. The dressing, a homemade ranch, was absolutely delicious and perfectly seasoned with ground pepper. I checked out some of the orders passing from the kitchen to the tables where I noticed homemade noodles and stuffed Italian peppers.

I could sense my dinner was arriving as I smelled the creamy cheese sauce. There were plenty of meat, vegetables and topped with fresh Parmesan cheese. With so much food, I requested a take out box ahead of time, so I wouldn’t overeat and have leftovers for the next day or two.

Before leaving, I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting Sally, the owner of the restaurant. She is the epitome of hospitality and what a fabulous cook. She learned that I was interested in writing about The Farm and wanted to introduce herself to me. I thanked her for the delicious meal and before I could pay my bill, she met me at my table with another package….she was so excited to share with me her pot roast and wanted me to try her notorious bread pudding. I would have loved to have tried the meal at the restaurant, but I was quite full from my delicious meal. I needed to make it back to Columbus and thanked her again for her generous hospitality. While I didn’t have room for dessert, I was happy that I saved time for the sunset.

Have you had the opportunity to visit The Farm in Adena, Ohio? What did you order or what is your favorite meal? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.

Disclosure: Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

Where to Eat:

The Farm Restaurant
1247 OH-150
Adena, Ohio 43901
Telephone: 740 769 2050

For more information about The Farm Restaurant, you can check out their Facebook page to access their menu and to find out more information about their hours of operation. I would like to thank Sally and the staff at The Farm for their generous hospitality and kindness during my visit! All opinions provided are my own!

Where to Drink:

The Black Sheep Winery
1454 US-250
Adena, Ohio 43901
Telephone: 740 546 3741

Where to Stay:

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham
620 Lincoln Avenue
Cadiz, OH 43907
Telephone: 740 942 1161

Yummy Pot Roast with Awesome Gravy

Incredible Bread Pudding

The Spectacular Sunset at The Farm Restaurant, Adena, OH

Raven’s Glenn Vineyard and Winery: A Sweet Wine Experience

2 July 201918 September 2024

If you live in Ohio, you have most likely heard of Raven’s Glenn Vineyard and Winery. I first learned of Raven’s Glenn while attending the AAA Travel Show in Columbus. Meeting the winery reps attending the booth, I was excited to see they were pouring wine. Promising to visit, I made a weekend of exploring the Three Rivers Wine Trail near Coshocton, Ohio and I could not have picked a better day for wine and wanderlust. Entering the winery, I felt miles away, surrounded by Tuscan charm and endless rows of vines.

I approached the tasting bar at the perfect time as a motor coach had pulled in with a busload of excited wine tasters. Within minutes, the winery was packed with visitors enjoying an afternoon of wine tasting and lunch. Raven’s Glenn Vineyard and Winery produces a long list of wines that are sure to compliment any wine lover’s palate. The winery makes it easy to decide which wines to sample with pre-selected packages and recommendations. I couldn’t pass up the semi-sweet and sweet wine options which included the following:

White Raven which is described as a “semi sweet white, inviting, fruity, fragrant. Blended Niagara varietals, grapey, crisp and clean finish”…all I can say is this hardly tastes like a wine but rather grape juice which is absolutely spectacular. It would not be difficult to enjoy this wine chilled by the pool on a hot summer day.

My next selection is the Raven Rouge, a semi-sweet red is a “Concord blend with other estate grapes, fruity and grapey, serve chilled or room temperature.” I found this wine delightful and very similar to the White Raven, a wine I could keep on hand at all times.

The White Merlot is a semi-sweet Rose which is described as “smooth with a mixed berry taste, sweet jammy flavors, clean finish worthy to bear the name Merlot.” This is not your average, dark red, drier Merlot, but I wouldn’t turn away a glass of this fabulous wine.

I had the opportunity to try the Strawberry Lemonade which is a semi-sweet with “hints of strawberry with lemon aromas. Citrus tones with a clean berry finish”. I was absolutely smitten with this wine because it is so different than what I had expected. Another wonderful summertime selection for a tropical day.

I was excited to try Raven’s Glenn Sangria which is a sweet wine described as “a delightful combination of luscious, zesty, tropical fruits that started as crisp apple wine”. Like they say…an apple a day. I will take two bottles please.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a tropical wine on the menu. Tropical Temptations is a sweet wine described as a wine of “ripe mango and papaya with hints of coconut and a smooth lingering finish. This wine was perfect for transporting me to an exotic beach with the sound of waves crashing around me. I enjoyed the fruit combination of this blend.

Raven’s Glen Wildly Cherry is also a sweet wine with a “deep yet gentle flavor….reminiscent of eating a fresh picked black cherry”. I was delighted by the beautiful color and smooth taste of this fabulous, fruity wine.

The Blackberry Wine is super sweet, but I was also able to try this as a spritzer which cuts down the sweetness and makes it a fun bubbly wine to drink for all occasions. It is a “sweet and smooth…well rounded blackberry aromas will prepare your senses for a gentle modestly sweet wine”. It is perfectly priced at $13.99 per bottle.

Chantilly Lace is an incredibly tasting dessert wine with “soft aromas of apricots and honeysuckle, succulent sweet and creamy flavors with a long lingering finish. I remembered tasting this at the AAA exhibit a couple of years ago and fell in love with this wine. Priced at only $9.99 per bottle, I had to pick up a couple of bottles.

After experiencing a fabulous wine tasting, I made a reservation with the restaurant where there were a few visitors ahead of me waiting to be seated. From where I was standing, I noticed the towering stone fireplace and stunning picture windows which let in the afternoon’s light. Tables were at a premium as they were occupied with customers who had just completed their tasting and couldn’t wait to enjoy the fabulous Italian selections from the menu. I could smell the mouthwatering aroma of pasta and cheese and decided to order the Three Cheese Manicotti and the Arancini,

Sitting along the Tuscarawas River, Raven’s Glenn Winery provides romantic river views and an opportunity to dine outdoors along the scenic waterway. I found the location of this winery reminiscent to some of the beautiful wine estates that one would find out west. The intricate design and thought that was given to the details of this estate added to the wine tasting experience. No wonder it is consistently rated one of the best wineries in Ohio.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Raven’s Glenn Winery? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below! Many thanks and Cheers!

What to See and What to Do:

Raven’s Glenn Vineyard and Winery
56183 County Line Road 143
West Lafayette, OH 43845
Telephone: 740 545 1000

Where to Stay:

Hampton Inn, Newcomerstown
200 Morris Crossing Avenue
Newcomerstown, OH 43832
Telephone: 740 498 9800

Where to Eat:

Raven’s Glenn Vineyard and Winery
56183 County Line Road 143
West Lafayette, OH 43845
Telephone: 740 545 1000

The cheese manicotti was flavorful and creamy. I had also ordered the Arancini, which has become one of my favorite Italian dishes.

Wine Barrels at the Entrance of Raven’s Glenn Vineyard and Winery