Junction 35 Kitchen & Bar

Why go: Tennessee’s first distillery restaurant, where a working still room and a full Southern kitchen share the same floor.

About Junction 35 Kitchen & Bar

Junction 35 takes its name from Sevier County’s railroad past, when moonshiners moved jars on logging trains to stay a step ahead of the patrols. The distillery leans on that history without turning it into a costume, running small-batch stills in view of the dining room and bottling a lineup that covers moonshine, vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whiskey, and bourbon under its own label.

What separates it from the other distilleries in town is the kitchen. Junction 35 bills itself as Tennessee’s first distillery restaurant, and the food is a full menu rather than a snack counter. Angus smash patties blended from chuck and brisket, slow-smoked pulled pork and Texas beef brisket, hand-breaded starters, and Southern plates like shrimp and grits all come out of the same kitchen. Cocktails are built from the house spirits, so the bourbon in the glass was distilled a few steps away.

The Pigeon Forge location is one of two, with a sister distillery and restaurant at Tanger Outlets in Sevierville. Both are stops on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail.

Getting to Junction 35 Kitchen & Bar

Junction 35 sits at 2655 Teaster Lane, Suite 280, inside The Mountain Mile. Teaster Lane runs parallel to the Parkway and is the usual way to skip the worst of the through traffic, with access from Traffic Light #2 at the south end and Light #6 at the north. The Mountain Mile has its own surface parking, and the entrance faces the interior promenade rather than the road, so look for signage once you are inside the complex.

Why Choose Junction 35 Kitchen & Bar

A distillery visit and a sit-down meal usually mean two separate stops in Pigeon Forge. Junction 35 collapses them into one, which changes the calculation when a group is split between people who want to taste spirits and people who want dinner.

• One stop for both. The distillery floor and the kitchen and bar operate under the same roof, so nobody has to wait in the car.
• Spirits made on site. Moonshine, vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whiskey, and bourbon all carry the house label and are distilled at the location.
• A real kitchen. Smash burgers, smoked meat trays, salads, and Southern entrees make up a full menu with a separate section for children.
• Its own parking. The Mountain Mile setting comes with surface parking, which is not a given at the busier addresses in town.
• Tennessee Whiskey Trail stop. Worth knowing if you are working through the trail’s distilleries across the state.

Menu Favorites

The kitchen runs on smoked meat, hand-breaded starters, and Angus smash patties, with the house spirits turning up in several of the sauces. These are the plates worth building a visit around.

• Tennessee Poutine. Crispy fries under beef gravy, white cheddar garlic cheese curds, and green onions.
• Fried Green Tomatoes. Hand-breaded and drizzled with hot honey and balsamic reduction, topped with feta and served with house buttermilk ranch.
• Smokehouse Mac. House-made mac and cheese buried under low and slow pulled pork, crispy onion strings, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan.
• The Big Country Reuben. Pastrami brisket, Swiss cheese, coarse-grain mustard, and sauerkraut on toasted rye.
• Shrimp and Grits. Stone-ground pimento cheese grits topped with sauteed Atlantic shrimp, Andouille sausage, peppers, and onions.
• Tennessee Brisket Dip. Smoked brisket sliced thin and piled on a toasted bun with Swiss and onion strings, served with au jus and horseradish cream.
• Smoked Wings. Available with signature sauces including Blackberry Moonshine, Peach Moonshine, and Nashville Hot.
• Brussels Sprouts Skillet. Flash-fried and tossed in caramelized brown molasses and sweet chili.

What to Expect

Junction 35 works as a distillery stop, a lunch stop, or a long evening, and the schedule is set up differently for each side of the operation. Knowing which one you are aiming for saves a wasted trip.

• Two schedules under one roof. The distillery opens an hour before the kitchen and bar, so an early arrival means tastings and bottle shopping rather than a meal.
• Range of appetites. Starters, wings, and salads sit alongside full BBQ trays and entrees, so a table can share without everyone ordering the same size meal.
• Children are accommodated. The menu for ten and under includes a fountain drink and a choice of side.
• Vegetarian option. A Beyond Meat patty stands in on the burger menu.
• Reservations. No reservation system is published, so call ahead for a large group.
• Photo ID. Anyone sampling spirits needs a valid ID on hand.

Nearby in Pigeon Forge

• Azul Cantina. Tex-Mex plates and margaritas in the same Mountain Mile complex, a short walk across the promenade.
• Cookie Dough Monster Burgers & Shakes. Smash burgers paired with spoonable cookie dough shakes, a block north.
• Paloma Scratch Kitchen. Chef-driven Mexican cooking and a tequila list, the nearest full sit-down dinner.
• Big Daddy’s Pizzeria. Wood-fired pies with a gluten-free crust program, a few minutes away.
• Buzzed Bull Creamery. Nitrogen-frozen ice cream with optional liquor infusions for the adults.

Explore More

My Smoky Mountain Guide Pigeon Forge is a great resource for finding places to eat and things to do.

• Pigeon Forge Food & Beverage Guide. Restaurants, dinner shows, breweries, distilleries, and eateries throughout Pigeon Forge, from sit-down meals to grab-and-go stops.
• Pigeon Forge Outdoor Adventure. Mountain coasters, UTV rentals, rafting, helicopter tours, and other ways to experience the Smokies from outdoors.
• Pigeon Forge Attractions. Museums, escape rooms, mini-golf, arcades, and other family-friendly stops across the city.
• Pigeon Forge Entertainment. Dinner shows, live music, comedy, magic, and theater experiences throughout Pigeon Forge.