Breakfast
Served all day during open hours, from biscuits to big platters.
- Smokey Mountain Breakfast
- Biscuits and gravy
- Hash browns and omelets
- Saturday cinnamon rolls
Hot Springs, North Carolina
Southern cooking, served like family, along the Appalachian Trail.
A locally family-owned diner in downtown Hot Springs, known for breakfast, generous plates, and a room that treats hikers and neighbors alike.
Our story
Genia Peterson's diner, a Hot Springs gathering place.
Smoky Mountain Diner is a locally family-owned restaurant at 70 Lance Avenue in Hot Springs, specializing in southern fare, generous portions, and southern hospitality. Owner Genia Peterson has run the diner for decades, building a kitchen and a staff that many regulars describe as family.
The diner sits along the Appalachian Trail and is a longtime stop for hikers, river travelers, and people who live in the mountains around town. Breakfast is a particular favorite — biscuits, sweet rolls, and full platters — and the kitchen also serves lunch and dinner Monday through Friday.
Come as you are. You'll be treated like family.
The menu
Breakfast, lunch, and supper
The diner serves a full southern menu with something for most tastes. The items below are favorites named often in public listings and visitor reviews. The printed menu is larger, and daily sweets can sell out — Saturday cinnamon rolls are especially popular.
Lunch & dinner
Comfort-food plates and sandwiches for the middle of the day and evening.
- Country fried steak
- Chicken fried chicken
- Hamburger steak and burgers
- Veggie plate
Sweets & sides
Home-style sides and desserts that guests often mention by name.
- Cinnamon rolls and sweet rolls
- Pies
- Sweet potato fries (try them with apple butter)
- Fresh biscuits
Find us
Hours & location
We're at 70 Lance Avenue in downtown Hot Springs, along the Appalachian Trail. Breakfast starts early; Wednesday and Saturday close mid-afternoon, and the diner is closed on Sunday.
| Monday | 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:30 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Thursday | 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Friday | 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM |
| Saturday | 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours are taken from current public listings and can change on holidays. Please call if you're making a special trip.
Smoky Mountain Diner70 Lance Avenue
Hot Springs, NC 28743
From the neighborhood
A favorite in Hot Springs
The diner is widely reviewed online — one public aggregator recently showed a rating of about 4.8 from more than a thousand Google reviews. A few of the notes that come up again and again, lightly paraphrased for this sample:
Breakfast was delicious! Our server was super sweet and attentive. The sweet rolls and biscuits tasted freshly made that morning.
The food is always amazing! The staff is wonderful and friendly. We go every year when we visit our grandmother's home place. We love Hot Springs!
If you're visiting Hot Springs, stop by and make sure you order the cinnamon rolls before they're gone.
Come sit a while
Visit the diner
Call if you'd like to check the day's specials, ask about a wait, or confirm hours before you drive in. Walk-ins are welcome during posted hours.
- Phone(828) 622-7571
- Emailthedinergenia93@gmail.com
- Address70 Lance Avenue, Hot Springs, NC 28743
- OwnerGenia Peterson