B.B.Q. Garden and Cafe

Barbecue Pork Ribs…
Yeah, baby… That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
I’d seen the BBQ Garden across from the Cosby Elementary School on Cosby Highway next to the House of Douglas Bakery, but had never gotten around to trying it out. So when Betsy told me about these ribs… well, what can I say. It’s in my gene pool.
The café is basically an old soda fountain/​bakery set-​up with booths and tables. Some funky art and lots of potted plants. It’s a nice place to go during the cold winter months. It reminds me of some of my old haunts in the Virginia Highlands area of Atlanta. Back before VH became so precious.
But the really wonderful space at the BBQ Garden is the patio. Wanda built a large screened in dining area with a stage for the Bluegrass performers that frequent the garden during the high season months. It’s very «down home». Plastic tablecloths and food served on disposable plates. The day was warm so we ate out there. But you know me. I’m more interested in what’s on the plates than the plates themselves.
We took Betsy’s daughter Dori along with us and she ordered the ribs. Everyone had to put up with me sampling their food. Anyone who eats out with me knows this is not unusual. I was born with a silver stealth fork in everyone else’s plate.
I’d say the stand outs from the excursion were the BBQ Pork Ribs, which are amazing. The garlic green beans and those amazing onion rings. All of the food was delicious, but those were my three favorites. I’m told that her corn fritters are to die for. I have no reason to doubt this since it sounds like she makes them just like I make mine. The menu is best described as down home eclectic. Every once in a while your eye will be drawn from the expected BBQ joint fair to something like «jasmine rice», or those garlic green beans or that tomato basil roll. The prices are very reasonable with the most expensive item, the barbecue sampler, being 12.95. The median range is in the 6 to 8 dollar range. The place looks extremely kid friendly with lots of finger food available and paper towels.
If you are traveling down I-​40 between Asheville and Knoxville, it’s a nice side trek to get off on the Foothills Parkway then turn right onto Cosby Highway. The BBQ Garden is on the left just a few miles up the road.
This review can be read in its entirety with images on the Smokey Mountain Breakdown at: