Eat Local

No frills? No problem! These small, locally owned eateries keep the focus on what matters most to road-tripping diners: home-cooked meals and old-fashioned service.

Peaceful Side Social | Townsend, Tennessee | peacefulsidesocial.com

THE VIBE: What do you get when you roll a café, a brewery, a taco bar and a creamery all into one? The Peaceful Side Social, which lives up to its name as an indoor/outdoor venue with ample room for everyone (dogs and kids included) to kick back and enjoy themselves.

THE FOOD: Come hungry with a big group and plan to share a mix of appetizers, including the goat cheese grit fritters and the Appalachian Trail board, which offers items like pickled veggies, locally made cheeses and a mix of meats including Benton’s ham.

La Baguette | Old Colorado City, Colorado | labaguette-co.com

THE VIBE: La Baguette offers all the charm of a Parisian bistro with none of the pretense. For more than 30 years, the pint-size café has been serving up French-inspired soups, sandwiches and more.

THE FOOD: Treat yourself to chicken salad served on a made-in-house croissant or banquette and an éclair for dessert. On your way out, stop by the bakery counter where you can pick up fresh loaves for less than $4.

Clumpies Ice Cream Co. | Chattanooga, Tennessee | clumpies.com

THE VIBE: Step back in time and treat your sweet tooth in one fell scoop at this charmingly retro ice-cream shop. It’s been delighting Chattanooga with made-from- scratch ice cream for more than 25 years and today has three locations and an ice-cream truck.

THE FOOD: Don’t miss the ever-rotating featured flavors with inventive flavor combos like blueberry lavender and French silk cheesecake. Purists will revel in their classic chocolate. Bonus: Clumpies Ice Cream is also available by mail order.

Maudie's Tex-Mex | Austin, Texas | maudies.com

THE VIBE: Industrial style-meets-neon lighting at this laid-back Texas eatery. You’ll find come-as-you-are hospitality at each of its five Austin locations, but the outdoor seating at the original Maudie’s on West 7th Street can’t be beat.

THE FOOD: With breakfast served all day, you’ll be hard-pressed to beat the huevos rancheros with a side of refried beans. Then again, the enchiladas have made the restaurant an Austin institution. No matter your selection, start your meal with an order of Maura’s Bean Dip for the table.

The Silver Dollar Saloon | Leadville, Colorado | legendarysilverdollarsaloon.com

THE VIBE: This Colorado watering hole remains largely unchanged since its opening in 1883. The large windbreak was once used to conceal the identities of the patrons. (Molly Brown, Doc Holliday and Oscar Wilde are all believed to have stopped by.) The Old West style continues inside, where the original ornate wood-and-mirror bar remains intact.

THE FOOD: Drinks may have been what originally drew folks into the saloon, but today its culinary offerings are just as prized as its liquid ones. Start with the Silver Dollar Wings and then move on to a main course of a BBQ Elk Meatball Hoagie with a side of onion rings.