When I first signed up to do food reviews, I was hoping to find special, out-of-the-way restaurants where the chefs cared as much about preparing the food as I did about eating it. After visiting the Pigeon Mountain Country Store, I’m one for one.
The store, which opened in the fall, specializes in views and ‘cue but also features locally raised, grass-fed longhorn beef burgers, ribs, Abita root beer on tap and excellent soups.
Located about 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga at the intersection of highways 193 and 341, the trip is half the experience, with serene views of Lookout and Pigeon mountains and pastoral farmland. On the way back home, my wife and I had to stop to let two horses get out of the road. It’s certainly enough of a trip to work up an appetite.
The menu
The Country Store doesn’t do everything, but what it does, it does right. Diners can choose from burgers ($6.50 for bacon, cheese and two sides), barbecue, grilled cheese, ham sandwiches ($4.50) and chicken salad ($3.50). They smoke ribs for Fridays and Saturdays ($8.50 for half slab and sides).