Branson Dining Guide

Branson's frontline industry is, of course, live entertainment, and the town boasts more theater seats than year-round residents. But, it is also likely that this little tourist haven is the biscuits-and-gravy and buffet capital of the free world as well. With more than 150 restaurants crammed into an area a little larger than a major airport, you should have no trouble finding something to eat at any time of day or night. The problem will be where to go, and what to order once you arrive.

Local cuisine
If country cooking wasn't invented in the surrounding Ozark Mountains, it was certainly perfected there. If you are going to enjoy yourself while you're in Branson - I mean really, really enjoy yourself - forget about the cholesterol count, bag the diet and dig in to some of the best country food around. The battle cry among most restaurants here is, 'If it ain't fried, it ain't food.'

Many local diners were steamrolled by the hundreds of new restaurants that seemed to open overnight during the rapid boom in Bransons tourist industry. But the Branson Café has been serving up hominy and grits since before Branson had theaters and stoplights - almost before there were motor cars. Open since 1910, this café in historic downtown Branson has the reputation of being one of the most enduring businesses in town. Although the clientele has changed dramatically since farmers and loggers came here for country ribs and collard greens, the menu has pretty much remained the same.

Branson has grown in popularity, and more and more visitors pour off the interstate in cars, motorhomes and tour coaches each year. The demand to feed these hungry tourists and get them on their way quickly has resulted in a boom of buffet-style country restaurants where homefries are served up in heaping spoonfuls tens of thousands of times a day. At Dockers, a land-locked, full-sized replica of a Mississippi River boat, a cholesterol-lovers dreams come true in a 30-foot buffet filled to the gills with baked, fried and barbecued meats, and all the veggies you can imagine, including okra, creamed corn and baked beans. To add to the great dining experience, Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass perform here on occasion during lunchtime.

Upscale Dining
If you have the urge to splurge, Branson is prepared to oblige with a number of fine-dining establishments. Dimitris Gourmet Dining, with its floating dining room, is located in Historic Downtown Branson, right on the Lake Tanycomo waterfront. Dimitris patrons are treated to a view across the emerald waters as they enjoy gourmet Greek cuisine every bit as good as the open-air atmosphere. What is perhaps the best view in southwest Missouri awaits diners at the Candlestick Inn, where only the finest aged Black Angus beef is served along with fresh seafood in a luxury setting at the top of Mt. Branson. A patio offers a look into the White River Canyon, 250 feet below, where the waters of Lake Tanycomo reflect the Missouri sunsets. The sweeping vista includes the entire city of Branson ' a sea of lights after sundown.

Overlooking Tablerock Lake is a gourmet restaurant enclosed within the Chateau on the Lake. The Chateau Grill drips opulence with cherry-wood walls, massive granite and marble facades and tuxedo-clad waiters. This place is probably the epitome of luxury dining in Branson. The Atrium Lounge Bar offers an astounding view of the Lake, and guests are encouraged to take their drinks to the top of the ten-story hotel for a spectacular 360-degree view of the Ozarks.
Inside the carriage house at the Stone Hill Winery is the Vintage Restaurant where gourmet meals are served inside this massive historic brick building. The chef here does incredible things with trout, quail, baby back ribs and that ever-popular gourmet fowl, duck.

Moving experiences
If looking out across the lakes and hills is not enough, there are several ways to enjoy a great meal as you ramble through the woods or slide across the waves. Railroads were once considered standards of luxury dining, and the Branson Scenic Railway takes guests back to that era every Sunday night. You will appreciate the soft light of the candles as your train passes in and out of tunnels, creating an exciting, yet romantic setting.

Several outfits offer excursions on the water, but there are only two which do it with the style and romance of an historic stern-wheeled paddleboat. The Lake Queen stirs the smooth waters of Lake Tanycomo from April through December and offers a hearty buffet as diners are treated to a 22-mile entertaining tour of the Tanycomo shoreline. On the top deck, you can dance to a live band that effectively drowns out the 'chuff, chuff, chuff' of the paddles churning the water. Table Rock Lakes stern-wheeler, Showboat Branson Belle, offers a true dinner theater experience with meals served by singing waiters and waitresses and a complete show during the cruise against the backdrop of a tree-carpeted shoreline. No alcohol is served onboard.

Stepping out
The majority of Bransons visitors are retirees and families in search of a friendly vacation destination. But the local population creates a demand for evening entertainment other than Andy Williams and the Baldknobbers. The dedicated pubs and neighborhood bars are sprinkled very lightly across the city, but they are there. At Beverlys Steakhouse, an open stage beckons to musicians every night. Since a majority of Bransons population is aspiring and professional musicians, the jam sessions here are awesome. The crowd is mostly college students who have come to dance and enjoy the incredible impromptu music sets. On the ground floor of B. T. Bones Branson Steakhouse, an elevated bar looks across the dining room, but upstairs is where the action takes place. The house band has developed a cult following among locals and they crowd the dance floor every night to dance to the live country and rock music. On Sunday, bar goers get a chance to take the stage and try their hand at karaoke.

Branson offers a little bit of everything for diners and those seeking entertainment, but most of all it offers warm hospitality no matter how much your meal cost.

JD Meisner

Buffalo Dining Guide