We have been discussing our family’s favorite theme park, Silver Dollar City, in Branson, MO, in my last several posts. Today I want to focus on the sustenance available in the park. While most of the dining venues are casual and cater to families with children, the food is plentiful and satisfying. I want to highlight just a few of these establishments in this post to give you an idea of what is available.
Aunt Polly’s provides a good old southern mix of golden fried chicken, catfish fillets, red beans and rice, corn bread and chicken with noodles. This was one of our children’s favorite places to eat, for obvious reasons.
Buckshot Annie’s wins the award for most colorful name. Annie’s offers grilled barbequed half chickens, giant turkey legs, corn grilled in the husk and two five-foot skillets of hearty succotash and harvest potatoes. This was my husband’s favorite. He just couldn’t get enough of those giant skillets!
Another kids’ favorite is the Lumber Camp, providing French Fries and char-grilled Black Angus burgers, while Mary’s Springhouse offers Mom’s comfort foods: spaghetti served in an edible homemade break bowl, chicken fried steak, frog legs, ham, apple dumplings and cakes and pies.
Then, of course, the Riverside Rib House offers famous farmland barbecued ribs, hand pulled pork sandwiches (which Terry, the pork lover among us, declared delicious!) and barbecued chicken with all the fixings, comfortably served on their covered outdoor patio. For another unique dining opportunity, the Silver Mine Restaurant allows you to dine in an authentic mine setting and enjoy a feast of barbecued ribs, friend chicken, beef stew, ham and beans, assorted vegetables, potatoes and a salad bar.
These are only a few of the restaurants providing casual and deliciously home-cooked fare at Silver Dollar City, but we have tried most of them and have not been disappointed. After dinner, there is always room (in the minds of our children) for a freshly made funnel cake at one of the quaint shops along the main street in the city. You will want to try to avoid peak times as lines for funnel cakes can get a bit long. WE got into the habit of saving that for just before our trip home, right before the park closed at 6:00 pm. Much of the crowd had left by then and the kids could usually walk right up to the window and watch their dessert being made, right before their eyes!
For more information about where to stay when visiting Silver Dollar City, browse Woodall’s listings of Missouri Campgrounds.
