Fox’s Diner in Rocky Top is moving, renamed ‘Whistle Stop Cafe

March 5, 2025 by G. Chambers Williams III

Lifted straight from the popular film “Fried Green Tomatoes,” Rocky Top’s newest restaurant, the Whistle Stop Café, will open at 11 a.m. Monday, March 10, in the former Glenn’s Pizza location at 513 N. Main St.

Laura Barnhardt and her husband, Roger, who live in Briceville, have run Fox’s Diner on the south end of Rocky Top for the past three years.

But Laura Barnhardt said they closed that restaurant last Friday, and are moving to the new location, where they will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday.

“We’re moving to a much better location, and we want everyone to know that we’re bringing Glenn’s pizza back into the building. We’ve been talking with Glenn (Nolan) and learning how he made his pizza, and we will be doing ours the same – especially his famous taco pizza.”

Nolan retired and closed Glenn’s Pizza in 2022, and Nanny’s Kitchen operated in the same building until it closed at the end of last year, Barnhardt said.

“We will be having the pizza buffet just like Glenn’s, from 11 to 2 on Monday through Thursday, and all

day on Friday,” she said.

Other menu items will include fried green tomatoes, of course, along with fried chicken livers, open-faced roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy, hamburgers and hot dogs, Barnhardt said.

“We’re bringing the salad bar back, too,” she added.

For now, there will be a staff of 7-8 people, but Barnhardt said they hope to hire more people and start opening for breakfast when they can. Fox’s Diner has been a popular breakfast spot.

Karaoke nights will also be featured at the Whistle Stop Café, she said, as they were at Fox’s Diner.

“We believe this will be a perfect location for us,” she said. “We’re close to the interstate, so we should get traffic from there, along with our local community.”