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Visiting Eastern Tennessee and wondering where to eat in Knoxville? Here’s a great list of some of the best restaurants in the Knoxville area, along with some dishes I think you should order!
Knoxville is a surprising city with a diverse and popping culinary scene out in Eastern Tennessee! Located just under three hours east of Nashville, Knoxville does not live in the shadow of its bigger sister when it comes to the food landscape. We found nearly every type of cuisine represented in this city, along with some restaurants that serve up some great Southern comfort food.
From gourmet sourdough pizza to savory tapas and biscuit sandwiches, Knoxville has a little something for everyone!
While there are so many more restaurants for me to try in the area, here are a list of restaurants (and dishes) I think you should try when visiting Knoxville, Tennessee.
Where to Eat in Knoxville
These are all my favorite places to eat when visiting Knoxville – with most of them Downtown in walking distance to all the hotels!
1. A Dopo Pizza
516 Williams St, Knoxville, TN 37917
http://www.adopopizza.com/
If you’re a pizza lover, A Dopo should be high on your list. Open for dinner nightly, A Dopo will make all of your pizza dreams come true!
Pop into their cozy spot in Downtown Knoxville for some seriously epic wood-fired Neapolitan-style sourdough pizza, small batch gelato, fresh salads, and a glass of wine. The sourdough crust is absolutely delicious and rivals even some of the best pizza we’ve had in Italy.
I recommend the Calabrese pizza (the spicy salami and Castelvetrano olives are such a good combo!), Insalata de Ruchetta, and the pistachio gelato.
2. Kaizen
127 S Central St, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://www.knoxkaizen.com/
Kaizen is a Pan-Asian restaurant located in the Old City neighborhood of Knoxville. Their restaurant is modeled after the humble izakaya, which is a Japanese-style bar/pub that typically serves up communal small plates (kind of like tapas).
At Kaizen, they serve more than just Japanese-style dishes and incorporate influences from other Asian cuisines such as Thai and Szechuan. It’s a great casual spot with a chill patio and satisfying food.
Our favorite dish was the pork belly fried rice, but we also enjoyed the Dan Dan Noodles, steamed buns (the hot miso mustard was our fav), and pork egg rolls. Be sure to order up a Japanese beer on draught to wash down your meal!
3. Myrtle’s Bakehouse
Kern’s Food Hall + Market Square Farmers Market
Myrtle’s Bakehouse is home to my favorite chocolate chip cookie of all time! For starters, it’s huge and it took me a couple of days to eat it (not even kidding there). It’s also filled with big chocolate chunks and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt, which helps to balance out the sweet. Pure bliss.
You need to seek out these cookies when in Knoxville! You can now find them at the Kern’s Food Hall or on Saturdays at the Market Square Farmers Market.
4. Vida
531 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://www.vidaknoxville.com/
Vida was an awesome find for us on a night where we were looking for small bites. Located in The Holston Building right in the beating heart of Downtown Knoxville, you’ll find Vida – a Pan-Latin restaurant serving up the most delicious tapas in a beautiful setting (seriously a perfect spot for date night!).
Everything we ate was truly delicious, but we loved the Barbacoa Empanadas, Stuffed Piquillo Peppers, and a special Rock Shrimp dish. They also make a mean Caipirinha and their house bubbly was one of my favorite glasses of bubbles I’ve ever had.
Pro Tip: Google Maps took us to the opposite side of the building from where the restaurant entry was. Enter the restaurant on the park side of the building, which is to the right.
5. Stock & Barrel
35 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://thestockandbarrel.com/knoxville-menu/
Stock & Barrel, located at Market Square, is the perfect spot if you want to satisfy a burger craving. They also have an outdoor patio at the entry of the restaurant, which is perfect for people watching at Market Square when the weather is nice!
We devoured the Black and Blue burger, along with their delicious Southern-inspired appetizers of white cheddar pimento cheese dip (with pita chips) and fried green tomatoes (which come with balsamic vinegar and goat cheese). I highly recommend all three dishes!
6. Not Watson’s
15 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://notwatsons.com/
We loved visiting Not Watson’s in Market Square for their Tuesday beer special! $3 beers all day – can’t beat that! We had the most entertaining bartender (Marcus) who regaled us with tales of his travels and local Knoxville knowledge.
While we sat at the bar and threw back more beers than I care to count, we also shared some small plates including the pan-seared scallops and fried green tomatoes, both of which were excellent.
Not Watson’s also has an extensive menu full of entrees, sandwiches, and burgers. We will definitely be back for more!
other things to do in Knoxville:
7. Matt Robb’s Biscuits
800 Market St, Knoxville, TN 37902
If you’re a biscuit lover, you need to pay a visit to Matt Robb’s in Downtown Knoxville. Matt Robb’s is purely a biscuit shop and they are only open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Matt regularly sells out early so be sure to get there as early as you can if there is something specific that you want!
We tried both the plain biscuit and cheddar and herb, and I had mine stuffed with sausage and cheddar cheese one day, and sausage and chipotle cream cheese the next. Do NOT sleep on the chipotle cream cheese. That stuff is addicting! And yes, we went two days in a row because it was so good.
Grab a hot biscuit sandwich and take it with you to go while you are exploring Downtown Knoxville. Matt is also a super friendly guy and if you need suggestions on what to do in the area, or in neighboring cities like Nashville, be sure to ask him for some advice!
8. Balter Beerworks
100 Broadway SW, Knoxville, TN 37902
https://www.balterbeerworks.com/
Not only is Balter Beerworks a brewery, they also have a great food menu – including brunch on Saturdays & Sundays! We’ve only had their brunch, but they also serve up a hearty pub menu for lunch and dinner, including fried green tomatoes, sliders, nachos, tacos, and burgers galore.
For brunch, we had their Shrimp and Grits, which were so tasty, along with their biscuits and gravy breakfast that will stick to your ribs. For brunch, they also have $1 and $2 mimosa specials if you aren’t up for beer!
Hopefully this mini Knoxville Food Guide helped to guide you on where to eat in Knoxville! What other spots in Knoxville should we add to our next adventure to the city?
Knoxville Restaurant Wish List
And because we most certainly will be back, here’s a list of restaurants on our wish list for when we visit the city again!
- Southern Grit for some hearty Southern food
- J.C. Holdaway for a fine dining experience
- Yassin’s Falafel House for some tasty Mediterranean street food
- Chivo Taqueria for some bomb looking tacos!
- KoPita for some authentic Mediterranean
- Cruze Farm for some of the best ice cream in town
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