The Kingston Pike corridor west of downtown, where Buddy's Bar-B-Q opened in 1972 and where Dead End BBQ and Aubrey's now anchor the residential dining scene.
The Plaid Apron on Kenesaw Avenue in Sequoyah Hills, the long-running Southern brunch and dinner room in West Knoxville, works with East Tennessee farmers.
Signature: Cinnamon rolls, Smash burger, Grits
Order: A morning cinnamon roll with grits, or the smash burger at dinner.
Tip: Wednesday to Saturday for brunch and dinner; Sunday is brunch only and the kitchen closes Mondays and Tuesdays.
Sitar Indian Cuisine on Kingston Pike in Bearden, the long-running Indian buffet and dinner room, anchors West Knoxville's daily curry program.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Chicken tikka masala
Order: The weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
Tip: Weekday lunch buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
Aubrey's Papermill in Bearden, the Knoxville-born comfort-food chain's West Knoxville flagship, runs pretzel-crusted chicken and weeknight family dinners.
Signature: Pretzel-crusted chicken, Fried green tomatoes
Order: The pretzel-crusted chicken plate with a side of fried green tomatoes.
Tip: Sunday family dinners run busy; Tuesday and Wednesday weeknights are reliably easier.
Holly's Eventful Dining on Kingston Pike, chef Holly Hambright's long-running Bearden room since 2006, runs a daily-changing seasonal menu of eclectic.
Signature: Seasonal dinner, Brunch plates
Order: Whatever Holly's kitchen is leading the daily-changing seasonal menu.
Tip: Menu rotates daily; call ahead for reservations and to ask what's on for the night.
Marble City Pub on Jack Dance Street in West Hills, the craft-cocktail and beer bar between Salsarita's and Sticky Rice, runs a Knoxville rotating tap list.
Signature: Craft beer flight, Bar plates
Order: A rotating craft-beer flight with the bar's burger.
Tip: Saturday salsa nights run late; Sunday afternoon is the reliably quiet window.
The Plaid Apron on Kenesaw Avenue in Sequoyah Hills, the long-running Southern brunch and dinner room, runs Wednesday-to-Saturday dinners sourcing from East.
Signature: Smash burger, Local-farm dinner
Order: The smash burger at dinner with a cocktail off the seasonal list.
Tip: Wednesday to Saturday for dinner; Sunday is brunch only and the kitchen closes Monday and Tuesday.
Holly's Eventful Dining on Kingston Pike, chef Holly Hambright's Bearden room running a daily-changing menu, anchors Knoxville's local-source eclectic.
Signature: Daily-changing menu, Brunch plates
Order: Whatever Holly's kitchen is leading the daily-changing menu with that night.
Tip: Menu rotates daily; call ahead for reservations and to ask what is on the board for service.
The Tomato Head Bearden on Kingston Pike at Gallery Shopping Center, Mahasti Vafaie's West Knoxville arm of the Market Square original, runs the same pizza.
Signature: Mahasti pizza, Veggie sandwich
Order: Same Mahasti pizza pesto build that runs at Market Square.
Tip: Bearden opens 10:00 on Saturdays for brunch; the Kingston Pike location is reliably easier than downtown on weekends.
Yassin's Falafel House on North Peters Road in West Knoxville, the original Yassin Terou Syrian counter, runs the falafel and shawarma menu that earned.
Signature: Falafel sandwich, Shawarma plate
Order: A falafel sandwich with the chicken shawarma plate and a side of hummus.
Tip: The N Peters Road location runs reliably weeknights; weekend lunches fill the small dining room.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q on Kingston Pike, the original flagship since 1972 where Buddy and LaMuriel Smothers opened the chain, anchors Knoxville's East Tennessee.
Signature: Pulled pork plate, Pit-smoked turkey
Order: A pulled-pork plate with two sides and a sweet tea.
Tip: The Kingston Pike flagship is the original; the chain runs a dozen East Tennessee locations now.
Dead End BBQ on Sutherland Avenue in the Pond Gap neighborhood near Bearden, the competition-team-turned-restaurant, runs award-winning smoked brisket.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Pulled pork
Order: A combination plate with brisket and pulled pork and two East Tennessee sides.
Tip: Order from the counter and find a seat; Friday and Saturday dinners run busiest.
Aubrey's Papermill in Bearden, the Knoxville-born comfort-food chain's West Knoxville flagship, runs pretzel-crusted chicken and Southern weeknight family.
Signature: Pretzel-crusted chicken, Fried green tomatoes
Order: The pretzel-crusted chicken plate with a side of fried green tomatoes.
Tip: Sunday family dinners run busy; Tuesday and Wednesday weeknights are reliably easier.
Sitar Indian Cuisine on Kingston Pike, the long-running Bearden Indian dining room and buffet, runs chicken tikka masala and a daily lunch buffet for West.
Signature: Lunch buffet, Chicken tikka masala
Order: The weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
Tip: Weekday buffet runs 11:00-14:30; dinner reservations rarely needed except Friday and Saturday.
Stir Fry Cafe at Gallery Shopping Center on Kingston Pike, the long-running Bearden Thai counter, runs pad thai and drunken noodles for West Knoxville since.
Signature: Pad thai, Drunken noodles
Order: Pad thai with chicken or drunken noodles at the heat level of your choice.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays; weekday lunch turns faster than the dinner crowd.
Nick and J's Cafe on Lovell Road in West Knoxville, the hometown diner across from the Pellissippi Parkway exit, runs all-day breakfast and burgers.
Signature: Breakfast platter, Hometown burger
Order: The breakfast platter with bacon and country ham, or the hometown burger at lunch.
Tip: Weekday breakfast runs 07:00-10:30, Saturday until 11:30; expect a line on Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
Honeybee Coffee Co. on Kingston Pike in Farragut, the West Knoxville arm of the Honeybee brand, runs pour-over coffee for the Bearden crowd.
Signature drink: Pour-over and seasonal espresso
Tip: Weekday afternoons fill with remote workers; the patio sits busier than the inside counter.
The Plaid Apron on Kenesaw Avenue in Sequoyah Hills, the long-running Southern brunch room, runs a morning cinnamon roll and biscuit pastry case alongside.
Tip: Cinnamon rolls go in the case by 09:00 and tend to be gone by noon.
Worth the queue: Plaid Apron cinnamon roll
Bearden Beer Market on Old Kingston Pike, the West Knoxville beer bar and bottle shop, runs a rotating tap and bottle list open 365 days a year.
Signature drink: Rotating craft beer flights
Food: Food-truck rotation
Tip: Outside dog-friendly patio is the real draw; food trucks rotate so check the Facebook page for the night's truck.
Marble City Pub on Jack Dance Street, the West Hills cocktail and beer bar, runs craft cocktails, rotating taps and Saturday salsa nights in the strip.
Signature drink: Craft cocktails and rotating taps
Food: Pub menu
Tip: Saturday salsa nights run late; weeknights are reliably easier for the cocktail program.
Crafty Bastard Brewery on Kingston Pike, the brand's West Knoxville taproom and pizza counter, runs the same rotating tap list and a pizza kitchen.
Tip: Pizza kitchen runs the same hours as the taproom; weekend Sundays close earlier than the Old City HQ.
Williams Sonoma at West Town Mall in Bearden runs free and ticketed technique classes through the year, with chef-led demos for home cooking equipment.
Tip: Most demonstrations are free; ticketed classes are typically held quarterly. Sign up at the store or online.
Buddy's Bar-B-Q on Kingston Pike, the original flagship since 1972, runs a $9-13 pulled pork plate with two sides as Knoxville's most reliable East TN BBQ.
Try: Pulled pork plate with two sides
Tip: The pulled pork plate with cole slaw and beans clocks under $13; counter ordering moves fast.
The Plaid Apron on Kenesaw Avenue in Sequoyah Hills, the Southern brunch and dinner room, runs Wednesday-to-Sunday brunch with cinnamon rolls.
Order: Cinnamon roll with grits and a smash burger
Tip: Sunday brunch only; Wednesday to Saturday are full brunch and dinner. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.