Downtown's main commercial spine running from the Tennessee Theatre south, lined with the Bistro at the Bijou, Lilou, Cruze Farm and Suttree's High Gravity Tavern.
Lilou Brasserie on South Gay Street, Aaron Thompson and Jessica King's French room in the old Sapphire space, runs all-day breakfast and jazz brunch.
Signature: Steak frites, Weekend jazz brunch
Order: Steak frites at dinner or a Saturday jazz brunch plate with the daily happy-hour pour.
Tip: Daily happy hour runs 16:00-18:00; Saturday and Sunday brunch sits 10:00-14:00.
Bistro at the Bijou on South Gay Street, attached to the historic Bijou Theatre, runs a pre-theater menu in one of downtown's oldest buildings.
Signature: Pre-theater menu, Live jazz Tuesdays
Order: The pre-theater bistro menu, plus a wine pour off the shortlisted list before the curtain.
Tip: Time the reservation 90 minutes before showtime at the Bijou Theatre next door; Sundays run quieter than weekends.
Lilou Brasserie on South Gay Street, the Aaron Thompson and Jessica King French brasserie in the old Sapphire space, runs full-day French service.
Signature: Steak frites, Weekend jazz brunch
Order: Steak frites at dinner or a Saturday jazz-brunch plate with the daily happy-hour pour.
Tip: Daily happy hour 16:00-18:00 is the easiest entry; brunch sits at 10:00-14:00 on weekends.
Bistro at the Bijou on South Gay Street, the dining room attached to the historic Bijou Theatre, runs a pre-theater menu and live jazz Tuesdays in one.
Signature: Pre-theater menu, Tuesday live jazz
Order: The pre-theater bistro menu with a glass off the built wine list.
Tip: Time the reservation 90 minutes before showtime; Sundays run quieter than Friday and Saturday.
K Brew Downtown on South Gay Street, the locally roasted coffee and handmade bagel counter in the Embassy Suites building, anchors downtown.
Signature drink: Knoxville-roasted espresso
Tip: Friday and Saturday close at 20:00 for the post-work crowd; weekday mornings open at 07:00 sharp.
Cruze Farm Ice Cream on South Gay Street, the family dairy's downtown Knoxville counter, churns ice cream with milk from the Cruze herd in East Tennessee.
Signature drink: Fresh-churned ice cream and milkshakes
Tip: Late-night ice cream runs to 22:00 daily; the line moves faster than it looks.
Cruze Farm Ice Cream on South Gay Street, the family dairy's downtown counter, churns small-batch ice cream with milk from the Cruze herd outside town.
Tip: Late-night runs to 22:00 daily; the buttermilk and rotating seasonal flavors sell fastest.
Worth the queue: Buttermilk ice cream
Lilou Brasserie on South Gay Street, Aaron Thompson and Jessica King's French brasserie, runs a built French and natural wine program at the bar.
Signature pour: By-the-glass French rotation
Wine focus: French and natural-leaning
Food: French brasserie plates and bar snacks
Tip: Daily 16:00-18:00 happy hour is the easiest entry to the by-the-glass list; brunch sits Saturdays and Sundays.
Bistro at the Bijou on South Gay Street, attached to the historic Bijou Theatre, runs a selected French and Californian wine list paired with the pre-theater.
Signature pour: House Bordeaux by the glass
Wine focus: Curated French and Californian
Food: Pre-theater bistro plates
Tip: Pre-theater wine flight is the easiest way into the list; Tuesday live-jazz nights pair well with a bottle.
Suttree's High Gravity Tavern on South Gay Street, the downtown Knoxville craft-beer bar named for the Cormac McCarthy novel, runs 32 rotating taps.
Signature drink: 32 rotating craft taps
Food: Ramen and bar snacks
Tip: Ramen menu runs to last call; check the tap-list chalkboard for the night's rotation.
Cruze Farm Ice Cream on South Gay Street, the family dairy's downtown counter, slings cones of buttermilk and rotating East Tennessee dairy ice cream daily.
Try: Fresh-churned ice cream cones
Tip: Open late to 22:00; the late-night cone line moves faster than the daytime queue.
Lilou Brasserie jazz brunch on South Gay Street, the Aaron Thompson and Jessica King French brasserie weekend brunch with live jazz, runs Saturdays.
Order: Steak frites brunch plate with the jazz set
Tip: Reservations open about three weeks out; the live jazz starts at 11:00 in the dining room.
Suttree's High Gravity Tavern on South Gay Street, the craft-beer bar with 32 rotating taps and a ramen menu, keeps the kitchen and bar open to midnight.
Try: Ramen and craft beer
Tip: Kitchen runs ramen and bar snacks until midnight; arcade games run later than the kitchen.