Knoxville eats with an Appalachian accent. The largest city in East Tennessee sits at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains and built its food story on three things: White Lily flour milled here since 1883 and folded into the South's flakiest biscuits, post-1982 World's Fair downtown revival that gave Market Square and the Old City their current restaurant density, and a chef cohort anchored by Joseph Lenn at J.C. Holdway who left Blackberry Farm for Union Avenue in 2016. The Market Square Farmers Market runs Wednesdays and Saturdays through October. Buddy's Bar-B-Q has been smoking pork on Kingston Pike since 1972, Pete's has fed downtown breakfast since 1986, and the Tomato Head has sold pizza on Market Square since 1990. Add the Old City's brewery row, Honeybee and Old City Java pulling specialty coffee, and Yassin's Falafel House feeding the city since the Reader's Digest crowned it the Nicest Place in America in 2018.

Where to eat in Knoxville

All 21 restaurants

  1. J.C. Holdway

    Order Whichever Appalachian-sourced wood-fired protein the kitchen is leading the night's menu.

  2. Emilia

    Order Whichever pasta the kitchen is rolling that day, plus a hand-pulled mozzarella plate to start.

  3. Lilou Brasserie

    Order Steak frites at dinner or a Saturday jazz brunch plate with the daily happy-hour pour.

  4. Osteria Stella

    Order Whatever the kitchen is rolling for pasta that night, plus a glass off the Italian-leaning wine list.

  5. Bistro at the Bijou

    Order The pre-theater bistro menu, plus a wine pour off the shortlisted list before the curtain.

  6. Kaizen

    Order A round of steamed buns with the chef's noodle bowl of the week.

Fine dining

Book food experiences in Knoxville

See all 37 food experiences in Knoxville

Food festivals coming up in Knoxville

All Knoxville food festivals

Where to stay in Knoxville

All Knoxville hotels
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Signature dishes in Knoxville

All 12 dishes

Where to eat by neighborhood

All neighbourhoods

Also in Knoxville: tickets for the sights

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Map of Knoxville

Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Knoxville, pinned. Click a pin for the page.

Trip planner

Plan your Knoxville trip

Pick your dates: we line up the festivals on, what is in season, where to eat on the days you are in town, and experiences you can book for those dates.

In Knoxville now? See what is open near you, and ask our AI

Everything in Knoxville

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Browse Knoxville

When to come hungry in Knoxville

Peak food season
May to October, with Market Square Farmers Market in full swing Wednesdays and Saturdays. May brings the International Biscuit Festival and Rossini Festival; October is Brewers' Jam. Avoid UT home football Saturdays unless you have a reservation.
Local dining hours
Breakfast 07:00-10:00, lunch 11:00-14:00, dinner 17:00-21:30 weeknights and 22:30 weekends. Many downtown rooms close Sundays or Mondays.
Tipping
Standard US: 18 to 22 percent at sit-down restaurants, $1 to $2 per drink at bars, 15 percent at counter-service. Service charges are not yet common in East Tennessee.

Knoxville food, FAQ

What food is Knoxville known for?

Knoxville's signature dishes include White Lily Biscuits with Sausage Gravy, East Tennessee Pulled Pork, Petro's Chili and Chips (The Petro), Smoky Mountain Trout, East Tennessee Country Ham. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.

What are the best food neighborhoods in Knoxville?

TableJourney editors map Knoxville by district. Market Square and Downtown, Old City, Gay Street, Cumberland Avenue (The Strip) are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.

Where should I eat fine dining in Knoxville?

Editor picks in Knoxville include J.C. Holdway, Emilia, Lilou Brasserie, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.

Are there food tours in Knoxville?

TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Knoxville, with what each shows you and how much to budget.

Does Knoxville have good vegetarian or vegan food?

TableJourney's Knoxville dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.