Caribbean$the-stripMon-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 10:00-22:00
Sunspot on Cumberland Avenue near UT runs $10-15 lunch plates from the Southwestern and Caribbean menu the multicultural counter has run on the Strip since.
Try: Sweet potato burrito
Tip: Weekday lunch under $15; UT football Saturdays push the prices and wait times up.
Mexican$market-squareMon-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-00:00; Sun 11:00-21:00
Soccer Taco on Market Square's south end runs $10-15 taco plates with three tacos and rice, a Mexican counter staple on the downtown plaza any night.
Try: Taco plate
Tip: Three-taco plate stays under $15; late-night kitchen runs Friday and Saturday.
New American$market-squareMon-Sat 11:00-20:00; Sun 12:00-18:00
Petro's Chili and Chips on Market Square, the Knoxville chili-on-Fritos concept born at the 1982 World's Fair, runs $6-10 Petros downtown daily.
Try: The original Petro
Tip: The $6 original Petro is the cheapest sit-down meal on Market Square.
Burgers$market-squareMon-Fri 11:00-14:00 lunch
Stock and Barrel on Market Square runs $13-16 weekday lunch burgers, the bourbon-and-burger counter's most-affordable window on the plaza Monday through.
Try: House burger
Tip: Weekday lunch 11:00-14:00 is the easiest counter; weekend dinners drift higher.
Cafe$downtownMon-Fri 06:30-14:00; Sat-Sun 07:00-14:00
Pete's Coffee Shop on Union Avenue, the downtown diner since 1986, runs $8-12 breakfast platters voted Best Breakfast in Knoxville seven years running.
Try: Diner breakfast platters
Tip: Closes 14:00 daily; the under-$10 breakfast plate is the workhorse.
Food hall$downtownDaily 11:00-21:00
Yassin's Falafel House at Marble City Food Hall, Yassin Terou's Syrian counter named Reader's Digest Nicest Place in America 2018, runs $7-10 falafel.
Try: Falafel sandwich
Tip: Falafel sandwich runs under $10; add a side of hummus and pita for under $14.