Pete's Restaurant and Coffee Shop on Union Avenue, the downtown Knoxville diner since 1986, runs the breakfast counter that voted Best Breakfast in town.
Tip: Closed by 14:00 daily; weekend lines form before 09:00, weekdays move faster.
Address: 540 Union Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902
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.
Old City Java on South Central Street, the neighborhood coffee shop serving downtown Knoxville since 1991, anchors the Old City's specialty coffee tier.
Signature drink: Filter coffee
Tip: Weekday mornings turn over faster than weekend afternoons; the bench at the front fills first.
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.
K Brew North Knox on North Broadway, the original K Brew location, runs locally roasted coffee and handmade bagels north of downtown Knoxville with a fuller.
Signature drink: Drip coffee and bagels
Tip: Drive-through line moves faster than the inside counter on weekday mornings.
Wild Love Bakehouse on North Central Street, the North Knoxville cafe and bakery, runs scratch pastries and Joe Coffee on tap and was named Afar's best.
Signature drink: Drip coffee and croissants
Tip: Mondays and Tuesdays closed; weekend mornings fill fast for the laminated pastries.
Honeybee Coffee Co. on Sevier Avenue, the South Knoxville specialty cafe and bakery in the Urban Wilderness corridor, runs pour-over coffee and house.
Signature drink: Pour-over and seasonal espresso
Tip: Weekend mornings draw mountain-biking crowds heading to the Urban Wilderness; weekdays are reliably quieter.
