Bistros, trattorias and the everyday places where Knoxville actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Knoxville actually eats.
20 places
Order The Mahasti pizza with the sun-dried tomato pesto, or the veggie sandwich at lunch.
The Tomato Head on Market Square, Mahasti Vafaie's Persian-American pizza counter since 1990, is downtown Knoxville's longest-running independent restaurant.
Order Same Mahasti pizza pesto build that runs at Market Square.
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.
Order A house burger with a bourbon flight off the 300-deep American whiskey list.
Stock and Barrel on Market Square, the bourbon-and-burger counter since 2013, sources beef from Mitchell Family Farms with bread from Flour Head Bakery.
Order A falafel sandwich with hummus and the daily Mediterranean salad sides.
Yassin's Falafel House at Marble City Food Hall, Yassin Terou's Syrian falafel and shawarma counter named Reader's Digest Nicest Place in America in 2018.
Order A falafel sandwich with the chicken shawarma plate and a side of hummus.
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.
Order A pulled-pork plate with two sides and a sweet tea.
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.
Order A pulled pork sandwich with the daily soul-food sides.
Sweet P's BBQ Uptown Corner on Tazewell Pike, Cookie Patton's North Knoxville barbecue and soul food counter, runs the brand's pulled pork and brisket.
Order A combination plate with brisket and pulled pork and two East Tennessee sides.
Dead End BBQ on Sutherland Avenue in the Pond Gap neighborhood near Bearden, the competition-team-turned-restaurant, runs award-winning smoked brisket.
Order The sweet potato burrito with black beans, or the Sunspot bowl of the season.
Sunspot on Cumberland Avenue, the multicultural Southwestern and Caribbean room on the UT Strip since the 1990s, anchors Knoxville's student-area dining.
Order Carne asada tacos with a classic margarita off the rocks list.
Soccer Taco on Market Square, the long-running Mexican counter on the plaza's south end, runs tacos and margaritas with weekend late-night service.
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Order The fried chicken biscuit with sweet tea, or the Shoo Mercy double-biscuit plate.
Tupelo Honey on Market Square, the Asheville-born Southern kitchen at the plaza's north end, runs all-day brunch with biscuits, fried chicken and Shoo Mercy.
Order A rack of baby-back ribs with a Smoky Mountain Brewery pour and a river-side patio table.
Calhoun's on the River at Volunteer Landing, the Copper Cellar group's barbecue and burger room overlooking the Tennessee River, runs baby-back ribs.
Order The pretzel-crusted chicken plate with a side of fried green tomatoes.
Aubrey's Papermill in Bearden, the Knoxville-born comfort-food chain's West Knoxville flagship, runs pretzel-crusted chicken and Southern weeknight family.
Order A Thunder Road burger with the daily piece of Italian cream cake to take home.
Litton's Market and Restaurant on Essary Drive in Fountain City since 1946, the family-run burger and bakery counter, sells the famous burger.
Order The weekday lunch buffet, or chicken tikka masala with garlic naan at dinner.
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.
Order Pad thai with chicken or drunken noodles at the heat level of your choice.
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.
Order A round of steamed buns with the chef's noodle bowl of the week.
Kaizen on South Central, chef Jesse Newmister's Asian-fusion room in the Old City since 2016, runs steamed buns, ramen and rotating chef plates a block.
Order A specialty dog build with a bottle off the rotating craft-beer wall.
Curious Dog on West Jackson, the brothers Weidenhamer's hot-dog counter in the historic JFG building, runs over 30 specialty dog builds since 2009.
Order The original Petro with chili, cheese, sour cream, salsa and Fritos.
Petro's Chili and Chips on Market Square, the chili-on-chips concept born at the 1982 World's Fair Knoxville, runs the Petro signature bowl downtown.
Order The breakfast platter with bacon and country ham, or the hometown burger at lunch.
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.
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