In Knoxville, it won’t take long before you hear an enthusiastic “Go Vols” or see University of Tennessee’s iconic orange on display. But this vibrant college town is more than football games and frat life. The walkable downtown boasts historic architecture, eclectic shops, arts and entertainment venues, and dozens of bars and restaurants—most locally owned. The pedestrian-only Market Square anchors the city, with a bustling Saturday morning farmers market and a long list of independent restaurants, including James Beard Award-winning chef Joseph Lenn’s celebrated J.C. Holdway. On Gay Street, you can grab a scratchmade doughnut from Status Dough and explore 10 blocks dotted with historic theaters, galleries, and dining options. And across the bridge Old City hums with creative energy against a backdrop of beautiful Victorian buildings. With the Great Smoky Mountains to the east, Cumberland Mountains to the west, and miles of urban trails and greenways, it’s easy to enjoy the breathtaking East Tennessee landscape surrounding this independent-spirited food-lover’s town.
Best Places to Eat, Drink, and Explore
Best Lunch: Sticky Rice
Take a short drive from downtown—and don’t let the long lines deter you. This family-run Laotian restaurant is worth every effort. Make sure the fried chicken skin (with Grandma’s seasonings), crispy rice with sour pork sausage, and coconut sticky rice with mango are in your order.
Best Pizza: A Dopo
A Dopo’s woodfired Neapolitan-style pizzas start with sourdough that’s made fresh daily, with toppings ranging from housemade ’nduja to local honey. The pies are the main event, but creative starters, seasonal vegetables, a curated wine list, and gelato complete the experience.
Best Bakery: Wild Love Bakehouse
Locally and regionally sourced eggs, milk, and flour are the building blocks of this North Knoxville bakery’s delectable scratch-made croissants, pastries, bars, and savory fare. The supremely flaky, buttery hand tart (a gourmet Pop Tart-like treat) is a must.
Best Deli: Potchke Deli
What began as a pop-up by Laurence Faber and Emily Williams to support Ukraine grew into a much-loved brick-and-mortar deli cherished for its babkas, blintzes, bialys, and other traditional fare. (Don’t miss their new bagel shop in West Knoxville.)
Best Tamale: Good Golly Tamale
At Good Golly Tamale you can choose from more than a dozen flavor-packed parcels. Go classic with the queso poblano, filled with Sweetwater Valley buttermilk cheese and roasted peppers, or sample a seasonal favorite, like the curry chicken with onion, ginger, and coconut.
Best Brewery: Pretentious Beer Co.
Craft beer lovers will appreciate the rotating selection of lagers, IPAs, sours, and browns served in handblown glasses made specifically for your chosen brew. Not into beer? No problem. There’s a refreshing seltzer on tap, too.
Best International Influence: Tarik’s North African
Tarik Becha’s culinary journey began in the Algerian village of his youth and continued across continents before he and his wife opened Tarik’s. Entrees layered with steamed couscous, spiced meats and vegetables, fresh parsley, plump raisins, and pickled bites reflect the rich culinary traditions of his home.
Best Bagel (and Bonus Canelé): Paysan Bread and Bagels
Paysan is known for its sourdough loaves and shiny bagels in a variety of flavors, stuffed with various fillings or served with a classic schmear. But the delicate canelés—with a Tennessee twist, subbing whiskey for rum—are a delight.
Claim to Fame
Joe and Carol Schoentrup debuted The Petro—a Fritos bag sliced open and piled high with chili and toppings—at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville. Three years later, brothers Dale, Keith, and Randy Widmer developed a restaurant concept building on the portable snack’s popularity. Over the years, the paper cup “barrel” replaced the Frito bag, and new menu items were added, but you can still enjoy the original Petro, along with their signature Hint-of-Orange iced tea, at all locations, including Knoxville’s Market Square.
Where to Shop
The inviting Old World-inspired space sets a warm and welcoming tone for tightly edited shelves lined with biodynamic, small-batch wines from family-owned producers around the world. The friendly staff members go above and beyond to help you discover your next bottle.
This compact city market has all the weekly shopping necessities: fresh vegetables, organic meats, and rows of sauces, spices, snacks, and
accoutrements. For visitors, it’s the perfect stop for picnic prep—grab beer from the cooler plus whatever they’re serving at the counter.
Wednesday and Saturday mornings, May through November, this open-air, producer-only market showcases goods grown, raised, and/or made by vendors within 150 miles of Knoxville. Seasonal items range from fresh fruits and vegetables to pasture-raised meats and artisan crafts and foods.
Where to Stay
Within walking distance of downtown, the University of Tennessee, and World’s Fair Park, The Tennessean stands out for its service and
amenities as much as its premium location. Sip the hotel’s signature smoked old fashioned before tucking into one of 82 spacious suites. On Sunday, treat yourself to a British-inspired tea service in the hotel’s elegant restaurant, The Drawing Room, before setting out to explore the hotel’s black car service, executive golf cart, and electric bikes make getting around a breeze.
Meet a Local
CHEF JOSEPH LENN, J.C. HOLDWAY
Following an accomplished decade at Blackberry Farm, James Beard Award winning chef Joseph Lenn returned home to open J.C. Holdway. In the open kitchen, Lenn crafts Appalachian inspired dishes like scallion hushpuppies and whole grilled Sunburst trout. Indulge in the intimate five-course chef’s tasting menu for the best bites of the season.
What is unique about what you offer at J.C. Holdway?
A big part of it is having the woodburning ovens in the kitchen. And many of the dishes relate back to my childhood, growing up in East Tennessee—at the chef’s counter, I can share those stories.
How has this community shaped your business vision?
The farmers market is a block away, so it makes it easy to stay seasonal and local. I started building relationships with farmers between jobs, before I ever even opened the restaurant. It’s a luxury to have it so close.
How are you involved in community-building events?
We do a lot of charity work for the arts: Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville Opera, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and we support the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee, too. After Helene we hosted a dinner and raised $40,000 for World Central Kitchen. Those are proud moments for me, being from here and being able to use accolades to drive fundraising and seeing how impactful it can be.
Plan a perfect day in Knoxville for us.
Start the morning at Mahalo Coffee, then stroll through Market Square and Old City and grab a second coffee at Old City Java. Next check out the East Tennessee History Center and the Knoxville Museum of Art, two places that show a lot about Tennessee. After that, [take] a walk or hike close to town at Ijams Nature Center. It’s beautiful and we are lucky to have it so close by. For lunch, head out of town to Sticky Rice. (You have to get crispy rice with sour sausage.) We have excellent authentic Sichuan at Asia Kitchen, too. Before dinner, grab a drink at Peter Kern Library. It’s a speakeasy-type bar with cocktails that are just on a different level. Of course, you’d have to have the chef’s tasting menu at J.C. Holdway for dinner. After dinner see a show at Tennessee Theatre or Bijou, then grab a drink at PostModern Spirits or Schulz Brewery.
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