Long a weekend destination for the orange-wearing crowds coming to cheer on the Tennessee Volunteers, downtown Knoxville has seen renewed energy over the past decade, accompanied by a revitalization of the area surrounding Market Square. New life has been breathed into the city in the form of smart restaurants, inventive bakeries and breweries, and stylish hotels.
Now a stopping point for music and art lovers who come for the Big Ears Festival, or to catch a show at the 109-year-old Bijou Theatre, as well as for the food hounds seeking out Blackberry Farm-caliber eats, Knoxville is making a comeback. Step inside the light-filled Awaken Coffee shop for a blackberry mocha, and you’ll get a glimpse of the efforts being made to preserve Knoxville’s historic district.
Dinnertime allows you to explore the wave of Blackberry Farm-influenced restaurants, like chef Matt Gallaher’s Knox Mason, which beckons with fresh pork rinds and black-eyed pea hummus. More than dive bars and college watering holes, the Knoxville bar scene has matured thanks to cocktail-focused spots like the Peter Kern Library, a speakeasy inside the boutique Oliver Hotel. You’ll leave Knoxville with a full stomach and hearty memories.
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