Best Restaurants In Downtown Knoxville- A Local’s Guide

Our List of Favorite Restaurants In Downtown Knoxville, TN

The Knoxville food scene has really come into its own. You no longer need to leave our hometown for a culinary expedition in another city like Asheville or Nashville. And that makes us very happy. Our very own “Scruffy Little City” offers plenty of choices, from budget eats to fine dining, plus new restaurants are opening all the time.

With such an amazing selection of dining options in downtown Knoxville, choosing the perfect spot can feel overwhelming. As locals, we’ve got you covered with a list of restaurants we often frequent ourselves and recommend to others. Enjoy!

If you think parking will be too much of an issue, we promise that it is not. Knoxville has several garages and flat lots that are free after 6pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. (It’s only $1 an hour on weekdays too – such a bargain!)

You will find something within easy walking distance of wherever you want to go – see our parking guide for Knoxville to find out the best places to park and which ones are free.

“At A Glance” Favorite Restaurants In Downtown Knoxville

Here is our list of our favorite restaurants in downtown Knoxville. We’ve also sorted them by downtown location- best restaurants near Market Square, Gay Street, Old City, Jackson Ave, Union Ave. We’ve got you covered no matter where you are when you find yourself ready to refuel while exploring downtown!

We have full descriptions of each place and even more recommendations below this list. This is just our handy cheat sheet!

Please note that this is not an extensive list by any means, but we wanted to share some of our favorite “go to” restaurants, and we continue to discover more every day!

Favorite Downtown Knoxville Restaurants By Location

Favorite Market Square Restaurants

Tupelo Honey. Serving “New South” food, this restaurant originally started in Asheville. It is usually packed, but the house biscuits that come with the meal are what keep me coming back for more. Has a kids menu that includes awesome sweet potato pancakes. On the corner of Union Ave and Market Square. Open everyday, including at 8am for brunch on Sat & Sun.

Cafe 4. A more traditional American food restaurant, this place has been around for awhile in a competitive market. And rightfully so, because it is consistently good. It has great warm weather dining on its outdoor patio directly on Market Square. Open everyday, including early for breakfast (7am M- F, 9am Sa-Su).

Tomato Head. A local institution. This restaurant was here when everybody left downtown for the suburbs and is still here now that they all came flooding back. Pizza, calzones, a kids menu, and a bunch of vegetarian options make just about everyone happy. The Kepner Melt is one of those sandwiches that I can’t figure why it works but it does and I get it every time. And we come here often! Open Tues- Thur 11am- 830pm, Fri 11am- 10pm, Sat 1030am- 10 pm, Sun 1030am- 830pm, Brunch Sat & Sun from 1030am- 3pm.

Stock and Barrel. Specializes in burgers and bourbon. Excellent restaurant with a wait time that reflects that, but the blue cheese burger and bourbon tasting flight are well worth the wait. No kids menu but we sometimes come here for the great shakes for the kids and a bourbon flight for the adults. Open everyday at 11am.

Emilia. A delicious restaurant for a date night or foodie kids. Specializing in regional Italian dishes including house-made pastas, homemade bread, and a good wine list, all served in a cozy brick-walled space. Open Tues- Sun for dinner.

Petro’s Chili & Chips. Introduced at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, this glorious combination of Fritos, chili, and your choice of toppings has been a local favorite since then. Get it carnivorous or vegetarian, extra jalapenos or not so fiery, it is easy to construct a Petro to your liking. Inexpensive, filling, and delicious, and you can see why lots of families are frequent visitors (ours included).

Gay Street Favorites

Nama. This is not a traditional sushi restaurant as much as it is a fusion place. For instance, you can get a vegetarian “Marley” roll to go along with your sashimi. It is creative and delicious and probably one of my favorite places in all of downtown. Kids menu is free from 12-3 on Sundays with an adult meal. Open everyday for lunch and dinner, Happy Hour specials on sushi from 3-6pm daily.

Downtown Grill and Brewery. This is a big restaurant and bar meaning you can usually find a table when other places are packed. The beer is good (they brew their own) and the menu is extensive. This is a good place to order a bunch of appetizers to share while watching a game. It can get kind of loud, so it is not the place for a quiet conversation, but it also means that kids don’t stand out. Happy Hour 4-8 M-F and all day Sunday with $2 beers and $3 margaritas. Open everyday.

Chivo Taqueria. Specializes in tacos (sorry that was obvious) and tequila. Mix and match the tacos and get a side of brussel sprouts or the street corn. They try to source locally and the tacos are a wonderfully unique combination of ingredients. I love this place for lunch. Open everyday for lunch and dinner.

Cruze Farm Ice Cream Shop. Grab a soft serve at this cheerful, red and white checked place of happiness. Locally owned goodness. Open everyday from noon until late.

Phoenix Pharmacy and Fountain. A real working pharmacy with a historic soda fountain that serves all the shakes and floats you could want. Take a delicious trip back to the past in this beautiful building and let the kids sit up at the counter stools while they wait for their sundaes (PS- They are HUGE so definitely think about sharing). Open everyday from noon (11am on Friday and Sat) until late. This is a family owned place where the Dad is the pharmacist and the Mom runs the soda fountain along with several of their kids usually helping out. Super friendly people and will make sure the kids get the most out of their shakes!

Potchke. Located on the very north end of Gay St, Potchke has all the buzz as downtown Knoxville’s best deli. For a quick bite, you can’t go wrong here. Offering Eastern European (Ukrainian/Polish) fare and Jewish and kosher delicacies like lox bialy, matzoh ball soup, babkas and more. So delicious and one of our favorite stops for lunch!

Vida. Located on the south end of Gay Street in the former Holston Bank building, this swanky eatery offers Latin inspired shareable plates along with dinner entrees and small batch cocktails in a charming historic building. Consider reservations for this one! The cocktail bar “The Vault” (literally the former vault of the bank) resides below Vida if you want to stop in for a pre-dinner drink. But be aware it has a dress code so no hats, flip flops, hoodies, or camo among other rules (see the website).

Where To Eat On Union Avenue

J.C. Holdway. A terrific date night or special occasion restaurant. Knoxville’s only James Beard winner opened this restaurant in 2016 and it specializes in Southern food cooked over a wood-fired grill. Open for dinner Tue- Sat, and you will probably need a reservation on weekends. Absolutely delicious. We like to order small plates and sit at the bar.

Pete’s Coffee Shop. I used to have lunch here with my Dad as a kid, and I am happy to say I still enjoy eating here as an adult. It is everything great about a diner: inexpensive and filling food with speedy and friendly service. Pete has been doing this for 30 years and has a very loyal following. They offer a kids menu for lunch, and breakfast has lots of small portion options. Open for breakfast and lunch, Monday- Friday 630am-2pm.

Coffee and Chocolate. The name says it all and this is one of the kid’s favorite places because I let them pick out a small chocolate, caramel, or truffle treat while I wait for my latte. It is a refreshing break while out and about downtown. Open everyday, 730 am- 10 pm Mon- Thur; 730 am- 11 pm Fri; 8am – 11 pm Sat; and 9 am- 10 pm Sun.

Clinch Avenue Restaurants

The French Market. The place to go for sweet and savory crepes. A French exchange student friend swore by this place and said they were just as good as at home in France. This is also a big favorite of the younger crowd – I mean what kid doesn’t want a s’more crepe? Open Mon- Wed 9am- 4pm; Thur/ Fri 9am- 9pm; Sat 8am-3pm & 4pm- 9pm; Sun 9am- 3pm

Walnut Street Recommendations

Yassin’s Falafel House. Foodies won’t want to miss this wonderful food stop on Walnut Street. Family-owned and serving homemade falafel, hummus, salads, gyros and more. I always get the spicy falafel sandwich and it never disappoints. Featured on GMA as the “Nicest Place in America” as voted on by Reader’s Digest. Open Mon-Sat, 11 am- 9pm.

West Jackson Avenue Restaurants

Sweet P’s Downtown Dive. This BBQ joint is just around the corner from Gay Street and is a fast casual place with slow cooked food. The BBQ is delicious as are the sides. I love the tomato and blues salad if I am not feeling carnivorous. Has a kids plate as well. Open Tues- Sun for lunch and dinner.

Balter Beer Works. Hands down the best happy hour 3- 630 pm M-F. Great deals on sliders and street tacos as well as other appetizers and, of course, their beer. The restaurant is in a renovated gas station which makes the architecture fairly unique but also means that there is plenty of outdoor seating. Even if you do not make it for happy hour, this place is worth a walk over for good food and beer. Has a kids menu. On the corner of W. Jackson Ave and Broadway. Open everyday, including at 10 am for brunch on Sat and Sun.

Where To Eat In The Old City

Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria. The huge beer selection (96 on tap) and huge pizzas make just about everyone happy. It occupies a whole building so you can usually find a corner to grab, even when it’s packed. Kid-friendly (no kids menu but lots of pizza choices). Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Has great live music at night but after about 9 pm, it definitely turns into more of a bar scene than a restaurant.

Good Golly Tamale. This place may just change your mind about tamales if you are not already a fan. They started out as a food truck (bicycle actually) so their hipster vibes are genuine. They have meat-lovers, vegetarian, and vegan options and they make an excellent takeout choice for a picnic. I like the simple yet awesome bean and cheese tamale. Open for lunch and dinner everyday but Sunday.

Southern Grit. Another newcomer to the Old City, this bright restaurant serves all your southern classics. If you have a hankering for fried green tomatoes, hot chicken, meatloaf, collards, and grits (of course), this might be your place. Open everyday for lunch and dinner plus at 11am for brunch on Sat and Sun.

Osteria Stella Italian restaurant (Old City). A new player on the restaurant scene for upscale authentic Italian dining. We have not eaten here yet, but our friends who live downtown absolutely rave about it.

Fin Two Japanese Ale House. A new hip dining option in the Old City offering sushi rolls and an impressive ramen bowl. The Brussels sprouts are amazing, and the sushi choices, though small, are wonderful. Craft beers also available at their extensive bar. Open for dinner Mon-Sat.

Boyd’s Jig and Reel. Recreating an Edinburgh whisky bar, the Jig and Reel has one of the largest whisky collections in the world at 950 and counting. They also have great food, especially in you are in the mood for shepherd’s pie or neeps and tatties. And lots of live music, from Scottish to Irish to bluegrass and even Cajun. The kids like the music and the sausage rolls. Open Tues- Sun 3 pm- 3 am.

Pretentious Beer Co. In addition to making their own glassware, they also brew their own craft beer which you can enjoy from a handmade glass. Get your beer and walk next door to watch them blowing glass or enjoy a game of ping pong outside in their beer garden. On Friday and Saturday nights from 7-9pm, you can reserve a spot to try your hand at blowing your own glass, see the website for details. Open weekdays 3 pm- late, and Sat & Sun from 12 pm – late. The kids are mesmerized watching the glass blowing.

Favorite Place To Eat On The Water

Calhoun’s On The River. Since 1988, this Calhoun’s location has been serving Knoxvillians award-winning BBQ and tasty American food whether they arrive by foot, car, or boat (they have their own dock). I have eaten an embarrassing amount of their beer cheese and pretzels appetizer in my lifetime and the kids love the kids portion of ribs and the kids salad (go figure).

Sit on the river-front deck when the weather is nice and drink one of their micro brewed beers. You can walk here in about 15 minutes from Market Square via the pedestrian bridge over Neyland Drive from Walnut Street. Open everyday 11 am- 10 pm (11 pm on Sat and Sun).

Where To Eat Just Over The River In South Knoxville

If you are ready to get out of downtown, then hop over the Tennessee River on your bike, car, or kayak and explore South Knoxville, which has seen an explosion of restaurants and breweries in recent years. Read our blog that lists our favorite places in this up and coming area. “Where To Eat Near Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness”

Happy Trails! Enjoy your culinary exploration of downtown Knoxville! – Amy