Guidebook for Knoxville

Juliana
Guidebook for Knoxville

Food Scene

These are my personal favorites!
Best brunch ever! Highlights local food and farmers in creative and delicious ways! If you only choose one restaurant on your visit -- this is it!
51 locals recommend
OliBea
211 S Central St
51 locals recommend
Best brunch ever! Highlights local food and farmers in creative and delicious ways! If you only choose one restaurant on your visit -- this is it!
A real taste of Southern soul food! And Jackie is awesome! Best fried chicken in town!
17 locals recommend
Jackie's Dream
1008 E Woodland Ave
17 locals recommend
A real taste of Southern soul food! And Jackie is awesome! Best fried chicken in town!
Perfect best drinks + food combination.
45 locals recommend
Chivo Taqueria
314 S Gay St
45 locals recommend
Perfect best drinks + food combination.
Cool coffee spot!
78 locals recommend
K Brew
1138 N Broadway
78 locals recommend
Cool coffee spot!
Best tamales, in a cozy, quirky atmosphere. Casual counter service. Great meat, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options! This is a great take-out option, too!
16 locals recommend
Good Golly Tamale
112 S Central St
16 locals recommend
Best tamales, in a cozy, quirky atmosphere. Casual counter service. Great meat, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options! This is a great take-out option, too!
Cozy, Izakaya-style restaurant with incredible food and attentive, friendly service. And next to a coffee house so you can get your drink next door 😉
28 locals recommend
Kaizen
127 S Central St
28 locals recommend
Cozy, Izakaya-style restaurant with incredible food and attentive, friendly service. And next to a coffee house so you can get your drink next door 😉
THE most amazing bread and bagels in Knoxville! And next to a coffee house 😉
8 locals recommend
Paysan Bread & Bagels
804 Tyson St
8 locals recommend
THE most amazing bread and bagels in Knoxville! And next to a coffee house 😉
Local brewery with inventive beers, all served in glasses that are hand-blown right next door at Pretentious Glass Co.! If you are a beer-lover, this is a must-visit! Grab your beer at the bar and then walk through the back door into the glass-blowing studio to watch the spectacle!
19 locals recommend
Pretentious Beer Co
131 S Central St
19 locals recommend
Local brewery with inventive beers, all served in glasses that are hand-blown right next door at Pretentious Glass Co.! If you are a beer-lover, this is a must-visit! Grab your beer at the bar and then walk through the back door into the glass-blowing studio to watch the spectacle!
My favorite dinner experience in town! Amazing pizza+wine+gelato combination.
47 locals recommend
A Dopo Sourdough Pizza
516 Williams St
47 locals recommend
My favorite dinner experience in town! Amazing pizza+wine+gelato combination.
My favorite lunch spot in town! Can’t get fresher and healthier than this place 😋
6 locals recommend
KoPita Falafel & Hummus Bar
507 S Gay St
6 locals recommend
My favorite lunch spot in town! Can’t get fresher and healthier than this place 😋
Incredible Neapolitan style sourdough pizza, great wine list, fantastic service!
47 locals recommend
A Dopo Sourdough Pizza
516 Williams St
47 locals recommend
Incredible Neapolitan style sourdough pizza, great wine list, fantastic service!
Fantastic local brewery in a beautiful space. Great food, and excellent happy hour specials!
65 locals recommend
Balter Beerworks
100 Broadway SW
65 locals recommend
Fantastic local brewery in a beautiful space. Great food, and excellent happy hour specials!
Amazing Mediterranean/Middle Eastern fare. Just go and order the Mezze (chef's choice) and you will be delighted! It's all vegan, but so good that meat-eaters won't even notice!
6 locals recommend
KoPita Falafel & Hummus Bar
507 S Gay St
6 locals recommend
Amazing Mediterranean/Middle Eastern fare. Just go and order the Mezze (chef's choice) and you will be delighted! It's all vegan, but so good that meat-eaters won't even notice!
Delicious, inventive soft-serve ice cream from our local, family-owned dairy.
44 locals recommend
Cruze Farm Ice Cream
445 S Gay St
44 locals recommend
Delicious, inventive soft-serve ice cream from our local, family-owned dairy.
Gorgeous, elegant space, delicious local food, excellent cocktails!
27 locals recommend
Oliver Royale
5 Market Square
27 locals recommend
Gorgeous, elegant space, delicious local food, excellent cocktails!
Fantastic food!! Named by Reader's Digest as "The Friendliest Place in America."
28 locals recommend
Yassin's | Falafel House
706 Walnut St
28 locals recommend
Fantastic food!! Named by Reader's Digest as "The Friendliest Place in America."
Koyo Knoxville
416 Clinch Avenue
9 locals recommend
Marble City Market
333 West Depot Avenue
9 locals recommend
32 locals recommend
The French Market Creperie Downtown
412 Clinch Ave
32 locals recommend
36 locals recommend
Central Filling Station
900 N Central St
36 locals recommend
Potchke Deli
318 North Gay Street

Drinks & Nightlife

Perfect size bar: not to big, not too small. :) Great food and kitchen open late! Live music almost every night.
44 locals recommend
Boyd’s Jig and Reel
101 S Central St
44 locals recommend
Perfect size bar: not to big, not too small. :) Great food and kitchen open late! Live music almost every night.
Hip but comfy locals bar; great cocktails and yummy, creative snacks; great patio/beer garden.
31 locals recommend
Knox Public House
212 W Magnolia Ave
31 locals recommend
Hip but comfy locals bar; great cocktails and yummy, creative snacks; great patio/beer garden.
Library-themed speakeasy bar in historic building.
48 locals recommend
Peter Kern Library
407 Union Ave
48 locals recommend
Library-themed speakeasy bar in historic building.
Unique, locally-crafted, small-batch spirits, creative and delicious cocktails, great patio, super-friendly and knowledgeable staff.
8 locals recommend
PostModern Spirits
205 W Jackson Ave
8 locals recommend
Unique, locally-crafted, small-batch spirits, creative and delicious cocktails, great patio, super-friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Brother Wolf
108 West Jackson Avenue
10 locals recommend
Merchants of Beer
137 S Central St
10 locals recommend

Parks & Nature

Easy to get to, very pleasant trails.
273 locals recommend
Ijams Nature Center
2915 Island Home Ave
273 locals recommend
Easy to get to, very pleasant trails.
Beautiful views and landscape.
33 locals recommend
Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum
2743 Wimpole Ave
33 locals recommend
Beautiful views and landscape.
Beautiful, easy walking trail highlighting native species.
27 locals recommend
UT Gardens
2518 Jacob Dr
27 locals recommend
Beautiful, easy walking trail highlighting native species.
Great spot for a walk, bike ride, or picnic with awesome views of the Knoxville skyline from across the river!
16 locals recommend
Suttree Landing Park
1001 Waterfront Drive SE
16 locals recommend
Great spot for a walk, bike ride, or picnic with awesome views of the Knoxville skyline from across the river!
Great outdoor recreation spot! Rent kayas and paddleboards, or just swim, picnic, or hike. Beautifully clear, perfect-temperature water.
14 locals recommend
Meads Quarry
14 locals recommend
Great outdoor recreation spot! Rent kayas and paddleboards, or just swim, picnic, or hike. Beautifully clear, perfect-temperature water.

Essentials

Coop. Great for local products and healthy choices.
49 locals recommend
Three Rivers Market
1100 N Central St
49 locals recommend
Coop. Great for local products and healthy choices.
The closest and easiest. They have milk, juice, batteries, deodorant, and probably all the essentials you need.
Family Dollar
1932 E Magnolia Ave
The closest and easiest. They have milk, juice, batteries, deodorant, and probably all the essentials you need.
65 locals recommend
Kroger
2217 N Broadway
65 locals recommend
Awesome local wine and spirits shop; friendly and knowledgeable staff; easy to walk to.
Corks Wine & Spirits
116 S Central St
Awesome local wine and spirits shop; friendly and knowledgeable staff; easy to walk to.
Cute, regionally-owned catchall store, carrying everything from gifts, clothing, locally-made bath and beauty products (and a mind-boggling by-the-pound candy selection!) to kitchen-wares, camping gear, and kid's toys and books.
43 locals recommend
Mast General Store
402 S Gay St
43 locals recommend
Cute, regionally-owned catchall store, carrying everything from gifts, clothing, locally-made bath and beauty products (and a mind-boggling by-the-pound candy selection!) to kitchen-wares, camping gear, and kid's toys and books.

Arts & Culture

Stunning historic theater! Variety of performances including live music, movies, comedy shows, and ballet.
112 locals recommend
Tennessee Theatre
604 S Gay St
112 locals recommend
Stunning historic theater! Variety of performances including live music, movies, comedy shows, and ballet.
Small historic theater hosting a range of performers from small local bands to internationally famous musicians. Known for its near-perfect acoustics.
54 locals recommend
Bijou Theater
803 S Gay St
54 locals recommend
Small historic theater hosting a range of performers from small local bands to internationally famous musicians. Known for its near-perfect acoustics.
Beautiful, hand-blown glassware and art pieces. This is the #1-selling Etsy store IN THE WORLD! And you can check it out, watch the process live, and then go drink a craft beer out of a hand-blown glass at their brewery next door!
Pretentious Glass Co
133 S Central St
Beautiful, hand-blown glassware and art pieces. This is the #1-selling Etsy store IN THE WORLD! And you can check it out, watch the process live, and then go drink a craft beer out of a hand-blown glass at their brewery next door!
Constantly-changing murals from local artists. Worth a quick detour if you're walking around Gay Street/Market Square!
Strong Alley (Graffiti Alley)
Strong Street
Constantly-changing murals from local artists. Worth a quick detour if you're walking around Gay Street/Market Square!

Entertainment & Activities

44 locals recommend
Regal Riviera
510 S Gay St
44 locals recommend
Knoxville's community-supported local radio! WDVX hosts The Blue Plate Special every day at noon -- a FREE live concert series featuring local and traveling artists. Visit https://wdvx.com/ for schedule and locations!
7 locals recommend
WDVX
301 S Gay St
7 locals recommend
Knoxville's community-supported local radio! WDVX hosts The Blue Plate Special every day at noon -- a FREE live concert series featuring local and traveling artists. Visit https://wdvx.com/ for schedule and locations!
Beautiful, interactive museum featuring the history of East Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Appalachian culture.
38 locals recommend
East Tennessee History Center
601 S Gay St
38 locals recommend
Beautiful, interactive museum featuring the history of East Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Appalachian culture.
Beautiful basement bowling alley in a recently restored historic building. Great food and drinks, friendly staff. Also check out the upstairs lounge for a quiet drink in a gorgeous, retro atmosphere.
57 locals recommend
Maple Hall
414 S Gay St
57 locals recommend
Beautiful basement bowling alley in a recently restored historic building. Great food and drinks, friendly staff. Also check out the upstairs lounge for a quiet drink in a gorgeous, retro atmosphere.
Vintage train that takes 2-hour tours along the river on historic-track routes.
8 locals recommend
Three Rivers Rambler
2560 University Commons Way
8 locals recommend
Vintage train that takes 2-hour tours along the river on historic-track routes.

Sightseeing

Knoxville's most iconic landmark. Free to visit, you can take the elevator to the Observation Deck for 360 degree views of Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains!
125 locals recommend
Sunsphere
810 Clinch Ave
125 locals recommend
Knoxville's most iconic landmark. Free to visit, you can take the elevator to the Observation Deck for 360 degree views of Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains!