This comforting, no-frills soul food restaurant in North Knox is named after its owner, Jackie Griffin, who has accomplished a lifelong dream of sharing the food she grew up cooking alongside her grandmothers, mother, and uncles. Family recipes make appearances all over the menu, from Nanny Mary’s cornmeal-fried green tomatoes and Aunt Maimie’s candied yams to Grandaddy C.D.’s collard greens and Mama’s mac and cheese, and daily specials include further favorites from Griffin’s childhood, like hamburger steak and gravy.

Knoxville’s Ale Trail is overflowing with breweries; one of the best places to start is at Schulz’s massive beer hall (inside a warehouse designed to look like a legit European castle) or sprawling outdoor biergarten, where you can sip German-style beers like a refreshing Munich Helles or smoky Rauchbier paired with quintessential German dishes made from scratch daily. The boisterous, family- and dog-friendly space also regularly hosts live music and events. If you’ve left room after schnitzel, brats, and a few brews from Schulz Bräu, head across the street and grab a few extra snacks at the Central Filling Station Food Truck Park.

If you’ve had enough of your own pandemic sourdough attempts to last a lifetime, taste how the pros at A Dopo Sourdough Pizza do it for their chewy, Neapolitan-style pies. Situated just outside of the Old City, the lively wood-fired pizzeria features fresh sauces topped with Calabrese salami, 16-month-aged prosciutto, oyster mushrooms, and local honey alongside creative house-made gelato flavors and an extensive Italian wine and beer list.

Hundreds of whiskies grace the bar at this Old City Scottish haunt, where traditional dishes such as Scotch eggs, steak and ale pie, neeps and tatties, and haggis typically come with a hearty side of live music, whether it be a big show or a pub session where you’re encouraged to join in — if that’s your talent. 

A casual Asian fusion restaurant modeled after Japanese izakayas and sporting a covered patio, Kaizen offers small plates from steamed buns stuffed with fried eggplant or Thai sausage to tamari-glazed potatoes and tingly mapo tofu. The kitchen also rotates in specials like ribeye fried rice or Chana Dal Loup de Mer. You can catch a live show at chef-owner Jesse Newmister’s other nearby restaurant, Tako Taco, focused on street food.

Even if you try to not get turned up at Tern Club, prepare yourself — the drinks hit hard at this hip Old City tiki bar, which mixes classics like Zombies (one per person, mind you) and originals like the Jungle Lullaby, an amped-up play on the bittersweet Jungle Bird. Set a base for that booze with a short list of quesadilla-like mulitas stuffed with jerk chicken or Cubano sandwich fillings.

A casual barbecue spot with the low-key vibes of a dive bar, the Downtown Dive in the Old City’s arts district also features a spacious beer garden. Enjoy all things smoked — Boston butts to brisket — accompanied by soul food classics like collards and cornbread plus a diverse array of wine and craft beer. Fun fact: Sweet P’s owns the World’s Fair logo and is full of kitschy collectibles.

Oysters might not be your top association with Knoxville, but when you cozy up in the Brass Pearl’s handsome banquettes with freshly shucked oysters on crushed ice, crispy shrimp po’boys, and creamy lobster dip it’s easy to forget you’re in a landlocked state. Don’t leave this Market Square boite without trying the homemade hot sauce served with tiny droppers — they’re also available to purchase and take home.

If you only have one meal in Knoxville, this downtown charmer in a former photography studio may be the one. Chef Joseph Lynn won a James Beard Award for best chef: Southeast during his time at fine-dining destination Blackberry Farm; at J.C. Holdway, his wood-fired Appalachian flavors permeate the weekly a la carte menus to great effect. Expect an impressive beverage list to complement dishes like a riff on smoked chicken wings with Alabama white sauce or mushrooms and a soft-cooked farm egg on a tender pile of gnocchi.

Seated inside the chic Drawing Room restaurant at the Tennessean Hotel downtown, diners can sip craft cocktails aplenty and gaze through floor-to-ceiling windows at the infamous golden Sunsphere towering above World’s Fair Park just across the street. Cheese and charcuterie boards here change daily; the rest of the menu sticks to classics with some seasonal shifts, from shrimp and grits or pancakes for breakfast to roasted half chicken and scallops with corn succotash at dinner. This is one of the only places around town with high tea service; check the website for occasional dates.

UT football legend Peyton Manning opened this Western-inspired watering hole at the Graduate hotel in 2020, and it’s been an elevated game-day staple ever since. Along with memorabilia from “the Sheriff’s” personal collection, wood paneling on the floors and walls, and cozy booths, you’ll find a knockout chicken parm sandwich from chef Calvin Winfrey (a Blackberry Farm alum) and a crowd-pleasing drink menu from Natalie Jacob of Nashville’s Attaboy.