Where to eat in Knoxville: lists by category

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Knoxville’s restaurants cluster downtown, on Market Square, Gay Street and in the Old City; on Cumberland Avenue by the University of Tennessee; along Kingston Pike from Bearden west to Cedar Bluff; and at Kern’s Food Hall in South Knoxville, where more than a dozen counters share the old bakery building. These lists cover each kind of food separately.

How we made these lists. Every list starts from OpenStreetMap records with a Knoxville address, the same data behind our local directory. We checked every place against its own website or chain location page and took hours, addresses and phone numbers only from there. Each list is alphabetical. None is a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on one. Run a restaurant? Write to us to add or correct your entry.

The lists

Where to get wings. Sports bars, pizza kitchens and a Hooters, from the Strip on Cumberland Avenue to Gay Street, Bearden and North Knoxville.

Where to get pizza. Market Square and Gay Street pizzerias, late-night kitchens on Cumberland Avenue, independent pizzerias on Kingston Pike in Bearden and a wood-fired counter at Kern’s.

Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. Taquerias and cantinas downtown, Tex-Mex on Cedar Lane, burrito chains near campus and three sports-bar taco restaurants.

Where to get barbecue. Smoked meats on Gay Street, in Pond Gap and on Tazewell Pike, ribs at three Calhoun’s restaurants and a Southern barbecue chain on Kingston Pike.

Breakfast and coffee. Diners, bagel shops, a crêperie and coffee shops downtown and on North Broadway, early openers in west Knoxville and a coffee roaster at Kern’s.

Where to get burgers. Burger bars on Market Square and at the edge of the Old City, a neighborhood grill in Inskip, a smashburger counter at Kern’s and fast food open late.

Sushi and Asian restaurants. Sushi bars on Gay Street and in Bearden, an izakaya in the Old City, ramen in Cedar Bluff and Thai kitchens on Kingston Pike.

Ice cream and desserts. Ice cream from a local dairy farm on Gay Street and Asbury Road, a fudge and chocolate shop by Market Square, frozen custard and four dessert counters at Kern’s.

Bakeries. A pastry and pie bakehouse on North Central Street, an artisan bread bakery, a custom cake shop and the cookie and donut counters at Kern’s.

Patios and outdoor dining. Restaurants whose own sites list a patio, deck or beer garden, from Market Square and the riverfront to Bearden and Northshore, including dog-friendly patios.

More food guides

Brunch. Weekend and everyday brunch downtown, on Market Square, Gay Street and in the Old City.

Date night. Restaurants, theaters, a rooftop and late bars for an evening out.

Restaurant inspections. How the Knox County Health Department inspects restaurants and how to look up any score.

Also see Market Square, live music and nightlife, dog-friendly Knoxville and the full local directory.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the most restaurants in Knoxville?

Downtown has the densest cluster, on Market Square, Gay Street and in the Old City. Cumberland Avenue by the University of Tennessee, Kingston Pike from Bearden west and Kern’s Food Hall in South Knoxville are the other main dining areas on our lists.

Are these Knoxville restaurant lists rankings?

No. Each list is alphabetical and includes every place we could confirm through its own website. Nobody pays to be listed, and we do not rate or recommend restaurants.

How often are the Knoxville where-to-eat lists updated?

Every three months. Each list shows the date we last checked every place’s own website, and restaurants can write to us to correct an entry.

How do I check a Knoxville restaurant’s health inspection score?

Search the restaurant’s name in the Tennessee Department of Health inspection database. Our restaurant inspections page explains how the Knox County Health Department scores each visit out of 100.