Page 94 - Cityview_May_June_2014

right’s Cafeteria
From its beginnings as a gro-

cery store with a meat-and-three
Opened: 1964
restaurant attached, J.B. and Ella

Location: 5403 N. Middlebrook Pike May Wright’s cafeteria is celebrat -
Known for: Chicken and Dumplings, ing 50 years in business this year.

Fried Chicken, and Chicken Livers Now occupying the grocery space
What You’ll Spend: $8-10
as well, Wright’s Cafeteria looks

Cash and Check Only
the part of a purveyor of unpreten -
tious—yet delicious—home cooked
Mayor im Burchett says:
food. Eschewing cans and short

“I remember when I received death cuts, their rotating weekly specials
threats while in the State Senate
are designed to make you feel “like

I said all anyone needs to do is you’re going to your grandmother’s
poison the chicken strips at Wright’s house,” says David Wright, son of

on Fridays, because that’s where
the founders and the restaurant’s
current owner. He and his wife I’d always be. J.B. and Mrs. Wright

Donna took over in the ‘70s and Vic & Bill’s Deli
started the business, but their son,
made almost no changes at all to David, keeps it going strong. In

the recipes they offer, says Wright. Opened: 1981
fact, David’s mom still comes into
Their daughter Robin Griffin is the Location: 3553 N. Broadway Street the restaurant every Friday after
general manager now, so there’s no
Known for: Steamed Sandwiches, the getting her hair done. Whether
end in sight for the “good country Vol Burger, and Philly Cheesesteaks it’s dumplins, fried chicken, or spa
-
cooking” you’ll find at Wright’s.
ghetti, it’s all good. I’ve even been
What You’ll Spend: $6-12
known to take international visitors
Mon-Fri: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mayor im Burchett says:
there so they can get a taste of real

Thurs: 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
“Hoagie on brown, no mayo, just mustard American food.”

with Swiss cheese, please. Vic & Bill’s has
caused many-a-vegan to cave. Driving
down Broadway in my Jeep, Vic & Bill’s is

like a magnet to steel.”

“Food gathers people in a way that
no other type of business can,” says

Angelia Captain. The daughter of
the restaurant’s namesake founder

Bill (and niece to Vic), Captain is
passionate about the restaurant, her

family’s history, and the customer
family Vic and Bill’s has gathered
together over the years. Bill came

over from Greece in 1954 as Vlasios
Demetri Kapetanopoulos to work

for Andy and Sam Captain. He
learned to cook and helped intro-

duce Knoxville to one of the city’s
signature dishes: the steamed

sandwich, manning the grill at Sam
and Andy’s Deli when it opened in

1968. After starting and selling the
Time Out Deli chain, Bill opened
Vic & Bill’s with his brother Victor.

Now in its third location, the casual
family eatery is still in the Captain

family—and still in the business of
“extending the hand of fellowship”

along with its phenomenal food.

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cityviewmag.com may june 2014