Whether it’s inside relaxing with a cold specialty drink or out on a patio with the warm sun beating down on you, that midday bite is the perfect break from the hustle and bustle. Dig in!
I’ve been something of a creature of habit when it comes to lunch, I must admit. I’ve always prioritized speed over experience when it comes to my midday meal, a side effect of too many lunches spent at my desk in college, leading to me frequenting a small number of familiar spots that I knew could get me food I could eat quickly. So this article was a bit of an adventure for me, pushing me outside my comfort picks and challenging me to sit down and actually enjoy my lunch, not just as a relief from hunger, but as an experience in and of itself. And let me tell you, I’m glad I took the time, and after hearing about my forays into the Knoxville lunch culinary scene, I’m hoping you will, too.
Water Into Wine
It’s not just a wine bar – not anymore! Rhonda Munsey, W2W’s AM chef, has been working to make lunch at this Farragut spot a special occasion, and she has succeeded! Whether you’re sitting in the rustic wooden lounge or out under the umbrellas, you’re in for a treat. My lunchtime treat was the seasonal brie flat, which as part of the Mix & Match Combo comes with a soup or salad, but for those seeking a meatier meal, we also took a bite out of the Jumbo Shrimp & Cheddar Grits. Water into Wine’s menu rotates with the season, so no matter what you decide to dig into, you can be sure you’ve found something fresh and invigorating for the summer.
Farragut | 607 North Campbell Station Road | waterintowineknoxville.com
Potchke Deli
Looking for a kosher lunch, or perhaps just something a bit different? Potchke Deli is the place for you – and it’s not just me saying that. The Deli featured in a New York Times article, so even visitors from the Big Apple found something to love down here in the Big Orange. I was not brave enough to try the iconic Borscht (for those who don’t know, it’s a traditional beet soup). For me, I find myself staring at some of the sandwiches – perhaps that Farmer Fritatta (though again, light on aioli).
Downtown | 318 N. Gay Street #103 | potchkedeli.com
French Market Creperie
Growing up, a friend of the family was a French immigrant, so I’d had homemade crepes before, and I was curious to see how Knoxville’s French Market Creperie held up. Following recommendations from staff, I decided to try the Spicy Veggie (with added mushrooms), and I have to say, I was impressed. The aioli and red peppers added a pinch of spice that complemented the dish well (though I could have survived a bit more kick), and while I’m not usually a fan of salads, their house salad was a pleasant surprise with a walnut crunch and a champagne vinaigrette. Service was also remarkably quick, so if you’re in a rush, you can stop by with no fear!
Farragut, Downtown | thefrenchmarketknoxville.com
Sticky Rice Café
The Sticky Rice Café has a new expanded location (albeit right next door to the old one)! I’d only gone to the Café for dinner before, where I’d treat myself to the hottest curry I could order, but for lunch I decided to go for something that felt a bit quicker: the Kow Jie Pate, a sandwich similar to the Vietnamese Banh Mi I mentioned in my Cheap Eats guide last year. Piled high with veggies and your choice of protein, and easily dippable in any number of house sauces (I always order a spring roll and use the peanut sauce that comes with that), it’s a solid handheld treat that you can eat in-house or on the go. Pair that with a boba tea (something of an addiction of mine) and of course the eponymous sticky rice, and you have yourself an iconic Sticky Rice lunch.
Bearden | 100 Jack Dance Square | stickyriceknox.com
New Haven Pizza
Having lived in New York for a few years, I’ve always considered myself an adherent to the New York way of making pizza, but I must admit, Chefs Danny Wilhoit and Ryan Miller have given me pause. New Haven Pizza is both a local restaurant and a style of cooking the Italian-American classic. I went half-and-half on the Tomato Pie and the Veggie Pie, per the chefs’ recommendation, and both impressed. The Tomato Pie in particular is a New Haven staple, made with pecorino romano, a venerable sheep’s milk cheese dating all the way back to the Roman legions, and a rich finely-charred crust. The secret to culinary success, the chefs say, is cooking their pizza ingredients the same way Chef Danny did as a Top Chef: slowly, properly, like you’re in a 5-star kitchen. That is how you make a 5-star pizza.
Downtown | 416 Clinch Avenue | newhavenpizzapie.com
Horn of Plenty
If ever there was a home for Southern comfort food, it’s Horn of Plenty. I’d passed this Middlebrook meat-and-three hundreds of times, but this was my first time stopping in – and it likely won’t be the last! Thankfully I wasn’t eating alone on this particular stop, so we had the opportunity to taste two different meats (the grilled salmon and fried pork) on the menu, as well as numerous sides. The collard greens (cooked for 4 hours) were soft and savory, the cheese biscuit was warm and crisp, and perhaps most importantly, that sweet potato casserole might as well have been a dessert for how delectably sweet it was. They also have a host of housemade sweets, but after shoveling down all that lunch, I just couldn’t find the room!
Cedar Bluff | 9132 Middlebrook Pike | hornofplentyknoxville.com
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