February is Black History Month, a good opportunity to remind ourselves to support Knoxville’s Black entrepreneurs. And what better way to learn about and honor Black culture than through food?
There are dozens of Black-owned eateries in Knox County, serving everything from traditionally Southern barbecue and soul food to more exotic offerings like Jamaican jerk chicken and Ethiopian wot (spicy stew) scooped up with the traditional spongy bread injera.
From long-established and well-known restaurants like Magnolia Cafe to food trucks that migrate from place to place, here’s a rundown of some great local Black-owned eateries to try during Black History Month − and the rest of the year.
Sit-down restaurants
- Jackie’s Dream: One of the longest-running Black-owned restaurants in town. Jackie Griffin’s dream is also a dream come true for soul food lovers; fried chicken and Southern sides, including Mama’s cabbage and Nanny Mary’s potato salad, are among some of the menu’s highlights.
- Dulcie’s Café: This East Knoxville restaurant serves Jamaican food including such staples as jerk chicken and curry goat.
- Magnolia Café : An East Knoxville staple located in an older home on Magnolia Avenue with killer wings and what some say are the best fried chicken livers in town. It’s only open on Wednesday and Friday, however.
- Gosh Ethiopian: Opened in 2011, Gosh Ethiopian is the only restaurant in East Tennessee serving and sharing traditional Ethiopian dishes and culture.
- Smash Mouth BBQ: Tony Kyle got his start with a parking-lot grill before opening sit-down restaurant Smash Mouth BBQ on Oak Ridge Highway with his wife, Sonya, in September 2019.
- Steamboat On Central: Steamboat Sandwiches was originally created in 1989 by the Anderson family in Knoxville and reopened in 2018 with new owners Meredith Cole, Trevor Guydon and Matt Turner.
- Ola’s Southern Cuisine 2: Ola’s, located on Chapman Highway, offers seafood and soul food that draws devoted customers from all over.
- Soul Good/Nappy Wingz: Jeremy Donald, the 2018 and 2021 Big Kahuna Wing Champion, has served up his Nappy Wingz Memphis-style chicken wings in several different spots over the years. He currently has a home inside Soul Good on University Avenue.
Food trucks, food hall vendors, pop-ups and take-out
- Kianga’s Kitchen: An all vegan soul food restaurant in the Marble City Market food hall, with everything made from scratch.
- Tammy’s Fried Green Tomatoes: This food truck located on Holston Drive in East Knoxville almost always has a line of hungry customers waiting for fried fish, okra and yes, fried green tomatoes.
- Big O’s Famous BBQ: This food truck serves up slow-smoked meats with its homemade rub and sauce. Since it travels, use Facebook to find out where it’s serving next.
- Friends BBQ: This home-style barbecue truck can frequently be found in East Knoxville on Magnolia; check the Facebook page for details.
- SK African Cuisine: Serves up West African dishes such as jollof rice and chicken for pick up only, although they can occasionally be found on a pop-up basis at breweries like Crafty Bastard.
- Oakwood BBQ: Voted Best Food Truck 2021 & Best BBQ Runner Up 2021, this food truck typically is found at Merchants of Beer. Pro tip: The Meaty Mac is amazing but is not available at all trucks.
- Goodwin’s South of the River: This food truck offers up standards including cheeseburgers and quesadillas, but many come just for the fried Oreos. They move around a lot, so check their Facebook page for a schedule.
- Smith’s Endzone BBQ: This food truck specializes in brisket, ribs and pulled pork. Check the Facebook page for locations.
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
