Tupelo Honey Café

This New Southern temple of food goodness offers full-flavored, creative Southern fare made from scratch from roast beef po-boy sandwiches to shrimp and grits. Also, pay particular attention to the long list of sides: fresh fried okra, brown-butter brussel sprouts, fried grit cakes, and more. In addition to breakfast items served throughout the day, Tupelo Honey Cafe offers gluten-free and vegetarian dining options. In addition to a visible performance kitchen, the location includes a full bar, The Pickled Okra, featuring unique Southern cocktails, craft beers, and select wines and a patio for al fresco dining on historic Market Square.

From YUMMM!, the Metro Pulse Restaurant Guide:

Tupelo Honey Cafe’s success in Market Square has some folks smiling about the good stuff that comes from Asheville—but that’s not how Tupelo Honey sees it. For them, every restaurant is a local restaurant—and while that’s an easy thing to say, Tupelo Honey aims to prove that they’re not just whistling Dixie.

The cafe makes a conscious decision to be a part of the neighborhood, to plug into the local vibe and to be aware of every community’s unique personality. In commercial terms that means paying attention to things—like how dining out is different in each town. “In Asheville, we don’t see so many business lunches and dinners, but we do in Knoxville,” according to Elizabeth Sims, director of marketing, “That makes a difference in how and what we serve.” In response to those variations, the restaurant is developing new premium steak and fish entrees. Sims notes, “We’re about making people happy, so we want to ensure that everybody can find something on the menu that they’ll like. ”

Tupelo Honey takes the pulse of its guests not just through the eyes and ears of its staff, but also through communication from guests themselves. “We read all the guest comment cards,” says Sims, “And there are literally thousands of them. But we do that work because we learn so much about what people want.” That’s part of the reason the Cafe recently expanded breakfast hours to Friday mornings at 8 a.m. in addition to Saturdays and Sundays. And they’ll keep listening to determine if they should do that for the rest of the week.
But this kind of listening is more than just good business practice; it’s a way to get to know the area. Sims explains that, “It’s not all problems or complaints or wish lists that we read about. We get great stories about birthdays and first dates and learn what’s important to locals. You sense that guests feel like they have a relationship with Tupelo Honey—and Tupelo Honey feels the same way.”

That’s not just the way they do business in-house, it’s also how they do things beyond the cafe walls. Tupelo Honey keys in to local needs and then works to make the greatest positive impact. That’s why before the restaurant even opened they were working with Beardsley Community Farm and the Knox County school system to sponsor fun, interactive, and educational programming.

Sims notes, “Knoxville’s response to us has been incredible, and we’re grateful for that.” And gratitude is a pretty good state of mind—especially when it results in good food, and good deeds.

• Restaurant Report: Tupelo Honey Cafe

Restaurant Details

Locally Owned	Wifi	Patio	Live Music	Accepts Reservations	Party Room (20+)

Kids Menu	Delivers	Buffet	Waterfront	Vegetarian Dishes	Vegan Dishes

Bar Details

Happy Hour	Hard Liquor	Dance Floor	Live Music	Karaoke	Glow Sticks

Darts	Foosball	Pool Tables	Shuffleboard	Trivia Night	Outdoor Seating