Locally Owned Coffee Shops Add Flavor to Knoxville
A recent post by Patrick Beeson on Knoxify inspired me share a few of my favorite non-chain Knoxville coffee shops. Knoxville certainly has its share of Starbuck's and Panera Breads - you can find a decent cup of coffee on any corner - but I prefer to support the locals whenever I can. To establish expertise: I drink it 'black and bitter,' as an ex-boyfriend says they put it in the Navy. The thing about drinking coffee black is that it really does require better quality, so my 'good cup standard' could be higher than some. You can sweeten, cream, froth, and flavor bad coffee and it becomes a completely different beverage, as another ex-boyfriend used to say. Bad coffee can get away with a lot incognito. But it's hard to find a cup of really good coffee... the kind that needs no tampering... the kind you can drink black. Knoxville offers some possibilities; I'll share some of my favorites.
Photo by jeneyepher.
Beeson gave his take on the new shop, Coffee and Chocolate, on Market Square. I stopped in about a month ago and my experience was much like Beeson's: I had a tasty cup of coffee and dessert, appreciated the urban feel, wondered about the minimal seating, but appreciated the coziness. It's a downtown shop and it gives us what we want - a solid cup of coffee; a hip place to hang out; and a respectable addition to the montage of downtown establishments. Other downtown possibilities: Old City Java or the Cafe Gourmet Coffee Shop at the Knoxville Visitor's Center.
Beeson mentioned The Golden Roast which is at the University of Tennessee campus. Because I both attended and taught at UT, I've had more coffee there than I'd like to admit. Coffee quality used to be hit and miss - weaker some days than others -but they've become more consistent in the past few years. It's a cozy college and professor hang-out with wi-fi, typically quiet, with several seating arrangements for individual and group work. Also in the campus area is Sunspot; you might as well stay for lunch while you're there. This restaurant is a Knoxville favorite with friendly service, great food, and an easy atmosphere.
Continue West on Kingston Pike to the Homberg area and you'll find Cosmo's Cafe at the Gourmet's Market. The market itself is worth the trip with specialty food and cooking items that can't be found anywhere else in town. The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, serves sandwiches, soups, and Sunday brunch. I've been drinking Cosmo's coffee for 14 years and haven't had a bad cup yet.
Another favorite is Maple Grove Coffee on Northshore Drive (formerly Smoky Mountain Coffee). This shop roasts its beans on-site; I think it's the only coffee shop that roasts in Knoxville. The owners also own the Maple Grove Inn, a recommended bed and breakfast for out-of-towners. The atmosphere is a bit stark, more of a lunch cafe feel than a coffee shop; I've never felt the urge to hang out there. But the staff are great and the coffee more than makes up for the lack in decor. Grab a bag of beans for the house while you're there.
