5 great soul-food restaurants in Knoxville

Southern food is certainly a unique category within the dining universe; it’s a family of flavors and ingredients that both reflect and define an entire culture.

Those who really embrace this particular style of cuisine sometimes like to dig a little deeper into the Southern sub-category of soul food. While there are indeed specific food items that tend to reside under the soul-food umbrella, when it comes to assessing whether any given restaurant merits that label, it’s often a case of just knowing it when you see – and taste – it.

Here are some of the top spots in Knoxville to go to when you’re craving traditional soul-food delicacies. As always, these are presented in no particular order.

Chandler’s Deli

This East Magnolia landmark represented my first official foray into Knoxville soul food back in 2008. It had come highly recommended, and it did not disappoint thanks to its comprehensive lineup of meats, sides and desserts. Chicken fans can choose from fried or rotisserie-style or perhaps try the chicken livers or chicken and dumplings. Other meats include cube steak, pork chops, tilapia, pigs’ feet and chitterlings (or chitlins, if you prefer). I’ve had the barbecue ribs and the pulled pork and will definitely vouch for those. Meanwhile, sides like pinto beans, cabbage, greens (turnip, mustard and collard), fried okra and sweet potato casserole are just some of the selections offered on the food line. Daily specials and cobblers and banana pudding for dessert will round out your experience.

Jackie’s Dream

The elder Grub Sprout and I checked out Jackie’s Dream almost two years ago, and while I haven’t had a chance to get back to this McCalla Avenue restaurant, I still fondly remember Jackie’s hot Nashville-style chicken, and I look forward to a command performance in the not-so-distant future.

In fact, out of all the hot chicken recipes I’ve tried in town in the past few years, Jackie’s is still my favorite. The deep-fried breast and wing I had on my first visit featured a liquid coating on the skin that was similar to Buffalo sauce, and each bite really was a flavor blast.

I also got a kick out of the meatloaf, while sides like green beans and mac and cheese are definitely worth including with your meal. Even the cheesecake I barely managed to find room for at the end was a homemade delight.

LaFetta’s Soul Food

The Grub Spouse and I checked out this newish eatery just a few weeks ago and came away with an overall positive impression. They don’t offer everything on the menu every day, but daily items are posted for patrons upon entering.

The night we stopped in, I sampled everything from the Southern-fried catfish dinner with mac and cheese and pinto beans to the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and black-eyed peas.

Depending on when you go, other possibilities include chicken and waffle bites as an appetizer, a ham hock plate, chicken livers or gizzards, and an ox tail dinner as well as sides like collard greens, candied yams, green beans and corn.

Sweet P’s Barbeque & Soul House

While one might not immediately think of this popular Knoxville barbecue restaurant as a soul-food restaurant per se, the menu does indeed harbor a number of items that are common to the genre. Whether you visit the original location at Willow Point in South Knoxville or the newer Old City site, Sweet P’s specializes in barbecue cooked on an outdoor smoker.

Highlights include dry-rubbed St. Louis-style pork ribs, beef brisket, smoked chicken breasts, pulled chicken, chicken wings and chopped pork. Staples like mac and cheese, mixed beans, cole slaw, potato salad and green beans make up the side selections, although I think the meats are where Sweet P’s really shines; the smoked ribs are stellar, and come dessert time, the banana pudding is downright killer. In addition to soulful food, the restaurant periodically hosts live music of the same style.

S&S Cafeteria

Here’s another place that doesn’t necessarily scream “soul food” out of the gate, but just make one investigative pass along their traditional buffet-style line, and you’ll spot a lot of telltale dishes.

Among the entrees you’ll find at this Bearden cafeteria are fried chicken, beef liver and onions, country-style steak, broiled chicken livers and fried catfish.

There’s also a veritable garden’s worth of vegetable dishes, including black-eyed peas, collard greens, grits, pinto beans and turnip greens.

For dessert, bread pudding, banana pudding, pecan pie and sweet potato pie are bound to satisfy any sweet tooth.