5 of the Best Patios in Knoxville
Emilie Stooksbury
It's Patio Season in the Scruffy City!
When it comes to spring in East Tennessee, you can count on two things. First, we will inevitably say “omg it’s patio season!! 🤩” just under ten times, each time almost immediately being let down again by a cold front. Second, the nice weather in between cold fronts lifts us right back up again 😆🙌 We’re talkin’ temps in the mid-70s, refreshing breezes, blooms so pretty we forgive them for causing crippling allergies. You may find yourself asking, “Am I in California?” No, my friend. You have, in fact, stepped into prime patio season in East Tennessee. In no particular order, we’re here to share five of the (oh-so-many) best outdoor patios in Knoxville, Tennessee.
1.) Schulz Brau
Neighborhood: North Knox
Schulz Brau Brewing is hands down the top biergarten in East Tennessee. (Are we biased? Never 😉) The German decor gives us Oktoberfest vibes all year long. Just listen to this line-up: fire pits, big screen TVs, a stage for live music (or stein-holding contests if you come at the right time), and an outdoor bar so you literally never have to step foot inside during peak patio season. This German dream is a no-brainer.
2.) Public House
Neighborhood: Old City-ish
Tucked off the beaten path and just north of the Old City, Public House feels more like a secret garden than a downtown bar. The ingredients may seem standard – picnic tables, string lights, and vines – but trust us when we say, these things come together to make some patio magic. We recommend this experience with a Bee’s Knees and a good camera because your most-popular-Instagram-post-ever is just itching to be shot in that coveted vine-covered nook.
3.) Yee-Haw Brewing
Neighborhood: North Knox
When we originally heard Yee-Haw Brewing was planning to remove a good chunk of the previous owner’s parking for a patio, we were distressed. We love an easy parking situation. BUT WE WERE WRONG. This patio is 100% worth giving up parking, people. From an outdoor bar to a stage for live music to yard games to fire pits to a MASSIVE JUMBOTRON (where they play everything from sports to movies to The Bachelor *swooooon* 🤩), this patio easily makes the “best patios in Knoxville” list for plenty of locals. Check, check, check, check, check.
4.) Trailhead Beer Market
Neighborhood: Old Sevier
Knoxville is nicknamed the “Scruffy City” and sometimes a scruffy patio just hits the spot. Trailhead Beer Market isn’t trying to be fancy, and that might just be what we love most about it. South Knoxville instantly makes us feel like a warm summer day, period. Add a permanent food truck, mismatched patio furniture, and a rad Happy Hour? Count us in.
5.) Food Truck Parks
Neighborhoods:Â South Knox & West Knox
We’ll admit it – we’re still suckers for a food truck park. But in our defense, their outdoor aesthetics are dang near unparalleled! SouthSide Garage in South Knoxville has cornhole and bocce, picnic tables & murals. Creekside in Karns has TVs & cozy nooks & plenty of events. Over in Cedar Bluff, Hey Bear Cafe is known for their bubble tea, but they’ve also got a big ole backyard to host food trucks on the daily! You can sip on boba, eat grub from a truck, AND enjoy a playground/market/live music/fill-in-the-blank.
It almost feels criminal to end here when there are SO many more delightful patios for marg-sippin’ and fried-pickle-eatin’. I guess that just means we’ll be back with more soon 😉 In the meantimeeee, who has YOUR favorite patio in Knoxville?