Best restaurants for 11 cuisines in Knoxville

America is often described as a melting pot, a place where different cultures have come together over the centuries to form new customs while maintaining the ones their ancestors have long held dear. For many cultures, a major part of their identity is food.

Walk down any main street in the United States and you're likely to see the cuisines of many countries—despite being nowhere near each other on the globe—sitting side by side. You could start in Egypt with some falafel, get a taste of Taiwan with a cup of bubble tea next door, pick up a side of fries at an old-fashioned American diner down the block, and finish it off with sopaipillas from the Mexican restaurant in town.

Of course, we all have our favorite dishes—a juicy cheeseburger from a local pub, a savory bowl of tempura udon at a beloved Japanese restaurant, or some chicken tikka masala from your nearby Indian spot. But maybe you're looking to get out of your comfort zone a little, whether to try a different restaurant that serves your favorite food or to taste a new type of cuisine entirely.

To help point you in the right direction, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in the Knoxville area using data from Yelp for various cuisines: American, Chinese, Cuban, Greek, Indian/Pakistani, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese. Data is as of July 13, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 50 reviews, and within a 10-kilometer radius of Knoxville, were considered.

Read on to find out if your favorite restaurant made the cut and to get inspired for your next dinner out.

The Drawing Room

1 / 11

American: The Drawing Room

- Rating: 4.6/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 531 Henley St Knoxville, TN 37902
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

Asian Hibachi Grill

2 / 11

Chinese: Asian Hibachi Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7741 S Northshore Dr Knoxville, TN 37919
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Chinese, Malaysian
- Read more on Yelp

Pastelito's Cuban Bakery

3 / 11

Cuban: Pastelito's Cuban Bakery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 402 N Cedar Bluff Rd Ste 8 Knoxville, TN 37923
- Categories: Bakeries, Cuban, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Yassin's Falafel House

4 / 11

Greek: Yassin's Falafel House

- Rating: 4.7/5 (485 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 159 N Peters Rd Knoxville, TN 37923
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Greek, Falafel
- Read more on Yelp

Ooh LALA Indian Kitchen

5 / 11

Indian: Ooh LALA Indian Kitchen

- Rating: 4.6/5 (7 reviews)
- Address: 2201 Kerns Rising Way unit 126 Knoxville, TN 37920
- Categories: Desserts, Indian
- Read more on Yelp

A Dopo Sourdough Pizza

6 / 11

Italian: A Dopo Sourdough Pizza

- Rating: 4.7/5 (572 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 516 Williams St Knoxville, TN 37917
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Tomo Poke Bowl

7 / 11

Japanese: Tomo Poke Bowl

- Rating: 4.6/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10756 Hardin Valley Rd Knoxville, TN 37932
- Categories: Poke, Japanese, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

Won Kitchen - Knoxville

8 / 11

Korean: Won Kitchen - Knoxville

- Rating: 4.9/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 2201 Kern's Rising Way Ste 125 Knoxville, TN 37920
- Categories: Korean, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp

Tia's Tacos

9 / 11

Mexican: Tia's Tacos

- Rating: 4.7/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11071 Parkside Dr Knoxville, TN 37934
- Categories: Mexican, Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp

Tuk Tuk Thai Fusion

10 / 11

Thai: Tuk Tuk Thai Fusion

- Rating: 4.6/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9253 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37922
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

Bida Saigon

11 / 11

Vietnamese: Bida Saigon

- Rating: 4.1/5 (396 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8078 Kingston Pike Ste 165 & 167 Knoxville, TN 37919
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 284 metros.