The first service at Elkmont Exchange in Knoxville was a special one for us as we had not yet gotten a peek inside the expansive space. As we entered and passed the not-yet-complete patio area, it was obvious that a few finishing touches were still to be done. But once inside, it appears to be a complete project. A large bar sits just inside and was staffed with many familiar Knoxville faces to those of us in the food or beer scene. The inside space, formerly the “Party Rental” building on Broadway, is broken up with multiple levels and softened by potted and backlit plants on the walls.
After chatting with a few people we knew, we were seated in a comfortable section near the patio garage doors. We ordered a few beers… all of which are brewed in-house. We were hoping to try one of the PostModern Spirits cocktails, but Elkmont is still awaiting their liquor permit which should come soon. So for now at least, their well-balance beer or BYO are the alcoholic choices.
In addition to the lunch menu which we were ordering from, we got a sneak peek of the dinner menu which switches out about 8-10 dishes from the lunch menu. We can’t wait to try the pho! The table ordered some peanuts and Johnny Miller, the assistant general manager sent over a charcuterie board with some impressive house-made cured meats.
We ordered an assortment of items from our friendly server Brittney and everything was tasty and well prepared. You can choose from small plates, sandwiches, and salads. Many of the dishes lean toward plant-based or seafood and the restaurant is very accommodating to special diets.
Johnny took us on a tour of the facility first telling us about what the patio area will look like when completed. Look for a large waterfall feature and easy inside and outside dining areas. The state of the art brew house features a mash filter that greatly improves the efficiency of each batch by extracting every available sugar molecule from the grain. In turn, this makes each batch require less grain and less water to reach the desired outcome. There are many tanks full of their forthcoming brews and we did get a sample or two.
Elkmont Exchange will be a great addition to the Central/Broadway area. The lack of a proper sit-down restaurant for dinner has been obvious for a long time. We can’t wait to go back and try dinner soon.
