It's food hall time! Here's what you need to know about Marble City Market
Y'all hungry? Knoxville's first food hall has finally opened its doors to downtown foodies with 11 new culinary options and a full bar.
Here's everything you need to know about downtown's newest culinary experience.
SNEAK PEEK: See inside new Marble City Market food hall before it opens
HEAR FROM THE FOOD HALL: What makes food halls so special?
SEE THE 'BEFORE': See what Marble City Market looked like before work began
When does it open?
After months of anticipation, Knoxville's first take on the food hall trend will open on Nov. 5. Vendors range from delicious deli-style sandwiches to Southern-Korean fusion cuisine.
Vendors will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Donut Theory will open at 9 a.m. for breakfast.
The bar, Frank & George's, will be open until 11 p.m. weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Marble City Market is located on the first floor of the Regas Square building at 333 W. Depot Ave. in the Old City. There's free parking along West Magnolia Avenue beneath Interstate 40.
Here's a sneak peek of all the food you can try.
Paysan Sandwich Shop
Blake Sallie opened Paysan Bread & Bagels on Tyson Street in September 2018. He's opening a second concept, Paysan Sandwich Shop, inside the food hall.
To start, Paysan will serve a Cuban sandwich, Italian sub and fried bologna sandwich. The menu also includes a portabello sandwich, and a Paysan club with turkey, ham, soppressata, Swiss cheese, garlic aioli, arugula and roasted red peppers.
Sides included smashed potato salad, waffle tots, cucumber salad and chips.
Sandwich shop: From bagels to bologna, Paysan preps for new chapter
The Corners Pizza
Noel Cruz is bringing his Tampa-based The Corners Pizza and its Detroit-style pizza.
"It's thicker in nature ... but it should also be light and airy," Cruz told Knox News. "And then you have this cheesy, crispy crust that forms on the outside because it's baked in a specialized pan. And then, the sauce is on top."
Beyond traditional toppings, The Corners offers buffalo wing pizza, Cuban pizza and sweet dessert pizza with cream cheese and guava puree.
Pizza coming to food hall: The Corners will bring Detroit-style pizza to food hall
Myrtle's Bakehouse
Dustin Cochran is bringing his face-sized cookies to Marble City Market.
No one is going to come eat two meals, Cochran said, but they could grab a meal from another vendor before purchasing a cookie — or taking one home.
The permanent offerings are the "OG," made with chocolate chips and sea salt; the Pucker Up, a sugar cookie with lemon icing; and the Scruffy City, made with espresso chips, toffee and pecans.
Myrtle's bakehouse: 'OG' cookies the size of your face coming from Myrtle's Bakehouse
Po'Richard's
Marble City Market guests can grab themselves a "big-ass delicious sandwich" from Po'Richard's, which will start out serving four steak sandwiches and four po'boys.
"Each one of the sandwiches are handmade," owner Rick Simek said. "I want each one to look like a work of art.”
'Big-ass delicious sandwich': Each Po'Richard's sandwich will be treated like a 'work of art'
Frank & George's Bar
Partners in the Marble City Market honored the Regas Restaurant legacy at the food hall's bar, Frank & George's, named for the brothers who established the beloved Gay Street restaurant.
Plans for the bar include a variety of premium cocktails, local beer and shareable punch bowls available to enjoy at the large 40-seat bar or at communal tables throughout the food hall.
Beers, cocktails & punch bowls: New food hall bar will honor Regas name and serve drinks 'with a twist'
The Donut Theory
Knoxvillians won't have to look far for gluten-free treats when Laura Crawford's The Donut Theory opens.
It will offer lots of flavors, from butter and salt to vanilla chai to peanut butter cookies and cream. Doughnuts also will be available by the dozen or as the base of several desserts.
But The Donut Theory won’t just be offering sweet treats. Gluten-free fried chicken and gluten-free macaroni and cheese also are on the menu.
Artisanal donuts and more: The Donut Theory will serve gluten-free sweets and more
Smash Knoxville
The couple behind Lanai Food Truck is bringing their latest venture to Marble City Market. Smash Knoxville will offer smash burgers, chicken sandwiches and vegan options.
What exactly is a smash burger? Exactly what it sounds like: Owner Paul Moody uses a tool to press the burgers, causing a chemical change that caramelizes the patty.
"It's a dripping-down-your-hand situation," explained owner Ashley Moody.
A burger for everybody: Smash Knoxville will serve up burgers for vegans and carnivores alike
Penne for Your Thoughts
Knoxville’s favorite Italian-American fusion food truck, Penne For Your Thoughts, is putting down roots inside Marble City Market. Owner Geoffrey Bernstein is known for creating unique Italian-American fusion dishes.
The Penne food truck was recognized last week as the city's best food truck for the fourth consecutive year by Knox News' Knox Stars awards.
Lake and Oak BBQ
Acclaimed chefs Todd Richards and Joshua Lee are bringing a taste of their Atlanta-based barbecue concept to Marble City Market.
The award-winning duo craft dishes rooted in soul and southern cuisines, according to the vendor's website.
Seoul Brothers
With inspiration from their mother's dishes, siblings Vic and Josh Scott are bringing their popular Korean-fusion food truck concept to Marble City Market.
“The Korean recipes that are on there are all hers that we’ve made minor tweaks to,” Josh Scott explained.
They’ve created their own versions of classic dishes from around the world, like Seoul Pops — a take on the Italian arancini dish — and Korean barbecue tacos.
Korean-fusion: Seoul Brothers' Korean-fusion food is coming downtown
Fantail Fish and Frites
While many restaurants offer fish and chips as a dish, nowhere in downtown treats it as a specialty. Matt Gallaher, owner of Knox Mason and Emilia, plans to fill that void at Marble City Market.
Fantail Fish and Frites will feature elements of both his Knox Mason and Emilia menus. The fries will be twice-baked, the same process Gallaher uses at Knox Mason, and the fish will be topped with Emilia's batter.
Fish and chips: Restaurant from Emilia creator brings 'shatteringly crisp' batter
Gekko Poke & Ramen
The people behind Gekko Poke & Ramen are bringing "culture and efficiency" from Atlanta to the newly opened Marble City Market.Gekko started in Atlanta as a "hibachi and sushi experience," founded as a food truck in 2017 by co-owner and chef Jack Bai.
In Knoxville, the vendor will serve five poke bowl options, including grilled eel, plus three styles of ramen and street tacos.
How does the food hall work?
Customers purchase food from a vendor and then can sit anywhere inside the food hall. There's outdoor seating as well.
Food will also be available to order to go through the Marble City Market website. The online ordering platform allows you to purchase from multiple vendors with one transaction and the food hall works with a third-party delivery vendor.
There are also two Top Golf Swing Suite Simulators.
Another Knoxville food hall in the works?
Marble City Market will be the first of two food halls coming to the downtown Knoxville area. Kerns Bakery is scheduled to open in late 2022 at the historic Kern's Bakery site, located just across the Henley Street bridge in South Knoxville.
The food hall will feature about 20 food and retail spaces, room for full-service restaurants, communal seating, an indoor-outdoor bar and entertainment space. The finished product will be a mixed-use community with apartments, office space, entertainment areas and eventually a brand-name hotel.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Downtown Knoxville food hall Marble City Market opening and vendors
