Middle Eastern

For a dining experience like no other, head directly to King Tut Grill (4132 Martin Mill Pk., 865/573-6021, $6–12), a family-owned restaurant in otherwise unremarkable Vestal, a few miles south of the Henley Street bridge. King Tut’s has established a loyal following thanks largely to the charisma of its owner, Mo, who serves drinks in flower vases, tells you what to order, and is famous for sending out extra food to his favored customers.

Mo and his family offer traditional diner-style meals—hamburgers, meatloaf, baked chicken, and the like—to appease the locals, but the reason to come here is to eat home-style Egyptian fare. The daily menu offers a handful of such favorites, like falafel sandwiches, an Egyptian platter, and the best Greek salad in Knoxville [1]. But it is on Mo’s Middle Eastern night that he and his family go all out with stuffed grape leaves, homemade basboosa, and the works. Believe what they tell you: This is a restaurant not to be missed.