I was a sports columnist in Jacksonville, Florida, when I accepted a similar job at the Knoxville News Sentinel in the summer of 1987. A man who worked in the production department of the Jacksonville paper seemed more excited than I was. We worked in different areas of the paper, so it was hardly surprising we had never spoken before. But when he...

Knoxville, Tennessee, seems an unlikely locale for one of jazz’s most promising and enterprising young pianists. For Margherita Fava, however, the Marble City is a great place to live and work. “It’s a hidden gem,” the Italian-born, 27-year-old says, speaking by phone from Knoxville. “The pandemic has been a catalyst for the scene here. A lot of na...

If you’ve been paying close attention, you might have noticed that Italian cocktails are having a serious moment. The recent revival likely started with the classic Negroni penetrating the national consciousness with its hundredth anniversary in 2019. Today, the trend has switched to espresso martinis, as drinkers are looking for that late-night pi...

There is nothing quite like Italian food. It has to be one of the most filling and satisfying culinary experiences we are blessed with. Sweet and delectable carb loading is the name of the game when it comes to these types of restaurants and it’s always a treat to indulge in a big plate of pasta. There is a place in Knoxville that not only serves u...

A taste of Ohio is coming to Knoxville when DiCarlo's Pizza opens its first Tennessee location this year. The Ohio-based pizza restaurant is planning to open at 524 S. Gay St. where KoPita was before it moved across the street in the Embassy Suites hotel. The pizza shop submitted its application to the Design Review Board for neon signs, which will...

From the bustling Jackson Avenue sidewalk in the Old City, walking into the softly lit, stylishly designed interior of Osteria Stella feels like stepping into another era. It is a contrast to the bright décor of Brother Wolf, its sibling cocktail bar next door. “I wanted to create a dramatic contrast between the two,” says co-owner Jessica Thompson...

One of Knoxville's biggest street fairs is set to return in late April — the Rossini Festival. The Spring 2021 festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers plan to fill Gay Street with Italian food, funnel cake and fun on April 30. They said it should last around 11 hours that day. This year's festival is also expected to incl...

In New York City, every variation of Italian cuisine imaginable is conveniently accessible. Within a three-block radius of my apartment are six Italian restaurants, one aperitivo bar, and pizzerias galore. It's easy to forget not every city is flush with countless dining options. Only five Italian restaurants exist in Knoxville, Tennessee's third-l...

Aaron Thompson and Jessica King canceled a flight to Rome just 24 hours before boarding, and it's a good thing they did. Their planned trip in search of an Italian chef and aperitivo inspiration was scheduled as Italy's COVID-19 numbers were increasing in March 2020.  Although their Brother Wolf bar and Osteria Stella restaurant concepts seemed to...

If you've been on Cherokee Boulevard in recent weeks, you've likely noticed the little leprechauns looking down at you from atop the building dubbed Stevarinos Italian Eatery And Pub. "Most people get the humor in it," co-owner Kerry Hoefer joked. "Like, what are two Irish guys doing owning an Italian restaurant?" Hoefer and his business partner, S...