Thirsty AF: Twice as Thirsty

I was trying to decide on a location for this month’s post - somewhere that’s great for this chilly weather - when I thought, “It’s my blog; I’ll do what I want.” Today, you get two spots!

The first spot is very casual, which is what I love about it. When I’m cold and angry about being cold, the last thing I want to do is fuss over plans. Ashe’s Bearden Beer Market is usually where I end up on a Monday evening. It’s an outdoor location, but usually there’s a fire burning in the pit with benches and chairs set up around it (pictured below). It’s a great spot to relax with a drink and a few friends. They’ve added some plastic drop-sheets around the seating areas, which are to help keep in the warmth and keep out cold winds.

Sometimes BBM’s kitchen is open; sometimes it’s not. I got a taco salad there once that was generous in the portion size but by no means anything fancy or amazing. I asked about bringing in outside food, and that’s definitely fine when their kitchen is closed and no food trucks are present; I asked about the schedule for such things, and basically it’s best to ask when you go. I definitely love bringing over a pizza from Hard Knox and hanging by the fire pit with my chillest of friends. Recently BBM announced that it’s closed on Tuesdays, so take that into consideration. Other nights of the week, you can find karaoke or trivia happening.

My second choice is an overlooked spot on Gay Street, Suttree’s Tavern. I tend to think of it in these colder months because they serve big, hot bowls of ramen. I am no ramen aficionado as I have actually only ever had ramen around here in Knoxville, but what’s served in these bowls is tasty AF. Of course, the other nice thing about Suttree’s is that it’s a barcade. You can go around playing various video and arcade games while having a drink after you’ve filled your belly with ramen. They have other food as well. I’ve heard positive feedback about their grilled cheese, so the menu definitely checks the comfort food box for these coming winter months.

I don’t know about you, but when the temps drop below 60, I basically turn into a lizard and stop moving. That’s why I chose these low-fuss spots. It gets dark so early and my brain starts shutting down - I am not going to choose big adventures until Christmas and NYE approach. Expect something more bougie in next month’s blog.