Pumpkin Perfection in Downtown Knoxville
It's fall, which means Downtown Knoxville, Tennessee's obsession with pumpkin everything is in full swing. 🎃 Businesses are bringing creative takes on the famous squash, from original pumpkin spice lattes to pumpkin ice creams, crêpes, and even candles.
Cafe 4
Pumpkin spice and everything nice has taken over Café 4! Their seasonal goodie is Pumpkin Cheesecake drizzled with caramel sauce, cinnamon sugar mix, whipped cream and mint. All we can say is, one more please!
The French Market
The French Market boasts a seasonal Pumpkin Chiffon Crêpe with caramel, graham crackers, almonds, and whipped cream. It's silky smooth and has everything we love in one perfect brunch package. That's not all! Try the caramel apple crêpe and a pumpkin brûlée latte!
Babalu
Babalu's leaning into their tropical vibe and adding pumpkin for a one-of-a-kind cocktail creation! The Pumpkin Piña Colada has Cruzan Light Aged rum, spiced pumpkin purée, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice for a taste that will send you on vacation, while also feeling like fall. Give this drink a try!
Ruby Sunshine
Not technically pumpkin here, but this decadent fall treat has to make the list! Ruby Sunshine boasts straight from NOLA beignets stuffed with vanilla cheesecake and fire roasted Fuji apple pie compote and topped with caramel and pecans. Sinful! You can also order the special as French toast, which comes with Applewood smoked bacon. Thank you, fall.
Knoxville Museum of Art
Similarly, be sure to stop by the Knoxville Museum of Art, where admission is always free. The gift shop carries Glass by Glass Pumpkins, which are the perfect fall addition to any home. Whether you're purchasing your first or simply adding to your collection, get one before they're gone! Visit Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm and Sunday, 1-5pm.
Knoxville Soap Candle & Gifts
When your daily pumpkin spice latte habit just isn't enough, indulge in pumpkin spice sugar scrub, pumpkin spice body butter, and pumpkin crème brûlée candles found at Knoxville Soap Candle & Gifts! The locally-made sugar scrub mixes cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and clove with sugar, oils, and aloe for a nourishing touch. The pumpkin candles are delightful, as are the cinnamon toast, mulled cider, and cranberry orange candles.
Awaken Coffee
Awaken Coffee is a whole experience during fall, serving up all things pumpkin-flavored coffees and teas! You have to try the "Chumpkin" Chai (what's more fall than that?), the Great Pumpkin (white chocolate mocha with pumpkin), and the Downtown Spice (pumpkin spice topped with cinnamon and toasted marshmallows). The expert baristas can make your drink hot or iced.
Coffee & Chocolate
Coffee & Chocolate is embracing the pumpkin season! Beyond their classic chocolates and macarons, they have Iced Pumpkin Cookies and Pumpkin Muffins to pair with their creamy Pumpkin Spice Latte, bright Rose Matcha, and decadent Maple Latte. Their windows are gorgeously painted for fall for a photo op too!
Cruze Farm
Cruze Farm whips up a deliciously creamy pumpkin soft serve during the season, and they make it extra sweet by introducing new flavor combos and toppings (like swirling it with homemade maple ice cream or topping it with honeycomb). Be on the look-out for what's coming up next, including Pumpkin Vegan Ice Cream! Just down the street, Kilwins also whips up pumpkin pie and apple pie ice cream in homemade waffle cones.
Jacks of Knoxville
Jacks has an array of autumn-flavoredcoffees, including their Pumpkin Head Latte with housemade syrup. We're looking forward to trying the Pumpkin Affogato – pumpkin ice cream with two shots of espresso. Match made in heaven. They also have sweater weather, fireside fog, and apple pickin'!
The Lunchbox
Lunchbox bakes up dozens and dozens of their classic pumpkin muffins year-round, but every fall, people can't get enough of them. Warm, moist, and have just the right amount of sweetness. These muffins are a delicious breakfast, snack, or after-dinner treat (or all of the above). Sure to make you cozy!
K Brew
We started with pumpkin spice, we're ending with pumpkin pie! K Brew boasts a delicious latte with real pumpkin, topped with whipped cream, and dusted with spices. Grab one to-go, or sit down and enjoy it in a mug in the lobby of Embassy Suites.
Kilwins
We'll give Kilwins this: we've never seen pumpkin fudge before! This sugary sweet confection made of sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin, and walnuts is hand-crafted on a marble table in-store usually starting around mid-October. Just step inside for a look at the fudge making process and a bite of something delicious.
Mahalo Coffee Roasters
Let's begin with the coffee that started it all – the Pumpkin Spice Latte. The baristas at Mahalo Coffee Roasters whip up a mean PSL, and although it doesn't come in a pumpkin (points for creativity), it tastes like this picture. Warm, creamy, rich. Explore all of Downtown's coffee shops that have their own take on this famous fall latte.
Pete's Restaurant
For a limited time every year, Pete's Restaurant serves up breakfast specials, like pumpkin spice pancakes, waffles, and French toast covered in powdered sugar and syrup. What could be better than breakfast classics with a fall twist from one of Knoxville's most famous diners?
Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain
If you're craving ice cream during Fall, you're in for an extra sweet treat, because The Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain has a whole menu of Autumn-themed sundaes. Pictured here is The Great Pumpkin – two generous scoops of homemade pumpkin pie ice cream nestled on a bed of shortbread cookies crumbles, caramel sauce, and a dollop of housemade whipped cream. This is the next best thing to grandma's homemade pie!
Pretentious Glass Co
Every year, Pretentious Glass Co's artists create dazzling glass pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Start your collection this year and watch your pumpkin patch grow every year with a new beautiful piece of art. They are handblown in-store in the Old City, so you can watch the process from start to finish.
Proper Popcorn
Add a dollop of whipped cream to each bite of Proper Popcorn's Pumpkin Cheesecake Popcorn, and you'll think you died and went straight to pumpkin pie heaven. Their pumpkin popcorn is drizzled in white chocolate and warm spices for that fall flavor you know and love. They also carry caramel apple popcorn, which is a mix of candied green apple and caramel popcorn.
Starbucks on Gay Street
The OG Pumpkin Spice Latte! The Starbucks on Gay Street serves up lots of variations of pumpkin drinks, including Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte, Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, and The Great Pumpkin Latte: an iced pumpkin spice latte with matcha cold foam!
Status Dough
Status Dough bakes several fall classics, including a Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned that is to die for! Their famous fall doughnut pairs well with, you guessed it, their hot pumpkin spice latte. You're in for a pumpkin overload on Gay Street!