For more than a decade, Scott West has been on a mission to “Keep Knoxville Scruffy.” In keeping with this goal, West’s latest venture, Market House Café, opened this past December in the corner of Market Square which borders Wall Avenue and Strong Street.
Tenants of this corner of the square have not experienced much success in the past, but West hopes to change all that with his café which doubles as a licensed visitor center. However, I didn’t know all this when I walked in to buy a sandwich last night.
I knew that a new café had opened on Market Square and that I was going to review it. Eating dinner at a café sounded odd to me and I even checked to be sure that they were still open when I approached at 6 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Surprisingly, the café had a warm interior that seemed to compliment night life with a handful of bar tables on hardwood floors under painted red-orange overhead lights. But as I took a seat at a long counter that faced nearly floor to ceiling windows, I could imagine that for most of the day the venue wouldn’t need more than natural lighting.
Already intrigued by the aesthetic that captured that of both a morning café and a late night bite, I stepped up to order. The handwritten menu featured a plethora of sandwiches, all with delightfully punny names. Most sandwiches featured references to historical people, places or events in Knoxville and all had interesting ingredients which incorporated deli staples with enough of a new twist to be unexpected.
I went with the Odd Fellows Reuben #1, pastrami on pumpernickel rye bread with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and a spicy home-made Russian dressing. For my choice of side, I went with the buskers potato salad, described as a “creamy, crunchy backyard-style red potato salad.”
A glance at the daily specials showed that they had an apple, beet and carrot juice, so naturally I had to try it as well. Then before I could get my debit card from my wallet I saw a homemade cinnamon roll from Tellico Grains Bakery on display. Who can say no to that?
Although I returned to my seat $20 lighter, I consider it money well spent.
My dinner companion chose what the cashier said was a house favorite, the Cas Walker Classic Roast Beef, and we sat at the counter with our stomachs rumbling already.
I took this time to observe more about the café itself. The deli counter stood at the front of the space, but toward the back, a bar stands nestled in among tall tables. This setup seemed to further aid the Markethouse Café in being a deli for any time of day.
A large wooden sign near the door asked customers to “Keep Knoxville Scruffy,” while others instructed them to “order here” and then “recycle here.” The hall leading to the restrooms is lined with various brochures and pamphlets on downtown Knoxville (which made much more sense once I realized the café doubled as a visitor center).
When I returned to our seats my food had already arrived and it didn’t take me long to polish off my sandwich once I had my first bite. This was a reuben with a spicy kick to it, but I never could quite put my finger on what it was in the house-made dressing that did the trick.
My unusual juice also took me by surprise. Honestly, the surprise being that I didn’t hate it. The ingredients seemed to be mixed in the right proportion that you could actually taste all three but the earthiness of the beet and carrot mellowed out the apple’s sweetness.
After I had nearly finished my meal, I learned that the owner, Scott West, had been sitting back near the bar enjoying a beer with his wife and a friend. He introduced himself and explained the café’s concept to me, offered to buy my companion and I another sandwich and returned to his table after ensuring I understood the benefits of supporting local businesses and restaurants.
Even without West’s personal endorsement, I will be sure to return. Market House Café might just be here to stay on that corner of Market Square.
Locally made cheeses are among the many local foods sold at Market House Cafe.
