With the South Knoxville area rising in popularity, Kennedy Concepts is building a new restaurant underneath the Davy student apartments. Opening Wednesday, Nov. 5, Mimosas will be a modern-style restaurant with extended hours and a variety of food options. From a large brunch menu to their cocktail program, Mimosas has everything.
Kennedy Concepts became a business in 1999, creating unique restaurant concepts in Knoxville and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, such as Loco Burro, the Kennedy and Cafe 4. With its name charmingly inspired by the avenue it backs up to, Mimosas will be the company’s ninth location, continuing its success.
Chad Kennedy, president of Kennedy Concepts and owner of Mimosas, wants the food to be on the lighter fare with beautiful presentation, differing from the business’s other menus.
“The menu is 100% new to us,” Kennedy said. “We’ve not had these items anywhere else, so this was a scratchy menu.”
Using colorful plates, the food’s display will focus on the more feminine-driven, younger demographic and smaller portions. The menu is meant to be approachable, as well as appropriately priced. Drink-wise, Mimosas will have a full cocktail program, beer list and wine list.
In the mornings, Monday through Friday, the café will be open at 7 a.m. Everything from its coffee program to fresh-squeezed orange juice, Mimosas has it. Convenient for the student residents living above the restaurant, there will be online ordering available to pick up on the way to class. However, if you place a walk-in order, you’ll be told when your order is ready as well.
With a variety of hours, Mimosas will have a number of events and specials every week.
Wen-Dazed
On Wednesdays, the restaurant will be open until midnight. There will be a variety of entertainment, including late-night promotions, cocktails, seltzers, movies and music.
Half-off wine Thursdays
On Thursdays, the restaurant will be open until 2 a.m. All wine will be half off and there will be live music performed into the late night.
Frozen Fridays
On Fridays, the restaurant will be open until 2 a.m. All frozen frosé will be half off, and a DJ will begin playing music at 10 p.m.
Saturday
On Saturdays, the restaurant will be open until 2 a.m. with raw oysters served during brunch.
Sunday
On Sundays, the restaurant will be open until 10 p.m. There will be bottomless mimosas all day and raw oysters served during lunch.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces. But that was something that was important to me here, just so we want something always going on,” Kennedy said.
The restaurant’s color palette is soft and more feminine, straying away from being moody or dark. The floor-to-ceiling glass offers natural light, adding to the space’s welcoming ambience. There will be a large amount of seating inside and outside, and a decorated patio with fire pits and couches. In addition, there will be a private event space for indoor and outdoor gatherings.
TVs and sound systems will be installed everywhere throughout the restaurant, playing different sports all year long and catering to the multitude of college sports fans. With little competition in the bar business of South Knoxville, Mimosas has a uniqueness to it that will draw Knoxville’s sports fans.
“I think a lot of times in the bar biz, you try to focus heavily on our concepts, people are looking for a reason to go out and we just want to be that reason,” Kennedy said.
Mimosas’ location underneath the Davy was discovered by Oliver Smith, owner of Oliver Smith Realty. Kennedy looked at the location and fell in love with it due to its multiple demographics. While Mimosas has a goal to cater to student residents nearby, there are also many who live in South Knoxville and downtown that Mimosas hopes to attract.
Kennedy believes the student value surrounding Mimosas is important to the role of its location. In wanting to complement the students living in the Davy and other apartments, Kennedy hopes they will take advantage of being able to walk to Mimosas. There aren’t many other restaurants similar to Mimosas in South Knoxville, which will call students and others nearby to make it their go-to stop. Whether students are dining, studying, socializing or hanging out, Mimosas is a place where they can enjoy themselves.
“At the end of the day, I got into the restaurant business to make other people happy,” Kennedy said. “Hospitality is about making other people feel good and then letting them enjoy themselves. I just want them to feel welcome. I want them to feel warm. I want them to feel part of our family and our community, where everybody knows everybody.”
Mimosas will have its grand opening this coming Wednesday, Nov. 5. There will be a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. and the restaurant will officially open at 11 a.m. Reservations will be turned on upon opening. All of the restaurant staff are ready for the exciting challenge of beginning Mimosas’ journey.
