At first glance Knoxville is a metropolitan sprawl made of fast food joints and strip malls, so much so that per capita we were once the city with the most restaurants. As the country looks to service-based jobs to fill the void of manufacturing, this seems the natural inclination of things.

For that reason alone it seemed important in this year’s dining guide to highlight those places outside the neon and bakelite glare, the chain restaurants and even to a larger extent, those eateries specializing in American cuisine. Thanks in some part to Knoxville’s participation as a hub for dislocated people all over the world, and its magnetism towards business in general, a diverse smattering of new restaurants have popped up over the last few years offering authentic digs from all corners of the globe.

In the interest of student accessibility we have tried to stay as close to campus as possible, but none of these places should take you more than about 10-15 minutes from the Strip. Niro’s Gyros and Nori are obviously the closest for students living around campus, but for those of you not as familiar with Knoxville proper, excursions to Sutherland Avenue for Holy Land Market or out Bearden/Cedar Bluff ways for a taste of Little Szechaun may provide an educational adventure for both the mind and the stomach.

The main areas represented in this guide are southeast Asia and the Mediterranean rim of north Africa and southern Europe. The sole exception to these regions is Ethiopian cafe Gosh, representing the culturally and cuisine-rich Little Szechuan offers dim sum Chinese cuisine, so named for the high volume of small portion items served a la carte to allow the customer manifold options in their dining experience. Nori offers Knoxville’s newest sushi venue, as well as bistro-quality Franco-Vietnamese fusion thrown into the mix.

Zooming back towards the Greenwich line, we take a look at Niro’s, a Fort Sanders staple whose affordable gyros undoubtedly keep many students going. The Cairo Cafe, called the “Mirage of Gay Street,” brings an enchanting Middle Eastern vibe and a smorgasbord of Mediterranean offerings, along with a plushy hookah lounge. Holy Land Market, both a restaurant and Mediterranean grocery, provides a unique look at both prepared items and the ingredients used to prepare them on the shelf a few feet away. Aegean, finally, is the newest Med-cuisine provider in Knoxville, offers true Greek delicacies as the cook from his grandmother’s recipes.

For those of you looking at your wallets with disdain, keep in mind Knoxville also boasts a wide variety of culturally-diverse groceries where you can pick up the ingredients to try your hand at preparing food from tables around the world. Several Asian markets can be found in West Knoxville, one just down the way from Holy Land Market, and for all of your Mediterranean needs there’s Ali Baba’s in Bearden, who also offers up a mean gyro and hookah supplies.

While the point of college is to broaden your horizons in order to embrace new ideas and build the skills necessary to excel in your field, never be mistaken in the assumption that the educational benefits should be taken from textbooks alone. Use these years to learn more about the people and cultures outside American shores, whose traditions become entwined with our own with each passing year. Whether its new food or cultural enrichment you seek, here are a few places out many in Knoxville to feed your mind and body. Bon apetite!