Downtown Knoxville has no shortage of great places to eat, but one burger and bourbon bar on Market Square keeps showing up at the top of every local’s list.
Stock & Barrel has been doing things its own way since 2013 — building craft burgers in Knoxville from locally sourced beef, stacking them with boldly creative toppings, and pairing them with one of the largest bourbon selections in Tennessee. 🥃
The result is something Knoxville didn’t know it needed — until it absolutely couldn’t live without it. 🍔
How Stock & Barrel Won Knoxville’s Hearts
When Stock & Barrel opened on Market Square in 2013, the concept was refreshingly focused: make the best burger in Knoxville, and back it up with a serious bourbon list.
What set this place apart immediately was the commitment to local sourcing — beef from Mitchell Family Farms in Blaine, Tennessee, and flour-dusted buns baked fresh by Knoxville’s own Flour Head Bakery — ingredients that elevated every burger from good to genuinely great. 🌾
The locally sourced burger restaurant also understood that variety was essential — the menu spans grass-fed bison, Durham Ranch elk, Colorado lamb, free-range chicken, turkey, and black bean-quinoa builds, meaning every diner at the table finds something worth ordering.
The bourbon and burger bar Knoxville cemented its reputation through creative burger names that tell a story — the Elvis, the Bernie, the Hurt Locker, the Big Nasty — each one a conversation starter before the first bite is even taken.
Reviewers have consistently called it the best burger in Knoxville, with one local publication declaring after their visit that the burgers were “consistently recognized” across the city for quality that simply doesn’t waver. 🌟
The owners — Ben Austin, Bill Angelos, and Niko Angelos — built something deeply rooted in Knoxville’s food culture, and the community has responded with the kind of sustained, decade-long devotion that speaks louder than any award ever could. 🏅
Food Highlights 🍔
-
The Hurt Locker: A brisket-blend beef patty loaded with pimento cheese, local bacon, fried green tomato, and bourbon onions.🍅
- The Big Nasty: A double brisket blend beef patty with double cheddar, double local bacon, crispy onions, and tomato jam — a legendary monster of a burger. 💪
-
The Farmhouse: Brisket blend beef topped with melted cheddar, an over-easy egg, local bacon, tomato, onion, and garlic aioli. 🍳
- The Elvis: Brisket blend beef topped with creamy peanut butter, fried banana, and local bacon — a wildly creative homage to The King. 🎸
- The Bernie: Brisket blend beef piled with blue cheese crumbles, local bacon, blueberry preserve, and beer-battered jalapeños. 🫐🌶️
-
The Elk Burger: A Durham Ranch elk patty topped with creamy Havarti cheese, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli.
-
The Bison Burger: A Durham Ranch bison patty topped with Boursin cheese, sautéed mushrooms, crispy onions, and garlic aioli.
- The Greek: A Colorado lamb patty topped with Kasseri cheese, tzatziki, greens, tomato, and bourbon onions. 🫒
Atmosphere
Stock & Barrel is upscale casual done exactly right — refined enough for a proper date night, relaxed enough to show up in jeans after a long workday on Market Square. 🏙️
The interior is warm and stylish, with exposed brick, a long bar lined with an eye-catching wall of bourbon bottles, and the kind of ambient energy that buzzes without overwhelming.
It’s a lively downtown anchor — the kind of place where the bar fills up early, the bourbon conversations run long, and nobody really wants to leave after the last bite. 🥃
As one of Knoxville’s most beloved gourmet burger restaurants in Tennessee, it strikes the rare balance between being a destination dining experience and a comfortable neighborhood hangout — all at once.
Bottom Line
Stock & Barrel is Knoxville’s burger crown jewel. Locally sourced beef, wildly creative builds, Durham Ranch game burgers, and 300+ bourbons make this a must-visit on Market Square. Whether you’re a local or just passing through — this one’s non-negotiable. 🍔🥃
Address:
35 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902
📞 (865) 766-2075
🕔 Open Sun–Thu 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM | Fri–Sat 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM