Lonesome Dove Western Bistro Opens Friday In Knoxville
Chef and Restaurateur Tim Love Returns to His Alma Mater City to Debut A Third Location of His Flagship Restaurant in the Historic Old City Neighborhood
Texas chef Tim Love will open the third location of his flagship restaurant Lonesome Dove Western Bistro tomorrow in Knoxville’s Old City neighborhood (100 N. Central Street; www.lonesomedoveknoxville.com; 865.999.5251). A former Knoxville resident, Love has strong ties to his alma mater city, having attended the University of Tennessee.
“Knoxville was a natural choice for Lonesome Dove. I have a ton of history here and I love that I have this connection to the city-the people, the businesses, the culture, the school-it makes it that much more exciting to set up here again. Plus, I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to open in one of the most iconic buildings in the Old City,” says Love. “This is a really ideal time to be opening in Knoxville, and I’m proud to be joining such a welcoming community filled with so many great farmers, restaurants and talented chefs.”
At Lonesome Dove Knoxville, Love will serve time-honored favorites alongside a selection of new, Knoxville-inspired dishes made with local ingredients. The menu will feature Love’s creative uses of bold flavors, wild game, and signature wood-fired cooking techniques beginning with Love’s proprietary Wild Game Fettine, featuring cuts spit-roasted over open mesquite fire and thinly sliced in the style of charcuterie, with selections including Wild boar belly, venison flank and huckleberry; and Pheasant, chukar, quail, cheddar and local sorghum. The Fettine is followed by first, second, and main course offerings, as well as hand-cut steaks and sides. Menu highlights include:
- Cold Smoked Local Trout with house kimchi and local feta
- Grilled Avocado Bread with charred corn and cotija cheese
- Local Squash Carpaccio with roasted garlic-chili crema and citrus salad
- Stacked Pheasant Enchiladas with Cruze Farms crema and green onion salad
- Elk Loin with Chinese kale, hen of the woods mushrooms, salsify and candied blackberries
- Prime Bone-In Pork Tenderloin with celery root puree and honey crisp apples
- Blue Corn-Crusted Catfish with avocado salad and cilantro-orange butter
- Crispy Goat Crepinette with a potato “hoe cake,” and sorrel salad
- Duck Breast with duck-foie gras sausage and pickled nectarines
- Mesquite-Grilled Cauliflower Steak with roasted wild mushrooms, crispy green onion and Meyer lemon vinaigrette
- Beet Home Fries with goat cheese crumbles, lemon and chili
Rounding out the meal, the dessert menu features diverse options such as Peanut Butter-Chocolate Crème Brulee, Ancho Chocolate Cake with smoked almond brittle and vanilla ice cream, Smoked Apple Cobblerwith sorghum ice cream and bourbon caramel, and Churros accompanied by three sauces: chocolate, raspberry and cajeta, a Mexican caramel sauce made with goat’s milk.
Lonesome Dove’s beverage program will feature the most expansive wine collection in Knoxville, with a focus on domestic bottles, alongside a large collection of notable California Cabernet Sauvignons and several unique Old- and New-world picks. The wine list boasts more than 1,000 bottles and over 15 wines by the glass, all showcased in the restaurant’s custom wine cellar.The restaurant’s cocktail program will offer specialty drinks, including riffs on classics such asthe Mezcal Negroni with Del Maguey mezcal, Nonino amaro, and Dolin Rouge vermouth; Old City Aviationwith Jackson Avenue gin, Fleur de Lis, maraschino liqueur and lemon; 1888with mint, green chartreuse, amaro, lemon and bourbon; and Remember the Mainwith absinthe, Carpano Antica, Luxardo cherry liqueur and Rittenhouse rye whiskey. Craft beers are also available from local brewers including Blackberry Farms Saison, Highland Gaelic Ale, and YeeHaw Brewing Co. Dunkel, recipient of the 2016 World Beer Cup bronze award.
Housed in the old Patrick Sullivan’s Saloon building at the heart of Knoxville’s Old City neighborhood, Lonesome Dove was designed by chef Love and his wife Emilie, along with Joel Mozersky and DIA Architects. The décor was inspired by Knoxville’s railroad history, with custom linear steel throughout, complemented by rustic accents, such as restored original wood floors and exposed brick walls. The 7,460-square-foot space features two kitchens, two bars, and five distinct dining areas spanning across three floors, including a 15-seat bar, a 10-seat chef’s counter opposite the open kitchen, a 120-seat dining room, and two private dining areas-the130-seat Sullivan Room and 45-seat Fulmer Room. Each space also offers a unique view for diners, from the culinary action in the kitchen and the climate-controlled wine room with shelving for over 1,600 bottles, to the charming streets of Old City. Much of the building’s historic character from the original construction has been preserved, maintaining the bright, stained glass windows lining the entryway, the old penny bar top, and four restored working fireplaces.
Tim Love is also the chef/owner of several Texas restaurants, including two additional Lonesome Doves, Woodshed Smokehouse, Love Shack, Queenie’s Steakhouse, and White Elephant Saloon; a founding partner of the Austin FOOD & WINE Festival (where he hosts the world’s largest hands-on grilling demo); and official chef of Austin City Limits. Love is also co-host of CNBC’s Restaurant Startup, where he and co-host Joe Bastianich vie against each other to invest their own money in restaurant concepts they believe will make them millions. Tim lives between Fort Worth and Austin, TX with his wife and three children.
Lonesome Dove Western Bistro Knoxville is open for dinner Monday-Thursday from 4:30-10pm and Friday and Saturday from 4:30-11pm. For more information or to make reservations, call 865.999.5251 or visit www.lonesomedoveknoxville.com.
