We slipped in Harry’s Delicatessen , just before a heavy rain began falling. We had read several articles about this newly opened deli and all the reviews were good. The deli is billed as Jewish/Italian with emphasis on the locally grown and homemade. Harry’s is located in the space once occupied by Harold’s Deli. Harold’s was a Knoxville institution for over 55 years, serving kosher overstuffed sandwiches, crunchy oversize pickles and many Jewish delights. It closed in 2005 and the building stood empty until Harry’s opened.
As we stood in line to order, John’s boss and his wife appeared from seats at the end of the counter and warmly greeted us. He told us his son and daughter-in-law, both professionally trained chefs, moved back from Vermont to open this deli. He is one proud “papa”! We chatted a few minutes, ordered and grabbed two stools in the front window. A steady rain continued to fall as we watched people dash about on Gay Street.
Our food arrived quickly. I ordered a traditional corned beef and John ordered a patty melt. In the basket with each sandwich was a side of pickled cucumbers, cauliflower and beets. I normally won’t eat off a plate if a beet has touched the surface but these beets were delicious! I am now a big fan… of these beets anyway.
Corned Beef
Vinegar based coleslaw and roasted fingerling potatoes were our sides of choice
Patty melt
The rain had slowed to a trickle by the time we finished lunch so we walked a few blocks south to explore Union Avenue Books. The bookstore, which opened a week ago, was hosting a grand opening event. Nice to see a bookstore in downtown.
John in front of just ripe, a new grocery and prepared foods store located next to the bookstore
Flowers purchased at today’s Market Square Farmer’s Market
We finished our day back downtown for the final performance of “Forbidden Knoxville” at Theater Knoxville Downtown. Like everywhere else in Knoxville, the road in front of the theater is shrouded in orange construction barrels and we had to make our way through the rubble to the entrance.
The play is a locally written satire touching on such topics as the Road Kill Bill, Lane Kiffin, Bruce Pearl and other UT sports figures, road construction, Tim Burchett, the Hillside Task Force, Pilot and the Haslam family, Pat Summit and so on. We laughed till we cried. Another good day in downtown Knoxville…
