Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. East Tennessee
  4. Knoxville
  5. Knoxville
Emilia, Knoxville, TN

Emilia

4.7
4.7
2357 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary Italian
Emilia is a full service restaurant located on Market Square in Downtown Knoxville. Chef/Owner Matt Gallaher serves a seasonal, contemporary Italian menu with an emphasis on handmade pasta, homemade bread, and ingredients from local purveyors.

*The fine print: Friday and Saturday capacity is limited to parties of 8 and under. For weeknight parties over 8 please call the restaurant directly at 865 313 2472 to check availability. Any inquiries for parties of 12 or more are considered group service. Please email maggie@emiliaknox for group sales inquiries.

A 20% gratuity may be applied to parties greater than 5 guests. We offer an extensive, 100% Italian wine list, but we do allow outside bottles of wine for a $25 corkage fee, provided it's not a wine on our current list.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 21 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Contemporary Italian

  • Hours of operation

    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm

  • Phone number

    (865) 313-2472

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Executive chef

    Matt Gallaher

  • Catering

    Chef Matt Gallaher has an extensive background in catering. From small dinners and large fundraising events to weddings, Chef Matt delivers a delicious and professional experience. Email maggie@emiliaknox.com to customize your event menu and experience.

  • Private party facilities

    We will provide exclusive use of Emilia for Private Events on Monday nights. Some other evenings may also be available. Email maggie@emiliaknox.com for more info!

  • Neighborhood

    Knoxville

  • Cross street

    Wall Ave

  • Parking details

    Market Square Garage, Locust Street Garage, and State Street Garage.

  • Additional

    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 2,357 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • East Tennessee

    Great for fine wines

  • Knoxville

    Best Overall

  • Knoxville

    Best Food

  • Knoxville

    Best Value

  • Knoxville

    Great for fine wines

  • Knoxville

    Most Booked

Sort by

  1. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food, atmosphere and service! Will be back!
  2. MaryCatherineL

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful food, and the wait staff was excellent, attentive and not intrusive.
  3. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great! The service was wonderful and the food was amazing!!!
  4. Tetiana

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything was amazing! Thank you for great atmosphere
  5. Cazza

    Western NC

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We try to dine at Emilia any time we come through Knoxville - the food just keeps getting better and better, and the service is wonderful. Thank you for another lovely experience!
  6. SarahN

    Philadelphia

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious homemade pasta, reasonable portions and a great place to eat in Knoxville! Absolutely indulge and enjoy dinner here. Service was also excellent and attentive without being intrusive!
  7. OpenTable Diner

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Love Emelia-best value in town and always reliable.
  8. OttoH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Definitely my new favorite Restaurant. Beats are amazing. The Pork was great. Everything was delicious and perfect.
  9. SuzanneS

    Milwaukee

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    One of my favorite restaurants in Knoxville. Everything is amazing. They will make adjustments to certain dishes if you need. Wine & food are wonderful- and we love the atmosphere and location. This is our 3rd time there and we will make reservations next time we are in town.
  10. OpenTable Diner

    Western NC

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 19, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience5
    Usually Emilia is a great place for dinner. We ate there last month & it was terrific. Last night however, the restaurant was downright terrible, and the staff kept making excuses for bad food. We didn’t want to hear excuses. The risotto didn’t even come close to being “risotto”. It was watery, bland and unpleasant. When we explained the dish was not to our liking and requested a different dish, we were met with condemnation…”the dish IS risotto”, with the attitude of you don’t know what real risotto is. Uh, yes we do! When the manager brought the replacement dish, he explained that the risotto just needed more salt. UGH! Who cares at this point? One of us was served a corked glass of wine & asked that it be replaced. Again with the attitude, “the wine is good, but I’ll get you another glass”. The ribeye served rare as requested, was tough, chewy and full of fat. It had not been trimmed properly and was definitely not a great cut of beef. The lightly fried portobello mushroom was overly breaded & was super fried, full of grease. We couldn’t eat it. The vegetarian pasta, which is one of our favorite dishes, was dry instead of the usual creamy pine nut sauce. I hope last night’s meal was just a bad night for the restaurant & that whomever is in charge takes notice & corrects the situation. Because we have had great experiences in the past, we will give it another shot. If this had been our first time at Emilia, we wouldn’t go back.
  11. SusanS

    Alabama

    22 reviews

    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on May 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food and service! My carbonara made with world famous Benton’s Bacon was over the top delicious! We are so lucky to have this restaurant in our city. Keith was wonderful and our server John is always terrific.
  12. MichaelP

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 18, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    A favorite place to eat. Food is consistently good, if a little too rich and expensive. Would like to see more gf and df options, and a little more variety on the menu. gf gnocchi would be a plus. Good wine menu, but very pricey.
  13. OpenTable Diner

    Charleston

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on May 16, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Lively atmosphere with a great mixture of creative small plates, pasta dishes and main dishes to satisfy traditional as well as adventurous diners.
  14. OpenTable Diner

    Tampa

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I come to Knoxville a couple times a year to visit my parents and Emilia is a staple of every trip. Each visit is always consistent - excellent service and incredible food. If you are in the area looking for a great dinner with an awesome ambiance, go to Emilia.
  15. Samuel

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We go here all the time, for basically any special occasion. Incredible Italian food. Wonderful, quick and friendly service. Our server was so kind and sweet to my mother for Mother’s Day. I can’t say enough great things about Emilia. See you again very soon.
  16. OpenTable Diner

    E. Tennessee

    53 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    53 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Our meal and service was second to none! One of favorite restaurants in Knoxville! Our waitress was outstanding
  17. ChrisD

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 12, 2023

    overall4food3service5ambience3
    Our server was excellent, very attentive. I had the steak it was chewy my wife had the Bolognese It was good but kind of bland Prakash it was dry. I had a very generous portion of mussels, which were good. My cocktail was delicious.
  18. KathyH

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This was our first time eating here. It was delicious! Our waiter, John was outstanding with wonderful recommendations. Can’t wait to visit again and try something different!
  19. AndreaG

    E. Tennessee

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We are so fortunate to have a restaurant like Emilia in Knoxville, TN. The food is always scrumptious, from the Warm Castelvetrano Olives and Artichoke Fritti to the Grilled Romaine and amazing Bolognese..So good!! They have the best management and staff, so nice and very accommodating. Such a treat to dine there!
  20. PamD

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2023

    overall2food1service2ambience4
    Food was not good. My steak was blue - sent it back to only have it charred on the outside and still red in the center (I ordered medium well). Server took forever to bring drinks, food wasn’t hot when brought to the table. My husbands pork malinase was tough and the batter just pulled right off. Will not be returning.
  21. SuzanneC

    E. Tennessee

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our waiter John was great. The table full of women and children behind us singing at the top of their lungs was not great.
  22. David

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My wife and I love everything about Emilia. The food was amazing, great atmosphere, and overall experience was wonderful. Hardest thing is deciding what I want to eat. Can't wait to go back.
  23. EllenP

    E. Tennessee

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    One of the best restaurants in Knoxville! Everything is fresh, made from scratch and always delicious. This is our new favorite place!
  24. RidgeDickert

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing traditional Italian food. Pasta was perfectly cooked. The artichokes were awesome. Only complaint was the one quanciole was a little over powering in the carbonara gave a slight burnt taste.
  25. JosephP

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food was excellent and the wait staff was professional and attentive.
  26. Liveloveat

    San Francisco

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2023

    overall5food5service3ambience4
    Delicious dining experience! Mussels and broth were terrific. Husband really enjoyed the octopus. Campanelle pasta sauce had a smooth velvety texture, so so good. Salmon was seared beautifully. Tiramisu was an unexpected miss for dessert but the butterscotch budino more than made up for it. Service was less polished than expected but otherwise functional.
  27. LydiaK

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience3
    Overall, it was great. However the seating was a little bit uncomfortable. The table was too small for 3-4 people and one of my chair legs was a little shorter than others so it made the seating uncomfortable.
  28. MargaretB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My husband and I love returning to Emilia year after year. Excellent quality for the price. You will not be disappointed!
  29. Elizabeth

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Food and service was excellent! We had a party of four; we all enjoyed everything from soup to nuts, including cocktails and wine. Our ONLY complaint is the noise level: way too loud, and really, no need for the music - so many nice restaurants miss the mark when it comes to noise; that's a big part of the ambience....we prefer not to shout at each other when dining out. I would definitely recommend the food and service, but I would warn them about the noise. Emilia needs a little help with the ambience ; )
  30. KnoxvilleGuy

    E. Tennessee

    264 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    264 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    We've dined here many times and the food is always good and it's a nice setting. We met some friends there this time and we enjoyed our dinner again. Service seemed a little rushed and slightly disorganized this time around (maybe short staffed?). But it all worked out in the end and we'll be back again.
  31. AmyS

    Charlotte

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Celebrated my son’s birthday and we had amazing service! Brett was our server and the gentlemen that was managing on Sunday was wonderful! The bolognese was delicious and the butterscotch pudding dessert was out of this world! Thank you for a great night!
  32. PatrickP

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything was great. My daughter is Celiac. The waiter was great!
  33. JulianR

    New England

    9 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall2food1service2ambience2
    Food was way too salty, too salty to eat. Waiter was curt and didn’t care. Never asked why the plates were left untouched. Won’t return.
  34. JeffB

    Coastal Georgia

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Valarie was just fantastic as our server. Great food, never disappoints!
  35. ScottJ

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food and service was absolutely wonderful! I highly recommend this establishment for an evening out!
  36. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience2
    The steak I was served, was incredibly bland, over cooked and had a minimal crust to it. When I sent it back they still tried to charge me for the steak and the manager was incredibly rude when I asked for it to be taken off. I thought it was pretty common courtesy to take of an item in this scenario. When I tried to talk to the owner about the situation he called me a child for not understanding “margins” even though he could not explain how them making me a second steak is any better for them than just not charging me for the first steak. It was a terrible experience and I guarantee they would have expected the same thing I did if they were in my shoes. They got their feelings hurt and lashed out at a customer. Very unprofessional.
  37. Alain

    New York Area

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on April 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Salmon was delicious. Great service. Quiet and located right on Market Square downtown.
  38. marysuz

    San Francisco

    9 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on April 19, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    The staff seemed tired and bored, not the way I remember this place from past experience. The food was good, not great. The prices were fair. Yes, I will return because I think it was an off night
  39. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 15, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Food was outstanding! Very fresh and superb taste.
  40. BlueMoonMomma

    Phoenix

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on April 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a fabulous time. Or waiter John was awesome!

FAQs

Emilia is rated 4.7 stars by 2357 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 21 times today
Google Map for Emilia

16 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Wall Ave

  • Neighborhood

    Knoxville

  • Hours of operation

    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm

  • Cuisines

    Contemporary Italian

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Parking details

    Market Square Garage, Locust Street Garage, and State Street Garage.

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Matt Gallaher

  • Additional

    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Phone number

    (865) 313-2472

  • Catering

    Chef Matt Gallaher has an extensive background in catering. From small dinners and large fundraising events to weddings, Chef Matt delivers a delicious and professional experience. Email maggie@emiliaknox.com to customize your event menu and experience.

  • Private party facilities

    We will provide exclusive use of Emilia for Private Events on Monday nights. Some other evenings may also be available. Email maggie@emiliaknox.com for more info!

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2023 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
Rentalcars Logo
OpenTable Logo