Kingsport, Tenn., is known for recreation like hiking at Bays Mountain Park or mountain biking and disc golfing at Warrior’s Path State Park. The downtown area offers fun day trip activities like wandering through local art galleries and testing out craft breweries like Bays Mountain Brewing Company.
After a good day exploring around town, here are some of our favorite food establishments that offer a diverse range of eats from freshly blended smoothies to baked-with-love empanadas.
Sister’s Cravings
Alicia Camp and Esther Rodolphe have co-owned Sister’s Cravings Juice Bar & Grill since June 2019. They have been friends for over 15 years and share a love of good, healthy food. Presently, they are serving to-go orders carside and outdoor seating only. Get your fix of yummy, fresh-pressed juices and smoothies at Downtown Kingsport’s first Juice Bar.
Beginning at the end of this month, Sister’s Cravings will be bringing back fresh tossed salads, soups, and avocado toast! For an extra special treat, be sure to try the homemade macaroons sold in store by New Maven Macs.
Santa Fe Mexican Grill
Touring around town by bike or foot often leads to one thing- the need for a good burrito! Santa Fe Mexican Grill offers great Lunch Express specials, including delicious burritos or the hot-to-order Arroz con Pollo. The staff is friendly, and the food service is prompt.
Daniel Garcia, Manager, greets customers with a friendly smile and amazing customer service. The salsa comes out fresh and crisp, and this is the best place in town to get your cheese dip fix! They have daily drink specials, like the house margarita, and food prices are very reasonable.
America’s Empanadas
Meet America Alcayaga, and her husband, Jorge. America opened her restaurant America’s Empanadas 4 months into the year and had to close due to the pandemic. Recently, she has reopened for curbside pickup and outdoor seating with an incredible desire to succeed.
America wants to protect her community while living her dream. She is originally from Chile and relocated to the Tri-Cities after meeting her husband at a Chilean festival and falling in love in Maryland. Since she was a little girl, it has been her dream to open and run a successful restaurant.
Her father named her “America,” because he told her that although she was a little girl, she was going to do something big with her life. She would often visit her sister in Kingsport and decided this was where she wanted to fulfill her dream of starting up a Chilean restaurant. She has a deep passion to share Chilean food, made with love, to the Northeast Tennessee community.
“Everything I do, I do with love. I’m in the kitchen thinking- what can I do better? I want people to know our culture, it’s something different. I am thankful to God to have met so many wonderful people here in Tennessee, and my customers have been amazing to me. They have shown me so much support. The people here have been nothing but a blessing to my life. Keep your head up, America, you can do this!” –America Alcayaga
America serves up mouth watering empanadas, like the hot and steamy beef or chicken. She offers vegan and vegetarian options as well and makes a delicious fresh Lentejas Soup. Don’t forget to ask for extra “Pebre,” a Chilean salsa with an extra bit of love added by America herself.
Additional Kingsport Eats We Recommend:
Fusion Tex-Mex, Italian, & American
Milly’s Authentic Jamaican Restaurant
