I came across Kianga's Kitchen while checking out Marble City Market. Disclaimer: I'm not vegan. In fact, the day before eating here, I consumed way too much meat at Brazerios Brazilian restaurant. Perhaps my mind works in unusual ways. But, I thought I needed a vegan day to balance it out! And I really love soul food (vegan and non-vegan). I'd eat it all the time if this was closer to home. I'd had Kianga's greens one other time before this visit. That's what sold me on coming back. Those greens are super good! Best item in my opinion. Had a nice spice and flavor. Sweet potatoes & plantains were solid too. Also, they had a "stew of the day" -- which, today, was a Tuscan recipe. Overall: Very good meal. I'll definitely be back -- either as my main meal or for a side or two. Highly recommended. Very nice owners too. read more

Kianga's Kitchen - Pick 4 plate with stew of the day and plantains. Yum - Vegan Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

It was a perfect find for a vegan lunch with ample seating in a food hall! I ordered the po boy sandwich and it was mighty tasty! Maybe a little on the salty side but there were plenty of dressing options to mute the salt. I'm impressed by the house made faux meats used in this meal and felt like I got a lot of protein for the price. read more

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Amazing food from the African continent. Veggie like you have never tried it. Spent time in South Africa and these guys NAILED it. read more

The food here is delicious. I'm not vegan nor do I want to be, but I do want to try out some dishes so I can say that they are good. My favorite thing I had was the ground neat. Wow, try it!!! The collard greens were really delicious and the parties were great. I'd highly recommend trying it out. read more

I've never eaten vegan food before, I'm usually a medium rare steak man. My wife and I found this gem she needed a veggie fix, and they did not disappoint. Friendly service smack in the middle of everything. Food was flavorful and we stuffed our faces. I didn't even realize I enjoyed my first fully vegan dinning experience. It was amazing. read more

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My husband and I were on a date night in the old city and we are opposites when it comes to food; so we decided to come to Marble City so we could each get something we enjoyed for dinner. I knew I was coming to Kianga's Kitchen because I was here once before and LOVED every bite of my meal. I knew I had to get the collard greens again, and I knew I wanted to try new dishes, but I loved the three choice I had before--so that was difficult! I walked up to the counter to look at the menu and the young man standing there asked if he could help. I told him my situation and the two dishes I was debating between (the walnut meat and the cabbage). The man was so nice and said "I'll just give you samples of each so you can taste them." I love that they not only do this, be encourage it too so you can try their food to know you're getting something you want. I got my two samples and knew I had to get both. So I ended up creating a small plate with cabbage, walnut meat and collard greens. I admire the bold flavors this restaurant uses to showcase vegan fare and just how delicious it can be! The only downside to this visit was that I am allergic to gluten and mushrooms--I completely forgot to ask if any of the dishes I got contain either so getting sick was on me. I looked up the dishes and saw that walnut meat is often cooked with mushrooms and/or soy sauce (which has gluten) so I'm sure that's the dish that was the culprit for me. However, that will not cause me to avoid coming back. I just will remember to ask about my allergies next time ;) read more

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I wish they had their own stand alone brick and mortar, but that not paramount. Every single thing I had was fire. You simply can't go wrong, even when they change up the menu (which you have to do for vegan cuisine). Once they get their own place, I'll check for ambiance, service, etc. But since the soul attraction is the grub - they've got my votes. LOVE the not macaroni and cheese! read more

First of all the young man at the counter was great! He seemed happy to work there. He was pleasant knew about the food and was happy to make recommendations... I got to try the greens, cabbage, sweet potatoes, mac & cheese, and black beans and rice. Also had the sweetened hibiscus tea... Everything was good but my favorite was the red beans and rice and vegetables. The portions are large and the flavor tastes good and you can tell it's healthy, not too much oil and just enough seasonings. Nothing was overly salty or overly sweet. Definitely must try your vegan or even just trying to eat some good comfort foodand not feel way down and heavy afterwards. I would definitely stop by when I'm in the area again. The ambience is like a mall food hall/cafeteria... Perfect to stop by with friends or kids as there's plenty of space for little ones to walk around. There's also a full service bar attached and lots of other options to eat if others want to try a different type of cuisine. 5/5! read more

Kianga's Kitchen - Black beans and rice, sweet potatoes, collard greens, Mac and not cheese. - Vegan Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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Delicious!!! I met one of the owners of the restaurant-- he shared with me the way the restaurant came to be and his journey into veganism. Biting into this food felt like coming home. I had a wonderful experience eating the food from here. I ordered Mac and not cheese, ground neat, fried polenta, sweet potatoes, akara patties, and hot sauce on the side. read more

Kianga's Kitchen - Mac and not cheese, ground neat, akara patties, sweet potatoes, and hot sauce on the side. - Vegan Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

This is a really wonderful vegan soul food spot in the Marble City Market food hall. I am an omnivore and don't usually seek out vegan places but decided to give this spot a try yesterday and we loved it so much we decided to come here again today. The food was wonderful! Oyster Mushroom Po Boy was delicious (if a little hard to handle; it's big, but this is not a complaint!). Collards, sweet potatoes, stew of the day, quinoa, everything was quite good. There was a variety of flavors - po boy had a beautiful light vinaigrette, the sides were heavier - again, think soul food - but still great and healthy feeling. Proprietors were friendly and obviously put a lot of love into what they're doing. We loved this spot and will be back again. read more

Very Friendly. Awesome flavors. I travel all over the country . One of the very best vegan restaurants in the country. A plus . Eat to live ! read more

Great food and the owner is always super friendly. Highly recommend checking this place out. I've taken non-vegan friends here a couple of times and they've always been impressed. read more

Awesome awesome awesome! I love the food and flavors here. It's marble city food hall so it's only counter service but it's very very good food. I recommend it highly and it's a great vegetarian option for those of us who are missing those options across much of the city read more

Marble City Market has added a new restaurant, and Knoxville has a new Vegan Restaurant! This eatery is a husband & wife owned and runned business. We chatted with Romoke who was working the place with the help of her nephew. Her husband Tor was not there for the evening. Romoke was so friendly and happy to answer any questions we had. She was quick to add that while she & her husband were the owners, that this was a family run business with the help of family on both sides! She explained that 'Soul food' for them meant something that actually nourishes your Soul!!! Food that not only feeds your stomachs, but your Soul as well!! The recipes of the different dishes they offer are cherished family recipes over the years, and represent their diverse cultures such as Nigerian and Jamaican. I was unsure of what to order and Romoke was very helpful in my decision. She even gave me a taste of one of the dishes that I was considering! I chose the Akara Patties, Ground Neat-walnut meat, curry vegetables and the beans & rice. My husband chose the sweet potatoes with his plate. The dishes were unlike anything that I have ever had, but both of us enjoyed it all. The Ground Neat-walnut meat was served atop of the black beans & rice. It had a smokey barbecue flavor with a hint of sweetness - delicious! The black beans & rice were just ok in my book because they had a strong coconut flavor that I didn't care for. I was actually surprised that my husband, who is not vegan or vegetarian - liked it!! I have dragged him to many a vegan restaurant over the years, and to have him like it...... well that my friends....doesn't happen often! read more

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This restaurant was part of a food court in a plaza in Knoxville. Unfortunately, I got there too late to try their very popular greens, which was something that the reviews here recommended. The Un-chicken curry was gone too.. That was pretty disappointing, but I did manage to get the sweet potato stew, cilantro rice, walnut meat, and falafel rings. It was all very good, but my one critique would be that some of it was a little too salty for me. Especially the walnut meat. I couldn't finish it and only wished it was less salty. That being said, all of the workers were very friendly and helpful, giving me samples of the food before I tried them. I'd recommend this place. read more

Awesome food in Knoxville. Great for vegans or someone looking for a healthier meal. Raw or cooked options. Loved every bite

Great Food! Perfectly seasoned. If you are looking for vegan food with a soul, this is your spot!

Service is extremely slow for the meal I ordered. The staff did way more socializing with one another instead of preparing the patron's food. One staff person literally did no work except distract the only one who was doing any work. There were 12 people in my party, all who got food at other vendors. We all ordered at the same time. My food came out 20 minutes later than all of my friends. They were all done eating before I even got my food. My food took 40 minutes, and there were hardly any orders in front of me. Very very poor service. Food was okay but definitely not worth the wait. read more

I haven't had food this delicious in a long time! And it's vegan soul food, which is a treat for me since I'm mainly vegetarian. I love being able to eat anything on the menu! I sampled several things, and I couldn't choose a favorite because they were all incredibly yummy. I wish I had the recipes! Plantains, pepper stew, collards, sweet potatoes, black eyed pea fritters, and ground "neat" -- a scrumptious blend of walnuts and more that is tastier than any ground meat could ever be. Not only was the food delicious, but the service was friendly. They will gladly help explain the menu and assist you with choosing dishes. This is a gem for Knoxville and the food hall, and I hope people give it a try. I want Kianga's to stay in business so I can continue to eat there! I feel the love from their kitchen. Delicious, fresh, and unique food, healthy and reasonably priced, absolutely recommended for anyone, vegan or not. read more