Alé Rae’s Gastro Pub and Coffee Bar transitions from food truck to restaurant | Grub Scout

It had been a long time since I circled back to revisit a restaurant I’d already reviewed. But The Grub Spouse and I recently dropped in at the brick-and-mortar location of Alé Rae’s Gastro Pub and Coffee Bar on North Broadway. For logistical purposes, we had to drive separately and meet on site.

My previous experience with the brand was in 2020, when I tried out what was then branded the Alé Rae Grill food truck at Central Filling Station. The Spouse dined with another vendor on that outing, but I had the Cajun remoulade spidie (whatever a “spidie” is) at Alé Rae. It was good enough for me to award their food 4.5 stars based on my limited sampling of their fare.

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Aesthetically, the new incarnation of Alé Rae’s made a solid first impression. Outside, there’s ample shaded seating for al fresco dining, and the artificially turfed space also features a firepit and enough real estate to engage in cornhole, weather permitting. Rain was moving in on the evening we visited, so we headed inside, where the furnishings, fixtures and décor exude a strong Bohemian-hangout vibe. It looks like one of those places that’s been around for ages, although that’s not the case.

Alé Rae’s Gastropub serves pub-style comfort foods with a chef’s touch. Pictured, from front to back: mushroom-butter rice pilaf, Gordo Steak & Cheese roll, pulled pork plate with a side of macaroni and cheese.
Alé Rae’s Gastropub serves pub-style comfort foods with a chef’s touch. Pictured, from front to back: mushroom-butter rice pilaf, Gordo Steak & Cheese roll, pulled pork plate with a side of macaroni and cheese.

Guests are allowed to seat themselves, so The Spouse and I snagged a table near the bar in the rear of the main room. It took a few minutes for a server to engage with us, then suddenly, we had two employees attempting to take our drink and food orders. A dedicated drink and cocktail menu sat on our table, but I wound up going with an IPA on tap.

As for the food, I took note of several of their appetizers, although we declined to order any of them. They include spinach-artichoke, hummus and smoked pimento dips as well as spicy fried cauliflower, stuffed potato skins and gourmet ravioli. Alé Rae’s also offers several soups and salads.

The menu lists several entrée-style dishes, including bacon bourbon meatloaf, a porterhouse steak and a Chicago-style pork steak. There are also several bowl creations as well as a seafood plate featuring white fish, salmon or crab cake, fried or grilled shrimp, lobster ravioli and more. The Spouse ordered the pulled pork plate with maple bourbon barbecue sauce ($12). That comes with a side, so The Spouse picked macaroni and cheese.

The remainder of the selections is broad in scope: burgers, dogs, sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads, wings and tacos. I ruled several of those out categorically and found myself teetering between a quesadilla and the Gordo Steak n Cheese roll ($14). I wound up going with the latter, which is basically the innards of a Philly cheese steak sandwich stuffed into a piece of Indian naan. Sides are not included, but I added the mushroom butter rice pilaf a la carte for $4. For the record, other sides include Mexican corn, mashed potatoes, California vegetables, and fries.

Although I wasn’t quite able to go as high as a 4.5 this time around, Alé Rae’s still earned a strong food score based on the consistent execution of everything. The Philly-stuffed naan was delish, and even the rice pilaf was no throwaway — buttery and mushroomy as advertised. The Spouse’s pulled pork with barbecue sauce was tastily satisfying, and kudos on the mac and cheese, which was rich, creamy and topped with a layer of melted cheese.

We boxed up lots of leftovers to save room for dessert. The chef’s signature treat — bourbon apple raisin nachos — didn’t really pique our interest, but we did settle for sharing a slice of distributor cheesecake topped with caramel and almonds ($6). The cheesecake filling was light, while the rich caramel was super sweet and thick. Other available toppings were berries with tomato compote and wine-infused dark chocolate.

Not only do I heartily recommend trying out Alé Rae’s Gastro Pub, I hope to make a repeat visit in the near future on my own dime. They also showcase live music and serve a wide selection of coffee concoctions. And maybe next time, it will be nice enough outside to play some cornhole.

Alé Rae’s Gastro Pub and Coffee Bar

Food: 4.25

Service: 3.5

Atmosphere: 4.25

Overall: 4.25

Address: 937 N. Broadway

Phone: 865-924-2426

Full bar service

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays

This Broadway eatery has made a successful transition from food truck to brick-and-mortar thanks to well-prepared comfort foods, extensive bar and coffee service and a fun, relaxed setting.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville restaurant review: Alé Rae’s Gastro Pub heartily recommended