Southland Books and Cafe is an interesting restaurant in Maryville. It’s a combination of a cafe and bookstore, and they have a movie and game shop below the cafe. We went for lunch on our anniversary on our way to Pigeon Forge. Since it combined two of our favorite things, food and books, we couldn’t pass it up.

• Type of quizine: Cafe Sandwiches
• Price range: $4.50-$9.95 ($6.50 average)
• Date visited: October 7, 2021

Location and Parking

The cafe is on the main road. It’s easy to see. There’s a large parking area behind the building. The parking lot seems to be shared with the other businesses in the area. you can also park in the front, but there are only a few spots. We had no trouble finding a parking spot.

Atmosphere

It had an old college bookshop feel. There were literary and religious posters here and there. They had booths and tables. You could also eat outside. The eating area was small.

Menu Variety and Price

The Southland Books and Cafe menu is hand-written on chalkboards and a dry-erase board. Food includes hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, paninis, wraps, salads, vegan sandwiches, appetizers, etc. They have hot and cold drinks that include coffee and flavored teas. The drinks include free refills.

Their menu isn’t huge, but they have more than enough to choose from. You can see their menu online.

Food Quality and Portions

I got the Southland burger with chips and sweet tea. The burger was amazing. It was 1.25″ thick. It was fried and fell apart while eating it. I only had to add a touch of salt. I got rosemary garlic bread for the hamburger bun. It had a lot of flavor on its own. The chips were thick and tasted expensive. The meal also included a sweet pickle. The tea was sweetened with simple syrup. It was just sweet enough, which is how I like it. It was smooth.

Burger Rank = A+

Lucinda got the Oppenheimer. This was a chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese. She got veggie sticks and unsweet tea. The chicken was good. The wheat bread was just plain bread and was lightly toasted. The veggie sticks had a slightly greasy aftertaste, but they were good.

Wait Staff

The wait staff was kind and professional. They took a little longer than normal to get our food to us (17 minutes) and thanked us for our patience. They didn’t check on us afterward. They were very friendly when we asked for tea refills.

Bookstore

The Southland Books and Cafe bookstore sells used books and there are a lot of them. It’s in the same building as the cafe and had an open walkway between them. We didn’t buy any books, but we did spend some time looking. They claim to be the largest used bookstore in Blount county. I don’t doubt it. They’re not as large as Mckays, but they’re not a small store either.

Randy’s Thoughts

This is one of those small cafes that are easy to overlook, but they have by far one of the best burgers I’ve had. It’s well worth the trip if you’re in the area.

Would you go back? Yes. I loved that hamburger and I want it again. I also want to spend more time browsing the bookstore. The game store was closed when we were there, so I want to spend some time there too.

Lucinda’s Thoughts

The cafe is small but clean and has a lot of options. I think the sandwiches having literary-inspired names is a cute touch for a cafe in a book store.

Would you go back? Yes. I love bookstores and the food was good. There were several other sandwiches, salads, and beverages that sounded interesting and I want to try some of their hot teas. I think I’ll skip the veggie straws next time and order chips if i get a sandwich.

Who Should Visit

Anyone that likes used bookstores and anyone that likes small cafes with high-quality food will enjoy Southland Books and Cafe.

More information

They’re open:

• Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm
• Saturday 10am – 3pm
• Sunday Closed

You can see their store hours on their website. You can follow them on Facebook and other social networks.

We want to hear from you. Have you tried Southland Books and Cafe? Let us know what you think in the comments.