I wasn’t really aware that this breakfast spot was a growing chain with stores all over the country when I scheduled a stop here, but they have a neat concept and their food is incredibly tasty.
Early in May, we took another day trip to Knoxville with an idea to do some hiking, sample a new-to-us barbecue place, and revisit one of the restaurants we tried on our last swing through town. We needed to have a little breakfast first, and I read a good idea on a Knoxville food blog that I enjoy, K & R Adventures. They wrote that Duck Donuts opened a Knoxville store earlier this year and I really liked the sound of baked-to-order doughnuts.
Shortly before our trip, I learned that Duck is actually a larger chain than I knew. They have stores all up and down the Atlantic coast, and opened their first Atlanta location not long after we moved. Two additional Atlanta-area stores are in the works. They have eighteen stores in their home state of North Carolina, but the Knoxville place on Kingston Pike – we just can’t seem to stay away from restaurants on Kingston Pike – is their only one in Tennessee so far.
Guests take a little menu pad and golf pencil and select icings, toppings, and drizzles. The restaurant was quite busy when we visited, but the crew works really quickly and we had our box of tasty doughnuts within a few minutes.
The Knoxville store is unfortunately not really set up for dining in, but there are a few stools at a counter along the window, for people without a place to take their snacks or their breakfast. We had two apiece and really enjoyed them. It’s an interesting concept. It probably won’t replace our local Tasty Donuts in my affections should they ever open a Chattanooga store, but we wouldn’t say no to a visit either.
After breakfast, we made our way to the Ijams Nature Center for some hiking, but the building and parking area were closed for an event. So we parked at one of the quarries and walked at the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area instead. It’s kind of flat and open to the sun, not really the sort of woodsy walk that we prefer. But we needed three miles or so and some fresh air, and if we didn’t love the day out, we certainly enjoyed the exercise.
Duck Donuts
6104 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37919
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Marie, Let's Eat! 
They started out in Duck, NC, on the upper Outer Banks, just about where you run out of road. I’ve eaten at the original Duck location.
I love walking the fields at the forks of the river or (wildlife preserve as out of towners call it). Every few years Wildlife Management there plant sunflowers in the many fields that draws photographers from all over from mini photo shoots.