Inventive, eclectic menu offering pizza, calzones, salads and sandwiches, as well as daily specials and vegetarian dishes. Market Square Restaurant, which the New York Times called “the nexus of everything going on in the city,” is well known for its vegan and vegetarian dishes. Don’t worry – we’ve got carnivores covered, too. At Ashley Farms, you’ll find all-natural, antibiotic-free chicken, Benton’s Bacon, Bobak’s andouille, and our homemade lamb sausage. Our lunch meat is nitrite/nitrate free. What started as the Flying Tomato and five days a week, serving lunch on paper plates with plastic forks, has evolved into a tradition of freshly made breads, dressings and desserts every morning, and supporting the culture, neighborhoods and people of Knoxville. With food as its focus, The Tomato Head also serves as a venue for musical performances, poetry readings, and plays. It continues to host monthly exhibitions that celebrate the efforts of local artists.
A long-standing plan is coming to fruition
Partin said that he and co-owner Mahasti Vafaie had been thinking about opening a simple, narrow restaurant for the past three or four years.
Partin and Vafaie saw their opportunity when Bliss left the building at 24 Market Square and moved to a location on Gay Street. Partin said he and Wafaye have owned the building since the late 90s.
They worked on the place for more than a year and settled on the name Space Head. There is no particular meaning behind the name, except that the word “head” is kept in the name, Partin said.
Taste of the menu
Partin said they “won’t go too crazy” with the space theme. The kids’ menu has Moon Rocks, which are pieces of chicken, and Asteroids, which are beetroot burger balls.
There’s also a Space Head sandwich, but that’s all the space-themed food you’ll find on the menu. Other products include beet and quinoa burgers, as well as Asian sandwiches, barbecue, and Tunisian fried chicken sandwiches.
Tomato Head does not have fried food, and this is one of the main differences between the two businesses. Space Head also stays open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, as opposed to Tomato Head’s 10:30pm closing time.
A quick bite or a beer
The restaurant already has ordering kiosks, and Partin said Friday that customers will be able to order online within a few days. After ordering, guests choose their seat and wait for their name to be called.