In New York City, every variation of Italian cuisine imaginable is conveniently accessible. Within a three-block radius of my apartment are six Italian restaurants, one aperitivo bar, and pizzerias galore. It's easy to forget not every city is flush with countless dining options.

Only five Italian restaurants exist in Knoxville, Tennessee's third-largest city, where the culinary tastes skew toward Southern barbeque and soul food. Most establishments are family-owned and have been around for decades. Yet that is changing. Last month, aperitivo bar Brother Wolf and Osteria Stella brought Northern Italian cuisine to the region for the first time.