Downtown eateries compete to make best drinks — starring herbs!

Server Amy Helton delivered us tasty mojitos at Latitude 35. But it wasn't the winning drink.

Congratulations to bartender Kris Greeson and the other good folks at the S&W Grand on Gay Street for taking home first place last Saturday in the Market Mixer drink contest for the third month in a row!

Here’s how it works. The Market Square Farmers’ Market supplies a quantity of a particular ingredient each month and restaurants use that ingredient to create a signature cocktail. This month the ingredient was herbs. In particular, pineapple sage, mint, lemongrass and lemon verena. Customers buy tickets at the farmers’ market that entitle them to go from restaurant to restaurant sampling the drinks. The customers then vote on the winner.

This month, the job was a little easier for us “judges.” There were only four competing restaurants, as opposed to the eight who competed in last month’s Bloody Mary contest that we wrote about here.

The S&W Grand also won the Bloody Mary contest and the one in July when the featured ingredient was cucumber. Plan to be one of the judges in October when the key ingredient will be honey! Sweet.

Here's a close-up of that refreshing mojito.

Although it was a drink contest, we couldn't resist the sweet potato fries at Latitude 35. They are fried twice!

Here's a close-up of the drink at Oodles Uncorked. Notice the pineapple sage leaf garnish. That was their assigned herb. Nice.

Kyle Byram brought out the contender at Oodles Uncorked. It was made of Banana 99, peach schnapps, and Bacardi rum infused with pineapple sage.

Scott Bird poses with Amie Snyder, the bartender and assistant manager of Sapphire. The drink was made of tequila, triple sec, lemon verbena and ginger, with a lemongrass stir stick. Very creative.

Here's the winning drink from the S&W Grand, the "Island Grass," made of coconut vodka, kahlua, sprite and lemongrass.

S&W bartender Kris Greeson, behind bar, with customers Richard and Dawn Ford and Scott Bird.

It was a beautiful day on Market Square and, after the UT-Florida game started, downtown was very peaceful. “This was great to do during a home game since we could take over the patios on a lovely fall afternoon,” said Market Square Farmers’ Market director Charlotte Tolley.

Market Square is the party place to be in Knoxville on a Saturday. Cloggers are kicking up their heels to the sounds of the Old City Buskers, Market Square regulars.

Photo credit: The photos taken at the S&W Grand and Sapphire were by Kevin Wright. Thanks, Kevin!