At first glance, a splashy Mediterranean concept, a New York-style Italian joint and a lively French bistro would have nothing in common.
Oh, but look closely. All three are the anticipated second project from established local restaurateurs. And each concept will also be the anchoring hub of a prominent Downtown high-rise.
Let’s take a closer look:
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333 WATER | 333 N. WATER ST.
Projected Arrival: Fall 2025
Birch’s Kyle and Meghan Knall are aiming for a “bustling, fun” French brasserie where “everybody can have a good time,” says Kyle. At recent Cassis pop-ups held at Birch, the Knalls have given diners tastes of what you might see – classics with a modern touch.
At one pop-up, they served lovely little foie gras eclairs, chilled oysters with mignonette, a mini croque monsieur, coquilles St. Jacques, fricassée de lapin (braised rabbit) and mousse au chocolat. To capture the lively, elegant and unstuffy mood envisioned for this Third Ward space, Cassis’ design – by Kuchar Studio and Dan Beyer Architects, who also designed Bay View’s Room Service – will blend contemporary with a bit of a vintage vibe.
ASCENT MKE | 700 E. KILBOURN AVE.
Projected Arrival: Early 2026
Co-owner Fatima Kumar wants this Mediterranean creation to not just feel authentic but be “pretty.” The same goal applied to her first restaurant, Saffron, which was an attempt to “break [Indian cuisine] out of this box that it’s been put in,” she says.
Āya will make its own bold statement: “Imagine when you walk in and you see not necessarily very traditional decor, but just very elegant – think the Middle East, the Mediterranean, a lot of wood, a lot of carvings, a lot of clay. Plants and trees and big chandeliers.”
The building’s timber construction is also an “exciting” design challenge, Kumar says. As for the food, think house-made pita, seafood and charbroiled, dry-aged meats.
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL | 818 E. MASON ST.
Projected Arrival: Late 2026
Its name Italian for The Bridge, Il Ponte is a nod to both the building’s skywalk and the way food brings people together, says co-owner/chef Adam Siegel, partnering with his floral designer spouse, Daria. That culinary connective tissue that Il Ponte will provide is Italian by way of New York – with “more casual, more approachable” food, he says.
The owner of the elegant, elevated – and nearby – Lupi & Iris won’t be shying away from red sauce, but that’s not to say the menu is going to be lowbrow. “There [will be] quite a few dishes that many people in Milwaukee have never seen,” he says. “We’re excited for that. We’re going to have fun developing the menu.”
Uppa Yard (4943 W. Fond du Lac Ave.) is bringing its Jamaican specialties (jerk chicken, oxtail, escovitch fish) to a second location (1123 N. Water St.). It was aiming to open in July. • From a pop-up in the former Ardent space to Bay View brick-and-mortar, Mother’s (2900 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) showcases a “blending and sharing” of cultures, ingredients and recipes from all over the world fused in untraditional ways. • In mid-June, Poppy Bakery (2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl.) opened to a line coursing down the block, folks eager to buy baker Amy Gorski’s brioche buns, cinnamon rolls and brick-shaped buttermilk biscuits. Gorski started with limited hours (weekends only), with plans to gradually expand them. • The Polish Center of Wisconsin (6941 S. 68th St., Franklin) operates an on-site cafe open Wednesday nights (4-7 p.m.) through Oct. 29. The small rotating menu includes things like sauerkraut soup, pierogi and beef burgundy over noodles.
Dining and Cooking