“If you close your eyes in the space,” says chef Kyle Knall, “it sounds like a party.”
That single sentence captures the hope and heart of CASSIS, the French bistro slated to open on Jan. 20 at 333 N. Water St. in the Historic Third Ward. From the beginning, the goal wasn’t to create a pristine, precious room or a reverent homage to Paris. Instead, CASSIS was imagined as something lively and social, a place that hums throughout the day, where people gather for lunch, linger over apéro, celebrate over dinner or simply stop in because they know the lights are on and the doors are open.
For Kyle and his wife, Meghan Knall, CASSIS represents the first restaurant they’ve truly designed together from the ground up, a chance to translate not only their love for bistros, but their shared sense of hospitality, community and warmth into a physical space.
“Everything out there in that dining room feels so personal,” Meghan says. “This is really the first restaurant that Kyle and I have designed together. At Birch, we took over an existing space. Here, we actually got to see our voice turn into reality.”
That voice, which is equal parts convivial, welcoming and quietly intentional, guided every decision, from architecture and lighting to acoustics and menu design.
From day one, the vision was clear, says Dan Beyer of Dan Beyer Architects, whose firm has worked closely with the Knalls throughout the lengthy design process, which began back in the spring of 2024.
“The vision was always a French bistro,” Beyer says. “But they also wanted it to be accessible and approachable, a destination that didn’t feel intimidating.”
That balance required time and care. Beyer notes that the team spent more time refining CASSIS than many other projects, ensuring that the space matched not only the quality of the food, but the experience Kyle wanted guests to have once they sat down.
“Early on, we explored concepts that were ‘pretty,’” Beyer says, noting that they looked heavily at images from Michelin-starred bistros in New York. “But, ultimately, that refined look wasn’t what we were going for. It was about creating opportunities for people to engage with the space.”
For Kyle, that meant a restaurant that felt alive – visually, socially and even sonically. “We didn’t say, ‘Let’s make a pretty restaurant,’” he said. “We said, ‘Let’s do everything we can to make this place feel like a party.’”
Some of CASSIS’s most successful design elements are the ones guests may never consciously notice.
The space, located on the first floor of a 30-story tower overlooking the river, came with significant structural challenges — including three large, irregularly placed load-bearing columns that could not be moved.
“At first, we tried to impose order on the space,” Beyer says. “But it just wasn’t working. Once we started working with the columns rather than against them, great things began to happen.”
Those columns now help define the restaurant’s flow: one anchors the foyer, while the others subtly shape the bar and dining areas. They’re so well integrated that most guests don’t realize they’re there at all, something Meghan takes particular pride in.
“They’re hidden so well,” she says. “It makes me so happy because no one would ever know they were there. Dan and his team really listened to us and got creative, and it’s perfect.”
That same philosophy extends to the materials throughout the space. Meghan points to the aged-looking tile and sweeping arches as especially meaningful elements.
“We didn’t want the tile to look perfect,” she says. “We wanted it to look old and aged – with character that looks really authentic and unique. It was one of the first really pretty things that was finished in the restaurant. It was also one of the first things we could physically see after just looking at drawings for months and months. Both the tile and the arches make me so happy.”
If CASSIS has a defining visual signature, it’s the glow.
“The glow is something I’m really proud of,” Meghan says. “At dusk, when the sun is going down, it’s going to be transformative and unlike any other restaurant in Milwaukee.”
That effect is intentional. Beyer explains that the interior lighting was designed to balance function with atmosphere, creating warmth throughout the day while enhancing the natural drama of the riverfront setting.
“The globes in the space give off a warm, creamy milky light,” he says. “And the sconces generate a warm light that creates a really comfortable, casual feel…the sunset over the river is really just a bonus that enhances the whole package.”
That glow extends beyond the walls of the restaurant. From the RiverWalk, the bridge over the river and even the Public Market, CASSIS emanates light, a subtle invitation that reinforces its role as a gathering place within the neighborhood.
Sound plays a role, too. “For Kyle, it was important for the space to be lively,” Beyer says. “That impacted how we approached the acoustics.”
In the bar area, Beyer’s team intentionally employed less acoustic control to preserve a more energetic vibe. The result is a restaurant that feels animated without being overwhelming, a hum rather than a roar.
CASSIS unfolds as a sequence of connected rooms, each offering a slightly different experience while maintaining a cohesive identity.
The bar, warm with wood flooring, paneling and an inviting counter, is the social heart of the restaurant. It’s the room into which guests enter from the foyer and where they will gather, mingle and linger.
Just beyond, a lower dining area on the west side of the restaurant offers a quieter, more intimate experience. Slatted ceilings, tile floors and floor-to-ceiling windows create a three-seasons-room effect, bringing the river front and center.
Meanwhile, the slightly elevated south dining room offers a more refined setting, with soft seating and distinctive lighting that’s ideal for more formal dinners or special occasions.
“The diversity of spaces gives guests different experiences within one connected restaurant,” Beyer says. “People come to restaurants to see people, to be seen, to be part of something. For this project, authenticity was essential.”
That sense of accessibility carries through to the menu.
While CASSIS draws inspiration from classic French bistro cooking, the food is designed to feel familiar, comforting and unintimidating.
“We don’t want people to feel intimidated by anything here,” Kyle says.
Dishes like steak frites embody that philosophy. They are simple, perfectly executed and deeply satisfying. Meanwhile, the Ravioli Dauphine, stuffed with Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese and chives, delivers rich comfort rooted in French tradition while highlighting Midwest ingredients.
Ravioli Dauphine (Photo: Kevin J. Miyazaki)
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Kyle points to the trout as a dish that best captures CASSIS’s identity: a French idea expressed through Wisconsin trout, butter and Swiss chard.
“It’s about taking this French concept and using ingredients from this community,” he says. “That’s really cool to me.”
Even bar snacks like panisse, thin, delicate chickpea fries served with garlic aioli and fried rosemary, reflect that balance of joy, approachability and care.
That philosophy extends beyond the menu and into the kitchen itself.
Much of the food at CASSIS is being shaped day to day by Chef De Cuisine Miles Thomas, who has worked alongside Kyle at Birch since 2022. When Kyle talks about Thomas, his admiration is unmistakable.
“Obviously, I’m a chef,” Kyle says. “But part of my goal is to create great opportunities for great chefs. I want Miles to be known for what he’s done here. The food here is just as much his responsibility as mine.”
Kyle credits Thomas not only with technical skill, but with the steadiness and confidence that define a strong kitchen. “It’s his accountability. It’s his focus. It’s his stability. It’s his confidence. It’s everything,” he says.
That leadership hasn’t gone unnoticed. When Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Birdie’s in Austin visited one of the CASSIS pop-ups, she pulled Kyle aside after sitting at the counter. Watching Thomas expedite, she told him, reminded her of Kyle’s own days at Gramercy Tavern.
Kyle pauses when he recalls that moment. “I hope that in two years, we’re sitting together and he’s a partner at the next restaurant,” he says. “Showing off what he loves and wants to do.”
Beyond headlines or hype, the Knalls will measure the success of CASSIS by the reactions of its guests.
“A year from now,” Meghan says, “I want people to say, ‘I love coming here for apéro. I love this place at lunch. I love the vibe at night.’”
Kyle agrees. “I want Milwaukee to be proud of what’s here.”
He recalls the meat-and-three restaurants of his Birmingham childhood, places like Niki’s West, where everyone gathered, regardless of who they were or where they came from.
“That’s what we want this to be,” he says. “A place where people come together, all the time.”
Soon, at CASSIS, that vision will no longer be theoretical. It’s nearly audible. It glows. And if you close your eyes, it already sounds like a party.
Dining and Cooking