Birch
Restaurant · Lower East Side
459 E Pleasant St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Highlights
Open-fire hearth, seasonal ingredients, inventive Midwestern cuisine
Open-fire hearth, seasonal ingredients, inventive Midwestern cuisine
"Birch feels fine-tuned for restaurant lists like this one, but chef Kyle Knall, James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest, has come up with something singular and personal, building on his roots in Alabama, time spent cutting his teeth on the line at Gramercy Tavern in New York, and experience starting a spot in New Orleans. Since opening in 2021, Birch has felt rustic, focused, and honest, with a menu heavy on charring, smoking, and wood-firing. Charred beef tartare, chicken under a brick, and fish with smoked carrot salsa and house-made tortillas (inspired by Mexico City’s Contramar) are all apt showstoppers. But the restaurant really asserts its own story and soul through down-home items like garlic focaccia or a happy hour burger with smoked onion aioli. Knall’s forthcoming project, a French bistro slated for this fall, was recently named by Bon Appetit as one of the most anticipated restaurants of the year. Know before you go: The burger is available in the bar room only, and happy hour is Tuesday through Friday, 4 to 6 p.m." - Todd Lazarski
"For a special dinner, head to Birch — what Jacobs calls “one of the best restaurants in Milwaukee.”" - Regan Stephens
"Owned by husband and wife team Kyle and Meghan Knall; expect to find elevated seasonal plates where Wisconsin produce shines."
"New American Restaurant with an ever changing menu using the best produce from the community around us, all cooked over an open fire."
Centered on a live-fire hearth, Birch channels Wisconsin farms into soulful, modern plates. Named to The New York Times Restaurant List and regularly featured by Eater, it’s a polished but personal snapshot of Milwaukee dining in 2025.
