'If Huey's and Houston's had a baby': The Public Bistro opens in Cooper-Young

Jennifer Chandler, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·3 min read

"Think if Huey's and Houston's had a baby" is probably the best description for a Memphis restaurant we have ever heard.

That is how Knifebird Wine Bar owner Kate Ashby describes her new Cooper-Young dining concept, The Public Bistro.

The Public Bistro officially opens Oct. 16 at 937 S. Cooper St. in the building that was most recently home to Sweet Grass / Next Door.

Kate Ashby and Kyle Bankston, co-owners of The Public Bistro, can be seen at the restaurant in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
Kate Ashby and Kyle Bankston, co-owners of The Public Bistro, can be seen at the restaurant in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, October 12, 2023.

Ashby, along with her husband Kyle Bankston, has transformed the restaurant into a bright and modern bistro that she hopes will be a place her customers will feel welcome dining often both for casual nights out and for special occasions.

“Being in the neighborhood, our customers at Knifebird are always asking for recommendations on where to go to eat,” she said. “We created a place that is not fancy like Tsunami or a dive bar. It’s a mid-range restaurant at an affordable price point. That’s something we felt was missing in Cooper-Young.”

What’s on the menu at The Public Bistro?

Ashby describes The Public Bistro as a full-service American bistro restaurant focused on simple, classic American dishes.

Chef Gannon Hamilton, who is most known for his time at The Elegant Farmer, has created an approachable and eclectic menu that features everything from Deviled Eggs to Crispy Brussels Sprouts for starters to a Pork Chop with Balsamic Onion Jam to Salmon over Risotto.

Gannon Hamilton, the executive chef at The Public Bistro, can be seen next to a few of the offered dishes at the restaurant in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
Gannon Hamilton, the executive chef at The Public Bistro, can be seen next to a few of the offered dishes at the restaurant in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, October 12, 2023.

“We have Mac-N-Cheese and Fried Goat Cheese as appetizers. We have a Roasted Chicken and a Cobb Salad," Ashby said. "We also have a Bistro Burger. We checked off the box on all the staples people love."

The restaurant will open without its liquor license, but once that is received in the coming weeks, a full bar service will be offered.

James Hacking, the lead bartender at Knifebird, has created a bar menu that is more focused on cocktails and beer than the bar at Knifebird.

Also expect a well-curated wine list. “We have a wine list that is more California focused than what we do at Knifebird,” Ashby said. “We will focus on small vineyards that people may not be familiar with, but that are wines that are approachable.”

NEW RESTAURANTS: David Grisanti's on Main: The Grisanti tradition continues in Collierville

A modern take on a classic bistro

When you walk in the front door, you feel transported to a bustling French bistro.

Vintage mosaic tile floors, mid-century light pendants and tin ceiling tiles have a classic touch, while luxurious golden-rod colored velvet booths, whimsical wallpaper and abstract art offer modern accents.

A seating area at The Public Bistro can be seen in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
A seating area at The Public Bistro can be seen in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, October 12, 2023.

Like she did at Knifebird, Ashby served as her own restaurant designer.

“I had a specific vision, so I did it myself,” she said as she looked over her beautifully appointed dining room.

She gutted the building to create a cohesive floorplan in the space that was formerly two different concepts. Patrons who had been in the building before will not recognize the space.

The restaurant is divided into two main spaces. Guests enter into a bar area with a long wooden bar and casual banquette seating on the opposite wall.  The main dining room is separated from the bar by a wall and features cozy booths and café tables. There are also two private dining rooms, one that seats 12 and another that can seat up to 30 guests.

“The Public Bistro is not too formal or casual,” Ashby said. “We are the Goldilocks of Midtown.”

The week of Oct. 16, the restaurant will be open for walk-in only. Reservations will start the weekend of Oct. 20 and will be able to be made on resy.com. Until the restaurant's liquor license arrives, the restaurant will allow guests to BYOB wine.

MEMPHIS BAKERIES: The Sift Bakery is bringing its macarons and pastries to a new retail shop

Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.

If you want to keep up with the tastiest news in the Bluff City — like the story above, sign up for our Eat Drink Memphis weekly newsletter for a hearty serving of stories on everything from restaurants to recipes. You can sign up here.

The Public Bistro

Where: 937 S. Cooper St.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Online: thepublicbistro.com

Reservations: Resy

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: The Public Bistro opens in Memphis: What to expect at new restaurant