Sneak Peek of The Classic

Washington Avenue's new all-day restaurant understands the pleasure of classic cuisine

As much as people like a elegant meal at a fancy restaurant for a special occasion, day-to-day dining needs are usually simpler. Most of the time, people crave familiar dishes like a burger, roasted chicken, or a bowl of pasta.

Benjy Levit understands. The veteran restaurateur behind Benjy's and Local Foods realized that Rice Military needed something new that could cater to people's basic dining needs. He converted the Washington Avenue location of Benjy's into a new restaurant called The Classic All Day; it opens to the public on Friday, August 3.

“We wanted to create a no-rush, no-fuss neighborhood spot that effortlessly pivots from daily coffee mainstay to date night spot," Levit said in a statement. "Our goal for The Classic is to deliver elevated-yet-simple dishes, all of which will be executed exceptionally well.”

As the name implies, The Classic opens every day at 8 am to serve breakfast until 11 am. From there, it shifts to an all-day menu that mixes shareable plates, salads, sandwiches, medium plates, and four dinner-style entrees. Influences run the gamut. Nods to Levit's Jewish heritage like matzo ball soup, hummus, and pastrami-spiced smoked salmon reside on the same menu as Asian-influenced dishes like hamachi in plum vinaigrette and the Not So Benedict that keeps the poached egg and hollandaise but swaps in crispy rice seasoned with nuoc mam (fish sauce) for the traditional English muffin. In a couple of weeks, daily specials like rotisserie lamb and tacos (yes, on Tuesday) will supplement the daily menu.

Chefs Mike Potowski and Maria Gonzalez have taken a creative approach to some of the dishes. For example, a simple sounding "pork & eggs" dish features a tamago-style omelet that's stuffed with gruyere cheese before being panko-crusted and fried. The pork is a ramen-style tonkotsu pork belly.

Those dishes get paired with an extensive selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. Bottle prices start around $40 and go all up to about $100. A selection of three ingredient cocktails are designed to be made quickly.

All of that eating and drinking happens in a space that's essentially unrecognizable from its former incarnation. Levit tapped local Houston designer Aaron Rambo and the Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to give the space a comprehensive makeover with mid-century modern furniture and industrial light fixtures. A diner-style dining counter offers patrons a view into the open kitchen.

Upstairs, the second-story bar has been replaced with a new rooftop garden. The Classic will use herbs and produce from the garden in its dishes.

Bars like Clutch and Handlebar have revived the area's nightlife scene, but new residential construction has also brought an influx of young professionals and families. When those residents aren't knocking down shots, they might appreciate the simple comfort of grilled cheese sandwich or bucatini pasta. When they do, The Classic will be there for them.

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The Classic All Day; 5922 Washington Ave.; 713-868-1131; Sunday through Thursday 8 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 8 am to 10 pm

The Classic has a clean, modern look.

Photo by Eric Sandler

The Classic has a clean, modern look.

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Goldee's and Barbs Go North

2 Michelin-recognized pitmasters cooking up Texas barbecue joint in NYC

Photo by Will Milne

Kirbee's will stay true to the menus at the two barbecue joints that came before it. (Pictured: A tray at Goldee's Bar-B-Q)

Two important restaurants in the Texas barbecue scene have spawned a new project in a less-expected locale: New York City. Barbs B Q owner Chuck Charnichart and former Goldee's Bar-B-Q partner Jonny White will open Kirbee's, a restaurant combining classic dishes from both of its progenitors, at 55 McGuinness Blvd. South in Greenpoint (a neighborhood in Brooklyn) in about four to five months, White says.

Both White and Charnichart have led two of Texas's most well-regarded barbecue joints. Located in Fort Worth, Goldee's ranked No. 1 on Texas Monthly's list of the state's 50 best barbecue restaurants in 2021 and ranked No. 3 on the 2025 list. Charnichart, who worked at Goldee's, opened Barbs B Q in Lockhart in 2023. Earlier this week, Barbs earned an impressive three-star review in the New York Times. Both restaurants hold Bib Gourmand designations in the Michelin Guide.

Eater New York broke the news on February 24, and White caught CultureMap up with some additional written details.

As Eater points out, Charnichart brings creative dishes from her Lockhart restaurant like pork ribs with lime zest, Mexican-spiced brisket, and the famous "green spaghett" made with poblanos and cilantro. White brings lauded barbecue from Fort Worth that's more fit for purists, including smoked turkey, brisket, and classic sides.

For many, Barbs B Q represents the Texas barbecue vanguard. Now New Yorkers will be in on it, too.Photo by Bryce Gilbertson

White further tells CultureMap that the menu will probably be organized into plates and trays so that guests can sample one barbecue joint or the other.

White has been in New York for seven months after selling his shares of Goldee's. He's secured a building and is working with contractors to convert it for barbecue greatness. The two pitmasters will get to work together physically soon — although White doesn't spill the beans about whether Charnichart plans to move there or just visit.

Kirbee's exterior New York Kirbee's will take over this cheerful space.Photo by Jonny White

"Chuck is one of my best friends and an amazing chef," White says. "I’m super excited for us to be working together again and we are excited to be in New York!"

One of the adjustments the duo had to make to thrive in the Big Apple is to make do with a smaller smoker setup. Instead of traditional offset smokers — the large barrels Texas foodies are used to seeing out back at their favorite barbecue joints — Kirbee's will use smoker ovens. White confirms the decision was about space, but he's hopeful the more consistent cooking process will actually be better than the Texas norm. "I think it will be interesting for people to compare," he says.

The real question for barbecue-lovers who are in it for the culture: How will New Yorkers deal with the lines?

"I think they’re used to long lines and being served to order because of Katz," White says, referring to Katz's Delicatessen, an ultra-famous New York deli since 1888 that's known for its gigantic pastrami sandwiches. But if it's not the brisket that transports Yankees to the Southwest, the Texas pitmaster looks forward to introducing them to Waco's own Big Red.

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