By Justin Fagel
Entrepreneur Ben Holland, chef and restaurateur James Galbraith, and a team of regional hospitality talent are delivering a new experience for dining and gathering in Harbor Country, just a short walk from the beach in downtown New Buffalo.
PostBoy is a new restaurant, named for the ship of New Buffalo founder, Captain Wessel D. Whittaker. His ship, PostBoy, was rumored to be a mail ship before being acquired by Whittaker. As the story goes, he was sailing from Buffalo, New York to Chicago, but crashed on local shores while attempting to avoid a storm.
Every aspect of the space is intentional in the 10,000 square foot indoor-outdoor restaurant, located at 207 North Whittaker Street. Just two weeks after their launch on November 1, the staff was busy in the hours before opening, tweaking environmental aspects and finalizing the day’s priorities. Bar staff gave rapt attention to Bar Director Krystin Reuber’s latest in drink innovations while kitchen staff could be seen readying for the evening through the open-concept cooking area visible from the entire restaurant.
“Fun” was the word heard most during the tour, referencing the food and drinks menus, the building, and PostBoy’s branding, right down to the mascot, Wes the frog.
Holland has passed the building for years, desiring to take what was an eyesore on the main corridor of New Buffalo and transform it into a beautiful and inviting restaurant. The curves and colors both indoors and outdoors reach to passers-by, drawing them into a soft and warm space that Holland hopes will allow visitors to feel comfortable in meeting people and trying new things.
Galbraith, who helped in the building design, echoes the sentiment in his menu. His goal is to open audiences to elevated, chef-driven food by integrating approachable, nostalgic flavors people know. His selections push boundaries, with “fun and playful takes on New American flavors with adventurous twists”, leaning heavily on global flavors from Asia and South America. Already, the menu features items like the loaded potato gnocchi, a dumpling dish that may seem intimidating to pronounce, but channels the flavors of a baked potato topped with cheese, sour cream, and bacon. The offerings invite in the more “meat and potato” style of diner and gives them a stepping stone to elevated dining.
PostBoy is the third restaurant in the area for Galbraith, who helped found Houndstooth and Anemel, both in Benton Harbor. He brings more than two decades of experience, including studying under some of Chicago’s most acclaimed chefs at locations such as Intro, Blackbird, Elske, S.K.Y., Bellemore, and BOKA.
Reuber brings a similar attitude behind the bar. Offerings in cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for those of all preferences, but it’s her hope to draw the patron into new flavors. She aims to have an evolving menu of approachable drinks that expand people’s palates and bring them out of their comfort zone. Syrups and juices are made in house and modern techniques are applied to bring out flavors and balance drinks.
Her passion for mixology is crafted with more than six years serving as a bar manager and even now taking time to study master classes, visit other bars and restaurants, and experiment with new techniques and ingredients. She recalls “Test Tuesdays”, an opportunity at a past bar job to experiment, sometimes stumbling and other times creating successful results. She hopes to revisit some of those concoctions at PostBoy.
“I’ve always said ‘don’t go into a cocktail married to the idea of what it’s supposed to be,’” Reuber recalled. “Always let the cocktail tell you.”
The team is rounded out by the likes of Chef de Cuisine Dont’e Shaw, who worked for two years in the three star MICHELIN-recognized restaurant, Alinea, General Manager Aaron Mace, with experience at several well-regarded Chicago restaurants, and Assistant General Manager, Samantha Noble, who previously worked under Chef James and has years of local restaurant experience.
On Sunday, November 17th, PostBoy kicked off the first of what will become a collaborative chef series, bringing in some of the nation’s most acclaimed chefs. Chef Zach Engel of Galit, a MICHELIN-starred restaurant in Chicago, presented a meal with Galbraith, each offering three dishes. The series will continue, featuring the likes of David Posey of MICHELIN-starred Elske and Stephen Gillanders of Chicago’s S.K.Y.
PostBoy sits just a few steps from New Buffalo’s Amtrak station, allowing patrons the opportunity to watch trains roll in and out.
Ben and James traveled the country for inspiration in their building design, an ambience they describe as “Danish Coastal Retro Diner”, borne out in small touches such as retro-movies playing on television screens, halo lights, and subtle placements of the mascot frog. The color wash on the walls is emphasized by nearby sunsets. The poured-concrete bar top features a variety of embedded glass, including beach glass collected from the local region. The open kitchen shows diners their meals being freshly prepared and allows the energies of the front and back to feed off each other.
Outside, care has been taken to provide a communal space in the form of a 6000 square foot patio. The yard beckons those passing by, inviting them to sit by one of two fire pits or join others at a communal table or under the custom Italian pergola. Surrounding public space has been beautified with native grasses and the yard is filled with trees including London Planetree & Ginko. In warmer months, a stage for live entertainment will be provided, as well as a walk-up bar, take-out window, and event space. A highlight is the 1949 Ford mail truck, which serves as a “merch store” selling t-shirts, hats, and more. Holland procured the truck Eureka, Montana and recalls asking the seller where it could be restored.
“He told me, ‘there’s one guy in Austin and one guy in Stevensville, Michigan.”
Another local, Alexia Barreiro was commissioned to paint the mural on the building visible from the train tracks.
PostBoy is personal for Ben Holland. His family brought him to New Buffalo from Chicago each summer as a child to enjoy the lake, the beach, and trails.
“This is my happy place,” he said.
He wanted to fix up the empty building and give something to the community he’s loved his entire life.
“For me it’s about the community and the hospitality, creating memories, bringing people together and leaving a little bit of a mark on this town that I care a lot about.”
PostBoy is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Information can be found by visiting PostBoyNB.com or @PostBoyNB on social media. The restaurant does accept reservations, which can be placed via Tock.
