Galley Group Nearing Announcement of Four Food Concepts for Ohio City Galley

Last fall, we broke the news that the Galley Group, an innovative food hall and restaurant incubator concept in Pittsburgh, had its sights set on Ohio City. The venture, set to debut this summer, will be taking over the ground floor of the Forest City Bank Building at the corner of W. 25th Street and Detroit Avenue. Work already has begun on the 7,500-square-foot space that had long been home to Massimo Da Milano Italian restaurant.

When it does open, the venture will be offer lunch, dinner and/or brunch every day of the week and include a comprehensive bar program.

In advance of the opening, a call was put out to hopeful chefs and food entrepreneurs to apply for one of the coveted four spots. Each will receive a fully built-out kitchen space from which they can refine their concept, build a brand and hopefully attract a following. Along the way they’ll receive business resources, strategy help and mentorship, including training in restaurant operations, help with drafting a business plan, and securing financing.

The response was overwhelming, reports Ben Mantica, Co-CEO of Galley Group. From a pool of more than 50 talented applicants, some of whom live in Cleveland and some of whom do not, a group of eight was selected to vie for the final four spots. Those eight candidates will face off in a private event in the coming days, after which the names of the winners will be announced in this publication.

Out of privacy concerns for the applicants, the names of the other candidates will not be released.

Sign up for Scene’s weekly newsletters to get the latest on the news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to your inbox.

This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 6, 2018.