If you haven’t heard yet, the popular galley-style restaurant setup in Pittsburgh has made its way to Shadyside with the opening of Galley Bakery Square! This galley is located right in Bakery Square off of Penn Ave. and houses 4 restaurants with a variety of cuisines. Somi is a restaurant that focuses on healthy Asian comfort cuisine. GG’s Cafe features classic comfort food such as roasted chicken and mac & cheese. Bubba’s offers classic American fare with a number of burgers on the menu. City Fresh Pasta’s name speaks for itself. We will dive into each restaurant more below!
This indoor/outdoor space is the perfect destination for after-work drinks, a weekend bite with your crew, or a working lunch. The outdoor space features the beautiful murals recently revealed by artist Janel Young that focus on community. These murals along with the twinkle lights create quite a trendy ambiance at sunset. One thing that is different with this galley location compared to Federal or the old Smallman Galley is that you are asked to first take a seat with your group so you have a table number to tell the restaurant when ordering. Each table has a QR code you can scan to browse the menus of each of the 4 restaurants.
When you’re ready to order, head up to the counter where you’ve decided to order from, place your order, and give them your table number. If you’re looking to grab a cocktail, head to the bar while they chef up your meal! The bar runs a happy hour special Tuesday-Friday from 4:30-6:30 pm. The specials include half-priced beer, cocktails, and glasses of wine. The bar has a list of 16 rotating taps pouring an array of local brews with the occasional out-of-town beer. The signature cocktails are a party of their own! All 8 of the current signature cocktails are crafted uniquely and totally insta worthy. The names are all personalized to their take on classics, but the drink inspiration is also included so you have an idea of what you’re getting into! Some examples are the Suchi, their take on a pina colada, and the Planeteer, inspired by a rum old-fashioned.
Now let’s dive into these restaurants. Starting on the left of the restaurant counter lineup is GG’s Cafe. GG’s offers fried apps to start, including the unique menu item, jackfruit cakes which are vegan friendly. For your entree, decide between one of their global-inspired sandwiches on fry bread, one of their specials (meat & choice of sides), or a salad. Make sure to save room for dessert because GG’s has big chocolate chip cookies and the most massive and delicious slices of cake! Depending on the day you might find carrot cake or chocolate cake. If you order it for dine-in they will top it off with whipped cream and a cherry! This slice of cake is shareable AT LEAST 4 ways and you’ll still have some to take home.
Next in the lineup is Somi. Somi is a sister restaurant to the fantastic Shaka located in Federal Galley. Owners Nick and Summer put so much heart into crafting their meals. This team does its research by visiting the islands and countries where their concept is inspired from. They have visited Hawaii and a number of Asian countries to understand the flavor profiles of the native land. Somi offers some appetizers from bulgogi beef egg rolls to Krispy Korean fries. The main event at Somi is a choice between a salad, stir fry, or a rice bowl. Favorites include the Japanese tempura shrimp, shaking beef & chimichurri, and the coconut lemongrass curry. There is truly something for everyone in this Asian-inspired cuisine spot. Try one of their flavored lemonades for a refreshing treat!
Bubba’s is the third restaurant in Galley Bakery Square. This spot is classic American food. Think burgers, Buffalo chicken dip, jalapeño popper grilled cheese, and more! The smash burger list at Bubba’s is not lacking. From burgers topped with fried eggs, to spicy burgers with housemade ghost pepper ranch, their burgers are perfect for any adventurous or classic burger lover. Make any of their burgers a beyond burger for only $2 more! For dessert, there’s nothing like some classic deep-fried Oreos. You’re definitely gonna want to snag some of these!
Last up is City Fresh Pasta. They have 11, yes that’s right, ELEVEN different pasta dishes. Gnocchi, linguine, shrimp, chicken, broccoli, roasted cauliflower, pesto, marinara, the pastabilities are endless! If you don’t love the preset pasta options, you can order the Bob Ross which is your choice of noodle, sauce, veggie, and protein topped with Romano cheese and herb bread crumbs, yum! City Fresh also has some soups, salads, and sandwiches as a lighter fare, great for lunchtime.
One last thing that needs to be mentioned is that each restaurant also offers a weekend brunch option. Check out each menu for some unique takes on brunch classics!
Now that you have the deets, what are you waiting for?! Head to Galley Bakery Square now and try out one, or all of these spots!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.