About us
The Galley offers a family environment with a welcoming sense of community. As a Florida themed Pub, we pride ourselves on providing an authentic local experience with quality and consistency while keeping the ingredients and entertainment fun and fresh!
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – When it comes to St. Petersburg, Pete Boland and Ian Taylor are about as native as it gets.
The longtime friends first met when on the St. Petersburgh High School wrestling team. The pair have been involved in the hospitality scene at the tip of Pinellas County for years. Now the two are teaming up to open a new establishment in downtown St. Pete.
The Galley – A St. Pete Tavern is scheduled to make its debut in December at 27 Fourth St. N. The owners are hoping The Galley will become a flagship addition to the area's variety or restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
"I've always been bullish on St. Pete," Boland said. "We've wanted to do this for a long time. This opportunity was worth the wait."
The tavern is located across the street form Williams Park, the open-air post office and Snell Arcade. Nearby are the site for the 400 Block development, BB&T First Central Tower and ONE St. Petersburg condominium tower.
"We're thrilled to participate in the renaissance of downtown, and especially in this historic and reemerging area, near both landmarks and growth," Boland said.
The two-story, 2,000-square-foot space once served as a Howard Johnson hotel decades ago. The building's design has several benefits for a restaurant, including room for an oversized kitchen, an unusually large storage capacity for a more efficient supply chain and a nook for staff to escape the hustle and bustle for a few minutes.
Chef Ian Carmichael will take the helm in the kitchen that will feature "fresh, nutritious, high-quality Tampa Bay fare, in the spirit of a gastropub," Boland said. The menu will feature grouper sandwiches, Cuban sandwiches, stone crabs and Florida-inspired desserts with fresh Florida fruits.
"(It's) Beach Drive quality, Central Avenue fun," Boland said. "Chef Ian Carmichael is captain of the kitchen – he understands good food doesn't have to be stuffy."
From general manager to support staff to construction and branding, Boland and Taylor have worked for more than a dozen hospitality establishments between them. Boland was most recently the operations manager at MacDinton's Irish Pub & Restaurant.
Taylor has led the build-out and renovations of The Galley for the past few months. Highlights of the redesign include familial seating, a colorful mural by Sea Cat Murals, hand-picked nautical items and 10 HDTVs for Sunday football and local events. There will also be a projector screen for special events.
"The community response and participation is amazing," Taylor said. "Fellow locals have really stepped up to help us in some major ways. We just can't wait to give back."
The tavern's name and the nautical theme were inspired by several factors. Taylor is a Navy veteran, and both men have family that are Navy and Coast Guard veterans. And with the waterfront being such a vital component to St. Petersburg's identity, the owners wanted to emphasize the local roots in the theme.
"Our vision is to become one of the must-stop spots of the St. Pete experience," Taylor said.