Bakery Square food hall gets new management, restaurant lineup

Ownership of a Bakery Square food hall has officially changed management after about two months of shakeups among the restaurants inside.

The site off Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh’s East End is now called City Kitchen, with management operations fully shifted from New York City-owned Galley Group to Shaka Restaurant Group.

Two restaurants have joined the establishment.

Summer Le, owner of Pittsburgh-based SRG, announced an Italian concept, Al Dente, is now open. Al Dente was developed by SRG chef Paolo Bartoletti, whose family immigrated from Bologna, Italy.

Pisco and Lime, a Peruvian fusion kitchen concept is set to open in September.

City Kitchen said its goal is to encourage its chefs to create new restaurant concepts.

“Our chefs are growing their talent, and we’re encouraging them to develop and pitch fresh food concepts. City Kitchen dining options will grow and refine as our chefs innovate,” said Le. “We’ll showcase their best dishes in City Kitchen on a rotating basis for Bakery Square and East Liberty residents. We’ll enhance ongoing efforts to highlight the talent and heart of each employee’s respective journey in our dishes.”

Ownership of the food hall in the East End began to transition in June. Galley Bakery Square housed four kitchen concepts. Elevate serves American comfort food. Somi specializes in Asian cuisine.

Envie serves Midwestern and Cajun food. Revival does its take on French dishes like crepes as well as burgers and chicken sandwiches.

At that time, Walnut Capital, which owns the building, terminated the leases of two restaurants, Revival and Envie, to make way for the new management.

The other two restaurants, Somi and Elevate, both owned by Shaka Restaurant Group, continued to operate in the space. The Galley food hall opened at Bakery Square in May 2021.

In September, City Kitchen plans to add a char broiler and smoker, enabling a gourmet burger bar and Hawaiian smoked meats.