Gallo reopens for summer

Popular Lewiston restaurant back after serving as event space for winter

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Lewiston’s rollout of summer food destinations continued this week with the reopening of Gallo Coal Fire Kitchen at the corner of Center and North Fourth streets.

Last October, owner Michael Hibbard announced Gallo would close its day-to-day operations for the winter. He welcomed patrons to visit his second village restaurant, Gather by Gallo, which is located across the street.

That transition “went well,” Hibbard said. “It made sense, just because Lewiston – as everybody knows – it's a tourist town. We're busy in the summer, but you're really fighting for business in the wintertime.

“There's quite a few restaurant concepts in the Village of Lewiston that do the same thing, where it's more of a seasonal location.

“We were not really fully closed. We were still doing banquets all winter long.”

He added, “Gather itself, it really warrants more of a winter vibe. So, I think that helped. And doing a bourbon club over there, that drove a lot of traffic, as well.”

Gather serves Western New York staples such as wings, beef on weck, and a fish fry, plus an assortment of sandwiches (smash burger, wraps) and larger entrées (salmon, filet).

Gallo specializes in coal-fired pizza, plus meatballs, pasta, proteins, salads and small plates.

Guests at the newly reopened Gallo Coal Fire Kitchen in Lewiston will notice, “We did some work inside; changed some layouts a little bit – no major construction, but different paint colors – just kind of warmed it up a little bit in here,” owner Michael Hibbard said Monday. (Submitted photos)

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This summer season, “It's 10 years that Gallo has been in operation,” Hibbard said. “2016, we opened our original Gallo” at 800 Center St. – the site of what is now Hustler’s Tavern.

“We're going to bring back some of the staples that we had in the past, and we're going to be celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the concept.”

As part of that commemoration, “We'll bring back some of our signature pizzas that we had 10 years ago; bringing back a couple pastas,” Hibbard said, noting the staff will be particularly focused on main courses and speedier service.

Since Hibbard moved Gallo to its current location in 2021, the campus has grown – both in popularity and in amenities. Patrons sit inside, or outside at the spacious patio bars, and routinely attend concerts and special events.

“The big thing that excites us is we saw that, last year, our success was having bands and really filling that patio; so, we're excited to really push that, and utilizing that patio and the patio bar that we finished last year to really maximize the amount of patrons in and out of our location,” Hibbard said.

“Our game plan is having live music on Fridays and Saturdays. That'll be posted pretty soon, once we get open.”

He explained, “Being directly positioned on Center Street helps for walking traffic; and when people see that bar outside filled up, people go where other people are, so that helps.

“The uniqueness of the layout for the band – that's another driver for us – the way that the pavilion’s positioned, and the sound can be projected back towards Gallo. The uniqueness of the space for private events, like fundraisers that we do throughout the summer, as well.”

Those interested in bringing a banquet to Gallo should act fast, as business is booming and “we're really booked up through the summer,” Hibbard said.

Gallo is open daily: from noon to 9 p.m. kitchen/10 p.m. bar Saturday and Sunday, and 4-9 p.m. weekdays.

Over at Gather, meanwhile, “We're closed this week, just because of getting Gallo back open. But we're really thinking that we can have both locations open this year,” Hibbard said. “It's just trying to figure all those pieces to the puzzle.”

Visit Gallo Coal Fire Kitchen at 402 Center St.; Gather at 453 Center St.; and online at https://www.gallocoalfirekitchen.com/.