Lewes residents and visitors looking for a craft cocktail and light bite have a new gathering spot. On July 28, The Gallo Room opened in the historic Walsh Building at 108 Second Street in downtown Lewes.
The space is best known as the home of Lewes Oyster House, and owners Sean Corea, Tom Little, and Tim Bartley are the creative forces behind the new coastal lounge.
“We had the back room and didn’t want to waste the space,” says Corea, the oyster house’s executive chef. “I didn’t want to be one of those restaurants that expands just to add more seats. A restaurant’s ambiance is very important. Less is more.”
He and Little brainstormed possibilities and came up with a lounge featuring a dedicated menu
and bar.
The speakeasy-like vibe suits the tucked-away location, which sits down the hall from the building’s entrance and the oyster house. However, “it’s not like we’re sending you to Area 51 to eat,” Corea says, referring to the classified U.S. Air Force facility in Nevada.
The website instructs guests to follow the strutting gold rooster to find the room. Gallo is Spanish for “rooster,” and the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) is also the emblem of Italy’s Chianti Classico winemaking region.
However, it’s also worth noting that Corea is married to Taylor Wilkinson, daughter of real estate broker LeeAnn Wilkinson, whose parents – the Gallos – founded Gallo Realty, now Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty.
The Gallo Room only serves patrons 21 and older, and seating is first-come, first-served – perhaps because there are only 24 seats. Both the lounge and the oyster house share design elements like exposed brick and gleaming wood. Whimsical objects on shelves include a gold rooster, sailboats, books,
and candles.
The cozy 1930s vibe complements the Walsh Building, which was constructed during that decade. But there are softer, more feminine touches as well, like a fluffy ostrich feather light fixture that brings a softness not found in the oyster house dining room. “It’s got its own feeling but is still related,” explains Little.
Corea created a menu that doesn’t overwhelm the oyster house’s busy kitchen. Dishes include Al’s Sweet & Salty Bar Mix, a medley of smoked almonds, maple-glazed pecans, dried tart cherries, rosemary-parmesan chips, dark chocolate crunchies, and pretzel sticks.
House-made Parker House rolls, dusted with herbs, come with whipped crab fat butter. Deviled eggs get a bold upgrade with crunchy Nashville chicken and tart dill pickle chips. The menu also includes steak tartare, made with Snake River Farms tenderloin, shallots, chives, and parsley. Dijon mustard, capers, and cornichons give the dish a punch of flavor.
Little says bartender Jake Safarik is wise beyond his years when it comes to crafting cocktails. “He’s super smart and leading the charge with experimental items,” he says. Consider the C’est Choux – amaretto, brown butter, orange, and vanilla, topped with a honeycomb candy crisp. The drink is a playful take on the amaretto sour, inspired by the French croquembouche.
The Gallo Room is open seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Visit lewesoyster.com/gallo-room for more information.
