4 restaurants, 1 location: New Detroit eatery first-of-its-kind

A "restaurant accelerator" company that offers customers the chance to try dishes from new and experimental local chefs will open a location in downtown Detroit this fall.

Galley Group, which runs two successful incubators in Pittsburgh, announced its plans Thursday to launch on the ground floor of the old Federal Reserve Building, 160 W. Fort St.

The planned 8,646-square-foot restaurant incubator and "food hall" is a first of its kind in Detroit and will feature chefs at four kiosks that will serve customers in a sit-down restaurant environment. There also will be a full bar featuring many local beers and spirits. The name of the restaurant has yet to be decided.

[Detroit's dining scene is constantly changing. Check out Freep's 10 best new restaurants here.]

The project aims to allow chefs the opportunity to test a new concept in a low-risk, low-cost environment that includes mentoring. It is open to new chefs as well as established chefs who are looking to try new ideas.

The company, founded by former U.S. Navy officers Ben Mantica and Tyler Benson, opened its first incubator, Smallman Galley, in Pittsburgh in 2015, followed by a second Pittsburgh location. A Cleveland location also is scheduled to open in the fall.

"We are excited to open in this historic building," Benson said in a news release. "We're even more thrilled to have a part in finding and assisting some of this city's best undiscovered culinary talent."

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The Galley Group's Detroit location is in a building owned by businessman Dan Gilbert's real estate firm Bedrock. The firm will often leave its Detroit storefronts empty for months or even years as it searches for unique tenants that are new to the local market.

"It will be really exciting to see what great ideas are born and nurtured through Galley Group," Bedrock CEO Jim Ketai said in a statement.

Applications are now open for chefs to submit restaurant ideas and vie for kiosk space. Applications will be accepted at galleygrp.com/apply until May 1.