Little Gull Owners Prepare to Open Galley at the Former Eckart's

Drive down Mill Road in Westhampton Beach and you will notice something new on one of the village's most familiar corners. Galley, a new restaurant from the team behind Little Gull Cafe, is taking shape at 162 Mill Road, the longtime home of Eckart's Luncheonette.

The restaurant's identity is already visible from the street. Vertical GALLEY lettering now runs down the white two story building, along with a hanging sign carrying the restaurant's "G" mark. For one of the village's best known dining addresses, that new branding marks a clear turn toward the next chapter.

Will and Johanna Pendergast are expanding west from Little Gull Cafe, their small restaurant in the former Speonk train station. The cafe has built a loyal following, and Galley gives the couple a second setting for their hospitality business in the Westhampton area.

As 27East previously reported, the Mill Road building was home to Eckart's Luncheonette for more than 115 years. The Pendergasts had hoped to open Galley by the Fourth of July weekend. That target has passed, and a revised opening date and operating schedule have not been announced.

The backyard is being prepared for outdoor dining

Behind the building, a broad rear yard is being arranged as a casual outdoor dining space. Picnic tables and Adirondack chairs sit among stone paths and sections of artificial turf, creating an area that is largely screened from Mill Road. The yard gives Galley room to extend beyond the indoor dining room and adds an open air gathering space to the property. A gravel parking area provides access from the rear.

A help wanted notice at the property says Galley is hiring for all positions, with cooks especially sought. The notice advertises competitive pay and flexible hours, and directs applicants to info@littlegullcafe.com. The recruiting push, the installed signage and the prepared outdoor area all show a restaurant actively moving toward service, even though its first day has not been confirmed.

A new concept in a familiar address

For generations of residents and visitors, the Mill Road building has been associated with Eckart's Luncheonette. Galley places a new restaurant inside that familiar setting rather than replacing the property with an entirely different use.

The project also echoes the Pendergasts' work at Little Gull Cafe, where a former railroad station was adapted into a dining destination. At Galley, the recognizable street facing building remains while a new name, outdoor area and restaurant team prepare for the next chapter. As a secondary update to the property, the renovated apartment above the restaurant has also been listed for year round rent.

A note on the images: the interior and backyard photos here are renderings that Out East Marketing put together to give a sense of the space. They are not photographs of the finished restaurant.