What is a Galley Kitchen? The Definition, Pros, and Cons

A controversial but common feature of apartments — especially older and smaller apartments — is the galley kitchen. You may love them or hate them, but they’re here to stay. In this article, we go over why this somewhat cramped kitchen design has become a staple of apartment living and why the pros may actually outweigh the cons.

The term galley typically refers to the area of a ship, train, or aircraft where food is prepared for passengers. Because floor space is limited in those settings, galleys were designed to use every inch efficiently. Eventually, this kitchen layout design made its way into our homes as well — especially in smaller homes like apartments.

A galley kitchen layout is long and narrow, characterized by the two parallel walls of cabinetry, shelving, and countertops that close it in. It looks like if a kitchen was created in a hallway, with the cook standing in the narrow aisle between the two walls. (Another term for it is a corridor kitchen). There are two kinds of galley kitchens: One where there is a “dead end,” a.k.a. another wall abutting one end of the kitchen, and another where the kitchen is actually in a hallway and there is easy traffic flow through it on either end (called a “pass-through” galley kitchen design).

The setup of this narrow kitchen is meant to follow the principles of the “kitchen triangle,” which is the idea that the primary appliances (kitchen sink, stove, and refrigerator) should be positioned diagonally across from each other in the shape of a triangle. In a galley layout, the cook would ideally stand in the middle of this imaginary work triangle, easily able to turn to whatever appliance they need in the moment.

While a galley-style kitchen is on the smaller side, it’s still a full-sized kitchen with full-sized appliances. Meanwhile, a kitchenette is like a partial kitchen. It’s much smaller in size, typically set up against one wall of a studio apartment, and may only come with mini appliances (like a mini fridge or a one- to two-burner stove). A kitchenette will also have even less kitchen cabinets and counter space, and is more suited to renters who rarely cook — while galley kitchens are robust enough to support dedicated home cooks.

There’s a lot to love about a galley kitchen. Below are just a few positives:

However, open concept gourmet kitchens are in style right now — and many people think for good reason. Here’s why you may not want a galley kitchen:

A galley kitchen is one of the most functional and space efficient kitchen designs that you’ll find in any apartment. However, at the same time, it’s also one of the more cramped kitchen layouts. And if you live in a city with limited space like New York or Boston, you may be hard pressed to find a place without one. So, before you write them off, weigh the pros and the cons. They may actually be the ideal kitchen for you.