Chicago, Boston and New York City, U.S.A.! Giant Eataly’s in all three of these major U.S. cities – Oh, what a delicious trip it was!
Having spent three months in Florence (Firenzi) Italy in 2014, I became familiar with a larger-than-normal Italian grocery near the Duomo called Eataly. I stumbled onto it one day while exploring. I sat outside, ordered a slice of pizza and a nice glass of local wine. It wasn’t until our Italian professoressa mentioned it in class that I understood what a treat Eataly was! Eataly is a vibrant Italian market featuring great produce, organic products, multiple indoor dining options, cooking classes, imported cheeses, meats, olive oil, wine, pasta – and OH SO MUCH more!!
So onto our first stop: Eataly, Chicago!
Giant wheels of parmigiano and other delicious cheeses!!
Don’t forget a Spritz for aperitivo! And if you’ve been fortunate enough to have been to Harry’s Bar in Venice (and YES, there IS a Hemingway connection!), you’ll know where the “Bellini” comes from : )
Need extra virgin olive oil? Of course you do! There is plenty at Eataly!
A ginormous assortment of imported dry goods like pasta and risotto!
And then there are the classes (check with the individual Eataly) and the books! Peruse and select your special purchase from the plethora of Italian-themed books, including cookbooks and food-centric tomes by your favorite celebrities!
And finally, in Chicago’s Eataly the entire store is dedicated to the memory of Ernest Hemingway. He served and was wounded in Italy while driving an ambulance during World War I. Italy also figures large in several of Hemingway’s novels, such as the classic A Farewell to Arms.
Next up: Eataly Boston!
I have to admit that Eataly Boston was my least favorite of the three I visited. The reason is because it actually seems like it is located in an indoor mall (which technically I think Prudential Center is). In Florence, most shops and cafes are connected to the outside – the front-door usually accessed via the street that it’s on. So even though all of Eataly’s restaurants are inside, something about the ambiance felt a little off. Nevertheless, once you step inside, the feeling of embarking on a bit of Italian wonder in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts is all there! There are a formidable four restaurants to choose from: Terra, La Piazza, La Pizza & La Pasta, and Il Pesce, not to mention 2 caffes – Caffè Vergnano and Caffe Lavazza. The groceries available are all awesome. Here is an image of Culture Honey contributor Catherine Hommes and I just as we were about to engage : )
The vegetables were beautiful!
Eataly can definitely be a one-stop shop for locals in search of quality staples!
Did we mention the pasta selection?
Beautiful cured prosciutto!
Pesce and other seafood!
Loads and loads of yummy dining still make Eataly Boston a wonderful and tasty way of spending a few hours in the city!
On to Eataly NYC Flatiron!
Let me just say that Eataly NYC Flatiron was JUMPIN’! It wasn’t even a weekend, and yet it seemed that everyone had the same idea – let’s eat at Eataly!!
Or if you need your Italian cook or serving ware, all can be found at Eataly!
One more look at the cheese…. ahhhhhh *sigh*…
One more dish of handmade (daily) pasta… and it’s buona notte, New York! Next time, I hope to be in Firenzi!! Ciao!!
What a satisfying, wonderful week of Eataly it has been!!
Eataly Chicago
Italian Grocery Store · The Shops at North Bridge
Chicago, IL
(312) 521-8700
Eataly Boston
Italian Grocery Store · Prudential Center Boston
Boston, MA
(617) 807-7300
Eataly NYC Flatiron
Italian Grocery Store
New York, NY
(212) 229-2560
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