EATALY-Italy’s Best Eateries & Markets in NYC

Eat-Italy…well actually EATALY, is perfectly named, beautifully presented and expertly executed. Eataly is a partnership between founder and creator, Oscar Farinetti and partners, Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich and Slow Food, a non-profit, eco-gastronomic organization whose role is to control and verify that Eataly’s producers do not compromise the quality of their products to satisfy a growing demand.

Eataly has multiple locations worldwide. Italy’s best culinary delights under one roof, a sensory explosion of sight, smell, taste and touch.

There is so much to see that you will undoubtedly wonder where to begin. We recommend you go in the morning and enjoy a coffee and a pastry while perusing the many aisles of delicious Italian products, fruits, vegetables, freshly baked breads, homemade fresh & dried pasta, fresh Burrata, Parmigiano-Reggiano and other cheese’s, oils, vinegars, condiments, preserves and honey, wine, specialty beer, juices and sodas, chocolates, candies, books and housewares. If you love food as much as we do, you will happily spend hours of enjoyment as you work up an appetite. Stay for lunch and a crisp glass of Antinori Orivieto wine or maybe a plate of cheese or salumi. Let your taste buds do the walking! We especially love the fritto misto containing a variety of fish and fried lemon rinds and a salad of bitter grilled greens with parmigiano, pine nuts, black currants and aged balsamic (follow link for recipe), AMAZING!

In preparation for our trip to Italy we strolled through the market and absorbed the colors, variety and freshness of the produce, fresh fish and meats. The goat cheese with dried edible flowers was so delicious. Check out the colossal grater in Pepper’s hand (above).

In addition to the great shopping Eataly offers many opportunities to sit and enjoy Italian specialties ranging from a more formal restaurant, MANZO specializing in meat from the United States, to LA PIAZZA, an enoteca with standup tables offering salumi and cheese. If you are in the mood for fish, Il Pesce offers amazing selections, including the not to be missed razor clams and calamari fritti with lemons. For those who prefer veggies…Le Verdure is fantastic offering fresh and seasonal vegetables in a variety of creative preparations. La Pizza & La Pasta, doesn’t require much explanation…every dish here is, BBB (Batali, Bastianich and Buono.) The pizza is sublime! For a well rounded menu in a fun and casual atmosphere hit Birreria a rooftop beer garden, Eataly style! For those of us who dream of rotisserie, Rosticceria is a must, offering juicy rotisserie chicken and one other specialty meat each day…my mouth is watering! If you just want it simple grab and go, visit Panini, made as only the Italians can with amazing ingredients. If you have room for dessert and coffee, hit the Pasticceria, for some amazing Italian pastries accompanied by an espresso from Caffé Vergnano or Caffé Lavazza. On one final note, the Pera- Vaniglia (Pear-Vanilla) or the Nocciola (Hazelnut) gelato at Gelateria is a mouthful of creamy, cool heaven!

Enjoy our photo galleries above, and yes we ate everything in the pictures, but in our defense, we did it over four days. There is seriously just too much to eat in one day, plus you have to account for those dishes that require a repeat performance.