On my recent quick trip to New York it was recommended by several friends that I pay a visit...and of course eat at Eataly. Eataly is a 50,000 square foot Italian marketplace that houses seven restaurants, numerous take-away counters, groceries galore, a wine shop and a cooking school. It's complete nirvana for the foodie.  Founded in 2007 in Turin Italy, Eataly now has 27 locations world wide including New York and Chicago.  I have to say I was quite blown away when I first entered, and really didn't know where to start, but I was hungry...so I was definitely in the right place.   After a stroll around the meat, cheese and bread counters I decided on the Pizza & Pasta restaurant, because when in Rome after all.  My Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu was amazing...and of course it went down even better when accompanied by a generous glass of Vespa Bianco (2013).   My second choice would easily have been La Piazza, the stand up eatery that mimics an Italian city square. This would be a fun spot to gather friends for a glass of wine and gorgeous appetizer platter of meats, cheeses and bread before settling into dinner.  

Check out the Eataly website before going to give yourself a good idea about what it has to offer and where to fit it into your trip itinerary. Eataly is just as good to pop into for a quick pannini at lunch as it to sit down for a pasta dinner. And remember to leave a little time and a little space in your belly for the gelato bar or  Nutella shop for dessert. 

P.S. There are a few rumours floating around that a Toronto Eataly is in the works...fingers crossed!