Chicago has so many things to offer, yet there are still things you have to travel to New York City for that we don’t have. Until a year ago, Mario Batali’s Eataly was one of those things. I was so excited when it was announced that Eataly was coming to Chicago and on my first visit I was like a kid in a candy store roaming around this foodie playground.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept of Eataly, it is basically a huge Italian grocery store with 23 different restaurants throughout. Not only can you buy produce and pantry items like sauces and olive oil, you can also get handmade fresh pastas, bread, cheese, seafood, meat, and the list goes on. There is an espresso bar, a nutella bar, gelato…you get the picture. It is basically every Italian food lover’s (like me) dream! Eataly is located on several different levels so it truly is a one of a kind shopping/dining experience. You can see for yourself through this picture tour:
One of the restaurants we stopped at for lunch is one of their more popular eateries, La Pizza & La Pasta. Their pizza is cooked in an authentic Neapolitan oven which reaches about 900 degrees, cooking the pizza in only 90 seconds!
Neapolitan style pizza is my absolute favorite and this did not disappoint! I ordered a prosciutto and arugula pizza while Kevin went with pepperoni. I would highly recommend both of these pizzas! The crust is perfectly chewy just they way I like it.
Before our pizzas arrived, we were given fresh baked bread with olive oil which was also delicious. The flavor of the olive oil was so fruity and light, I loved every bite!
Eataly also has their own brewery called Birreria which we stopped in after lunch. I’m not a beer drinker but Kevin sampled a beer and enjoyed it! We even went to the location in NYC this summer which has a rooftop patio.
If you haven’t already explored Eataly, I highly recommend stopping in and checking it out. Their pizza is definitely worth dining in for! You can check out a full list of their restaurants here.
Eataly is located at 43 E. Ohio St. in Chicago’s River North neighborhood
Paige!! Talk about perfect timing!!! I’m meeting one of my bestest pals in Chicago next week and I was telling her we had to check out Eataly. My husband’s cousin is the assistant brew master and we’ve been hearing about all the cool things that Eataly has to offer for a while now! So excited to check it out!
Oh yay!! I’m excited for your Chicago visit. You’ll love Eataly! I can’t wait to read about your experience!
xo Paige
This place looks like heaven on earth – for real, though! And that pizza! Gorgeous pics!
It is so good! If you’re ever in Chicago or NYC, you must check it out!
xo Paige
I absolutely adore Eataly! I cannot get enough of that pizza. It makes my heart happy every time I stop by!
Me too!! I was inspired by your post on it last week! 🙂
xo Paige