What could be better than a piece of Italy right in the midwest? Eataly Chicago attracts people of all ages and backgrounds to come to experience Italy without leaving the Windy City. But is this budding market place worth the hype it gets, or is it just another marketing ploy?
Located right in the Magnificent Mile on East Ohio St., Eataly Chicago is in one of the most prominent Chicago neighborhoods. The Italian marketplace is a whopping 65,000 square feet filled with restaurants, take-out counters, and even a cooking school! The hustle and bustle inside the restaurant create a warm, upbeat atmosphere that is sure to make you feel like you are in a real Italian marketplace (or at least close considering it’s in Chicago and not in Europe). Eataly is so much more than just a restaurant, it is described as an experience, with thirty-seven locations around the world, six being in the United States.
Something you should know about me is that I am a carb fiend. I love any and all types of pasta, bread, and pizza. Eataly was the perfect place to fuel my love for carbs with its countless restaurants and take-out booths that served everything from pasta and pizza to Nutella and coffee. I personally liked the food, but I may be biased due to my overall love for carbs. But after reading some other reviews, it seems like many others also reached the same conclusion as me.
Eataly Chicago is described as a “Disneyland for Italian food,” and I found that statement to be quite true. There was such a wide array of shops and restaurants, each serving different food, that I felt like I was at an amusement park. Walking in, I had low expectations, but the ambiance of the market with all the different restaurants and delicious food really shocked me and changed my impression of the place. While it may be a little pricey, you pay for the experience in addition to the food. There are countless types of cheese, bread, and wine you can purchase if you prefer to cook/eat in your own home. But the main draw for me was just how fun the place was, I mean a 65,000 square foot building dedicated to the foods of Italy is as good as it gets, right!
I would recommend going to Eataly Chicago because I think it is an overall experience rather than just a quick meal. The ambiance of the marketplace mixed with the wide array of foods, I feel like you could find at least one thing you like to eat there. Although the market doesn’t directly transport you to Italy (I wish it did), it is still a nice little escape from the city.