25/4/21 - updated with a sneak peek inside
What: Eataly
In a nutshell: Italian worldwide phenomenon
Summing it all up: The Italian food and wine marketplace gets ready to open their first London opening in the heart of the City at Broadgate.
The low-down
Originally planned to open in 2020, Eataly's first UK branch will fling open its doors on Bishopsgate this spring. And it's going to be HUGE. Eataly will take up 40,000 sq ft over the ground and first floors of the building and you'll be able to enter it both from Bishopsgate and Broadgate’s Exchange Square.
We already knew about one of the restaurants, Terra - but there's going to be so much more than that. First up - we had the chance for a quick walkaround - so here's how things are looking:
@hotdinners Sneak preview of Eataly London, an Italian food superstore ##london ##shopping
♬ Volare - Dean Martin
And here's a full guide to the food hall's restaurants, bars and shops:
Outside
La Terrazza di Eataly - the first place to open, this alfresco restaurant will serve up summery sharing dishes, plus their Aperol Spritzeria van will be on hand for cocktails, wine and beer.
Ground floor
The ground floor has three key areas, mainly focused on takeaway but there are some places to sit:
Gran Caffè illy - This has the Caffe Bar (coffee by illy and gelato) and Made in Eataly (seasonal Italian food)
Bar Centrale - Pasta Fresca Bar (fresh pasta made daily, Pizza Alla Pala (Roman-style pizzas), La Panniteria (Italian breads), Gastranomia (their deli), Bar (simply titled, this is a wine bar)
La Via Del Dolce - Dolci Italiani (Italian sweets), La Pasticceria (Italian pastries) and I Cannoli (cannolis, filled to order). This section also has 5450 light bulbs decorating it, so should look pretty spectacular.
First floor
When you head up to the first floor, you'll find.
Fresh food counters - shop at Natoora, there's also cured meats and cheeses, their butcher, a fishmonger and Il Caseficio which is described as the "house of mozzarella and fine cheeses".
Il Vino - the huge wine section, with over 2000 wines. which also has a wine school with events and wine pairing.
Terra - An Italian wood-fire grill restaurant
Cucina del Mercato - a restaurant with a regularly changing menu created from the stock of the fresh food counters
Pasta e Pizza - as it sounds, a wood-fired pizza and traditional pasta restaurant
If you've ever been to one of their stores (this will be their 43rd opening), they go big on demonstrations and tastings and London will follow on the same lines. They're opening a cookery school and you can expect various open kitchens and production labs throughout the store.
While the essence of the brand is all things Italian, there will be room for local produce too. One example they give is that the fresh cheese made on-site will use milk from small local farmers. Better still, in the current trying economic climate, they're creating 300 jobs.
More about Eataly London
When does it open? The terrace, food shopping and takeaway opens on 29 April. All the indoor restaurants and bars (with the exception of Terra) open on 20 May 2021. Terra will open in September 2021.
Where: 135 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3YD
How to book: booking for the terrace is on their website.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @eatalylondon
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