Eataly Chicago

Last week, Kristin and I spent the weekend in Chicago. We were in town for the International Housewares Show, but couldn’t resist stopping by Eataly.

Comprised of 63,000 square feet, this behemoth of a grocery store is a sight to behold. The sprawling complex is a food lover’s paradise. With over twenty dining options and dozens of aisles of groceries, the shopping experience at Eataly is simply wonderful.

This Chicago location (the second in the U.S.) has a couple of new, unique features – a Nutella bar, La Birreria that serves beer brewed on-site and even a wine bar featuring barrels of vino, where you can grab a glass to sip while you shop.

We decided to grab two seats at one of the bars in La Piazza and sampled a beautiful array of Italian cheeses (the taleggio was my favorite) and small plates. The space felt open and relaxing. Perhaps it was the Midwestern charm or the glasses of Bastianich wine we imbibed, but our experience at Eataly Chicago seemed somewhat less frenzied than our visit to it’s East coast cousin.

I only wish that our trip coincided with their Urbani truffle pop-up bar…