Eataly - NYC?
Jan 3rd, 2011, 09:42 AM
#2
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Yup. Still very crowded, but as the winter drags on the tourist crowds thin out, so it might not be so bad.
However, unless you are planning on eating there (only off-hours) or really need to buy something esoteric, it's probably not worth the trouble. I love it ... don't get me wrong. But the restaurants don't take reservations and are horribly busy. And for the most part the food, while excellent, is really expensive, even by Manhattan standards.
However, unless you are planning on eating there (only off-hours) or really need to buy something esoteric, it's probably not worth the trouble. I love it ... don't get me wrong. But the restaurants don't take reservations and are horribly busy. And for the most part the food, while excellent, is really expensive, even by Manhattan standards.
Jan 3rd, 2011, 11:13 AM
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I do not remember seeing glassware there.
For excelllent places with Italian wines very close and somewhat closs to Eataly:
Moore Brothers
Astor Place Wine
Crossroads
Italian Wine Merchants on East 16th Street
For excelllent places with Italian wines very close and somewhat closs to Eataly:
Moore Brothers
Astor Place Wine
Crossroads
Italian Wine Merchants on East 16th Street
Jan 3rd, 2011, 11:23 AM
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even if it's crowded (likely on Friday afternoon), it's nice to visit just to look at all the pretty/appetizing stuff there. but too expensive for me to actually buy anything there unless it's something that's hard to find elsewhere.
Jan 3rd, 2011, 12:41 PM
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I visited Eataly for the first time recently . . . walked through the hubbub, and then headed over to Buon Italia at Chelsea Market which has a great collection of Italian products I can't find elsewhere at much better prices (though no fancy eatery inside).
http://www.buonitalia.com/
http://www.buonitalia.com/
Jan 3rd, 2011, 08:20 PM
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Some other Italian provision stores;
Raffetto’s (Established 1906)
144 W. Houston Street
They cut fresh pasta from sheets to your specification in front of you on a machine that looked obsolete 50 years ago. Not a gimmick just the freshest, tastiest pasta yet. They have many types including saffron. Cash only.
Faicco’s (Established 1900)
260 Bleecker Street
They make their flavorful sausage, rice balls, sauces. You get the old schmooze from the guys behind the counter as well. If you like old fashioned Italian butchers who know what they are doing, this is the joint.
Alleva Diary (Established 1892)
188 Grand Street
Not as good as its neighbor DiPalo but extremely offers a fine selection of Italian cheeses.
DiPalo Dairy (Established 1925)
200 Grand Street
One of NY’s great stores. Not only are the cheeses spectacular but sell perfect prosciutto. Their selections are impeccable. If at all possible avoid the weekend crowds, even though they have adults behind the counter.
Formaggio Essex
Essex Market on Essex Steet.
That should be enough Essexes. This is a tiny outlet from a Cambridge company. The cheeses are excellent but they have to vats where you take a bottle and fill it with a vinegar sherry or olive oil and both are redolent and extremely flavorful. There is some rules about deposits but I am not good at rules. The Essex market is a poured concrete structure with many stalls selling veggies and Hispanic staples with a barber shop in the back. Do not be deterred that it looks like pig farm from the outside.
Joe’s Dairy (Established 1925)
156 Sullivan Street.
If you do not like Joe’s you do not like New York. They have been making mozzarella for over 80 years and the smoked version is addictive. The store is tiny, tiny, tiny and the staff is family and know their stuff and the neighborhood. .
Murray’s Cheeese
254 Bleecker Street and another in Grand Central
Best in show. They carefully choose only the finest quality of every variety. The staff is cheesemongers, one is even a gossip monger. The ricotta cheese cake is worth going to jail. This is a must visit for anyone who has the slightest interest in cheese.
Russo’s Mozzarella (Established 1908)
344 East 11th Street
Cleverly they make fresh and smoked mozzarella which are excellent but they also make pastas, sauces, and there own olive varieties. Cramped but the guys know what they are doing.
*Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th Street
You have probably eaten there breads many times and didn’t know it. It is offered in scores of restaurants and markets. You can identify many of the breads by sight. They are brown and crusty will the inside is light and airy. A paradigm for carbs.
*Veniero’s
342 East 11th Street
Established in 1894 some of those people are still waiting on line. I love this place, the best inexpensive tiramisu, addictive ricotta cheesecake, moist pignoli cookies, there are scores of offerings and no losers. The take out staff is never the same and the lines are long for the café. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, the café is turned to a waiting room for take out. They use an old fashioned machine to wrap the string around the box, while quaint, adds to the interminable line. You can also call in an order.
DeRobertis (Established 1904)
176 First Avenue
It has the original tin ceiling and tiled walls and floors. Be selective in what you order, order nothing chocolate but the lobster tails, cannoli, and pignoli cookies are good and they are known for their lemon and orange things. (I am sure it has a real name) They hollow out the fruit, then fill it with a sorbet and freeze the whole thing including a peel lid.
Falai Paneterria
79 Clinton Street
Former pastry chef turns out the most delectable and eclectic breads such as pumpkin or fennel. The croissants are excellent. I guess his mother told him not to waste his education so he also makes fabulous pastries. Never leave without a bombolini, an Italian donut/fritter filled with either jelly or crème.
Raffetto’s (Established 1906)
144 W. Houston Street
They cut fresh pasta from sheets to your specification in front of you on a machine that looked obsolete 50 years ago. Not a gimmick just the freshest, tastiest pasta yet. They have many types including saffron. Cash only.
Faicco’s (Established 1900)
260 Bleecker Street
They make their flavorful sausage, rice balls, sauces. You get the old schmooze from the guys behind the counter as well. If you like old fashioned Italian butchers who know what they are doing, this is the joint.
Alleva Diary (Established 1892)
188 Grand Street
Not as good as its neighbor DiPalo but extremely offers a fine selection of Italian cheeses.
DiPalo Dairy (Established 1925)
200 Grand Street
One of NY’s great stores. Not only are the cheeses spectacular but sell perfect prosciutto. Their selections are impeccable. If at all possible avoid the weekend crowds, even though they have adults behind the counter.
Formaggio Essex
Essex Market on Essex Steet.
That should be enough Essexes. This is a tiny outlet from a Cambridge company. The cheeses are excellent but they have to vats where you take a bottle and fill it with a vinegar sherry or olive oil and both are redolent and extremely flavorful. There is some rules about deposits but I am not good at rules. The Essex market is a poured concrete structure with many stalls selling veggies and Hispanic staples with a barber shop in the back. Do not be deterred that it looks like pig farm from the outside.
Joe’s Dairy (Established 1925)
156 Sullivan Street.
If you do not like Joe’s you do not like New York. They have been making mozzarella for over 80 years and the smoked version is addictive. The store is tiny, tiny, tiny and the staff is family and know their stuff and the neighborhood. .
Murray’s Cheeese
254 Bleecker Street and another in Grand Central
Best in show. They carefully choose only the finest quality of every variety. The staff is cheesemongers, one is even a gossip monger. The ricotta cheese cake is worth going to jail. This is a must visit for anyone who has the slightest interest in cheese.
Russo’s Mozzarella (Established 1908)
344 East 11th Street
Cleverly they make fresh and smoked mozzarella which are excellent but they also make pastas, sauces, and there own olive varieties. Cramped but the guys know what they are doing.
*Sullivan Street Bakery
533 W 47th Street
You have probably eaten there breads many times and didn’t know it. It is offered in scores of restaurants and markets. You can identify many of the breads by sight. They are brown and crusty will the inside is light and airy. A paradigm for carbs.
*Veniero’s
342 East 11th Street
Established in 1894 some of those people are still waiting on line. I love this place, the best inexpensive tiramisu, addictive ricotta cheesecake, moist pignoli cookies, there are scores of offerings and no losers. The take out staff is never the same and the lines are long for the café. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, the café is turned to a waiting room for take out. They use an old fashioned machine to wrap the string around the box, while quaint, adds to the interminable line. You can also call in an order.
DeRobertis (Established 1904)
176 First Avenue
It has the original tin ceiling and tiled walls and floors. Be selective in what you order, order nothing chocolate but the lobster tails, cannoli, and pignoli cookies are good and they are known for their lemon and orange things. (I am sure it has a real name) They hollow out the fruit, then fill it with a sorbet and freeze the whole thing including a peel lid.
Falai Paneterria
79 Clinton Street
Former pastry chef turns out the most delectable and eclectic breads such as pumpkin or fennel. The croissants are excellent. I guess his mother told him not to waste his education so he also makes fabulous pastries. Never leave without a bombolini, an Italian donut/fritter filled with either jelly or crème.
Jan 4th, 2011, 02:56 AM
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This is from a longer list that I have posted on ocassion and that is why there are asterisks. The asterisks indicate that these establishments were a shade better than the others on the list. These are just the Italian provision stores.
Jan 4th, 2011, 10:23 AM
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Aduchamp: That is a great list; thanks for taking the time to compile it.
I shop at Eataly once in a while; their selection of olive oil, dried pasta, and fresh meat and fish is very good. They also have a very nice selection of marmelades and jams, including those from the famous Caffe Sicilia in Noto, Sicily, just to mention one source. And they also have a fairly good, but also mostly high priced, fresh produce section which is hard to come by in that area. (Many of the fresh fruits and vegetables are imported from Mexico and other far-flung parts, though, and that was the case even in summer)
But salumi/dried meats and cheeses, or at least those that I compared, are priced higher than DiPalo, which is my own favorite Italian store in Manhattan...(I have never warmed up to Buon Italia for some reason)
As has been noted, avoid weekends at all costs, unless you can get there at opening time which I believe is 11am. I think Eataly has taken its place alongside the Empire State building with the "must see" attractions of Manhattan, judging from the crowds..
I shop at Eataly once in a while; their selection of olive oil, dried pasta, and fresh meat and fish is very good. They also have a very nice selection of marmelades and jams, including those from the famous Caffe Sicilia in Noto, Sicily, just to mention one source. And they also have a fairly good, but also mostly high priced, fresh produce section which is hard to come by in that area. (Many of the fresh fruits and vegetables are imported from Mexico and other far-flung parts, though, and that was the case even in summer)
But salumi/dried meats and cheeses, or at least those that I compared, are priced higher than DiPalo, which is my own favorite Italian store in Manhattan...(I have never warmed up to Buon Italia for some reason)
As has been noted, avoid weekends at all costs, unless you can get there at opening time which I believe is 11am. I think Eataly has taken its place alongside the Empire State building with the "must see" attractions of Manhattan, judging from the crowds..
Jan 4th, 2011, 11:50 AM
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You are welcome Eks, I am sure over the course of time you will try one or two of the places. I too am not a fan of Buon Italia. There are certain things they do well like the wide variety of dried pasta but their cheese selection, for example, is just OK.
Jan 23rd, 2011, 11:12 AM
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Just a little follow up on this topic. I visited Eataly this past Friday with family and we all loved it! Had a tough time finding it til we tracked down a guy with an Eataly brown bag on the sidewalk and he pointed out the doorway.
What a fun spot, we tasted anything and everything that could be tasted and we bought honey, jam, candy, olive oil, cheese and some good balsamic.It was crowded but manageable. Definitely will go back next time I am in the city.
What is the deal with the restaurants in there?? Is there table service or do you buy your food from each of the sections?? The pizza looked great as did the platters of meat and cheese. Saw someone eating fried fish that looked terrific.
What a fun spot, we tasted anything and everything that could be tasted and we bought honey, jam, candy, olive oil, cheese and some good balsamic.It was crowded but manageable. Definitely will go back next time I am in the city.
What is the deal with the restaurants in there?? Is there table service or do you buy your food from each of the sections?? The pizza looked great as did the platters of meat and cheese. Saw someone eating fried fish that looked terrific.
