As a foodie, I’d of course heard of Eataly’s other locations in New York, Chicago and Boston. When I heard they were coming to LA I was so excited – but also a bit worried. What if it didn’t live up to the hype? I’d be so disappointed! I was in Europe when they launched at the Westfield Century City, and heard stories of lines that were hours long even just to get in the door. I thought – oh no… It’s already a circus, it’s going to be awful! However, by the time I visited a few weeks later, I was pleasantly surprised to find an Italian oasis right in the middle of LA, and to see that the crowds had become (somewhat) more reasonable.
My first impression? Eataly sprawls out over 2 stories, with hubs of different Italian specialties in every corner. From every grocery product you could ever want (from pasta to spreads, oils, fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, and even dairy), to cute kitchen decor, gelato, coffee, chocolate, sandwiches, cheese… The list goes on. There are several restaurants within Eataly itself, offering up Italian staples like pizza, fresh baked goods, seafood, and of course a chic little bar where I had to get an Aperol spritz.
We didn’t have time to wait in the long line for the main restaurant or for the pizza stand, but we decided that the sandwich line at the bakery looked manageable. We stocked up on delicious Tonna (tuna) and Mediterranean sandwiches, on the most amazing bread that rivaled something from a small mom and pop store in Italy itself.
I obviously couldn’t leave Eataly without grabbing some gelato, so I went for a waffle cone with a scoop of fresh cherry and chocolate orange. Yum! All in all, Eataly was just as good as I hoped it’d be, and totally worth the hype. Had I had much longer, I would’ve braved the lines for what looked like some epic pizza and pasta. I also plan to come back for the different events that they host each week, like chef’s tables and cooking lessons. I definitely recommend it as a stop for anyone visiting LA, or for any locals looking to do something fun and different on a weekend. Ciao for now!
-Naz