Eataly Chicago

By the numbers, the Chicago version of popular Italian supermarket and restaurant hub Eataly is apparently 30% larger than the original U.S. location in NYC’s Flatiron district – nearly as spacious as the chain’s Los Angeles location. Yet Chicago’s store somehow feels a lot smaller, and had a much different vibe when we visited, as it has been customized to the known wants of local customers.

Selections of produce and packaged goods are comparatively compact, and Eataly staples such as the gelateria and pastry shops offer far fewer options. In the decade since it opened, the Chicago store’s first-of-kind Nutella Cafe relocated elsewhere in the city, and a fine dining spot called Baffo closed years ago, leaving a La Pizza and Pasta space as the dominant restaurant. But you can still find Eataly-made brats, dry-aged meats, a limoncello bar, a street food bar, and a foccacia shop at this location – we just didn’t see many people actually buying anything when we were there.

If our first experience at an Eataly had been in Chicago, rather than at the Flatiron store, we would probably have left without any idea what all the fuss had been about. But perhaps this store’s best days are still ahead, and we just visited during a lull.