Just a year ago a big event occured in Rome: it was the 21st of June 2012 when EATALY ROMA was inaugurated. Simply, the largest space in the world (194000 square feet) totally dedicated to food, catering and cooking learning!
4 floors loaded with fresh and preserved food of all kinds: 100% made in Italy and high quality! White and red wine, extravirgin olive oil, pasta, rice, chocolate and sweets: a real paradise for italian cuisine's fans and a very good alternative destination for tourists spending a few days in Rome!
After experiencing personally this huge supermarket, I started to recommend it to everybody who likes italian food and is looking for some tasty souvenirs to take back home and I have always received good comments so far.
Besides soft drinks, chocolates, sweets, fresh fruits and vegetables, at Eataly's ground floor you will find the most recent skillful kitchen goods of italian design and very good home fragrances.
The upper floors are destined to sale of all kinds of pasta, dressings in can or glass jars, espresso coffee, alcohol (wine, grappa and liquors), books about cooking. Also the small restaurants, open till late night, will be happy to fill your stomach with the best dishes of local cuisine (each one is specialized in one kind: you can choose among the pasta place, the pizza place, the meat or fish corner and so on).
Honestly, I never liked big shopping malls, american type: I prefer small family-run shops than large distribution supermarkets. After all, the secret of success of italian economy's growth last century has been the small/medium industry and today many italians still look suspiciously at the american way of shopping. However, among the many shopping malls available in the city, Eataly is the only one which makes a difference. Eataly sponsors the so called niche factories, whose products are less known and difficult to find in common markets. On the other hand, prices can be a bit more expensive in comparison to standard products, but quality is much higher and consumers always feel satisfied.
By the way, I reminded a funny thing to tell you about price. Eataly is articulated by price: the more you go up the more expensive prices become! So, don't get scared once you get to the last floor: dinner costs more than 100 euros per person! Just out of budget for me.
Usually, maximum I can reach is the second floor....
Eataly is very well localized: from Termini Station take the subway B line (blue one), EUR-Laurentina direction and get off at Ostiense-Piramide (just 4 stops about 10 minutes).
I suggest to take the first wagon at the head of the train because when you get off you will find the escalators: take them, go upstairs and just follow the indications (5 minutes walk).
Eataly is open everyday from 10 am until midnight.
I hope you liked my tip and when you have some time, I would appreciate if you write your comment right below. I like to exchange opinions!
Let's catch up soon!
