A popular culinary destination known for offering an enormous variety of Italian goods has expanded its footprint even further in Toronto, officially opening the doors of its newest location.
Today, global Italian marketplace Eataly, which opened its first Canadian location in Yorkville in 2019, ushered customers into its brand-new CF Eaton Centre store. While the 25,000-square-foot store is about half the size of its Bloor Street counterpart (and about the same size as the Sherway Gardens location), it spans two floors and can be accessed from inside the shopping centre.
The latest opening marks the brand’s fourth store in the city, and its second in the downtown core.
“Eataly Eaton Centre is a continuation of our story in Canada, cementing our appreciation for the community we’ve built here since first opening Eataly Yorkville in 2019,” said Tommaso Brusò, CEO of Eataly North America, in a statement.
“As an icon of the city and a premier destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment, we are excited to bring a taste of Italy to CF Toronto Eaton Centre’s impressive roster of retailers, just in time for the holiday season.”
The new two-level space boasts two restaurants, several quick-service counters, a range of fresh and dry grocery items, and a wine shop. On the main floor, guests are greeted by the spacious Il Gran Caffè, which serves an array of Illy coffees (think lattes, cappuccinos and specialty drinks), the substantial La Pasticceria and Il Gelato counters, and the equally vast Pizza alla Pala savoury food counter, serving ready-made sandwiches and pizza.
This section of the store also offers a range of to-go meals and Eataly-brand sauces and spreads.
The main floor offers ample seating, providing the working and playing masses with another Yonge Street spot to grab a quick lunch and coffee during the workday (or on the weekend).
From there, customers can take an elevator or escalator to the second floor, where they can purchase produce, dry goods, fresh pasta, cheese (including fresh mozzarella), bread and wine. The second floor is also home to La Pizza & La Pasta, an Eataly signature resto that boasts 190 seats and serves Neapolitan pizza and artisanal pasta.
The second floor also features La Piazza, a stylish bar and restaurant with 50 seats, offering lighter fare and a range of Italian wines and cocktails.
Much like its other locations, the Eataly marketplace at the Eaton Centre offers made-in-Italy products, including extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, artisanal pasta, and tomatoes.
A significant portion of the store is dedicated to another of Italy’s cherished mainstays: Wine. Eataly Vino e Birra To-Go offers hundreds of Italian wines sourced from all over Italy, and while the section is not quite as large as the one in the brand’s Yorkville location, the sheer array of bottles is eye-popping.
As for La Pizza & La Pasta, Eataly says it partnered with experts at Rossopomodoro, a Napoli-based pizza company, to create Neapolitan pizza made according to “generations-old techniques.” Pasta dishes are made with both fresh and dried pasta, with the latter sourced from Gragnano, a hilltop town near Napoli.
While the permanent menu is not yet available on Eataly’s official website, today’s menu included rosemary focaccia with extra-virgin olive oil, homemade pork and beef meatballs, roasted kabocha squash, burrata served on top of a Tuscan tomato bread soup, lasagna with beef and pork ragu, bechamel and grana padano cheese, black truffle butter tagliatelle, pizza with spicy salame and tiramisu.
The store officially opened at 3 pm.
Eataly Eaton Centre is the brand’s 18th store in North America, with over 60 locations worldwide.
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Dining and Cooking