Eataly

[Fat Guy]

I think the place would be a little overwhelming even if empty. But the crowds in the mid-to-late afternoon are no worse than at any New York City supermarket-type operation and not nearly as bad as at Fairway or Zabar's.

[vice]

I visited around 11 on a weekday morning. There was no crowd (based on a single visit, so take it with a grain of salt). The layout alone might be disorienting for people used to the conventional parallel-aisle arrangement.

[weinoo]

I visited around 11 on a weekday morning. There was no crowd (based on a single visit, so take it with a grain of salt). The layout alone might be disorienting for people used to the conventional parallel-aisle arrangement.

That's the time to go. And if you play your cards right, then you can have some pizza or pasta before the madddening crowds arrive.

The thing about "shopping" is that it's relatively easy to pay and get out of the store.

[vice]

Yep, the pizza and pasta areas were serving then and the tables were wide open.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I visited this evening for the first time between 6:15 and 6:45 or so. Lots of excellent stuff, some of it reasonably priced for what it is, some of it overpriced, not too many bargains that I could see. Bought some guanciale, a very eggy imported piemontese pasta, a few chanterelles, a braid of French rose onions, and a couple of things to have around the house, like white anchovies, and a hunk of fantastic millefoglie al marzemino cheese just to have on its own. Dinner was, I'd say, one of the best pasta carbonaras I've made or had, so I can't complain about spending too much money on good ingredients, I suppose.

They either have excellent anti-theft control, or maybe there is just no black market for balsamic vinegar. They had $200 bottles of tradizionale (that's about 3-1/2 ounces) just sitting out on the shelf.

At the end of the day, the fish and the meat look like, well, like they've been sitting out all day.

[Lindacakes]

I went back to get some of the bergamot oranges mentioned in the booze thread. I didn't buy them because they looked like someone's grandmother had been accidentally sitting on them all afternoon while she was knitting, but it was a Tuesday and it was relatively early and it wasn't too crazy, so we decided to try the cheese and charcuterie plate with a glass of wine. Also comes with condiments for the cheese and a couple of slices of very tasty bread.

Superb, actually, and I'd do it again, but it's stressful.

[weinoo]

I went back to get some of the bergamot oranges mentioned in the booze thread. I didn't buy them because they looked like someone's grandmother had been accidentally sitting on them all afternoon while she was knitting, but it was a Tuesday and it was relatively early and it wasn't too crazy, so we decided to try the cheese and charcuterie plate with a glass of wine. Also comes with condiments for the cheese and a couple of slices of very tasty bread.

Superb, actually, and I'd do it again, but it's stressful.

Why was it stressful?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Alas, there were no bergamot oranges left when I went.

[SobaAddict70]

I'm a Eataly virgin no more.

First impressions ...

1. Is it always so crowded? Mind you, this was at 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon.

2. Golden morels for $60.00 a pound. Some lady was hissing to her boyfriend that it was an outrageous price, as I was busily scooping into a plastic bag. Note to the purveyors -- mushrooms and plastic don't mix ... get a paper bag instead.

3. They were out of ramps by the time I got there.

4. Way too many people for my comfort. Walking 20 feet literally took 5 minutes.

5. I know it's a food court coupled with a shopping mall but folks, if you're gonna simply stand there and ogle, do us shoppers a favor and get out of the way so the folks who are there who want to BUY something can do their business and leave. Ogle on your own time.

6. Did I mention that there's way too many people? Worse than Union Square Greenmarket in that respect.

I'll have to check it out again ... earlier in the morning when there aren't that many people there. Unless it really is crowded at 10 am.