Eataly Boston Opens November 29

With our friend Mary Ann Esposito, host of Ciao Italia, America's longest running TV cooking show.

The Prosecco was flowing at a recent preview party at Eataly Boston which we were lucky enough to attend, a celebration and sneak peek all to benefit the Friends Of The Italian Cultural Center Of Boston.  The goal of the organization, as we learned, is to bring together the myriad of other organizations in the Greater Boston area which celebrate the language and culture of Italy.  And what a beautiful culture it is.

This huge emporium of all things Italian covers it the full range, spread out over three floors in a sparkling new space in the Prudential Center.

Words alone cannot describe the breadth of the food, giftware, grocery items and even music and books that are on offer but, hopefully, some of these pictures will give you an idea.

Delicious Italian fare is everywhere, from the freshly prepared flatbreads and pizza pies to gorgeous pastries and sweets, wines, dinners, pastas, espresso and cappuccino, gelato and everything in between.  

As an example, some of the imported cheeses we saw are rarely available in Boston.

It's the same with the cured meats and other products, as well, heaven for those who long for authentic Italian goods.

Strolling through the grocery area we saw products that we have not seen since, well, we were actually in Italy!  Half the fun is walking slowly through the place and just perusing everything.  

We stopped to speak with a grocery manager and asked:  where are you storing all of this stuff?  Is there a warehouse nearby?  The immensity of it all is almost bewildering. Apparently, there is a mega warehouse in New Jersey were cargo ships are unloaded daily and the products trucked in at least three days a week.

Another big question our inquisitive mind's had was just how they managed to hire up a staff of 600 people when it is well-known that Boston faces a serious labor shortage for restaurant and hospitality employees?  What we discovered is that many of the people we spoke with actually did not come from the food service industry with many of them having a background more in customer service coupled with a personal yet never-fulfilled passion for food. Interesting.

We advise readers who plan to stop by to allow plenty of time when going for a visit.  An hour or two will not do it justice.  One could easily spend three hours just walking around looking at everything before deciding what to actually try or buy.  And it's a learning experience, too, not just an immense food court with multiple cafes and spots for enjoying a meal or snack. Think of it more as a cultural excursion and take the time to chat with the very knowledgeable staff.  They are eager and happy to talk about the products and history.

So, take a look at everything, including the gleaming, jewel-like wrapped candies before loading up your shopping bag.  There is a new delight around every corner.  All in all, you will not be disappointed.  Enjoy.  Ciao!

Eataly Boston
Prudential Center
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA  02199
Telephone:  617.236.3100

Social Media
@TheBostonFoodie
@EatalyBoston
@CiaoItaliaShow

Babbo Pizzeria

We all know him and maybe even some of you have his cookbooks.  With his bright red hair, orange Crocs and a larger than life personality, Mario Batali is hard to miss.  His new place in Boston has been open for a while now so we decided to head on over and check it out.

As we drove there I began to ponder:  with all of the great pizza we have in Boston, how good could it be?  The last time we went to the Seaport District it was difficult finding a parking spot and very crowded.  Plus, with all of the new restaurants there it seems to have reached the tipping point.  I did not have high hopes.

There are several seating areas.  If it had not been occupied, we would have selected the counter seating where the pizzas are actually being made.  It was easy to see this young man's talent as he masterfully threw the pizza dough and used the paddle to briefly push it into the very hot, wood burning oven.  Quite entertaining to watch.

Of course, we had to try the pizza.  We went with the Meatball, which comes with Pickled Chili, Tomato and Fontina cheese.  Anyone would be hard pressed to say that it was not excellent.  The crust was perfect and the meat and cheese flavorful and satisfying.  Great pizza.

We also had a salad:  Spinach, Ricotta Salata with Truffled Honey.   The ricotta was great, not runny but drier, and the honey wasn't overly drizzled on top of the fresh baby spinach leaves.  So, we had to agree that the salad was also great.

The space is large, over 8,000 square feet, with a long bar for sampling wines and cocktails.  What I have to say sets it apart from other places is the excellent service.  Both of our servers spoke fluent Italian and were happy, indeed eager, to share their native language.  And they were funny and warm and gracious.  I guess the team of Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich don't have all of those successful restaurants in New York without knowing exactly what they are doing.

We also tried out a few of the desserts.  The Pistachio Tartufo:  Pistachio, Valhrona Chocolate, Guanaja, Chocolate Crumble, Sour Cherry and Zabaglione Crema.  Very, very good.  Then we sampled the Gelati and Sorbetti.  I absolutely loved the Olive Oil gelato, creamy and subtle.  The Lemon and Basil Sorbetti did not quite pack the flavor punch I was expecting, however.

It was a beautiful day in the Seaport, not overcrowded, with people streaming in and out of the ICA and relaxing on the grassy green of the park between the two spots.  And the parking was easy! Overall, a great afternoon out and a lunch that really hit the spot.


Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca
11 Fan Pier Boulevard
Boston, MA  02210
Telephone:  617.421.4466