When the doors flew open, the frenzy was immediate. People lined up around the block to enter the 50,000 square foot fortress of all edible and Italian things. The popular, sprawling marketplace with eight American locations had just opened an outpost in Toronto. Eataly had arrived at 55 Bloor St. W.
That was Nov. 13, 2019. Ten weeks later, the pandemic struck. Now two years on, restrictions seem to be lifting for good, which means Eataly can finally do what it was designed to.
“Imagine shopping for food and wine with your cart while sipping on an Aperol spritz,” said Nicolo Dagnino, Eataly’s managing director in Canada. “That’s the Eataly experience. It’s designed to let you walk around and get truly immersed and enjoy.”
With more than 700 labels in stock, Eataly stands tall as one of the best places in Canada to shop for Italian wine. It offers an intensely curated selection with every bottle tasted and understood by retail beverage manager Elena Flaccadori and restaurant beverage manager Ashleigh Forster — a team of two women with excellent palates.
While shopping is part of the experience, so too is winning and dining at Eataly’s on-site restaurants. So here are some of the best food and wine pairings.
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At La Pizza & La Pasta restaurant, order a glass of the NV Ca’del Bosco Cuvée Prestige Extra Brut Franciacorta from Lombardia ($28/glass, $112/bottle in restaurant; $64.90 retail). This gorgeous sparkling wine exudes rich aromas of frangipane, that sweet-almond pastry filling found in European desserts. Then, it streams in bone dry and tantalizing with more of the same, as well as a touch of citrus and a toasty top note.
Enjoy this Italian bubbly with the Arancini di Funghi on the menu ($15). An order of Arancini di Funghi includes five lightly-fried mushroom and black truffle risotto balls and a small dish of truffle fonduta. Each bite delivers immediate pleasure. Then, the sparkling wine scrapes the palate clean and leaves it perfectly-seasoned for the next bite. Marvelous match.
At the same restaurant, order the 2020 Falanghina del Sannio DOP Janare from Campagnia ($16/glass, $34/ ½ bottle, $64/bottle in restaurant, $25.90 retail). This saline, mineral-driven white with the quiet fragrance of rock salt and a mouthfilling attack of briny-stony vinoity is just the thing to enjoy with a bowl Lo Spaghetto al Pomodoro ($16).
The Lo Spaghetto al Pomodoro is a traditional dish of Afeltra pasta extruded through bronze and tossed with a sauce of tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and basil. It’s homey, satisfying, and puts you in Italy with each, twirled, al dente bite. The wine washes the palate and amplifies the tomato-and-wheat flavours. And a whisper of dried oregano in the wine meets and matches the touch of basil in the sauce. I ask!
At La Piazza Restaurant and Bar, sip a chilled glass NV Ronco Belvedere Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna ($14/glass, $56/bottle in restaurant, $22.90 retail) along with a dish of Parmigiano Reggiano e Balsamico ($17). The wine is cool, crisp and refreshing on its own — a casual quaff of off-dry, blackberry goodness with a slight effervescence. But it’s even better with a bite of the intense cheese, which is aged 36 months and drizzled with 12-year-old Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP.
At the same restaurant, enjoy a glass of the 2019 Morasinsi Macerato from Puglia ($17/glass, $68/bottle in restaurant, $46.90 retail) — a skin-fermented white, otherwise known as orange wine. Unlike so many orange wines that are off-puttingly funky, this version with its gorgeous golden hue is clean as a whistle. It opens with gentle aromas of grapefruit zest and stone before sweeping in with textured complexity, each sip uncoiling with dried flowers, incense, musk, citrus and slate.
Enjoy this cool wine with the Carciofi e Cipole ($19) — a single serve pizza typical of Torino baked in small, round pans. For this pizza, the dough is fermented for more than a day, resulting in a thick, soft crust. And this version on the menu is topped with tomato, marinated artichokes, braised onion, olives, capers, oregano and chili flakes. Both the wine and the pizza are complex on their own. And yet, their complexities work well together creating a cerebral interplay. A smart and intricate dance.
For a bit of a treat, visit Trattoria Milano — the most upscale establishment on site. Order the 2019 Borgogno Riesling Ero Ora from Piedmont ($23/glass, $92/bottle, $37.90 retail), which is restrained, steely and dry with a certain roundness and polish. This wine clearly has no interest in upstaging the meal or moment — it’s neither intense nor forward. But its stylish sophistication will improve both — especially when served with a plate of the Vitello Tonnato ($23).
Vitello Tonnato is a dish of poached veal loin with tuna sauce, radish and capers. It’s pure pleasure from Piedmont and the wine’s steely, saline style sets the dish alight for easy elegance.
Then, stay for a glass of the 2016 Fontanafredda Serralunga d’Alba Barolo DOCG, also from Piedmont ($36/glass, $145/bottle, $75.90 retail). This structured, organic red from a very good vintage is drinking beautifully right now. And it’s even better with the Risotto a la Milanesa Zafferano ($27).
This risotto made with saffron, bone marrow, veal sugo and Parmigiano Reggiano delivers earthy-meaty, umami-rich appeal. And the black-fruited red wine with its intricate tapestry tar, orange zest, rose petals and spice complements each comforting spoonful.
To experience any of these pairings now available at Eataly, book a table through Eataly.ca.
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