Tue 20th Apr 2021 - Eataly unveils full details of UK debut site Eataly unveils full details of UK debut site: Italian food market and restaurant chain Eataly has unveiled the full details of its long-awaited UK debut site in London’s Bishopsgate, which will launch with a soft opening on 29 April. First mooted back in 2017, the 42,000 square foot site near Liverpool Street is billed as the “UK’s largest Italian food emporium”, and the soft opening will see the launch of the venue’s food market and retail areas open, as well as outlets offering takeaway and its outdoor dining space, La Terrazza di Eataly. This terrace will be one of two planned; there will also be three restaurants, three bars, six smaller food spots, dubbed “eateries”, and a cooking school. Eataly said its market will offer “over 5,000 quality Italian and local food products, including fresh produce from their butcher, fishmonger and cured meat and cheese counters”. More than 2,000 wine labels will make Eataly London’s biggest Italian wine cellar, a dedicated Via del Dolce (the Sweet Spot) will showcase freshly baked Italian cakes, pastry, cannoli and handmade gelato, while the cheese laboratory will produce fresh mozzarella and Italian cheeses on site every day, and the bulk refill section will be the first Eataly packaging-free area in the world. Eataly will also offer an online shop and delivery from the fresh market counters and winery from 29 April. Eataly’s ground floor will offer a selection of takeaway options such as Roman-style pizza by the slice at Pizza alla Pala, fresh pasta made every day at Pasta Fresca Bar, Italian paninis, focaccia, salads and classic meals to go from the Made in Eataly area. The site’s Gran Caffe illy will include a gelato bar, and offer pastries and sweets, cannoli, drinks and aperitivi for takeaway. Signature dishes from Eataly’s world-renowned Pasta e Pizza restaurant will also be available for delivery from 29 April, through an exclusive partnership with Deliveroo. Eataly’s two indoor restaurants, Cucina del Mercato and Pasta e Pizza, will open their doors on 20 May, as well as the in-store bars, and seating areas around the other eateries. Starting also on that date, will be Eataly’s cookery school, La Scuola, which will offer classes to take customers on “an Italian journey discovering and mastering classic dishes of Italian cuisine”. Bookable online, classes will be hosted by house chefs and specialists both in store and online. Terra, the company’s fine-dining destination within the site, is due to officially launch later in September. The London opening will mark the 43rd Eataly and the launch in the UK marks the 16th country the group has sites in. Nicola Farinetti, Eataly chief executive, said: “We are delighted to finally open our Eataly London doors to bring our love of Italian gastronomy to the UK at a time when consumers and hospitality professionals appreciate and need it the most. Eataly was founded with a vision to bring the biodiversity, craft and different layers of culinary experiences of Italy together under one roof, under our motto of ‘Eat, Shop, Learn’. Togetherness is at the heart of our brand and, while we will adhere to and implement all the necessary safety measures, we cannot wait to meet our new locals and celebrate passionate artisans and high-quality food in a dynamic and culturally diverse reality such as London.” Eataly London Store Manager, Matteo Ferrio added: “Our opening roadmap reflects a journey that brings our unique offering to life, in line with the government’s plans. We have adapted our services and measures to make sure our London opening is perfectly compliant while ensuring customers still have the experience that is at the heart of the Eataly brand. La Terrazza di Eataly is testament to this, our outdoor dining concept we have adapted to make the most of the outdoor space we have until we can open our restaurants. With health and safety our top priority, we will open with services in-store and online that will welcome Londoners to have a first taste of Eataly and entice them to discover and savour what’s to come throughout May and the rest of summer.”