Every time I am travelling somewhere from Termini station, I arrive half an hour before the train departs in order to visit the nearby Eataly store in Piazza della Repubblica. Eataly is the largest Italian marketplace in the world, comprising a variety of restaurants, food and beverage counters, bakeries, retail items, and a cooking school. The store was founded by Oscar Farinetti, an entrepreneur, formerly involved in the consumer electronics business, and collaborates with Slow Food.
The first Eataly store was opened in Turin. The New York Times described the market as a "megastore" that "combines elements of a bustling European open market, a Whole Foods-style supermarket, a high-end food court and a New Age learning center." Farinetti planned early on that additional stores would open elsewhere in Italy and in New York.
Personally, I love this market because of its high quality of food, wide range of products, and chic atmosphere. Even if you are not planning to buy anything, you should still come to wander around the store and try free samples of fried artichokes, mini-bruschettas and green olives. You might get hungry from looking at all these delicacies, but don’t worry: you can eat right inside the market in one of the numerous restaurants and cafes.
Also, Eataly is a great place to buy gifts for your friends and family. Consultants will be happy to help you choose the right bottle of wine or olive oil! And I always buy cooking supplies that are difficult to find in other stores!
The Eataly markets are located at:
- Piazzale XII Ottobre (behind Ostiense train station)
- Piazza della Repubblica, 41 (near Termini station)
What are your favorite markets in Rome? Discover Italian cuisine while studying at John Cabot University!
Anastasiia Komarova
Communications Major
Class of 2018
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
