On Tuesday, a multilevel extravaganza of Italian food and wine opened in Manhattan's Flatiron district. It's the brainchild of culinary heavyweights Oscar Farinetti and Mario Batali.
The complex is called Eataly, and it occupies nearly 50,000 square feet of space at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street. Italian food-lovers can enjoy seven different boutique eateries, a wine shop, bakery and patisserie, plus a supermarket-sized Italian food and wine marketplace.
There's also a culinary school for those who are desperate to learn how to perfect their own pasta dough or make fresh mozzarella at home. Batali and others will teach classes throughout the year.
The concept is modeled after a similar outpost in Turin, Italy.
