You can't go to the Flatiron without visiting New York City's very own indoor piazza, Eataly. The Italian marketplace, a hybrid space for shopping and eating, opened to a flurry of media attention in 2010 and has managed to live up to all the hype. While it can be tricky to navigate through mobs of tourists and locals at pretty much any hour, the vast selection and supreme quality of the food make it a worthwhile adventure.
Located in the 58,000-square-foot complex are seven restaurants that each have their own theme, including Il Pesce (fish and seafod), Le Verdure (vegetables), La Piazza (salumi and formaggi) and La Pizza & La Pasta (pizza and pasta, of course). Eataly's market is stocked like a grocery store, with shelves full of olive oil, bags of pasta and refrigerators full of cheese, along with specialty and handmade items like fresh squid-ink tagliatelle and seasonal spring-pea ravioli at the pasta counter or roast meat sandwiches in the Rosticceria. Additionally, you'll find an espresso bar, a gelato counter, a pasticceria, a wine shop and even a book section.
Then there's the roof. A quick elevator ride takes you up to Birreria, the rooftop bar and restaurant that has house-brewed ales on tap, a full food menu and great views of the nearby park. And just in case you were wondering what else Eataly offered, year-round events include cooking classes, kids' tours and conversations with food luminaries.