It’s been a while since news that Eataly plans on making its Toronto debut broke. Due to our posts’ popularity on, we decided to give people a visual example of what to expect when Eataly opens their door.
If you’ve never heard of Eataly, here’s the rundown:
Eataly was founded by Italian Native, Oscar Farinetti. He opened the first location in Torino, Italy in 2007 after selling a successful electronic retail business. The idea behind the premier store was to create a lively open-concept European market where visitors could shop, taste and learn about high-quality Italian food, at fair prices. Today there are Eataly outposts across the globe, including Japan, China, and America, with locations opening in Australia, England, and more.
Mario Batali is often mentioned in conjunction with Eataly because his hospitality group B&B, which includes partners Joe Bastianich and Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, helped bring the concept to North America.
Terroni Restaurants and Selfridges Group are helping Eataly enter the Canadian market. However, 52% of the Canadian operations are owned by the famed billionaire Weston family, who also own Holt Renfrew.
The plans to open Eataly in Toronto were almost derailed after the Bloor Street Diner, which currently operates inside the Manulife Centre, won an injunction prohibiting Eataly to enter the complex. The dispute has since been resolved.
The Italian food emporium promises to deliver all things edible and Italian. Eataly has been described as an “Italian grocery market-cum-restaurant emporium-cum-enoteca slash bakery slash cheese shop”. The American outposts offer everything from everyday groceries, cured meats, chilled oysters and homemade mozzarella to cooking workshops and in-shop eateries. We expect the concept in Canada to be very much the same.
Check out the following videos that show off the wonders that are Eataly.