feed me
A veritable Disneyland for foodies is set to open on November 15 in Bologna, Italy, that will be the ultimate celebration of Italian culinary traditions.
You may have visited an Eataly in one of its locations in the USA, but nothing would prepare you for the sheer size and scope of its newest outpost. FICO Eataly World — FICO is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Contadina, which roughly translates to Italian Farming Factory — will be nearly 20 times as big as its downtown New York location. It’s so big that Italian bicycle maker Bianchi has crafted 500 bikes with baskets attached to the front so patrons can more easily traverse the 20-acre grounds. And, like Disneyland, there will eventually be a hotel (a 200-room property currently slated to open next year) to let visitors spend multiple days experiencing everything Eataly has to offer.
Across that expanse of land will be 40 workshops to watch pasta, cheese, prosciutto and more being made — you can even watch the process of milling grains into flour. There will be 2.5 acres devoted to the growing of produce like olives, eggplants and hazelnuts, and to the grazing of livestock, including cows, goats, sheep and pigs. The 25 restaurants and food stalls will have spots dedicated to pillars of Italian cuisine like pizza and pasta, as well as an Italian-focused cocktail bar serving spritzes.
Additionally, there will be guided tours of the grounds, cooking and farming classes, and something Eataly is calling “rides” that explore the relationship between humans, the earth, and food — though it sounds more like edutainment movies you’d watch at museums. Regardless, it’ll give you something to do while your stomach digests—before going back to the restaurants for more food, that is.
