Cheap fun at Eataly Chicago. Things can get pricey at Eataly but if you know how to do it can be less of a hit on your wallet.
Where: 43 East Ohio Street,312-521-8700.
Here are some tips:
Eataly has started offering pop-up restaurants:
Ristorante Toscano
Ristorante Toscano is Eataly’s pop-up restaurant inspired by the flavors of Toscana. Through a creative and traditional approach to regional cuisine, guests will be able to experience authentic Tuscan dishes and wines in their greatest form. Located on the second floor, Ristorante Toscano will serve lunch and dinner every weekend from April 7 to 30.
Tours
Eataly offers three tours. A free one, $10 and $45.
The Free tour is on Saturdays and Sundays at 10AM for 45 minutes. First come, first served. You can make reservations 1-2 weeks in advance if you have 4-16 guests.
The $10 tour is Monday-Friday 10AM for 60 minutes. First come, first served. You can make reservations 1-2 weeks in advance if you have 4-48 guests. This tour entitles you to a 10% discount for all purchases that day and a sample of cheese and bread. If you are doing some serious shopping this may pay off.
The $45 tour is on Monday-Friday at 10AM for 90 minutes. First come, first served. You can make reservations 1-2 weeks in advance if you have 4-48 guests. This tour entitles you to a 10% discount for all purchases that day and a samples from every counter including fruit and vege, cheese, fresh mozzarella, bread, salumi, pizza, fresh pasta, gelato and coffee.
Dining
All the menus are up on their site (and subject to change) so you may want to study them before you go because at lunch, nights and especially weekends the place is mobbed and you have to keep moving or you might get trampled.
- Monday-Friday Daily soup and panini special $14.
- On the first floor just to the right of the entrance are paninis (Il Panini) for around $9.
- Upstairs their pizzas are around $17 and easily serve two. You can take them to go now also.
- If you’re solo you can get a focaccia square at the bread counter/La Focacceria, all the way in the back of second floor, starting at $3.80.
- They offer a soup and panino combo $14. The panino’s are large enough for two meals.
- If you find yourself there on a Friday and you like meat head upstairs to La Rosticceria for an amazing and giant braised brisket meatball sandwich for $11. There’s a different meat sandwich everyday for $12 and up. They really serve two.
- If you dine in La Piazza, located in the center of the second floor, you can order meat, cheeses, fried items, fresh made mozzarella and raw fish and oyster plates. One or two plates is easily a meal. If you want variety it’s best to go with someone and share as this can add up quickly.
- You can get wine for around $9 a glass and beer for $6.50.
- L’Aperitivo (Happy Hour): At La Piazza M-Th 4:30-6:30PM Monday-$1.50 Oysters, Tueaday-50% off mozzarella classica, Wednesday-$9 arancini (any variety), Thursday-50% off large format wine list.
- If you are in La Piazza and there are no chairs because they take them out during Happy Hour you can request one and they will bring it out.
- Gilt offers. From time-to-time Eataly will offer discount prices for various events they are holding such as wine or food festivals. Subscribe to the Chicago on the Cheap newsletter because we post the good deals.
- Giro Pizza. If you’re a competitive eater, a linebacker or eat like one and have friends with similar appetites this deal may be for you. Giro Pizza is a game held on different days of each month (call for info.) at La Pizza & La Pasta. It’s a group pizza-eating challenge — Italian style.
In Italy, it is not uncommon to gather with friends in your local pizzeria for a friendly game of Giro Pizza, an endless cycle of pizza Napoletana. The catch? You can’t advance to the next round until you finish what’s on your table (read: eat all the pizza!).All day every Thursday in La Pizza & La Pasta, you can try this age-old Italian tradition for just $22 per person. View the Giro Pizza menu.Official rules for Giro Pizza:1. The whole table has to participate.
2. You can choose from eight pizzas and you get to choose the order in which they are served (they recommend starting light, with the Margherita, then adding more toppings as your challenge goes on!).
3. You must completely finish the pizza(s) on your table before your server orders the next round. The pizzaioli fire off a pizza in about 90 seconds flat, so happily, you won’t be pizza-less for long.
4. It’s not technically a rule, but they recommend pairing a glass of wine or craft beer with your Giro Pizza experience.You can reserve a table for parties of 6 to 12 guests.
Deals
Now through Sept. 30, 2016 beginning at 5 p.m. every Thursday, join Eataly for Fresh Pasta Frenzy in La Pizza & La Pasta. During these evenings, if you order the featured fresh pasta dish, you can enjoy 50% off any fresh pasta purchase at our counter on the second floor.
Enjoy a live pasta-making demonstration by Lorena, their handmade pasta expert. All night long, she will demonstrate how to make a specific shape of pasta (the shape of the week) and the chef will then transform Lorena’s freshly-made pasta into an all-new dish.
Shopping
- Shop the sales. They have several items on sale each week. Look at the table next to the elevators on the 2nd Floor.
Sale display 2nd floor
- Shop the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Here’s the 2015 sale deal.
- Shop the Annual Anniversary sale in January. This is when I stock up on imported tomatoes, pasta and whatever else they offer. Here’s the 2015 sale COTC posts that sale and all one day sales. During the anniversary sale the restaurant have great specials and wine deals so it’s a good time to dine-in.
- Subscribe to the Chicago on the Cheap newsletter because we post the good sales.
