• Eataly

  200 Fifth Ave., at 23rd St. 212-229-2560

  The crowds haven’t thinned since the doors opened, and no wonder: There’s no place more fun to browse, shop, eat, and drink—all at the same time, preferably. So circumnavigate the gawking tourists and make a beeline for the fresh-pasta counter, the bakery with its glistening, puffy focaccia (starting at $1.80 a giant slice, the best bargain in the house), and the gelateria, where organic New York milk is transformed into creamy flavors like pistachio and fior di latte. Stop for a nibble at Dave Pasternack’s crudo bar, or the bruschetta of the day at Le Verdure, the “vegetable restaurant.” Locals can treat the place as their neighborhood pizzeria or their cheese store (you can’t go wrong with burrata or a choice wedge cut from a massive wheel of Parm). And when the out-of-towners come clamoring for a visit—and you know they will—splurge on a meal at Manzo, Eataly’s nose-to-tail carnivore extravaganza.

  See Also: Mario Batali on Eataly

From the 2011 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine