I LOVE Eataly. There, I said it.

Sure, it’s overcrowded and a tad pretentious. But Lydia Bastianich's (and partners') Italian food hall, which is split between half-a-dozen restaurants and shops selling all sorts of comestibles, is a game changer. Not only has it raised the level of what locals expect when they shop (there’s a vegetable butcher who will prep your greens for free, and row upon row of imported dried pastas in every shape imaginable!), but it has also introduced the city to a broader range of Italian food. One restaurant is all vegetarian, for example, and the rooftop is an Italian beer garden. Come to eat, come to shop, but just come. I guarantee you’ll enjoy the bustle and foodie frenzy of Eataly.