When Eataly finally came to Dallas last December, it was a big deal. Literally. The Italian supermarket clocks in at 46,000 square feet, three floors, and endless points of pasta contact. There is so much packed into the NorthPark store—four cafes and restaurants, a roundabout of counters with fresh and cured goods alike, did we mention the sheer volume of pasta?—that we published this brief yet handy guide to Eataly Dallas. So for a space this large, Eataly’s official opening party has to be a big bash, too.
And nearly a year after its arrival, that sizable soiree will be November 12. The shop will close early at 3 p.m. and the whole place will be essentially transformed into a food festival with 30 tasting stations from hand-pulled mozzarella to freshly shucked oysters to pasta chef demos. Pizza? Ma certo. There will be both wood-fired Neapolitan pie as well as Roman-style pizza alla pala, which is to say thick and crusty and topped with things such as prosciutto and big rounds of mozzarella. Speaking of formaggio, of which there will be a bounty along with cured meats, seek out the pasta prepared inside a huge wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Outside, the parking lot will turn into a full-on cookout. A huge grill will sling arrosticini (lamb skewers, a dish hailing from the Abruzzo region), porceddu (a whole-roasted pig Sardegna style), and other flame-licked eats.
To drink, of course expect plenty of wine pours (over 100 regional Italian samples). An Aperol Spritz bar will also be parked outside, alongside cooking demonstrations and live music. Finish everything off the Italian way: with a bit of tiramisu, gelato, espresso, or hand-filled Sicilian cannoli.
Tickets are $99 for general admission (doors at 7 p.m.), $149 for VIP (early entry at 6 p.m.), and they go on sale on Tuesday, October 12. Here’s the ticket and event page link. Masks for attendees are strongly encouraged (all staff will be masked up); there will be social distancing guidelines as well. Eataly Dallas, 8687 N. Central Expressway.
