Absolute Best Italian Goodies To Be Found At Eataly

Close your eyes and imagine stepping out your front door, but instead of opening your eyes to your usual traffic-laden city roads and concrete sidewalks, you are met with the sun-drenched cobblestones of Florence, leading right into your favorite Tuscan grocery. And that, my friends, is the magic of Eataly. One minute you are wading through throngs of people crowding a hectic metro, then you cross into this fabulous gourmet store that instantly transports you straight to Italy. Rather than relying on a passport or transatlantic flight, all you need is a shopping basket and a keen appetite.

Every Eataly shelf will surely amaze you, filled with an astounding array of authentic Italian treasures that promise to bring the authentic taste of the Boot straight to your own cucina. Housed here are onsite eateries, various counters filled with freshly made delights, and grocery aisles with edible gems just begging to be brought home. 

And while Eataly partner Lidia Bastianich has shared her picks for best store-bought pasta, and focaccia is a freshly-made item that sends fans into a frenzy (even once making an appearance as best bread in our fantasy food draft), we are checking in with customer opinions here to look closer at the products on Eataly's grocery shelves. These are the absolute best Italian goodies customers track down each Eataly visit.

For many, heading to Eataly for Venchi Chocoviar pistachio is a highly anticipated experience. For these folks, biting into one is more than a chocolate-pistachio bomb of bliss. It's actually the closest thing they can get to the most iconic taste of Torino, Italy – apart from jumping on an actual plane, of course.

The Venchi brand is a legend in Torino because that's where young Italian Silviano Venchi first created it in the 1800s. When it comes to the Venchi Chocoviar pistachio, you'll find a filling of pistachio and Piedmont hazelnuts, all covered by Venchi's trademark dark chocolate and toffee crumbs. Think tiny dark chocolate orbs that bring texture and crunch, making the entire bite sing. It's also available in bar form.

Eataly tasters also sing (its praises, that is), posting mouthwatering videos showcasing up-close visions of this treasure being split in half to reveal all the pistachio-chocolate magic awaiting inside. Others point to Venchi as the most elite chocolate, with some even assuring viewers this chocolate-pistachio find is the can't-miss Venchi flavor when visiting Eataly (one even claimed the pistachio-flavored Venchi Chocoviar is among their top three Eataly faves, period). Fans even speak of first discovering Venchi while vacationing in Italy, and being elated to find them closer to home in the grocery aisles of Eataly.

We've just highlighted an Eataly confection nodding to Torino, and the next sweet treat promises shoppers a taste of Turin. We're talking about Pastiglie Leone pastilles, which were actually created by Luigi Leone in the town of Alba, but were apparently so beloved by the royal family of the House of Savoy that production was moved entirely to nearby Turin.

Popping one of these Italian candies is about the easiest, tastiest way to instantly bring a delicious touch of Italy's elegance (maybe even a sweet tinge of dreaminess?) into your everyday. Much of the romance may lie in how these pastilles are made, because talk about old-school magic — Pastiglie Leone are said to be prepared with traditional bronze molds. Available in an array of flavors (anise, mint, violet, and more), Eataly shoppers are lowkey obsessed with the easily recognizable, pretty-as-a-picture, gold-adorned paper boxes.

Shoppers love them so much that they've been known to scour the internet, searching for where to find them. Thankfully, Eataly provides a convenient end to their passionate search. Customers also recommend Pastiglie Leone to anyone looking for sweets to remind Italian relatives of the tried-and-true confections from their homeland. In fact, even actual Italians consider this brand a must-try in order to get an authentic (and delicious) taste of true Italia.

Ever wonder about that delicious ingredient that looks like green, gooey filling, oozing out of those Dubai Chocolate bars? That's pistachio spread (sometimes called pistachio cream), and its best uses are near limitless, going way beyond Dubai chocolate. And if you're on the hunt for the primo pistachio spread, Eataly shoppers say you should look no further than Scyavuru Pistachio Crema. In fact, if you heard these same folks wax eloquent about their favorite Eataly pistachio spread find, you'd quite possibly assume that just one spoonful, slathered on your morning bread or even eaten on its own, wields magic enough to take you straight to the sun-strewn fields of Sicily.

That's because way before pistachio spread soared to epic heights of popularity and was seen splashed across social media as far as the eye can see, the decadent cream concoction was a favorite specific to Southern Italy. And while there are indeed other brands hawking pistachio spreads, the jar of Scyavuru's iteration – made in Ribera, Sicily – is the one to take home from Eataly, according to shoppers.

Its velvety creaminess is appreciated, with one purchaser even dropping the L-word into a rave review. Another purchaser mentioned (gratefully) how Eataly's Scyavuru pistachio spread version can even match the mouthwatering green goo they've previously trekked all the way to Italy to enjoy (high praise indeed). Fans claim that it's easily spreadable and extremely versatile, making it a real prize of your Italian grocery haul.

Break into a bag of Mulino Bianco cookies, and you're basically biting into one of Italy's most mouthwatering treats. When Americans think of cookies, a dessert or a midday sweet treat is often the first idea that comes to mind. But these bite-sized beauties are often the mainstay biscuits of the daily morning meal (la colazione italiana) in Italy. That's partly thanks to a little enchanting thing called inzuppare, which is basically just cookie dunking. As sacred as the American equivalent of Oreos dunked in milk, Mulino Bianco is the ideal pick to take on both piping hot espresso or warm milk, without instantly falling to bits.

Speaking of sacredness, Eataly regulars treat the cookies with similar reverence, with the Baiocchi iteration reigning supreme. Customers hail these hazelnut and cocoa cream-filled sandwich cookies as tops for their morning dunk, while guests also consider the Galletti version ideal for pairing with espresso or milk.

Fans who love the cookies have hailed Eataly as the go-to spot to pick up Mulino Bianco in the U.S. For some, a stroll down the aisles at Eataly brings back fond recollections of childhood, enjoying the very same biscuits and flavors many moons ago, an ocean away. The verdict? This Eataly pick allows both Italians and non-Italians alike to indulge in a bona fide la colazione italiana on a daily basis.

Mutti is an iconic, homegrown Italian brand, celebrated for its high-quality tomato lineup with top-shelf taste. The brand got its start in Parma during the late 1890s. Its claim to fame (it's now among Italy's most renowned names) is its use of 100% Italian tomato products.

Among Eataly shoppers, Mutti is also one of the names that comes up repeatedly. In a Reddit discussion asking what to buy at Eataly, folks specifically recommended stocking up on Mutti products, with the passata and the tomato paste in the signature aluminum tube receiving special mentions. Cooking enthusiasts swear by the Mutti name, assuring followers that the brand is the choice for those seeking the most authentically Italian-tasting meals.

Even professional chefs with expertise in all things tomato paste have taken note, pointing to Mutti's rendition as the best of the best. Luckily, Eataly carries plenty of Mutti products among the Italian treasures lining its grocery aisle shelves (and customers reach for them every time).

There are strong opinions floating around regarding how (and why) European potato chips are better than American ones. And when tearing into a bag of San Carlo potato chips from Eataly? Chances are, you'd find nary a dissenter to that argument crowning European chips as elite. In fact, San Carlo potato chips are among the top Italian picks available at Eataly that come highly recommended by shoppers.

Based on the high praise these crisps receive, one could almost believe a single chomp would place you in the middle of the most fabulous piazza in Rome. The perfect sidekick to any Italian aperitivo, potato chips are taken seriously in Italy, and San Carlo is a brand that means business. This explains why finding the brand at Eataly sends such thrills down shoppers' spines. San Carlo, which began in the 1930s in an unassuming Milan rotisserie, has earned fans by standing apart from the average, run-of-the-mill chips, which have sadly been known to leave fingers greasy, stomachs less than satisfied, and shoppers far from impressed.

San Carlo is also special thanks to its distinctly Mediterranean flair of flavors (think savory selections like pesto, paprika, and more). Shoppers have heaped abundant praise upon the chips — particularly the porchetta flavor, which fans claim tastes just like pork.

Close your eyes and imagine traipsing through the fairytale forests of Italy's Umbria region, your hound (or hog?!) stopping periodically to frantically scratch or squeal at the moist, rich earth. Lying just below the surface are some of the most delicious truffles known to man. Now, awaken from this Italian dream and head down to Eataly, where, according to shoppers, you can get your truffle fix.

Eataly has long been lauded for its Urbani truffle offerings in general. In Reddit discussions about what to buy at Eataly, customers point inquirers straight toward the Urbani section for what they describe as "real truffle oil" as opposed to a truffle-flavored product. Others note that the high-end luxury grocer is one of the few places where you can actually find fresh seasonal truffles (thanks to Urbani), sometimes even on sale.

The devotion to the brand in Italy is no mystery, as the Urbani name has a storied history. The family behind it has sourced and sold Italian truffles for generations, branching out from fresh truffles to include myriad products — from truffle oils and salts to truffle sauces and nuts. So, whether you're seeking fresh truffles or truffle-centric products, Urbani is among the brands that earns enthusiastic recommendations from Eataly customers who have already shopped (and savored selections from) the aisles.

Risotto is an Italian staple, so you could say the stakes are high when it comes to choosing the exact right rice to make your meal magical enough to pass muster. And according to experts and home chefs alike, there is one clear winner when it comes to the ideal rice for risotto. The name of this perfect pick? Acquerello carnaroli rice.

Fans agree that there is just something about tucking one of these lovely, vacuum-sealed tins into your shopping cart, knowing you are about to get home and prepare a masterpiece. Brought to life by the Rondolino family in Italy's Piedmont region, the unique cultivation of the product is what really gives it pizazz. Apparently, the process is that raw carnaroli rice is aged for one to eight years in temperature-controlled silos before milling even begins (talk about patience!).

Supposedly, this lengthy aging process stabilizes the starches, so each grain absorbs more flavor and becomes less water-soluble. This is said to help avoid the nasty pitfall of your meal becoming a mushy mess, while still taking on the fabulous flavors you're cooking with. And while we may not "get" the exact engineering mechanics behind this rice magic, it seems foodies are at least aware that Acquerello carnoroli rice is where it's at.

While wheeling your cart around Eataly, you may not think to make a beeline for the canned fish. But according to Eataly regulars, passing by one specific item in the seafood aisle is a huge mistake. We're talking about Callipo tuna, and while Americans may not consider once-swimming fish now housed in cans a classic choice, in Italy, tonno sott'olio (tuna in oil) is treated with respect.

For many, Callipo is the king of tuna brands. And sure, if your only exposure has been getting a taste of water-logged, mushy tuna lurking in aluminum prisons parked in standard grocery stores, who could blame you for turning up your nose and turning down the chance at nabbing a can of Callipo? But that would be a shame, as, according to shoppers, the tuna is as flavorful as it is versatile. 

A Calabrian sensation since the early 1900s, Callipo uses only yellowfin, which is steamed before being cleaned, trimmed, and hand-packed into containers with olive oil (plus a smidge of salt) and aged. It's this unrushed aging ritual that enhances the flavor, creating the Eataly staple that tops so many shoppers' wishlists.

Among the most frequently recommended sweet treats at Eataly are Loacker Quadratini wafers. Time and again, Eataly shoppers single these wafers out as a must-buy, with Quadratini consumers describing the bite-size cookies as a pantry mainstay that's easy to toss into your basket (but difficult to stop eating).

Social media is filled with people reminiscing about growing up with these wafers, describing them a childhood fixture that instantly brings back fond memories. Among the many flavors available at Eataly is the lemon, which receives especially enthusiastic praise. These pack a creamy lemon-flavored filling between thin layers of wafer, making for a convenient mid-afternoon sweet treat.

Other hot flavor picks, including tiramisu, continue to draw fans looking for a sweet snack or something perfect to pair with coffee. Their popularity hasn't gone unnoticed by Eataly itself. The retailer has hosted events celebrating these Loacker products, and used the cookie brand in its tiramisu recipe.

For some Eataly shoppers, there's something extra special  about picking up a jar of Fabbri Amarena cherries. They're a far cry from the sickly sweet, eye-poppingly bright maraschino cherries parading about (you've surely seen them lurking about atop sundaes and Shirley Temple sodas, to name a few of their offenses). In contrast, Fabbri Amarena cherries are dark, wild, and sour.

These cherries are synonymous with quality, having been preserved by the Fabbri family in decadent syrup using the same super-secret recipe since the beginning of the century (1915, to be precise). Rather than overly saccharine sweetness, these Italian cherries have a more subtle tartness. Shoppers claim that a jar of these cherries elevates pretty much anything, and customers can be found incorporating them in wildly imaginative ways.

Some shoppers use these Italian Amarena treasures to put their own special twist on dishes that typically use the aforementioned maraschino cherries, which many consider the best ice cream toppings. But people can (and love to) use them on pretty much everything, which means you could use them as a cocktail garnish or get even more creative, such as by sprinkling them on a morning yogurt bowl or placing them in focaccia for an epically salty-sweet, hearth-baked treat.

To curate this list of can't-miss Eataly items, we beelined directly to the real experts on the topic: actual Eataly customers and product consumers. Following an extensive digital deep dive, during which we tracked down real shopper commentary — spanning everything from Reddit threads to dedicated grocery forums, TikTok, and beyond — we compiled this collection of exactly what regular patrons recommend (usually on repeat). So, consider this your customer-led treasure map for finding the choicest treasures while tackling your next Eataly shopping adventure.