Will Eataly take a bite out of other Italian restaurants’ business?
You might not expect chef Pino Spatola to celebrate the arrival of Eataly, the Italian culinary juggernaut, in the Bay Area.
After all, his own restaurant, Paesano, is just five miles away in San Jose’s Little Italy.
But there he was on Eataly’s opening day at Valley Fair, sipping wine and sampling focaccia and handmade pasta — and heralding this emporium filled with restaurants, takeout counters and a huge marketplace.
“It’s great to promote the whole culture, for people to learn about our high-quality food,” Spatola said, noting that Eataly’s emphasis will help reinforce the fact that Italian fare is much more than “meatballs and sausage.”
Will others also see Eataly as a cultural win rather than a competitive threat? That question has been raised in recent days as customers from Northern California flock to the Santa Clara mall and brave waits as long as 90 minutes for their first tastes from this foodie phenomenon. The three-story hall combines the pride of Italy — Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, Aceto Balsamico di Modena, San Marzano tomatoes — with fresh California produce, dairy and seafood.
East Bay and Peninsula chef-restaurateur Donato Scotti sees Eataly as a “huge asset,” likening the evolution of Italian cuisine to technology: “Just like your TV, your phone, your car — they all evolve, they all get better.”
Scotti operates Donato & Co. in Berkeley, Donato Enoteca and Cru wine bar in Redwood City and an online shop that sells the type of imported, upscale products found at Eataly. But he figures that “what you gain in customer knowledge is greater than what you might lose” in sales.
Dana Zuccarello, president of the South Bay’s Italian American Heritage Foundation, whose members have strongly supported locally owned restaurants, is of two minds about Eataly.
“I’m glad they’re there. Look how many jobs they’ve provided,” she said. Yet, she wonders: “How is this going to impact the mom-and-pop restaurants? Is everyone going to flock to Eataly because it’s the new thing or will they remain true to the mom-and-pop restaurants they frequent?”
That applies to customers of local markets too, she said. “Will they still go to Zanotto’s or Lunardi’s?” Or will they buy more of their Italian-themed groceries at the mall to get “the whole Eataly experience”?
The IAHF members have turned their love of locally owned South Bay restaurants into a tradition. For years, the group has hosted “cena fuori” (dinner out) events, with 30 to 40 members gathering to have dinner and socialize at a different restaurant, deli, bakery or grocery each month.
Ken Borelli, the group vice president who curates the dinners, estimates they’ve supported 50 businesses. He doesn’t see Eataly being competition for those local mom-and-pops and delis “because it’s more ‘haute cuisine’ ” — and he does expect to hold a cena at Eataly in the near future.
Local business owner Al Vallorz agrees. Vallorz, who operates Tony & Alba’s Pizza & Pasta in San Jose with his wife, Diana, believes there’s room for both Eataly and his style of eatery.
“We are an old-school restaurant. As owners we know our customers, their family, their history, what they like to eat, what team they support,” he said. “We feel that the circle is starting to come around for the respect of the family restaurants where you feel like a paesano.”
Like Spatola, the founders of that Little Italy heritage district, who originally hoped to lure Eataly to their Julian Street neighborhood, are excited that Eataly found a home nearby.
“It’s an explosion of Italian culture. This is a good thing,” said Joshua DeVincenzi Melander, who has already been talking with Eataly executives about an ongoing relationship, especially when the Little Italy Cultural Center and Museum opens in 2023. He believes the center could be used as a secondary space for Eataly’s classes and seminars.
‘”We’re telling them, ‘Hey, you can use Little Italy as an outlet for Eataly. We’re accessible. We’re in a prime spot.’ “
Eataly executives say they are eager to work with these communities.
Dino Borri, global VP for Eataly, says wherever they go, they get in touch with two groups of Italians — the immigrants and ex-pats like him who arrived in the United States in, say, the last 10 to 15 years, as well as the second- and third-generation Italians with deep roots in the local community.
Collaborations in other cities have ranged from hosting in-store tours for groups to promoting Italian festivals via Eataly. Once they get the Silicon Valley emporium fully operational, he said, they’ll be happy to entertain suggestions here.
“We are Italian,” Borri said. “We are here to work together.”
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