By Jenny Xia

I happened to visit Steph on a rainy weekend. Outside, the streets were drenched with rain. Inside, Eataly buzzed with the voices of customers and the clanging of pots and pans from its many small kitchens.

For those who haven’t been, Eataly is a food emporium that carries specialty Italian foods and hosts a wide array of vendors. At Eataly, you can find vendors selling hot foods ranging from pizza to more upscale Italian entrées.

We chose to have dinner at a booth specializing in pizza and pasta. I had the pistachio ricotta ravioli and still dream about it every now and then (really, it’s that good). The fresh pasta is the highlight of the dish though the pistachio and lemony ricotta pairing makes it truly distinctive.

If you visit Eataly (there’s also one in NYC), make sure you check out the dessert stations. Nutella crepes, Lavazza’s expresso in addition to crafted chocolates and gelatos are conveniently stationed within a few steps from each other. If it makes you feel better, know that you can also browse the grocery store after stuffing your belly with gelato (which is what we did).

I’ve recently moved to DC and have heard rumors that Eataly may be coming to the Capital. Eataly, please come to DC – for what it’s worth, you’ll have at least one devoted customer who’ll come eat whatever pasta you have a little too often.

Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/eataly-chicago-chicago

Eataly Website: http://www.eataly.com/chicago-restaurants/

Steph’s comment: Check out The Berkshire Room half a block away after enjoying Eataly