To the uninitiated, a piazza is simply a square. But in the Italian psyche, the piazza is the city’s social club, playground, communal foyer, catwalk, and neighborhood parliament all in one. And today, the concept of the piazza is no longer confined to Mediterranean coordinates.
In New York City, Eataly has launched La Piazza, taking inspiration from its namesake to be a space for community. (Rather than a cathedral, however, the focal point here is a striking circular bar.) Under the motto “where everyone meets,” this modern iteration brings mozzarella-making, live music on Fridays, and the daily 3:00 PM uncorking of a magnum Prosecco bottle to the Flatiron district.
