TORONTO, ON - The magical land of Italian food known as Eataly is about to grace the foodie hub of Toronto for its debut in the Canadian market.

"Eataly Toronto will be spectacular. Firstly, the city of Toronto values high-quality food. And we do, too,” shared Eataly Founder Oscar Farinetti. “Secondly, this will be our first Canadian location, and with every first in a new market comes something full of excitement and adrenaline. Lastly, and above all, we are entering the market with people we fully trust and we share the same passions with. We can't wait to get to work and start this partnership!"

Planned for early 2019, the bustling marketplace filled with Italian-themed food stores and eateries will occupy 50,000-square-feet, and anchor the newly-renovated Manulife Centre in the heart of Toronto’s trendy Yorkville area.

Though it is an Italian company, Eataly has expanded in key metropolitan areas stateside since its introduction in 2010, having been popularized with the help of culinary giants like Mario Batali, Lidia and Joe Bastianich, and Adam and Alex Saper.

According to a press release, Eataly expects the new location to help continue to push the area as the ultimate destination for Toronto shoppers and food lovers.

Eataly is not a chain, it's a family, the company assures, with each location as distinct as the city and people who reside there.

Partnering with local experts, the Selfridges Group and Terroni Restaurants, for the Canadian location, the company announced that it plans to give the newest addition a distinctive look and experience for the Toronto crowd.

With the combined force of one of my favorite cities and my favorite places to stuff my face, there's no doubt this will be a winning combination.

Eataly