First, a request to the mods: Can the spelling of Eataly be fixed (from “Eately”) in the title of this thread, please? I knew the thread existed, but had a hell of a time finding it.
To the main point: The magic time to visit Eataly-Pru is, as I found this weekend, 9:45 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday. (Don’t ask why I was there on successive weekend nights at that hour – I had my reasons.) There were no crowds. Many stations are closed at that hour, but do you really want rotisserie chicken at that time or a freshly-filled cannoli? (Actually, probably yes – but you’d be out of luck.)
What’s open then? The patisserie at the entrance, the bread section (about to close at 10), the meat and fish sections (also about to close), the cheese areas, the produce, the gelato bar, all the help-yourself shelves of jams and condiments and spreads, and cookies, and chocolates.
What’s closed then? The sandwich counter, and (as said) the cannoli counter and rotisserie (although, at the latter you can help yourself to freshly dumped mountains of roast potatoes and suchlike in garbage cans charmingly left out in full view) .
