Eataly is set to open a new Italian café on the Upper West Side on Friday, November 6, at 3 p.m., bringing espresso drinks, pastries and Roman-style pizza to a stretch of Broadway long associated with neighborhood coffee runs. The new Eataly Caffè will occupy 2252 Broadway at West 81st Street, marking the brand's fourth café location in New York City.
The spot is an Italian cafe owned by Eataly, the restaurant and marketplace brand, according to West Side Rag. Drawing inspiration from Italy's coffee bar culture, the concept emphasizes espresso drinks, freshly baked pastries, gelato and savory items like pizza alla pala, per Eataly's own description of the café. As WhatNow reports, the café is meant to serve both Upper West Side residents and people passing through, with grab-and-go meals alongside coffee made from Eataly's own 100% Arabica beans.
A Storied Storefront Gets a New Tenant
The space has history. Starbucks previously occupied the address before closing in October 2025, the same report notes, and the storefront was particularly well known for its appearance in the 1998 film You've Got Mail. The location also sits directly next to the Staples at 2248 Broadway, per the earlier West Side Rag report on the café's plans.
Eataly North America president Craig Kennedy framed the opening as a milestone for the company. “We are thrilled to bring our Eataly Caffè concept to an iconic corner of Broadway and West 81st Street,” Kennedy said, according to the station's report. Per WhatNow, Kennedy also said opening another Eataly concept in Manhattan is especially meaningful and that the company looks forward to welcoming the Upper West Side community in November.
What's on the Menu
The menu includes coffee, espresso, cappuccino, sweet and savory pastries, and Roman-style pizza, the same account notes. Other reported menu items include prosciutto e melone, Caesar salad, paninis, pasta, and chicken and salmon dishes, according to West Side Rag's earlier coverage of the café's plans. WhatNow also reports seasonal options such as maple cappuccinos, specialty hot chocolates and caramelized apple bomboloni, Italian filled doughnuts.
Eataly Caffè also offers catering for breakfasts and aperitivo gatherings, per Eataly. For comparison, the chain's Hudson Yards café serves coffee made with 100% Arabica beans, fresh panini, housemade gelato, Italian wines, cocktails and ready-to-eat meals from morning to night, according to Hudson Yards New York.
Opening Weekend Freebies
Eataly plans to celebrate with special offers throughout opening weekend, WhatNow reports. The first 100 guests in line on opening day will receive gifts, while complimentary mini hot chocolates and fall-inspired flower bouquets will be available Saturday and Sunday starting at 11 a.m. while supplies last, per the same account.
Part of a Bigger NYC Push
This will be Eataly Caffè's fourth New York City outpost, following locations at Rockefeller Center, Hudson Yards and Lexington Avenue, according to We the Italians. The Upper East Side café on Lexington Avenue, which opened at 1122 Lexington Avenue near East 78th Street in December 2025, followed summer 2025 debuts at Rockefeller Center and Hudson Yards, as reported by Time Out New York. That Lexington Avenue location, described as Eataly's 20th North American location and one of more than 60 worldwide, occupies 3,900 square feet and seats 43 people, per the same outlet.
Eataly already counts six locations in Manhattan, including SoHo, Hudson Yards and the Upper East Side, according to West Side Rag's earlier report. Nationally, the brand has operated in the U.S. since establishing its North American presence in New York City 16 years before the opening, per WhatNow, and now employs more than 5,000 people across 69 locations in 16 countries, including the United States, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The Upper West Side café opening also lands amid a flurry of other neighborhood retail changes. Adobo Mexican Grill at 2675 Broadway rebranded as Taco Tek on October 1, and signage has gone up at 33 West End Avenue for what would be Dunkin's tenth Upper West Side location, according to West Side Rag's October roundup of openings and closings.
