The 5 best things we ate at Eataly’s 1st N.J. location. Inside the popular Italian marketplace.

Eataly , the expansive Italian marketplace with two popular New York locations, opened its doors in New Jersey Wednesday, launching a new spot at Short Hills Mall.

Not only will customers be able to shop among the aisles of breads, cheeses, and pasta, they'll also be able to dine in the 230-seat restaurant and bar, Eataly Ristorante. There are now more than 50 Eataly locations worldwide.

Kicking off the first of 10 days of special events, Eataly held a grand opening. It welcomed a small group to peek inside its new 17,000-square-foot space and try some of the Italian cuisine and wines.

Here are the five best things we ate during the opening:

With many food options at your fingertips, sometimes you have to start with the desserts. The gelato station at Short Hills offers more than 20 flavors, and I tried the Raspberry. It was not as tart as expected. It was so flavorful and not as sweet. Rumor has it the passionfruit flavor is also superb. Since I only had one sample, I will have to go back soon!

With the 24-month parmigiano cheese, we watched a clerk cut it right before us. The portions I received were big chunks, easy to pair with crackers or your favorite charcuterie. It was everything you want from your parm: potent, salty, a bit sweet. This is one of the many aged cheeses they sell in-store

Out of all the samples of pizza alla pala (oval shaped flatbreads served on a paddle), the soppressata style was by far my favorite. The combination of the flavorful soppressata with a tiny kick and the chewiness of the dough brought it home for me. Whole pies and slices will be available to purchase.

The best dessert was the tiramisu, which might make you want to buy a tub of it. Our sample sizes offered an excellent mixture of cocoa powder and ladyfingers. The coffee taste is strong, doesn't overwhelm the sweetness. There was just the right amount of sugar.

It may seem like cacio e pepe is a simple pasta dish, but it's a collision of flavor done right. I appreciated the richness of the cheese combined with the black pepper, where each ingredient's boldness complemented one another. Expect to see this on the Eataly restaurant menu.

Related coverage:

A legendary N.J. pizza maker just announced his next pop-up. Here are the details.

Beloved N.J. Italian deli and bakery to close after nearly 50 years

New Jersey's 37 best Italian delis, ranked for 2024