Eataly, the sprawling New York City food emporium launched in part by Mario Batali though he's no longer involved, is opening its first Bay Area location at Westfield Valley Fair.

The shopping center straddles Santa Clara and San Jose, and this Eataly will be a vast 51,000 square feet, including cafes, cheese and salumi counters, a caviar bar, Italian grocery store, and more. As the Chronicle reports, the food hall — only the second one in California — will make its debut in 2021.

Batali partnered with Lidia and Joe Bastianich to open the first Eataly in New York's Flatiron District in 2010, and the place was such an immediate hit than in 9 years the company has spawned 40 locations worldwide, including huge locations in Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and a second one in Manhattan.

The disgraced celebrity chef went on to face numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and lawsuits relating to his behavior, and in August of this year, Eataly formally cut ties with Batali. Chris Giglio, a spokesperson for Eataly USA, told the Associated Press at the time that the company's partners had bought out Batali's original "minority interest," and that he hadn't had any direct involvement with the business since December 2017.

Eataly Silicon Valley, as it will be called, is part of Westfield’s $1.1 billion overhaul of the Valley Fair mall, which will be complete by 2021.

Photo: Eataly Vegas