Mercato
“My mom got the Fettuccine Ai Funghi, which was very tasty, and my uncle got the Trenette Al Pesto Trapanese, also incredibly flavorful.”
“i had spinach and ricotta ravs with butter sage sauce, my customer had fettucine with a shaved truffle sauce – both were amazing.”
“The pasta was cooked al dente (AS
IT ALWAYS SHOULD BE), and the pork ragout was hot a delicious.”
Mercato
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I'm still at Mercato while writing this review because I'm waiting for someone to come roll me home. Can't. Move.
WOW this place is adorable. It's small, rustic and authentic. The gnocchi in ragu was flavorful but could have used a bit more liquid. The sauce was not very sauce-like. It was kinda dry but still really delicious so I can only image that it would have been 10x better. Appetizers came out almost immediately after we ordered but entrees took about 35 mins. I wish it could have been more evenly timed.
Overall, I would def come back to try another dish!
A solid Italian restaurant right by the port authority for those who are in a hurry to hop skip and jump to their next destination. Dont be fooled by the outside appearance of this gem of a place. From outside it looks like just run down chinese place which isnt well manicured. But once you step inside dont be surprised to see an area at the back of the restaurant which can easily accommodate about 20 people. The service is very quick and sincere. They have a namesake bar which seats about 4 people and a tiny little bar area. This place is more like where you would have a bottle of wine than a mixed drink. They have a pretty decent wine selection ranging from wines from eastern europe to western americas. Upon being seated you are served slices of bread and a mix of lentils and olive oil to dip the bread in and enjoy! I got their much raved about (atleast in other reviews) gnocci with beef and pork sauce. The plate was rather filling and sufficient enough for one person with a big appetite. To my liking I felt the gnocci to be a little on the chewier side. But other than that it was all good. I wanted to end my meal on a sweet note and ordered a house made tiramisu. It was perfect. Light mascarpone and heavily dusted with coco/coffee and light drizzle of chocolate syrup. I downed the whole cake and it did not overwhelm me with the taste neither did i feel bloated and heavy after the meal. Its a place worth trying and be prepared to wait if you are here during the peak meal times.
wow- lunch here with a customer today- homemade pasta, every pasta on their menu is homemade!! i had spinach and ricotta ravs with butter sage sauce, my customer had fettucine with a shaved truffle sauce – both were amazing. Wine list looked interesting, the wines by the glass were limited but the bottles were a good selection and priced right.
our server, blond woman with pretty accent, was unobtrusive and yet always there when we needed her. her backwaiter was always attentive to our waters, etc- service was above average.
fresh bread was served with a lentil/olive oil mixture- the olive oil was the real deal 🙂
homemade tiramisu for dessert with two capps – total bill $110 so a bit pricey for lunch but i'd be back here in ONE SECOND if i lived in NY – they deserve your business. Make a resy, the place is small but cosy and quiet . Great find off the beaten tourista path – yay!
I need to say my peace: I have never felt so rushed through a meal. After placing an order for 2 cocktails and 2 appetizers, our server was practically glued to our table asking us if we were ready to order our entrees every other minute or so. Off to a bumpy start.
Onto the good stuff!
Cocktails – we ordered the SIngapore Sling and Dark & Stormy. Both were excellent concoctions!
Apps – the burrata was a bit of a dinky portion, which was disappointing. Not as creamy as others I've had before. Served on top of bruschetta-like tomatoes which were good. Second app was the Salsiccia E Patate (italian sausages, garlic, roasted potatoes). Sausage links were VERY good. The remainder was just okay.
Entrees – ordered the homemade gnocchi in beef/pork ragu and the homemade cavatelli In wild boar ragu. Gnocchi (pasta itself) was very good and fresh. Sauce – a bit on the bland side and desperately needed salt. My bf succumbed and finally asked for salt after a few bites!
Cavatelli was fresh and al dente… Ragu was chunky and good. Not extremely flavorful but solid.
All in all, it was a good meal but nothing spectacular IMO. Nothing we had here left an imprint in my belly or in my memories. Not sure if I'd return when I have so many options in the area!
However, the plus side – prices are reasonable and ambiance is intimate.
Such a beautiful restaurant! This place would be great for a date night. My gnocchi was pillowy and light and the Ragu sauce was very flavorful. Topped it off with a decadent piece of ricotta cheesecake and left satisfied. I would return in a heartbeat!
If you're looking for a classy, intimate, and romantic date night spot, definitely keep Mercato on the list. Mercato has an extensive wine list, most of which I was embarrassed to say I have not heard of before, and an extensive selection of appetizers, pasta, and seafood. It's hard to not find something appealing here.
First, I absolutely LOVED the complimentary bread with lentils in olive oil. I love bread dipped in olive oil, but who knew that adding in lentils would provide so much for flavor?
We started with a sausage and roasted potatoes with olive oil appetizer to share, and I had the gnocchi with beef and pork ragu for my entree. The sausage tasted like slightly more roasted breakfast sausages, which you can never go wrong with, and the roasted potatoes with olive oil were a nice touch. I really enjoyed my gnocchi, thought it was the perfect balance between being tasty and chewy without making me feel overly full.
For dessert, I tried the semifreddo, which was tasty but didn't stand out very much compared to the rest of the meal.
Finally, make sure you make a reservation! The restaurant was completely packed with a line out the door on a Saturday night.
I was en route to see some friends in Philly and knew I would not have time to eat once I got there [and they would have already eaten] so with my knapsack and shopping bag containing gifts for their kids, I stopped in at Mercato. The front room is a little tight for someone with luggage so I don't think they were too happy to see me, but nonetheless, I was seated. A menu arrived and I ordered. Before my food arrived, they brought a small dish of olive oil with lentils and some Italian bread which was delicious. I ordered the Linguine ai frutta di mare [linguine with seafood] It was a substantial sized plate with mussels and shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce. It was great. I ordered a double cappuccino to round out the meal. It is good for groups and families but call if you have a large group. The waitstaff was pleasant and I would recommend and return.
Crowded, cheery and convivial would describe this Italian place with its tin ceiling and shelves displaying oils, products (I beleiive they sell) and Nonna's old good company China
Good crusty bread was served with olive oil with lentils which made for a unique and tasty combo!
My app of buratta on diced tomatoes was simple, fresh and tasty, it would have benefitted from just a little something however- maybe toasted breadcrumbs. I mean I can plop some burratta on some diced tomatos at home. I got out for just a little elevated experience from what i can get at home.
I had the homemade cavatelli with old boar rage. The sauce needed some spice though the definitely home made pasta was nicely toothsome. It was fine, again a our like a decent home chef could make.
I had the almond and pistachio semfreddo for dessert and it was fine but just a bit too cold.
All in all, a good meal, but not a great one. I've definitely had better food. I've made better food myself at home.
The waiter however was excellent and the whole staff paid attention to cleaning plates, wiping the table, refilling water and such quite handily.