Mercatto

Highly recommend this restaurant. We liked it so much we went back the next day. Staff is amazing and the food is even better. Pizza is amazing and so is the beet salad — both are perfect for sharing.

Fantastic lunch! Excellent food and service. A real gem in the financial district! I sat at the bar and the service was great. Nice people. The octopus appetizer was great! Highly recommend this place!!!

Food was just OK to me. I ordered the Arctic char and while it tasted alright and the presentation was nice, it also seem to have been drowned in oil and butter. Portions were quite small, and the environment was sort of meh as well. We were seated near the door and I could definitely feel the freezing draft every time someone entered or left. The waitress came to check up on us once during the meal but didn’t offer any other service (recommendations, refills, etc.). Probably would not come here again — not worth the price tag.

Really classy décor inside, not too loud can talk to like 10 people, the service was good, and the food really good! The carbonara was awesome because the pancetta was a bit seared so each bite was divine, got their cocktail pink drink that’s not too sweet not too bitter it was just right and good another girl at my table tried mine and ordered one herself, and the connolo dessert was a very nice flavour and again not too sweet it was smooth. Definitely recommend!

We had the grilled calamari and the carbonara. They taste pretty good but the portion is a bit on the smaller side of things. The place itself is good with candle lights for added ambiance, service was good too with attentive servers constantly ensuring that your glass is always filled with water.

WHERE IS THE DARN ENTRANCE?!
Came here with a group to celebrate a friend’s birthday and was seated upstairs which was nice and lonely. Nothing really appealed to me because they seemed like common Italian dishes with inflated prices. I ended up ordering the orecchiette pugliese (with fennel sausage, rapini and peperoncini; $ 16.95). The portion was small, pasta a bit too oily and the rapini bitterness was overwhelming. Wasn’t too impressed. Friend got a tiramisu and I had a bite, way too much mascarpone… where were the lady fingers! Pick me up? Put me down!
A the start of the meal, they give you these packaged bread sticks in vases which taste like nothing, with a balsamic vinegar + olive oil dip but it is quite impossible to get any of the vinegar which is trapped below the olive oil. The menu also has fine print saying there is complimentary bread upon request which I thought was the oddest thing and since I love bread, I asked for it! Anddd sadly, it wasn’t that great.
At the end of the dinner, none of us found our meals very good… we all went to buy food afterwards, yikes. There was also a 18% gratuity which was extremely steep, especially since we got very little service.
One positive point is that the décor is quite nice inside.

My partner and I visited Mercatto on a Thursday night at 8pm for dinner. It was completely dead, only a few other tables were occupied, which is always a worrying sign. I knew that the reviews said it was great for lunch though, so we decided to eat anyways.
The food was great, I had the pappardelle duck ragu, it was a nice red sauce with a lot of meat, good size, not a massive serving but definitely filling, my boyfriend enjoyed the margherita pizza, saying that the cheese was very good.
We also each had a cocktail, nothing fancy but nice, and dessert, they are quite big and rich for dessert, so we should have shared, I had the budino and he had the tiramisu and a dessert wine, everything tasted very good. It was just over $ 90 all together without tip.
Service was also great, but they were definitely not busy so that was to be expected.
Definitely heading there again!

Came here on a weeknight with a group of 6.
Pros:
— easy resos and accommodating for last minute +1
— good atmosphere, good music and romantic lighting
— service was good — no attitude/​issues when asked to split bills.
Cons:
— Nothing special about the cocktails — i wasn’t a big fan. Mojito was a little weird (no mint leaves and not too much flavor. and Ceaser was totally average.
— Entrees were okay. I had the saffron risotto. It was a «seafood» risotto but my clams/​mussels were all dried up and were paper thin mush.
— Tried the chocolate «cake» — was more like a chocolate brownie. super dense and super sweet.
Perhaps I made poor decisions when picking off the menu but overall not impressed and probably won’t return. Food was good but would probably spend the money at another resto downtown.

I’ve seen several versions of this restaurant around Toronto, but haven’t been to one until today. Located in the Financial District, you’ll be dining with swanky bankers, business men/​women with briefcases, and really good looking people dressed in really good looking suits. It was pretty packed for lunch, so be sure to make a reservation.
I’ve gone today with a friend for a lunch date as it was nearby and didn’t look too shabby. Actually that was one of the best traits of the place.
DIAVOLA: spicy sopressata, fior di latte, san marzano /​17
Actually really good pizza. I don’t doubt it’s antipasti, but in my opinion, the pizza had a lot of flavour and sauce that sticks to your face but it just tastes so good (warning for dates!!). It was also actually spicy, and I’m the type of person that chugs away at least a half of a Tabasco bottle for a meal (Nando’s is one of my favourite places). *Almost* as good as Pizzeria Libretto for roughly the same price and in downtown Toronto.
TORTIGLIONI: crispy pork belly, red onion, capers, tomato /​16
Not too much of a pasta fan, but it’s decent here. Good meat to pasta proportions. However a bit on the salty and dry side for both the pasta and the pork. It was more «scratchy» than crispy, but it was okay.
I guess the only issue I had with this place was the service. Our waters weren’t even filled within the first half an hour and we were sitting NEXT to the water post! The servers also took a while to finally notice us to take our orders. I understand that it is a bit busy, especially at lunch time, but it would be nice to be acknowledged that someone would be coming our way. The servers weren’t necessarily rude, but a smile here and there wouldn’t of hurt anybody.
Overall, decent place. But I probably wouldn’t try another one of the chain, considering there are so many other options.

This is a really nice place situated in the heart of the Toronto financial district. It is packed with bankers and tourists alike which makes it an interesting place to be in. Make reservations as there is a risk of not finding a spot during lunch.
I went with my buddy during our lunch break and were thoroughly impressed. Great service, very attentive and knowledgeable. I had the Agnello pizza which was incredible — nicely done, decent portion to get full but not sick full (perfect for lunch). My friend had the pasta (forgot which one) but loved it. And he is a relatively picky eater.
Prices are actually not bad for the location, but still on the larger side. The place is still a bit on the crowded side (small tables which makes it difficult to maneuver) but it is a great recommendation and will gladly return.

Mercatto is a fairly generic Italian restaurant chain. This outpost in the Financial District is just right for bankers and tourists alike, especially for lunch.
The menu has all the options you would expect – antipasti, pizza, pasta, etc. Did I say pizza?!! Look no further in the menu! 8 – 10 kinds! The margherita, zucca (with butternut squash and spinach), siciliano and diavola to name a few. I have tried the margherita and zucca. All pizzas here are thin crust (not super thin though). The bread is excellent, the sauce less so. And they use great cheese. I can finish their pizza in about 10 – 15 minutes but can likely not have anything else on the menu. An honorable mention also for their friendly service with a smile.
Go to Mercatto. Ignore everything but the pizzas. Rinse and repeat. Your tubby self will thank me for the advice.

This was my first experience eating at Mercatto. I noticed immediately that the service was exceptional! From the hostess to our waiter, the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable.
For lunch my friend and I enjoyed the following dishes; Antipasti Grande, Diavola and the Costatine.
The Antipasti Grande is an antipastos dish with a variety of cheeses and meats. The waiter was well versed with the items on the plate and the time between ordering and receiving the dish was prompt. The dish was delicious but pricey at $ 26.
The Diavola is a spicy meat pizza. Unfortunately the pizza was lukewarm and lacked in flavor. The price of the pizza was $ 17 and I expected a much more favorable pizza for this price.
Lastly we had the Costantine which is a pasta dish with beef. The dish was enjoyable but was a bit heavy on the salt and to light on the quantity. For $ 10-​$ 15, I would give this a four or five star but not for $ 26. On a positive note, the service was exceptional as our server did split the portion into two smaller dishes for my friend and I to enjoy.
If I could give Mercatto a 3−½ star I would and if the prices were more reasonable I would definitely give them a 4 star, but unfortunately they have to settle with a 3 star.
Service is always important but it is the food that makes me come back for more :)

Style pseudo-​italien chic pour travailleurs du secteur financier de Toronto: agréable, menu varié, très bon service mais bruyant et pas forcément le plus confortable. C’est pratique essentiellement.

I have been to both the mercatto in the Eatons center, and this mercatto as well. I prefer this one, it is a bit smaller and doesn’t have the same mall crowd as the Eatons center location.
I really enjoyed my dinner here, from the awesome charcuterie board, to the tasty pizza, yummy cappuchinos and a GREAT bottle of wine.
I really noticed the quality of ingredients used in the food at mercatto, which is one thing they really seem to understand. If you want a reasonable priced lunch/​dinner, give mercatto a try and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

So here is my second review of Mercatto. I was disappointed the first time and sad to say, was disappointed yet again.
After promises from friends that it has changed, it is exactly the same.
I brought a visiting physician friend from Calgary. We just missed the lunch rush which was great as we had a lot of catching up to do. I ordered one of 5 salads posted and was told by our server that it was no longer available. After asking for my second choice, that too was sold out. When asked what was available I was advised that they could make me a mismash of items that are left. What did I get? Honestly, literally a can of opened chickpeas, a few pieces of brocolli and some kidney beans. No dressing was offered, no flavouring, etc.
My friends pizza was just okay. Lacked any flavour. It was just a tomato pizza with no depth.
Mercatto, you have dupped me for the last time. Honestly, venutre 1 or 2 blocks in either direction and you can find far more better fare.

I went here for my friends birthday recently and have to say, I was totally underwhelmed! The place itself is visually attractive which is probably where it scores most of it’s points. The music was off for a while and it was much nicer and not as loud as when the music was on. We could actually talk to each other without raising our voices.
We were a group of around 11. It wasn’t a crazy busy night, but it wasn’t dead either. We sat at a high table with stools which I have to say were so uncomfortable.
Our server was incredibly unhelpful, slow, and unfriendly. When I arrived she didn’t offer me a drink. Someone in our party had requested bread for the table and we had to ask twice before it was brought after a really long time. I asked her a question about one of the dishes when she FINALLY came to take the order, and she just started writing it down, then I asked her about another dish and she asked me if I wanted both or that one instead. I finally gave up on asking her questions. I ordered the Margarita pizza and asked her to make sure it wasn’t burnt or charred. She didn’t smile once.
The one good thing she did was brought the bills out before the food came out since we were in a rush and it going to take a bit since there were separate bills. One person got charged for a salad which had never been brought out. They charge 18% for groups, which I would usually say absolutely, but honestly if we had more time I definitely would not have wanted to pay 18% for the service that we got.
My friend ordered a couple apps for the table. The one with the cheese and grapes was good, the fried artichoke I think it was, was pretty tasteless and just a heap of fried stuff. The pizza when it finally came out was burnt on the bottom although the top was pretty good. The taste was rather bland and there was a lot of tomato sauce, a little bit of cheese and 3 pieces of basil. It wasn’t horrible but I definitely wouldn’t recommend it.
All in all, I would unlikely go back to this place. With mediocre food, and lousy service it’s just not worth it.

I’ve had Mercatto many times previously and have thought it was ok. But my last trip was terrible. I ordered spaghetti and it was over cooked and dry. How can an Italian restaurant screw up spaghetti?
I think Mercatto is serving very standard Italian fare and getting away with it because of their great location!
P. S. I’ve been to other locations but in my opinion — this one is the worst. Eaton centre and Toronto Street locations are a LOT better.

Wanted to buy dinner to my buddy on July 5. His birthday was on July 3. As his wife was at a function nearby, we were with the baby in her stroller. Him, his brother and myself, strolled into Mercatto on Bay south of Queen and were warmly welcomed by the staff. I think they thought another sequel to «Three Men and a Baby» was being shot nearby. But no, we were just hungry.
A high chair was provided and we had a pleasant meal in this quiet and relaxing joint.
We shared appetizers. An extremely fresh and tasty burrata ($ 12, worth every bite) and a grilled calamari ($ 12). I love calamari and this grilled specimen was so good. Firm yet tender, tasty not fishy and well seasoned. Of course, those who know me are aware I am a recent convert to the joys of the Tentacle, and now they know I am a zealot. Which is why I had to order as my main the spaghetti chitarra with octopus (19.00). I was blown away by the taste of this dish: a combination of octopus, tomato pesto, olives and anchovy. Toss in al dente square spaghetti alla chitarra and you simply get greatness on a plate.
One of my dining companions had the costatine ($ 25), a truly great beef short rib dish served with baby potatoes, green pea pesto and carrots: Beef and potatoes, italian style! It was apparently delicious. The other had his ear pulled in when he heard about the Orechiette ($ 17) and was truly happy with this delicious ear-​shaped pasta concoction: braised lamb neck, rapini, chili, mint, pecorino. A good combo.
Wines were had by the glass. An excellent Pinot Grigio ($ 11), an Amarone ($ 17) and a Pirro Varone ($ 16). Mercatto has extensive all-​italian wine list and the by the glass selection varies and changes from one Mercatto location to the other. They also have a great liqueur selection and a great range of Amari (bitters) such as the Punch Abruzzo and the Ciao Ciao Amaro (both $ 8). A decent double espresso ($ 3.50) and desserts of caramel coppetta (a combination of vanilla gelato, salted peanuts, and caramel) and torta di formaggio (cheesecake) (each $ 7) topped off this meal nicely.
Colin was our server. He was attentive, pleasant and patient with my friend’s 1-​year old daughter.
Mercatto may be a mini-​chain, but the quality of its service, the choice available and the freshness of ingredients used has nothing to envy to some higher-​end Italian restaurants and the prices are moderate. Overall, a great choice for lunch or dinner when in the core. Try them, you will not be disappointed!

So i think i hate Mercatto’s now. Completely.
After having gone to every single Mercatto’s location now (always a damned work thing), i am convinced this is the worst location out of them all. The two times i have gone, they have really shown poor cooking abilities with the food.
The pasta is always undercooked, the rissotto is watery, the scallops are burnt instead of seared, i don’t even know where to begin. Just don’t go.

I Decided to come her for a nice Valentine’s lunch. Since I’ve passed this place so many times, enough was enough. The ambience and décor very much feels like a more rustic mercatto/​mercado. HOwever it took us some time to finally get our waiter, waitress, i suppose due to lunch time crowds. Nonetheless the food was great, not SPECTACULAR, however found the 50z wine quite over priced
Here’s the break down:
Appetizer:
Crostini: foraged mushrooms w mozarella & balsamico
⁴⁄₅
Main:
Zucca: butternut squash, spinach, fortina, walnuts
³⁄₅
I may come back for dinner just to get a better idea, but its NOTHING OUT OF THIS WORLD, but a cute place to bring a date.

This place was packed with the lunch crowd and I guess is geared towards this crowd i.e. quick service and turnover. We were not their ideal client as we intended to spend some time here in celebration mode :)
We started out with appetizers of fritto misto and fungi and olives
For the mains we got goat cheese ravioli and prosciutto pizza (minus the prosciutto :)
and for the celebration a bottle of Bisol Colmei Prosecco.
The fried appetizer was OK and the dipping sauce could use a bit of a kick. The olives and fungi were a hit and thoroughly enjoyed by all the diners.
The mains arrived quickly as well. I just tasted the ravioli and pizza. The ravioli was actually quite good the pizza was ho hum with a soggy center and not the thin crisp finish one craves in an Italian style pizza.
The Prossecco was very good and I will go as far as saying pick one up when you see it.
Service though quick was inconsistent as the server was new and a bit overwhelmed.
Overall for the price we paid it was decent (one can pay a lot more for a lot worse Italian food)
3 Stars.