The Mercantile

The Mercantile is a great little neighborhood grocery for fancy items with some terrific prepared food items. Everything I’ve had their has been excellent. Most recently I have been eating their sandwiches that are tasty and expertly prepared. I’d like to try more of them, but the roast beef is so good, I can’t help myself from continuing to get it.
If I’m in the mood for something interesting to eat and don’t have time to dine out or make something, this is the place I go.

I used to come here all the time, but stop coming because of service. Today I came today, wasn’t greeted again like before. The place was clean as usual. I ordered a sandwich today and it was okay. Service was a bit and cashier didn’t even say hello or anything. This place was a 5 star but it’s average now. I hope they get back up, pricing is a little high for the average consumer.

Really used to enjoy coming here once a month or two and picking up a few groceries or something from the deli, but the store just doesn’t seem to be the same place I remember. While the retail selection has remained impressive considering the size of the store, almost everything seems to be very overpriced considering the size or quality of the product. Obviously enough people can easily afford these items, but for shoppers like me, I know I can get similar quality deli salads, crackers, and such at other places for about half the cost.
On top of that, the last time I was in (about a month ago), I ordered a sandwich and soup combo. The store was not very busy when I came in, but the sandwich (Candler) took almost 10 minutes to make for some reason and then was very messy and skimpy when I finally got it. The soup, which had always been my favorite thing at the Merc, tasted like a Campbell’s lite and lacked any of the unique flavors I remember.
I’d like to give the place another shot, but I’m having trouble convincing myself to make the trip over there again given my last couple of visits. The fun vibe between employees and customers alike that always kept me coming back almost seems to be non-​existent, and many of the familiar faces I’ve seen over the years seem to be replaced by new ones that don’t seem to want to interact with anyone above the bare minimum level.

Picked up sandwiches for my three small kids, wife and myself today. The good news is that the food was fantastic. The bad news is that I was overcharged for two of my kids sandwiches and my wife’s. When I pointed this out to the cashier, he just kind of shrugged. The posted price and the one on my receipt were clearly different, but it was definitely handled like a «So what are you gonna do?» kind of thing by the cashier. So go there for the food, but keep in my mind that they will gouge/​overcharge you.

Yummy breakfast sandwich on a croissant. Friendly staff that didn’t pester and gave me real cream for the French press coffee. Great Motown tunes playing in background. Lovely.

I pass this place twice a day on my way to work, and it took me a while to go in and try them out. Once I did, I was upset it’d taken me so long.
As someone who has to avoid wheat, I miss deli’s so very, very much. There’s nothing quite like a really good sandwich. The Mercantile offers an assortment of GF products like cookies and other snacks, but the real draw for me is their GF sandwich bread. I hadn’t had a pressed sandwich in years, and went in the other day and was able to get a pressed ham and Swiss sandwich on a hoagie roll with pear preserves. Oh. Man. It was SO GOOD!
This place offers unique items you can’t find other places in Atlanta. It’s a fantastic store in a fantastic location in Candler Park. Check them out if you can. I know I’ll be back.

Holy moly — I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! All the food we have ever gotten from here has been delicious and amazing. The Kirkwood and Druid Hills are AWESOME!!! Not to mention that everyone here is super friendly. I especially love that they have products from smaller businesses. It’s so hard to come in only for a sandwich and not end up buying something from their shop as well. We’ll have to check out the wine tastings and weekly dinners at some point.

We stopped into the Mercantile for their free wine tastings on Saturday (every Saturday 12−3PM and Wednesday 5−7PM– I think). The woman running the wine tasting offered three different red wines (a Pinot Noir from CA, a Malbec from Argentina, and a blended red). She was very helpful and told us a lot about the production of the wines and the vineyards from which they came. She convinced us to buy the Pinot Noir and we shopped around before we checked out.
The Mercantile offers many prepared dishes and perhaps if we lived closer, we would pick up food for dinner. They also have a variety of beer and wine. Having just eaten, we purchased cherry lemon drops for a quarter to go along with our wine. It was a classy Saturday.

I LOOOOOOVE their sandwiches.
And that’s pretty much the only reason I stop in.

Normally I’m not a fan of email lists from shops and vendors, but I made an exception with The Mercantile. Having been a customer since their opening, I actually love getting the daily (ish) emails advising me what’s on the menu that day. They make wonderful food.
The shop itself is awesome, what with several racks of specialty food items that I often can’t resist, a very good beer selection and, for my wife, expert advice on wine.
I need to come here more often, and I think I will.

The Cabbagetown sandwich does sound questionable I agree with you. Peanut butter, arugula, raisins, chili paste, apples, and cucumbers on a hoagie bun or your choice of multigrain, white or wheat bread? Well it will really take you by surprise. It’s a delicious combo that will start a party in your mouth! There’s something about the crispy crunchy ingredients (cucumbers and apples), mixed with the sweet creamy and softer ingredients (raisins and peanut butter), with the tangy ingredient chili paste (which is really not so spicy), that all blends together under a lightly toasted bun. It’s just the best veggie delicious you can find! Don’t pass it up. This is once-​a-​week goto sandwich when I’m having a bad day or need a pick me up. The rest of the sandwich menu is also good, I’ve tried the Rome, Chicken Pita and the Sherry. All tasty and made with fresh local ingredients. Oh and there is gluten free bread here which is delicious and you won’t even know it is GF!
The rest of this little quaint grocery is stocked with limited selections of gourmet foods at less than the price of whole foods as another Unilocaler pointed out. There is a nice wine selection, refrigerated section with prepared foods (like chicken lasagna or cold sesame noodles or fresh hummus or chilled soups), cheeses, some produce, along with juices (yeah Arden’s garden!). The chip selection is wonderful and takes up a whole wall… and they have wheat-​free and gluten-​free potato chip options (at least 3 of them)!!
They just started doing prepared weekly meals which we’ve thought about trying out but a little tentative with some of our diet limitations. Though they said they would accommodate for that no problem. Staff is always very friendly here especially one of the guys (can’t remember his name, darn) but he also shares my love of the cabbagetown and always brightens my day with his cheery comments. So stop by and indulge with your neighborly grocer!

I love having the mercantile in my neighborhood and supporting small business. The staff is very friendly and helpful. My favorite purchase there is the rotisserie chicken. It is delicious! You’ll never buy one from Publix again! I also like buying their local foods such as milk, butter and eggs. They also have many free wine tastings. My favorite was the chocolate and port tasting. This is also a great place to drop in and pick up prepared foods or snacks for picnics.

I’ve been shopping at The Merc since they opened, and it truly is a special place. THE BEST sandwiches in Atlanta, delicious prepared foods to grab and go, fun-​loving staff, awesome selection of craft beer and wine — these are just the top attributes that come to mind. Oh, and lest I forget: weekly wine tastings along with special (usually wine-​focused) events that allow you to try before you buy as well as learn a thing or two! If you’re looking for an affordable wine club to join, this is it. Trust me, I know. And I also think it’s pretty cool that one of the owners takes the time to personally respond to reviews – both positive and negative – like a true professional, because her business means that much to her. Well done, Mercantile!

I wish I knew the guy’s name that helped me, but he was so nice. My friend’s father just passed away & I needed help with buying dinner food that could possibly be frozen. He helped me with picking out food and bread & even wrote how to cook the meals on the bags in case they forgot. It was a very big help to me since I don’t cook & was pretty much clueless. Since buying a house in Lake Claire, my husband & I have been back several times to buy meatloaf & chicken enchilada casserole & it’s so good! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area who needs a prepared meal fast. Also, the sandwiches are yummy! We have yet to try them in person, but we have ordered them trough zifty & we were not let down.

This place is the perfect neighborhood go to spot for sandwiches, wine and specialty products. I love the atmosphere and all that it has to offer– easy to get to as well! However, the one drawback was that I was told by the cashier checking me out «that tips are recommended and any amount is appreciated» which I was totally thrown off by considering I was just buying wine… Overall cool place but I don’t need to tip someone for buying a bottle of wine.

I had a friend who lived near The Mercantile; she posted lots of exciting pictures of the food, which may have inflated my expectations. I finally visited last fall, with my mother in tow, to get takeout dinner. We had a very bizarre, cold reception. There were at least four hipsters tending counters (arranged with a lot of empty space, like Trader Joes… woo boutique)…they didn’t just not see us, it seemed like they were *trying* not to see us. We were the only customers in the store, and we perused the wares in perfect, stark silence. My mother tried to ask questions, but she’s hard of hearing and the attendants barely muttered the answers. We arrived at least an hour before closing, so that can’t have been the reason. We weren’t dressed very well– maybe they assumed we weren’t going to buy anything. They were wrong, but hey.
The prices were not the worst I’ve seen in a boutique grocery. The food was good. They put cinnamon (and maybe nutmeg) in their beef lasagna– something I haven’t encountered away from the Midwest, and love. But my mother is impossible to offend, and even she came away with bad vibes over this place. I’m not sure who you have to be to shop here, but it ain’t gonna be me.

I love this little shop. Right around the corner from us in Candler and has a little bit of everything you could need for a quick dinner, meal for one or two people, a good choice of beer or wine, a snack, etc. Here’s what we checked out –
Beer
Wine
Deli with all types of side items and other meats
Cooler with ready-​to-​eat meals
Other nicknack-​y items around
King of Pops
Atomic Ice Cream Sandwich
Absolutely love this little shop. Can’t wait to head back for something fun!

If I was rich, I would just buy all my meals at The Merc. That’s right, we’re on a nickname basis.
So yeah, the sandwiches here cost a pretty penny. But they’re insanely delicious, and I am a sandwich snoberino. I usually get the Druid Hills, which has roast beef, crispy shallots, and chipotle mayo with a bit of arugula. Today I branched out and got a Flair Forest, which is pulled chicken, avocado, bacon, tomato, and barbecue sauce. I can’t even pick a favorite, y’all! They are both amazing sandwiches, and you’d be lucky to call them your own.
Right now there’s a really good Scoutmob deal; $ 14 for two sandwiches, two sides, and two cookies (or a piece of cake to split). A coworker and I each got a deal and shared them, and it was a great investment! We got cookies last time, and I can vouch for both the snickerdoodle and the choco chip. Today we split a piece of fudgy cake, and it was really good! Everything here tastes homemade, in the good way (not in the way where you forgive them for being crappy because aw, they’re small and trying really hard).
They have a cold case of salads and to-​go dishes, which I’ve never tried but keep meaning to. There are lots of treats and sweets and local goods, and I am sure everything is top-​notch. The staff is always nice and helpful, especially when I need someone to make a decision for me («What kind of bread? I didn’t know there’d be follow up questions! Help meeeee!»). Yeah, $ 8 for a sandwich is a bit much in the era of the $ 5 footlong, but it’s totally worth it.

We stopped in at The Mercantile on a Saturday evening — it was quite chilly and the Mercantile just felt so warm and cozy. The concept reminds me a lot of ‘Savi Urban Market’ — both are quaint, neighborhood markets with a larger-than-you’d-think wine selection, various gourmet/​organic selections, and an amazing deli!
The BF and I each got our own sandwich and a side; all of their sandwiches are adorably named after various neighborhoods in the A — I chose the ‘Candler’ (roasted sliced turkey, crispy pancetta, cranberries, and cream cheese) and a side of orzo pasta, and he selected the ‘Druid Hills’ (roast beef, with arugula on a hoagie roll) and a side of grilled asparagus. Both were delicious, each sandwich was cut into two halves — perfect for sharing, a little on the small side, but they were so good we didn’t care. The sides were solid, the orzo was served cold — I’m not a big pasta salad fan, but it was palatable, I much preferred the grilled asparagus — YUM!
We dined in for our late lunch, there’s ample seating in their dining area — there’s even a pitcher of water with mason jars our and ready — I hate asking for a glass of water. The staff was sweet and efficient, we paid easily and out sandwiches were ready in a jiffy!
Hopefully the ‘Candler’ and the ‘Druid Hills’ sandwiches were an indication on the rest of the menu, I will definitely be back to conquer their other sammiches.

Great sandwiches! Definitely try the Druid Hills– the caramelized onions make it.
They also have free wine tastings and an enticing supper club if you don’t have time to cook.
This is a place clearly operated by people who love food and drink. If you do too, check it out.