Chasing__Nirvana___
Awesome ambiance with rude server.
We went here for dinner. The place has really good vibe.. tried fried calamari and Linguine Di Mare pasta .. the food quality is average. The service was pretty slow..
As a Italian restaurant we ask for “ravioli” but the server got offended saying “will serve whatever is available on menu” !! And for desserts the same server suggested cakes/ sweets that was not on the menu .. saying "our menu is not updated"🤣😅..
Shreya Nathani
Great vibe and interiors. Very kind server. Awesome pizza. The pasta however was probably the worst I’ve ever had. This is my personal opinion but the Seafood Linguine was absolutely bland boiled pasta with boiled shrimp and calamari. The server was kind enough to ask the chef to toss the pasta in some kind of sauce for me. I generally wouldn’t have such strong feelings about this but it cost 26 dollars so I was really shocked. So, stick to the pizza I would say!
Lysa M
I wish I listened to the average reviews because all the food was so basic and mediocre. We only dined here because it was close to the station and it wasn’t that great. The waiters were so nice, but unfortunately the food didn’t match. Meatballs were so boring, carbonara was very simple… the custard dessert was super sweet (the strawberry topping was TOO much). Unfortunately, won’t be back.
Gary Ng
The beef tartare was very mediocre - wish it was better seasoned. Did not like the texture as well. Others I dined with shared the same thought. I recommend the shrimp over the beef tartare if you are deciding between the two appetizers.
The steak was good. It was tender, had a good amount of fat, and was nicely seared. I would have preferred a touch more salt on it. With that said, I’m not sure if I would pay $42 (if memory serves me) for it again.
Sally
Visited on a Wednesday night for dinner and it was busy!
We ordered the Diavola pizza and Linguine de Mare (seafood pasta).
The food was tasty and fresh!
Overall, the service could’ve been a bit better, we didn’t get our drinks until after the food arrived, but I would definitely come back to try their other items 😋
Erika Gardner
I had dinner it was ok food nothing amazing service was great. I went back for lunch because the restaurant is close to the Delta Hotel, I ordered the Margherita Pizza and the Gnocchi, the pizza was really good. The service was not that great but I guess you can’t have everything at once. 🙃
Marko Joannou
Cozy spot with an outdoor patio for those nicer days. Food was top notch and the staff were very accommodating. They could have used some patio heaters but maybe that's in the works.
Nelly Montana
Decided to pop into Taverna Mercatto since it was close to where we were staying. The decor inside was beautiful, warm, and inviting. The hostess was very accommodating and allowed us to sit at the bar instead of where we were about to be sat at. The bartender was extremely friendly and tended to our needs accordingly. I ordered the Chitarra alla carbonara, after feeding into the hype. In my opinion the pasta was a little too undercooked, which could be the perfect Al dente to others but I just could not take another bite. It was pretty bland and only had like three pieces of pancetta. The bartender was so nice and replaced my dish with the gnocchi dish. The gnocchi dish was DELICIOUS! The dollop of ricotta and layers of grana Padano married so nicely with the soft gnocchi. It needed another texture component but otherwise it was so much better than the carbonara. The lasagna though, was the talk of night! Beautiful soft layers with crispy edges, ricotta, and very flavorful bechamel sauce! We ended the dining experience with a classic tiramisu dessert with two accompanying gelatos and it was so freaking good! This is a great restaurant for a nice date night or a quick bite before a game. I can see myself returning!
Ahana Bassi
Overall Amazing Restaurant<br/><br/>Went there the other week for a date and had the best experience ever. Food was outstanding and certainly has the best gourmet pizza and pasta in Toronto. Food was both delicious and fast as we told our server that we were in a hurry due to us leaving for a raptors game shortly after. Very cool atmosphere and very welcoming staff as I didn't feel out of place from the time I walked in to the time I walked out. This restaurant also has amazing drinks and endless beers to pick from. Amazing experience!
Vipul Talwaria
I landed in Toronto on the day it was snowing a lot. It was the beginning of the snow season. After checking into Airbnb, I was looking at nearby places to have a good meal. I tried to visit this place. The ambience is pretty nice and the staff was very friendly and welcoming. I went onto try their spaghetti. I didn’t like it much as I felt it wasn’t properly cooked plus it didn’t have much flavor. I finished my meal with Caramel Coppetta dessert (Cookie Crunch Gelato with Roasted Peanuts) and Tiramisu. Tiramisu was again a let down but I loved the Caramel Coppetta. So, overall I would say the experience was pretty average.
Drake Tsui
Great Italian food, all the pasta dishes are quite delicious with an extremely impressive wine selection.<br/><br/>Service is friendly, the decor offers wonderful ambience and there’s a patio to boot!
Cris
One of the better Mercatto locations in the city. The setup and decor of the restaurant is very nice. A bit crammed for the 2 seater tables in the middle section near the window though but overall a pretty good experience. Wait staff has always been friendly and helpful when making food and drink choices and the portion size is fair.
Julia C.
Delicious all the way around. Berkshire pork chop is unctuous and salty, and melt in your mouth tender. The agro dolce is the perfect sauce to bring out the natural sweetness of the pork. Side salad is a thoughtful pairing of balanced ingredients. Prosciutto pizza fine, but the crust is no where close to the quality found in other restaurants in the city (see Pizza Libretto).<br/><br/>Service is swift and efficient.
1ufia
We ordered a prosciutto pizza and 2 pasta. The food was mediocre and very bland. The night out was a little cold on the patio, so we asked for some hot water. Beware that they charge a cup of hot water as tea at a price of $3. The waitress should have informed us of this when we asked for hot water given that most restaurants don't charge a price on hot water. At that price, I might as well ordered a coffee or an actual tea. I mean, where is my imaginary "tea bag" now? Definitely not coming back to this restaurant if we go to another event at the ACC.
MsKiev
Quick dinner on route to Bluejays game. Had Carbonara (very good), seafood linguini (very good), margarita angle hair (not good) and roasted vegetables (excellent). Super fast and friendly service! Great spot for a quick but good pre-game dinner. Excellent vibrant atmosphere and comfortable seating.
Tara
Taverna is a great spot to eat if you're headed to the Rogers Centre or ACC. You seldom have to book a reservation in advance to score a table on a busy night and the menu has something for everyone, though some items can be pricy. I like the appetizers, salsiccia (sausage) pizza and recommend the Don Juan cocktail if you want something with a hint of lemon.
MarK Greyson
Ate at this location last night as it was close to the Hotel my friend was staying at. We walked in at 8 pm on a Friday and the restaurant was maybe at 20% Capacity. <br/>We ordered the fried calamari and arancini to start. Arancini was excellent, however Calaamri was overpriced at $16 for about 4 ounces. Calamari is cheap and the value was not here. <br/><br/>For mains my friend ordered a beet salad with a grilled chicken. The server said that they did not add Chicken to the salads but we could order the chicken main. We insisted that we would like to add a chicken breast to the salad, so this concession was made. This is absurd. Mercattop isnt a temple of gastronomy, you are serving meals, if a diner wants a grilled chicken breast then just do it. I am not sure how this is an issue. <br/><br/>I had the braised duck with some sort of long flat noodle. The pasta was overcooked, the pasta water was not seasoned. The duck was devoid of any flavour. No salt, herbes spices or anything that would make it taste more than braised meat moistened with maybe some chicken stock? I think this dish was $22 or so. At any rate there was no value. <br/><br/>The chef was leaning against the line, cooks were on their cell phone and staring blankly at the wall. There was no energy at the bar. The server did not check to see if we enjoyed our food. When my plate was cleared the duck was left in the bowl but the server did not enquire if I had a problem with the food. I looked around the restaurant after I had finished my meal and understood why there was no one in the dining room. This place has no soul. Which is a shame because the space is beautiful, the location and concept are great. <br/><br/>People vote with their dollars.
Gastro World
If it weren’t for Taverna Mercatto’s proximity to work, the ACC, and Roger’s Centre, I wouldn’t have found the spacious restaurant. Their shaded patio is popular for after work drinks and unlike other Financial District places, you don’t need to get there before 5pm to secure a table. Needless to say, I’ve had my fair share of wine at the place. <br/><br/>Whereas it’s an excellent location for liberations, their food leaves me wanting. Their appetizers aren’t bad and I could make a light meal from the arancini ($11) and misticanza ($9); the later a spring mix salad with celery, radish, and an amazing salty aged sherry vinaigrette. The arancini has a nice crispy crust, is stuffed with provolone cheese, and smothered
Foodaholic
Taverna Mercatto is the latest addition to the Mercatto brand. It opened earlier this February 2015 in the SouthCore Financial Centre. Similarly to all of their other locations, Taverna Mercatto serves Italian food from pastas to pizzas. I was familiar with their food, as I attended an event at their Eaton's Center location last summer. Walking into the restaurant, I was immediately taken by the interior. It was a nice mix of rustic, and trendy decor with an open kitchen. The high ceiling, and lights make it a lovely location for either business matters, or even special occasions. As for the menu, it was small, and I liked that it was, as it shows that they rather keep it simple.<br/><br/>As a starter, I opted for the calamari ($14), and it was one of the best that I have had in years. The calamari was lightly battered, yet it was super crispy, and well-seasoned. Lastly, it was simply garnished with fennel with some garlic crema, which tasted great with the squid. <br/><br/>The Spiedini ($14) - grilled octopus, fregola, panna fresca, tomato, olive tapenade was another appetizer that was ordered. The grilled octopus was tender, but it was slightly lacking some flavor.<br/><br/>All of the pizza sounded tempting, but I opted for the Pepperoni ($19). It was a thin crust pizza topped with fior, padano, red onion, san marzano. There was a generous portion of large slices of pepperoni, and I liked the crispiness of the crust. I'd return to try one of the other pizzas on their menu, as they sounded pretty good.
Noodles
We visited Mercatto on the last night of our short stay in Old Toronto. The atmosphere was lively and bustling. We were seated in the bar area in a nice booth even though there was only two of us. I ordered the Italian sausage pizza and my son had the pasta carbonara. Our server was fast and friendly, and recommended the wine and pizza I ordered. The food came out so fast, I wasn't sure it was ours at first, thinking it might have been a mistake. Instead of red pepper flakes, I was given a small jar of peppers in olive oil (delicious) and a grating of fresh Parmesan instead of a shaker or bowl of the standard dry grated 'Parmesan'. The pizza was very good, hot, fresh & with a pleasantly chewy crust that was slightly burnt, giving it the savory flavour from a wood fired oven. The carbonara satisfied a hungry young adult, with flavour, but it was a pretty small serving for the price. I gladly shared my pizza and we left full and happy we tried Mercatto in the entertainment district.
BiteMe
dre @mercattoTO: We went to Mercatto for dinner after the Disney on Ice show. There was a large group of us, and we were fortunate to get a large room all to ourselves. Perfect for all the kids to run around. We started with some calamari as appetizers. Does anyone just eat calamari as their main dish?
Nadege Kelechian Vergura
The food was good. Looked fancy but was really not. I had the Arctic char and my husband the sirloin steak. I ordered sparkling wine and it was flat. The service was good. Conscious of allergies although we don't have any. This is a place near Air Canada Center. It beats eating the crap inside for the same price (~$100/2). I'd go again.
Sara Chi
Went for lunch with friend and it's a great place with vivid atmosphere, my usual seafood pasta is the best I've ever had from other places, the fresh squid ink pasta my friend had made my mouth watering, totally getting that the next time.
Lunny
Noisy, but nice. There is something about the acoustics in Taverna Mercatto that seemed to raise the overall volume of conversation for the lunchtime crowd. <br/><br/>With all the new office tower and condo tower development in this neighbourhood, there are lots of opportunities for a variety of restaurants. This one fits the upscale Italian niche quite nicely. <br/><br/>The Misticanza Salad was fresh and light. The Orecchiette Pugliese was cooked just right, with tasty morsels of fennel sausage.
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