We had a dissappinting experience here for dinner. It's a very small place and it was packed. There is literally NO space between the tables so you're truly on top of the people at the table next to you. There is maybe one to two inches between tables. The food was flavorless and we hardly ate our main dishes. The red sauce tasted strangely sweet? And the bolognese contained virtually no meat. My boyfriend said everything was in desperate need of salt. The server asked if everything was okay because we hardly ate and did not want to bring leftovers home. Our server was very nice so no issues there. Unfortunately I would not recommend this place nor would I come back.
Deaven
We did the Restaurant week menu and it was fantastic. Highly recommend going here with your favorite bottle of wine.
Parris
Mercato BYOB in Center City Philadelphia was a fantastic choice. We came during Restaurant Week and were completely impressed. The food was incredible from start to finish—thoughtfully prepared, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The service truly elevated the experience as well. Dan and Rita were outstanding: warm, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable, making the meal feel both relaxed and special. We loved the overall vibe—intimate, welcoming, and energetic. An all-around wonderful dining experience, and we can't wait to return.
Ben
We love Mercato!! We have been there many times and will continue to go. The food is always delicious and the staff are wonderful!!
Reid
The service was great but the overall food/ambience was somewhat disappointing. The tables were too close together and the portion sizes were very variable with the gnocchi and salad being on the smaller side.
Bruce Bonner
Wonderful food, tight seating, neighborhood gem
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Olivia
Had a wonderful and delicious experience with good customer service in an intimate setting.
Clint Eubanks
An absolute gem! Fig burrata toast, short rib ravioli, and a lemon poppy seed cannoli were dynamite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
laura
We did a set New Years Eve menu in our first experience at Mercato and it was amazing. The restaurant was a bit behind in their reservations but the host (maybe the owner?) was super helpful, texting folks if they wanted to go elsewhere in the meantime, and they had heat lamps outside so it was fine to wait outside. The food was incredible, and as of this review, it is a BYOB spot. Definitely have saved it on my list of places to revisit next time I'm in Philadelphia!
Timothy
We love Mercato and Dan the manager is absolutely wonderful , he loves us and he and his staff treat us with such warmth and affection . The tortellini Alfredo with lobster and shrimp is so delicious and the cannolis are amazing . We love mercato we been at least ten times possibly more since our first date there
Dined here for New Year's Eve fixed price menu, and the food was just ok. Pp was $75 and 1 of the appetizers consisted of 1 regular sized piece of toast with prosciutto and burrata that we had to split amongst 4 people, which didn't seem worth it. My friend's steak was supposed to be medium rare but came out as medium, and I had scallops which were good, but for what we got vs the price, I don't think it was worth it. We are grateful because they still seated us despite my being late due to unexpected traffic. I know it's a small business, and we always prefer supporting them, but this wasn't for us. Glad we tried it though.
DanS
We went on a slow Tuesday evening. The service was quick and excellent. Because it was slow, the noise level was low and there was no difficulty carrying on a conversation. The restaurant is small, so I can imagine on a busier night, it may be difficult to carry on a conversation. The food was superb! Had the meatball appetizer, followed by the gnocchi and crab fa diavolo. Dessert was the affogato and cannoli. Everything tasted fresh, hot, and delicious. It was a very nice home like atmosphere and dinner. Thanks!
Tom OConnell
Amazing food, service, and atmosphere. Had a cozy dinner at Mercato, and everything exceeded expectations. The food was outstanding, the service was warm and attentive without being overbearing, and the atmosphere was intimate and welcoming, perfect for a relaxed night out. A true neighborhood gem. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Whipped Ricotta, Braised Short Rib Ravioli
Josh
I went there to celebrate the 1st meal of a new relationship and the place embarrassed me. The open kitchen left the dining space feeling like a sauna; I actually liked that, my date hated it. We were seated at a long communal table and pressed against a wall barely able to move. The Crab Fra Diavlo was watery, had no complexity of flavor, and made me question how anyone could charge $30+ (I think it was) for a meal that Trader Joe’s made in Italy frozen line can crush any day of the week for less than $5. I felt guilty that I took anyone (family, friends, or a date). The portion size was horrible too, I had to eat again at home.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Audrey Simon
Delicious! Cozy byob with amazing pasta. Will definitely be back. We got the gnocchi and the rainbow trout special.
We had a dissappinting experience here for dinner. It's a very small place and it was packed. There is literally NO space between the tables so you're truly on top of the people at the table next to you. There is maybe one to two inches between tables. The food was flavorless and we hardly ate our main dishes. The red sauce tasted strangely sweet? And the bolognese contained virtually no meat. My boyfriend said everything was in desperate need of salt. The server asked if everything was okay because we hardly ate and did not want to bring leftovers home. Our server was very nice so no issues there. Unfortunately I would not recommend this place nor would I come back.
We did the Restaurant week menu and it was fantastic. Highly recommend going here with your favorite bottle of wine.
Mercato BYOB in Center City Philadelphia was a fantastic choice. We came during Restaurant Week and were completely impressed. The food was incredible from start to finish—thoughtfully prepared, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The service truly elevated the experience as well. Dan and Rita were outstanding: warm, attentive, and incredibly knowledgeable, making the meal feel both relaxed and special. We loved the overall vibe—intimate, welcoming, and energetic. An all-around wonderful dining experience, and we can't wait to return.
We love Mercato!! We have been there many times and will continue to go. The food is always delicious and the staff are wonderful!!
The service was great but the overall food/ambience was somewhat disappointing. The tables were too close together and the portion sizes were very variable with the gnocchi and salad being on the smaller side.
Wonderful food, tight seating, neighborhood gem
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had a wonderful and delicious experience with good customer service in an intimate setting.
An absolute gem! Fig burrata toast, short rib ravioli, and a lemon poppy seed cannoli were dynamite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We did a set New Years Eve menu in our first experience at Mercato and it was amazing. The restaurant was a bit behind in their reservations but the host (maybe the owner?) was super helpful, texting folks if they wanted to go elsewhere in the meantime, and they had heat lamps outside so it was fine to wait outside. The food was incredible, and as of this review, it is a BYOB spot. Definitely have saved it on my list of places to revisit next time I'm in Philadelphia!
We love Mercato and Dan the manager is absolutely wonderful , he loves us and he and his staff treat us with such warmth and affection . The tortellini Alfredo with lobster and shrimp is so delicious and the cannolis are amazing . We love mercato we been at least ten times possibly more since our first date there
Restaurantji Recommends
Dined here for New Year's Eve fixed price menu, and the food was just ok. Pp was $75 and 1 of the appetizers consisted of 1 regular sized piece of toast with prosciutto and burrata that we had to split amongst 4 people, which didn't seem worth it. My friend's steak was supposed to be medium rare but came out as medium, and I had scallops which were good, but for what we got vs the price, I don't think it was worth it. We are grateful because they still seated us despite my being late due to unexpected traffic. I know it's a small business, and we always prefer supporting them, but this wasn't for us. Glad we tried it though.
We went on a slow Tuesday evening. The service was quick and excellent. Because it was slow, the noise level was low and there was no difficulty carrying on a conversation. The restaurant is small, so I can imagine on a busier night, it may be difficult to carry on a conversation. The food was superb! Had the meatball appetizer, followed by the gnocchi and crab fa diavolo. Dessert was the affogato and cannoli. Everything tasted fresh, hot, and delicious. It was a very nice home like atmosphere and dinner. Thanks!
Amazing food, service, and atmosphere.
Had a cozy dinner at Mercato, and everything exceeded expectations. The food was outstanding, the service was warm and attentive without being overbearing, and the atmosphere was intimate and welcoming, perfect for a relaxed night out. A true neighborhood gem. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Whipped Ricotta, Braised Short Rib Ravioli
I went there to celebrate the 1st meal of a new relationship and the place embarrassed me. The open kitchen left the dining space feeling like a sauna; I actually liked that, my date hated it. We were seated at a long communal table and pressed against a wall barely able to move. The Crab Fra Diavlo was watery, had no complexity of flavor, and made me question how anyone could charge $30+ (I think it was) for a meal that Trader Joe’s made in Italy frozen line can crush any day of the week for less than $5. I felt guilty that I took anyone (family, friends, or a date). The portion size was horrible too, I had to eat again at home.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Delicious! Cozy byob with amazing pasta. Will definitely be back. We got the gnocchi and the rainbow trout special.
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