Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant

    3.6 (100 reviews)
    ModeratePizza, Italian, Seafood
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    MERCATO'S ORIGINAL ITALIAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Intimate
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Michael R.

    The test of a good restaurant is can it sustain a level of service and quality of food that spans years not months. Mercatos is a family run restaurant that has stood the test of time, that makes its own bread, and sauce from scratch as well just about everything on the menu. Mercatos has a loyal local following, high quality and predictable food, and staff that is friendly and knows you as a customer. From start to finish they do a great job making sure you have a pleasurable experience. Everything on the menu is exceptional, but my go to is the Chicken Milanese. The portions are enough to leave you a filling lunch the next day. The drinks are a heavy pour and a great deal. If you are looking for a great night out, that won't break the bank and will serve you great food in a great atmosphere, in a clean and well kept location this is the place to go!

    Cheese Garlic Bread with Cheese Appetizer
    Kay D.

    Every time I visit home in the capital region, I have to eat Italian food. Thanks to my cousin for the introduction to Mercato's over the summer, I had to return to it this time back. We all dined in for the first time at mercato's. To my surprise, it's a very romantic, candle lit, fancy Italian restaurant. SERVICE Our server was super friendly!! He's probably the politest, funnest server that I've ever met. He was so accommodating to our requests and met our expectations. Just like mercato's high food quality, their servers, waiters are top notch professionals carrying the restaurant brand to the highest standards. WHAT WE ORDERED - Shirley temple - Cheese Garlic bread with marinara - Penne bolognese (it wasn't on the menu, but they serve bolognese) - Cavatelli with broccoli and sausage - Pizzaiola linguine This meal did not disappoint at all, we all went home with plenty of leftovers. Their portions was ginormous. I expected to share my bolognese entree with my sister, but Mercato's charges a $6 split fee. Might as well order your own entree. The food was so rich and flavorful, I probably only had 1/4 the penne bolognese n I was so full. They served bread and butter as starters, I was so filled on carbs. The total came it to be $75 for 3 entrees, 1 app, and 2 drinks, so worth the price.

    Thinly sliced eggplant was excellent!
    Frances L.

    Really 3.5 Stars but rounded up because we have only tried four dishes --no apps, pizzas, or desserts. Second visit here in three month period because I liked the Eggplant Parmesan. Eggplant is sliced thin and dipped in flour, then egg. Excellent. Pasta is not homemade. Sauce is good not great.. My husband's Seafood Combo dish was overpowered by the heavy tomato sauce. We think it would have been better with the alternative white wine sauce listed on the menu. It was not as good as the Seafood Fra Diavolo we have had at other restaurants in area. The bread is served warm and "toasted," but it tasted stale on both visits. The crust crumbles. I wonder what it would taste like at room temp. A decent salad is included in the cost of the entree which is nice. They serve draft Peroni which contributed to the upgrade in stars. The service is good but not great. Sufficient servers but had to ask for refills on water. The 70's music was blaring too loudly until someone must have asked for the volume to be toned down. We think there is better Italian food served in Schenectady.

    Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach
    Laura G.

    During a very quick trip to the area we stopped in for dinner at Mercato's lll. The restaurant has a great reputation with the locals and we were in the mood for some good authentic Italian food. For starters we had the calamari. It was tender with a light crispy coating. We loved it. For entrees we both picked comfort food. The chicken parm did not disappoint. The chicken was moist and the light breading did not overwhelm the meat. It had a perfect amount of cheese and sauce. The chicken scaloppini is a must order. It is prepared with artichokes, red pepper, garlic and spinach sautéed in sherry and finished with a small amount of marinara. The combination of flavors is delicious.

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Food always amazing. Always pleased with service dining in and take out. Everyone is always very friendly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    The portions, flavor, and service are excellent. This place is like a hidden gem. Cozy and comfortable.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kay D.
    396
    560
    1349

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marlo M.
    27
    937
    3108

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Laura G.
    547
    2644
    48411

    8 years ago

    Helpful 46
    Thanks 0
    Love this 52
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tony G.
    3
    80
    63

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    $25 they should give you butter with your bread. I don't think I have to say much more than that.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim G.
    0
    10
    0

    4 years ago

    Food was great! Had a pizza and a antipasto. Service was friendly. Not a real noisy place so conversations are easy.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Did not love what we ordered . Maybe try again since we heard so many good things about the food.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Pizza was very good for Upstate NY. Pleasant surprise. Will try out other items in the future

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom R.
    1
    38
    4

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Best pizza I've ever had. Our drinks were a little pricey but nothing we weren't willing to handle. Friendly staff. Recommended.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kelly F.
    19
    83
    688

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Pizza 9,720 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Hooked Market & Kitchen

    Hooked Market & Kitchen

    4.4
    (210 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    I'm out of superlatives for Hooked, but since it had been a while since we had been, I thought it…read morewise to update my review. This is a haute cuisine place that is masked by the casual dining atmosphere. Seriously: top notch chef, original recipes, a core dedication to quality seafood, paired with a fresh fish counter and some prepared food to go. We usually go for something special, but tonight I decided to get an old childhood standby, fried clams (the Boston Basket) and the fish burger sandwich. I did not expect either to be as transportive as they turned out to be. The fried clams were as delicately done as I've ever had: not crispy, but not too floppy, with excellent breading. And while I prefer my clams naked, we tried all three of the dipping sauces -- a remoulade, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce. Now normally I loathe cocktail sauce and can take tartar sauce or leave it, so I figured we'd eat up the remoulade and ignore the other two. Still, I gave them little nibbles. Man! The cocktail sauce was like no other I've had, with a heavy hint of horseradish and a far fresher flavor than I've ever had. Then the tartar sauce -- genius! It had a delicate spicing, with capers providing a floral backdrop. That was only a preliminary, as the fish burger proved to be complex, with hints of multiple kinds of fish, and a fennel-based spicing. I ended up having that afterglow, as if I'd had a couple of cocktails and was sitting next to a fireplace, that is the hallmark of truly fine food at an advanced level. We also had the usual outstanding service, attentive without being pushy. I seriously think Hooked should consider splitting into two restaurants: one where the ambiance is upgraded to match the high caliber of the food, and another cheaper one that is strictly fast casual and takeout, and they'd more than double the business. There is a restaurant back where we come from in California, Turtle Bay, that did this with fine dining on one side and the quick, simple, and affordable food on the other side, with a big shared kitchen between them but with completely separate ambiances. That way I could come back more frequently, and still have the original Hooked for special occasions!

    Well, the oysters were fantastic, and that's why I made the 35 mile trip. I hate city traffic!!!…read more I also had the calamari with peppers, also good. Not like rubber bands, tender. Now the downfall, the chicken sandwich. I did notice other plates coming to tables looking like the fryer temp. is too hot, or cook time was too long. Some fish fry that came out looked quite dark as did my chicken, as you can see! A slight burnt taste was evident. It had good flavor under that burn, and the chicken was close to not being juicy, almost dry. The place is clean, and if not for the location, I would sit at the bar and have the raw bar! Something very important to me that hit me the instant I stepped through the door, if you're looking for a great shot of A/C on a hot day, not here!!! Barely got comfortable from the almost 90 degree day on a bike, and then worked up a return of sweating as the place filled up.

    Photos
    Fish market
    Fish market
    Swordfish
    Swordfish
    Opera cake

    See all

    Opera cake
    The Boil Shack

    The Boil Shack

    3.7
    (191 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Stopped in here while I was in town for work and had a pretty mixed experience. The atmosphere was…read morenice and it seemed like a good spot to grab seafood, but the service was noticeably slow throughout our visit. It took a while to get drinks and place our order, and we found ourselves waiting more than expected between courses. That said, the food itself had some highlights. The crab was absolutely amazing--fresh, flavorful, and definitely the standout of the meal. We also really enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, which was well-prepared and hit the mark. Unfortunately, the mussels didn't live up to the same standard; they lacked flavor and just weren't our favorite. Overall, it's an okay spot with some strong dishes, but the slow service and inconsistency in the food would make me hesitate before returning.

    I went here while on a trip to Albany to see the capitol building. It was nice…read more I ordered one of the seafood boil combos. It was a delicious mess. It had shrimp, crab legs, beef sausage, potatoes, and a half ear of corn on the cob. It came drenched in sauce, which was messy, but the taste was well worth it. The servers were very friendly, and the food came out in decent amount of time. Not super-fast, but not slow either. The place was also nice and clean. I would definitely go again, if I'm ever in the Abany area again.

    Photos
    A robot brings out the meals!
    A robot brings out the meals!
    Caesar salad
    Caesar salad
    Crispy Brussel Sprouts - slapping!

    See all

    Crispy Brussel Sprouts - slapping!
    Ruth's Chris Steak House

    Ruth's Chris Steak House

    4.2
    (109 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$$$

    The service was great. The food was perfect. And the surroundings was something out of a movie…read more Loved everything about my experience there. Will definitely be returning.

    Absolutely the best steak house that my wife & I went there for our 15th wedding anniversary. 1st…read moretime there. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING WAS OVER THE TOP. From Michael the manager, meeting & greeting us to checking in on us while we were dining, to Emma, our server waiting on us, anticipating our every single need, to the food being cooked to perfection. I cannot recommend enough how this is the go to place in upstate NY. THIS IS THE PLACE We waited for a few members of our party with two martinis at the bar, which cost $38. I deconstructed the Cosmo, which was a splash of peach and kettle one which was a three dollar of charge for an $18 drink. We had the back room for a large party (9)Servers staff were friendly and accommodating. I was surprised at how long it took too get seated. The seafood tower of lovely had asked for warm butter. The side dishes are all à la carte but the potatoes and the asparagus excellent. Mistakes were done as ordered just been prepared for price shock. I recommend the crème brûlée for dessert and the naughty Irishman coffee.. overall was a nice experience with attentive, weight, staff and creative and with a sense of humor! I personally cannot afford to go there except for very special occasions. A meal at Ruth's Chris feels like an event. There's so much anticipation. Yes, the prices are high but it seems that you get what you pay for. A wonderful meal with top notch service and ambiance. I did not find it pretentious. I was concerned that it might be. There is no dress code. While some dressed up, others were casually dressed. One man even showed up in a very wrinkled shirt and the staff treated him as well as any other guest. The wait staff is amazing. Our server was Valbon. He was gracious, helpful and very thorough in describing food preparation. My friend had a Porterhouse Steak prepared medium well done with just a bit of pink. It was a massive steak. He said it was prepared perfectly. Same for the mashed potatoes and asparagus. I don't eat much red meat. Valbon recommended the sea bass for me. It was remarkably tender. I enjoyed the sautéd vegetables, too. I was amazed that I finished my entire meal. My friend took part of his giant steak home and enjoyed it the next day. I asked for a light cocktail. A vodka-based Lemon Drop martini was recommended for me. It's a popular drink there. It was just right. Ruth's Chris is a chain. I know that some people frown on eating at restaurant chains because of quality concerns. But Ruth's Chris is fine dining and the food preparation is apparently held to high standards. Our meals were enjoyable. It was our first time trying this restaurant to celebrate my wife's birthday. They added decorations on our table and also gave my wife a small cake and candle which was a nice gesture. Steak was great and service was excellent. Our server was very friendly and even the manager stopped at our table to greet us. We will definitely come back.

    Photos
    Dining
    Dining
    Chopped salad
    Chopped salad
    Ribeye and lobster

    See all

    Ribeye and lobster
    Innovo Kitchen

    Innovo Kitchen

    3.8
    (451 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    After our last experience - which was not great - we decided to give this restaurant another try…read more Glad we did. The Hostess was SUPER friendly and she never stopped working - cleaning tables and checking with guests to be sure everything was satisfactory. The waiter, Gregg, was very attentive and friendly. He did a great job The food was terrific! I ordered Pasta Bolognese and it was absolutely the best I have ever had. Magnificent sauce. My wife ordered "street tacos" and they were great. stuffed with wonderful ingredients - including shrimp. This trip as a perfect experience and we shall return. (sorry the pasta photo is not great. It looked so good I ate quite a bit before I remembered to take a photo)

    For context, I rate products and businesses on a simple scale: 5 stars means I love it, 4 stars…read moremeans I like it, 3 stars is okay, 2 stars means I didn't like it, and 1 star means I hated it or think it's unsafe. I've been to Innovo Kitchen in Latham several times over the years and I've enjoyed it every time. They have a unique menu that changes periodically, but I always find something that catches my eye. The interior has an industrial feel which I like, with a lot of exposed brick. The tables are made from old bowling lane wood, which is a really cool touch. When you walk in there is also a bowling pin displayed in a glass case. I remember there being a bowling alley somewhere in that plaza when I was a kid, so it seems likely the building has some history tied to that. The tables are also nice and large, which makes the dining experience more comfortable. Tonight I ordered the Monte Cristo burger which is described as battered Buckley's Bread sourdough, a 6 oz special grind burger, Taylor pork roll, Swiss, and Twin Leaf Farms maple aioli. It was quite tasty and I really enjoyed the hint of maple syrup flavor on the burger. The crinkle cut fries that came with it were also very good. Another person in our party ordered the White Chicken Parmesan, described as a crisp chicken cutlet topped with ricotta and garlic spinach and fresh mozzarella, with garlic parmesan cream and lumache pasta. They said it was delicious. Someone else had the Crispy Skin Salmon and enjoyed that as well. A child at our table ordered macaroni with red sauce. The portion was surprisingly large and they liked it, which is impressive because they are particularly finicky. For dessert we ordered something we've had here several times before, the peanut butter mud pie. It's basically ice cream in pie form with an Oreo cookie crust and chocolate fudge. It's very tasty and also a generous portion. At the end of your meal they also offer everyone at the table a tasty piece of gourmet chocolate. One thing that really stood out tonight was the attentiveness of the management. Two different managers stopped by our table at different times to check and make sure everything was good. I recognized one of them because I've seen him there before and he always seems to make a point of checking in with guests. The other person had seated us so I initially thought she was the hostess, but after she stopped by during the meal I asked if she was a manager and she confirmed that she was. I mentioned that I was impressed that two different managers had checked on us, and that every time I've dined there a manager has stopped by to make sure everything was good. I thanked her and told her it was appreciated. During the summer and fall they also have a very nice patio area for outdoor dining. On cooler nights they have heaters and a fireplace which makes it a great place to sit outside. I will definitely return here again in the future. 5 stars

    Photos
    Innovo Kitchen
    Innovo Kitchen
    Innovo Kitchen

    See all

    Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet

    Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet

    3.2
    (67 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$$

    I love this place! I go with my best friend at least once a month. There is so many options to…read moresatisfy my palate.

    This is a tough one. Several of the other detailed reviews about the food were on target, so I…read morewon't repeat what has already been written. Instead, here are my Pros and Cons: Pros There is a wide variety of seafood, the likes of what I have never seen before at a buffet (not that I do many but ...). Snails, abalone, whole fish, crab legs, stone crabs (small), crab backs, whole baby octopus, oysters (raw and cooked, fresh), squid, and shrimp offered in a variety of ways. The problem with the crabs is that they only give you a cracker; they don't provide you with a proper tool (pick) to remove the meat from the shell, and the crabs are frozen and overcooked, so it's difficult to remove the meat. Also, what they offer as "butter" tastes like old cooking oil. Ugh. Frustrating. There are also frogs legs (interesting), chicken, pork and short ribs. Plus some veggies. Something for everyone. Cons The ladies room was dirty. Really dirty. See photo of hair on counter next to sink. The sushi offerings were a series of mostly empty serving dishes of dry pieces. I love sushi and this was a real turn off. Then there was the live fly in the pudding (photo). Disgusting. The waitress was very apologetic and took 10% off our bill but I was not keen on eating anything else after that. The service was fair. Wait staff standing around chatting. Could have been a bit more attentive removing used plates. The take away is this ... would I go back? Yes, I always give a place a second change to redeem themselves. And since several people left good reviews about the hot pot, I would try that (it would be a first). But I would go there when they first open and the food is fresh and only if I was in the area.

    Photos
    Dining area with buffet behind the divider.
    Dining area with buffet behind the divider.
    Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet
    Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet

    See all

    Mercato's Original Italian Restaurant - pizza - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...