I really wanted to like Taverna given the high ratings and cool ambience shown in reviews. Sadly it fell short. To start the interior ambiance is incredible. Definitely a chill atmosphere to make you feel comfortable. Menu is simple enough with typical trattoria style fare and prices are reasonable overall. Service was very good, too. Started with pizza margherita which was outstanding. Excellent representation of a Neapolitan style pie. Thin strong crust with minimal wetness from toppings. Simple sauce mozzarella and basil. Perfect to share as an appetizer. We decided to try the shrimp risotto and here's where things began to fall apart. It presented more like a milky soupy rice mix with shrimp that tasted like what could only be described as dirty. Like the frozen pre treated kind that weren't properly thawed or rinsed. And honestly, it was just bland and had zero flavor. Sent it back after a few reluctant bites. They offered a free dessert. The chocolate Budino had promise, but was so overwhelmed with whole hazelnuts it was impossible to enjoy just the rich chocolatey goodness on its own. Sometimes less is more. Overall a decent restaurant that specializes is fast quick dishes. Risotto takes a bit longer and they lack the expertise to pull it off in the kitchen. Manage your expectations accordingly. read more

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Taverna Mercatto occupies a handsome corner of Toronto's financial district, and its rustic-meets-urban décor -- dim lighting, charming string lights, ample booth seating -- sets a stage that whispers of Italian warmth. Regrettably, the kitchen does not quite deliver on that promise. The pizza, which ought to be a cornerstone of any credible Italian taverna, arrives with a crust that shows genuine ambition: well-bronzed edges and an appealing char. Yet the centre tells a different story entirely -- underbaked and doughy, betraying a lack of the precision one expects when the fundamentals are so nearly within reach. It is the kind of misstep that suggests haste rather than craft. Service, on this occasion, proved unremarkable -- courteous enough in the mechanics of the meal, but devoid of the attentiveness or genuine hospitality that might have elevated the experience. One left with the impression that the establishment leans comfortably on its proximity to office towers and hotel lobbies, where a captive lunchtime clientele may be less inclined to demand excellence. There is, to be fair, potential here. Other patrons have spoken favourably of the arancini and certain pasta preparations, and the drinks list merits a nod of approval. But potential alone does not constitute a recommendation. Until the kitchen sharpens its execution and the dining room cultivates a more engaged sense of service, Taverna Mercatto remains a convenient stop rather than a compelling destination. read more

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I came here for dinner on a week night for a girls night. We decided to have dinner here because of its close proximity to our Second City show that we were seeing later that night and it was a great choice. They had a good selection of Italian dishes like pizza and pasta as well as a great atmosphere. Our server was friendly and patient with us while we decided what to order and also had some great recommendations for those of us who could not decide. The food itself was delicious and fresh and seem to be reasonably priced, especially for downtown. Overall it was good experience! read more

Taverna Mercatto - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I stopped here walking down the street so had no expectations. It was playoff night for the maple leafs so crazy busy but I got a seat at the bar. I had the Insalata Verde. It was good but very salty. Light though. I had asked the bartender her recommendation between the gnocchi and lasagna. I went with her choice of the lasagna. Absolutely delicious. Very different presentation and take on a traditional lasagna but I enjoyed it. The pasta was filled with cheese and pan fried. Then placed on this meaty bolognese sauce. There were chunks of vegetables. Very flavorful. The only negative was the very strong pieces of peppercorns. It was overpowering in some bites. The service was amazing. They handled the playoff crowds flawlessly. read more

Taverna Mercatto - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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It's a long flight to Italy. So come here instead. Located next to the Stadium and Ripley's Aquarium, Taverna Mercatto is easy to get to and is walkable from the Harbourfront Center. They have some kids options like pasta and pizza. The kids pasta was generous, very fast (great for hungry kids) and tasted great (yes, I snuck a bite). For the adults we settled on the pizza and pasta. The pizza was Neapolitan style, and was a hit. The pork belly topping was nice and different enough to make it memorable. The cavatelli pasta was also memorable and very well put together. Chorizo added lots of flavor and was rounded out by juicy tomatoes and spinach. Service was fast, friendly and on point. Desserts were top notch too with creamy gelato for the kids and tiramisu. The chocolate cake was also warm and came with gelato, almonds and cherries. Also a hit with the kids. So if you're feeling Italian and want a nice evening out (with or without the kids), this place fits the bill. read more

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Food was average, service was good. Only perks is it is near Scotiabank centre and quick to a bite in before a show. Reserve in advance as it gets busy on days with events read more

The ambiance is nice, and it's close to the scotiabank arena. Wouldn't recommend the Panfried lasagna, the edges became stale and chewy after the pan fry, and overall it didn't taste that great. Mushroom pizza was good, the wildboar pizza was alright, they went heavy on the oregano and it didn't taste right. Pricey for the portions. It was an ok experience. read more

Taverna Mercatto - Mushroom pizza - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I came here with 10 of my colleagues on a Thursday for a lunch farewell. I would highly recommend making reservations for large parties as this location gets fairly busy for lunch. The set up and decor was really nice, the restaurant fits a good number of people. The servers were very attentive and made sure there was ample water to go around. A lot of my colleagues ordered pizza but I opted to get a pasta dish. Based on the pricing, I would say the pasta is a very small portion and you'd get more for your money ordering the pizza. If you're a vegan, you'll have to speak to a server to order off the menu but there are a few options for vegetarians. I ordered the Squash Agnolotti and the pasta tasted very fresh. I was disappointed that it only came with about 10 pieces but I polished it off wanting more. read more

Taverna Mercatto - SQUASH AGNOLOTTI - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Checked our Taverna Mercatto recently to grab dinner before a concert. We had a reservation and thank goodness because it was busy!! When we sat down, our server asked if we were going to the concert which I appreciated, as the timing of our meal was great. We shared the calamari to start (good!) and I had the bolognese pasta and my friend had the orecchiette. Both were good! At first I wasn't sure it was going to be enough, but it was very hearty and I was full quickly. We shared the tiramisu for dessert and it was delicious!!! I'd get it again. read more

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Came here with friends on a week night, we were seated right away even though it was bustling. Food arrived in a reasonable amount of time. I got the carbonara, the pasta was perfectly al dente. All dishes were made with quality ingredients. The portions are reasonable but not large, similar to other Mercatto locations. Prices mid-reasonable. Great atmosphere, with patio seating options, spacious seating area. read more

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This is a conveniently located pre-game dinner or drinks place right on Bremner. Mostly sports fans or corporate types. Food - (3.5/5) - I've eaten here a few times and overall the food is ok. Nothing really above average but nothing bad. Bit pricier due to location. Pizzas are small individual or tapas size and ok. Burgers are pretty decent. Pasta is ok. Service - (3.5/5) - it can get busy and therefore slows down as a result. Non peak times are no issue at all. Atmosphere- (4/5) - good location and dimmer lighting with lots of tables and counters. Also patio in summer. Overall - (3.5/5) - not bad for pre-game but nothing above average. Good for after work or pre game beers. read more

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Amazing restaurant. The food was so amazing. It had a delicious taste. We had super great service too our server would joke with us, super friendly environment. The place itself is super pretty! read more

Taverna Mercatto - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

It was good. Not fantastic. Everyone has different tastes. So try yourself. Found the prices a tad high for what you get.

No optical illusions here - the pasta portions were disappointingly small at a price point of $27. As you can see in my photo, the pasta bowl was about the same width as the calamari plate, which was only slightly larger than the sharing plates. This would all be fine if the pasta was delicious but alas, it was not. Lacking in flavour and sauce, it tasted bland and dry. The seafood was fine, nothing notable. The calamari was actually quite good as a standalone, but I wouldn't return to an Italian restaurant just for an appetizer when their pastas are lacking. The location of this restaurant is convenient and paired with the fact that they accept large group reservations, I can see the allure. But if we're looking for outstanding food, then it's back to Gusto I go! read more

Taverna Mercatto - Calamari Fritti (front), Linguine Di Mare (back) - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My boyfriend and I went here for date night and we had a great time. The service was absolutely amazing - friendly, attentive, and knowledgable - and the food was deliciously fresh. I loved the Pollo Alla Diavola and would absolutely order it again. I also enjoyed my dirty martini. My bf got the Flat Iron Steak and enjoyed it, although he said he prefered my chicken! This place would be great for dates, girls nights, or group dinners. read more

Nice place and great location - near Scotia Arena and Rogers Centre. Looks small from the outside but actually the inside was spacious. Good place for business talks, after-work drinks and friends hang out. A seafood platter with 5 prawns, a few crab legs and mussels takes $50 bucks. Drinks were good, liked the basil one I had. Service was OK. For some reason they cancelled my OpenTable reservation after I left, which explained my concern about the waitress on duty who's been on her phone all the time for as long as I could notice. Food (quality, presentation) - 3/5 Drinks (quality, variety) - 4/5 Ambience (interior, cleanness) - 5/5 Service - 2/5 Value - 3/5 read more

Taverna Mercatto - Drinks - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Taverna Mercatto is great location to have a business dinner with your colleagues. The service was very well done and the servers were attentive. I was lost in the beautiful decor throughout. I forgot to take pictures this of everything due to so many different conversations happening at the same time. But I will be back to try a few things on the menus that caught my eye. Unfortunately I have only one stomach so I couldn't try everything. read more

Taverna Mercatto - Dinner with the team - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Not bad food but really not great. The look and feel of this place is great, sadly the food doesn't keep up...they make it sound like its authentic Italian food but it's really not great. I had the pan fried lasagna which sounded interesting but I, and they, should have known you can't pan fry pasta it just gets dry and hard.. Or almost in my instance. Really a bad idea. I know there trying to do something different but it's got to work in the first place. This dish doesn't. It was dry and crusty and supposedly had bechamel sauce in it which is my favourite but good luck finding it, it was all dried out as well. Then it was surrounded by their meat sauce which I found relatively tasteless. I would never order this dish again. It's a bad example of lasagne. Our friend has oizza which looked ok but it was very soggy... Really didn't look great. I would skip coming here... They need to take it up a notch or a couple.. read more

Taverna Mercatto - This is my Dried out lasagna. Looks good but it was tasteless and the dry pasta was really unappealing.. A bad idea. - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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An amazing Italian restaurant located in the heart of Toronto. The food is very delicious and definitely worth it. Pizzas use a lot of fresh ingredients and are large enough to keep you full for some time. The service is excellent with very friendly waiters and the ambiance is very much like a modern open bar. Located near Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, CN tower and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, this is a great restaurant to stop by before a game or a walk around the aquarium. Would definitely recommend the pizzas as they are fairly large and filling. Highly suggest getting the Salsiccia pizza as it is very different from pizzas you find in other restaurants with honey and sausage. The sweetness from the honey and the saltiness from the fennel sausage are perfectly balanced with the spiciness from the peperoncini. The Diavola pizza is also a must try for those who like spice. Although not piled high with different ingredients, all the pizzas use fresh and quality toppings. The pastas are also very authentic and have a unique variety of ingredients including squid ink and stinging nettles. The chocolate cake is also the perfect dessert to cap of a delicious meal. Highly recommend this place especially if you are attending a game, as it will keep you full and is very delicious. Even if you're not attending a game it's a great place to get authentic Italian food. read more

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We found this place (thanks to Yelp!) while looking for a new restaurant to try before heading to a concert. Although the first time here -- it won't be the last! Everything was delicious! Oysters (PEI) were super fresh, we tried the pan fried lasagna (do it!!) -- the crispy edges, fresh pasta and the sauce was perfect. We also tried the gluten free pizza (and the crust?! You'd never know the difference!) finished off with a birthday tiramisu and it, like everything else was amazing! Wine prices were a little steep (although we are right downtown so it's sort of expected). Our server (missed his name) was personable, great recommendations + overall attentive (without being too much). We sat on the patio and it was a great vibe. People watching is on point. Inside had a moodier ambiance and it was busy (we had reservations which we were happy about). Definitely worth trying. read more

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Good Italian food. We stumbled across this restaurant by chance but had a great dinner. Delicious pasta, servings a normal size. The atmosphere was nice. read more

Great spot for lunch! Dropped in before the Jays game. Delicious food, excellent and friendly service with a lively vibe on the patio. I ordered the Arancini and my partner ordered the Margarita Pizza. Both were delicious! We will return on our next visit. read more

Everything was very delicious. All the staff was nice and attentive. would definitely recommend

A cute restaurant to enjoy some drinks and Italian food in Toronto. I got the mushroom pizza and it was pretty good. I wish I tried the pasta... the lasagna looked delish! The service was okay, nothing extraordinary. Espresso martini is a must! read more

Taverna Mercatto - two glasses of coffee on a table - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Service was excellent, music was great (80's classic). Food was tasty and an all round lovely eating experience. read more

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Good place to visit after a Raptors game. Food was delicious, priced reasonably in downtown and came promptly. The staff were attentive to our needs and replenished water. But I just don't get why the front doors are so heavy that it's almost impossible to open. read more

Taverna Mercatto - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This place sucks!!! Terrible customer service. This waiter attempted to tell me how to order and was very rude and inattentive. Big waist of time and over priced wanna be Italian food. 1/10 read more

Went here with office colleagues as it is closer from work. Decent menu but doesn't have a lot of options. Menu hasn't changed in a while either. Food tastes decent but it is overpriced. It has good ambiance, fast service and good location. But there are many other Italian places in downtown with better menu read more

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Located very close to the Rogers centre in Downtown, Taverna is a chic Italian restaurant known for their food and wine. I went there for my birthday and I felt the service could have been better. Many of the food items lacked taste but the quality was very fresh, you could tell. I loved their truffle fries and lasagna. These were the showstopper in my opinion. The pizza too was yum but the anchovies on top kinda ruined it for me. For dessert we tried the affogato and being a coffee lover this had to be my favourite! Probably not coming back again but this was an okay one time visit place. read more

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This is definitely Italian food for the after-work crowd, a Buca di Beppo-type of experience that didn't leave that much of an impression on my palate. It wasn't that the food was badly executed but rather that the plates were by-the-numbers unmemorable. I was here with the same dozen people I had been with for the previous eight hours, so small talk opportunities had already been exhausted as we sat closely together at a communal table. Because of the size of our party, I was able to try quite a number of their dishes and got a reasonably broad cross-section. The common adjective connecting the plates was 'bland'. We started with the $14 Calamari Fritti which apparently came with shishito peppers that had disappeared by the time the plate was passed to me (photo: http://bit.ly/35MxgSg). Meh. I did manage to snag one of the overly chilled prawns on the $21 Shrimp Cocktail platter (photo: http://bit.ly/2EE5UBy). Better were the $13 Beets & Burrata with arugula and toasted almonds (photo: http://bit.ly/34Lnhva) and the $12 Greens which added celery hearts for crunch and a drizzle of sherry vinaigrette (photo: http://bit.ly/36TVmKG). The pasta plates were pretty standard issue given the couple of bites I was able to get of each. The $21 Linguine di Mare was a typical seafood melange with little imagination (photo: http://bit.ly/2PGtJ22), while the $18 Tortiglioni alla Bolognese at least provided meatiness in the veal & pork ragu, but again it was bland and lacked freshness (photo: http://bit.ly/373WnjJ). The three different pizzas disappointed. The $18 Verdure had toppings and a basil pesto that were rather skimpy on the chewy crust (photo: http://bit.ly/38R3Y6R). while the $17 Margherita was just wet (photo: http://bit.ly/2Q1UXzi). Only the $19 Prosciutto was reasonably good with the padano cheese and prosciutto more plentiful (photo: http://bit.ly/34GULe2). Dessert came on cutting boards, and they offered a trio of which truthfully I only tried the Tiramisu Cake Roll which was OK (photo: http://bit.ly/2M8ukaH). There was also Chocolate Budino and Cannolo though my colleagues grabbed those pretty quickly (photo: http://bit.ly/36UM69j). My favorite part of the meal? The $14 Pimms Cup with ginger ale, lemon & cucumber, which honestly hit the spot far more than any of the food (photo: http://bit.ly/2SarzJH). Listen, none of us had high hopes for culinary delights here, and even our sponsor admitted this was not her first choice, but the proximity to our hotel just made it so convenient. FOOD - 2.5 stars...standard issue Italian with few surprises AMBIANCE - 2 stars...loud and rather packed after work SERVICE - 2 stars...nothing special TOTAL - 2 stars...not worth seeking out unless your expense account covers it RELATED - Traveling to Toronto? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2LETSfV read more

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Food is good. Go there at least twice a month. Mainly for the pizzas! There's a few waitresses/waiters there that are really amazing, good personalities! Its a good place for a reasonably priced meal and some atmosphere. read more

YUM! What a nice, unexpected, find! We were walking around the area for the Tower and the Aquarium, and stumbled across this place near our parking garage. We were the only people in there when we first arrived. The hostess was welcoming and we decided to sit up at the bar area. Our server was quick to grab us some menus and take drink orders. They have a decent sized menu and the pasta was noted as something to get in reviews, so I went with that recommendation. Per usual, fellow Yelpers didn't let me down. They were happy to do spaghetti noodle with their bolognase sauce, despite it not technically being a menu option. Food was fresh. The noodle were perfectly al dente. The sauce tasted great and had a decent amount of meat in there to make it very hearty. Overall: A Great spot near some tourist things to do, so grab a bite, a drink, and refuel for more adventuring! read more

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A last minute decision as we were staying at Delta Toronto a 2 minute walk from our hotel! Love the drink list: wine, beer, cocktails. A great place to have a drink with snacks. We seated by the bar area, so one of the bartenders was serving us. We were checked on frequently and the service was attentive. Food was ok, quite standard and did not wow me. I though will come back or a night cap if I am in the area. read more

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Over priced average tasting food. Service and Ambiance were ok. Their red pepper and tomatoes pizza needs some cheese! Kalamari was too chewy. read more

This happened go be my first official food destination stop in Toronto and I must say, i'm satisfied with this place. My 4 stars is really for the views and the setting of place, very nice but the food was pretty good too. Started off with the arancini balls. I didn't expect the big ball of melted cheese on the inside (which made me not like it that much) but my main dish, the Bucatini, was well seasoned. One thing with pesto on pasta, it tends to be oily but besides that, I loved the chopped pistachios on top and the shrimp was juicy. Delish! read more

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I came here for lunch when I went into the office and I didn't even know this Mercatto was even located next to my building. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and sweet. The service was overall amazing. As I opened the menu I was pleasantly delighted to see they carried beer from Bellwoods - one of my fave breweries! Both my colleague and I ordered a beer and arancini (deep fried risotto balls) to start. I loved loved loved (x3) their arancini as it was perfectly crispy on the outside and so cheesy and soft on the inside. To my pleasant surprise, the risotto they used for the arancini was a mushroom risotto and I LOVE mushrooms! On that note of loving mushrooms, for the main I ordered the funghi pizza and it was also tasty. But the best part was dessert. I had ordered the tiramisu which was a recommendation from our server and it DID NOT disappoint!!!!! Wow, it was probably the best tiramisu I've had at an Italian restaurant in Toronto. So creamy and a tad on the heavier side but great coffee flavour. Surprise after surprise - I was extremely happy with my visit here and would definitely come back for the tiramisu. Would definitely recommend! read more

Pre-game meal with home runs served all-around. Pizza, pasta and arctic char were all spot on. Bills itself as an Italian Pub which feels like a curve-ball, but the ambience and staff were both all-star material. Desserts looked good but we had to save room to eat ice-cream out of baseball helmets at the Skydome! read more

Taverna Mercatto - Italian Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The gluten free pizza was the best I've had. The birthday girl loved the lasagna and the tiramisu. Wine was perfect. Service was lovely. We were happy to be able to spend dinner on the patio in October :) read more

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Came here for pre game food before watching the raptors game and the food was okay. The Arancini was kinda small for the money we paid. Probably wouldn't come back here read more

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Came here for a team lunch and ordered the fixed menu because the main menu apparently wasn't fully available during lunch.....very confusing menu setup but ended up ordering the risotto and cheese fried balls and the roasted chicken. The risotto cheese balls were surprisingly good because when the dish arrived it was very underwhelming. The balls had a really good crust and when i fried poked into one it had a really good cheese pull. What i also enjoyed was the tomato sauce at the bottom which cut the oiliness of the fried balls significantly, a really good match. The chicken however was very disappointing. The chicken was very tender on the inside but that was probably because small chunks were undercooked and raw ish....the pasta under was kind of dry and clumped together. Lastly the texture was a little boring, there was a little bit of char on the skin but seems to be only from the salamander so the really wasn't a real crust on the chicken. Overall the restaurant seemed good but just didnt get a good experience this time. read more

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