Fantastic New Restaurant in WEST CHESTER ~~Italian~~ Wine Bar. This place is absolutely gorgeous. We were walking by and noticed there was a new restaurant in town. We didn't have a reservation, but waited 15 minutes for a seat (it was a thursday night), The adorable waiter recommended sharing the brick oven pizza for a starter, home run! we each order the specials for the evening, and every one was in agreement, this is what west chester needed, a beautuful, reasonably priced restaurant, that's not in a time warp! Bravo Mercato, you nailed it on all levels.

This was our first time going. It was our 5 year anniversary an 1 year of engagement and couldn't have asked for a better location. I highly recommend if you haven't tried this place you do. Also our waitress was very knowledgeable an down to heart an not scared to actually have a conversation while still doing her job. Food was amazing & the drinks as well!

When I think of going to a place for pasta in West Chester I think of Mercato. This restaurant is one of the more pricier Italian restaurants in the area but I will always recommend people come here. Mercato is a pretty romantic restaurant but also great for families. There is a bar and plenty of outdoor seating. During this dining experience however, we did have a few hiccups. The menus were just printed sheets of paper with stains from previous usage. It just was honestly gross to think about. Our waiter was very formal and well versed. I appreciated how thorough he was. The runners kept our table clean and cleared throughout every dish. We were given table bread and a side of marinara sauce. The sauce, while very tasty, was pretty cold. The bread was delicious! We ordered a caesar salad and the short rib ragu for appetizer. The salad was delicious! The dressing ratio has a little more anchovy than preferred but nonetheless still really good! On the other hand the short rib was MOUTH WATERING! Cooked to perfection it melted in your mouth and the ragu was perfectly seasoned. I could have gone without the hard block of gorgonzola polenta. The edges were rock hard and the inside was soggy. I have no idea what the white topping was on the short rib but it did not melt into the meal. I could have gone without that as well. The entrees saved the night! We ordered the fettuccini mercato and the penne vodka. They are our typical go-tos and I absolutely recommend people give it a try! I found myself stealing bites of the penne vodka. The tomatoes in the fettuccini mercato dish were not soggy and the peas added that pop of freshness to the dish. The best part about their penne vodka is that they add prosciutto and who does not love that?! The portions are pretty big so prepare to take some home. Thankfully the pasta always heats up well next day just mildly greasy is all. I will say though, that the to-go boxes they give will not hold up well in the fridge. Be sure to switch your leftovers into some Tupperware. I am very happy they are being considerate about the environment by cutting down on plastic to go bowls. I am hopeful that our next visit will be much better.