There comes a time when all you want to do is slurp an unhealthy amount of creamy pasta and bite into hot, crunchy pizza, not even thinking about the amount of calories you just inhaled. That time came on a breezy Saturday night when my family and I dined at the popular eatery, Mercato Roman Pizza.
When we entered the crowded restaurant, every table was taken, and voices were echoing. We could hear laughter coming from every direction, and the fire from the pizza oven added a cozy, warm ambiance. However, as the night went on, it became clear that Mercato’s popularity rests more on its atmosphere than on the quality of its food.
Located at 11 Madison Avenue in Westwood, Mercato is a large, open restaurant filled to the brim with customers. The warm smell of food, combined with black-and-white movie projection playing on the walls, creates a comfortable and inviting setting. The space feels lively and social, and at first glance, it seems like the perfect place for a satisfying dinner.
Mercato specializes in Italian cuisine, with a menu centered around pizza and pasta. We began the meal with drinks and appetizers. The pomegranate blueberry mocktail was especially calling to me, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the meal for its refreshing flavor. Interestingly, the restaurant only offers mocktails, with no alcohol on the menu, most likely due to not being able to get a liquor license.
For appetizers, we ordered the burrata with prosciutto ($18) and the fritto misto calamari ($20). The burrata can only be described as tolerable and disappointing, lacking seasoning and depth of flavor. The calamari, on the other hand, was crunchy and crispy, paired with a sweet-spicy sauce that elevated the dish. While enjoyable, it still wasn’t remarkable enough to justify the fanfare surrounding the restaurant.
The entrees were a mix of highs and lows. The shredded baby beet and arugula salad ($14) was flavorful and generously dressed. It had a different flavor from the typical beet salad, yet in a good way; it was interesting and satisfying. The margherita pizza ($21) arrived hot and sizzling, with a perfectly cooked crust. Unfortunately, as soon as we took a bite of the dough, the pizza was overwhelmingly salty, which overshadowed what could have been a great dish.
The standout entree of the night was the paccheri lamb ragu pasta ($27). The red sauce was rich and comforting, and the lamb was mouth-wateringly soft. This dish was delicious and certainly something I would order again without hesitation. In contrast, the capellini shrimp e olio pasta ($29) was bland, mediocre, and left a repellant aftertaste in my mouth.
If the food had been consistently satisfying and the service exceptional, Mercato’s pricing might have felt reasonable. However, with more than half the dishes ranging from mediocre to unpalatable–and most plates left unfinished–the prices felt unjustified. The service was also poor, for on multiple occasions, the servers brought dishes to our table that we had not ordered. While the staff was polite and the food arrived quickly, these mistakes took away from the overall experience.
Mercato is not a terrible restaurant. In fact, a few dishes were genuinely good. But, its widespread popularity and overpriced food suggest a level of quality that simply isn’t delivered. With inconsistent food, flawed service, and inflated pricing, Mercato feels overrated–a restaurant that looks far better than it tastes.
