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Mercato
102 N. Market St.Charleston, SC 29401
Downtown
(843) 722-6393
mercatocharleston.com
Tags: Italian, Bar
Look for the bright yellow awning on Market Street to find Mercato, a sexy Italian restaurant with an art-deco feel and a fun jazz scene. Diners can choose to sit downstairs near whatever small jazz ensemble is playing that night, or head up the illuminated staircase to eat in the more bright and airy dining room upstairs. Chef Ben Ellsworth’s menu is divided into Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Contorni, and Dolce, with a bevy of traditional Italian options to choose from — like fried calamari, housemade potato gnocchi, tagliatelle bolognese, and chicken marsala. Ellsworth kicks it up a notch by using high-quality and often local ingredients. On a recent visit, our salad was made with local butter lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and shaved fennel, and our linguini had plump local shrimp alongside garlic, lemon, and chilies. We were even told that the Nutella panna cotta was topped with local strawberries in the middle of January. We don’t know how they managed that, but we licked the plate clean nonetheless. —Erica Jackson Curran Dish (Winter 2013)
Restaurant Details
Local ingredients and authentic preparation of antipaste, pasta, and traditional Italian dishes. Live jazz nightly.
Features: Online Reservations, Dinner, Late Night, Live Music, Best of Charleston winner, Non-Smoking
Hours: D, nightly.
Price: $$$$
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Upcoming Events
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Frank Duvall Trio (Music)
- Tuesdays
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The Pulse Trio (Music)
- Wednesdays
- 1 going/interested
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Frank Duvall, David Patterson Ensemble (Music)
- Fridays
- 1 going/interested
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Lewis-Gregory-Wiltrout Trio (Music)
- Saturdays
- 1 going/interested
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Jordan Gravel (Music)
- Sundays
Past Events
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Valentine's Day at Mercato
- Thu., Feb. 14 2013
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NYE at Mercato
- Mon., Dec. 31 2012
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Mercato New Year's Eve Dinner
- Sat., Dec. 31 2011
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