WELCOME BACK TO MERCATO!

Mercato’s mission has always been to offer a memorable dining experience to all by creating a neighborhood hub to gather with friends and family while enjoying outstanding Italian wine & Mercato’s Southern take on traditional Italian fare. We are now even more committed to that mission, and sustainability for everyone involved in making Mercato a reality is crucial for us as we move forward and look to the future.

Effective 6/9/22:

Pizzeria Mercato will no longer require proof of vaccination for in-house dining. Since the onset of the pandemic we have shaped and guided our thought process with both our staff and our guests safety as the number one priority. Although Covid-19 continues to have a presence in our community and nationally, we are fortunate to live in an area that makes intelligent, thoughtful decisions that consider what is best for the greater good. Orange County residents are vaccinated by the highest percentage in the state of North Carolina which has and will continue to offer higher levels of protection against severe responses from contracting Covid than other areas. We have and will continue to make sanitation a top priority for Mercato and hope that our guests continue to feel safe choosing dine with us. We cannot thank you enough for your support over the last two plus years which have proven to be an immense challenge for us and every small independent restaurant both near and afar. All the love, Gabe.

What does that entail going forward?

New Operating Hours that will allow for a definitive balance between work and personal life for our staff:

  • Thursday-Sunday Lunch and Dinner Service
  • Lunch Service will begin at 11:00 with our last lunch seating at 2:00
  • Dinner Service will begin at 5:00 with our last dinner seating at 8:30

New Reservation Policy:

  • We will now offer and recommend reservations for dinner service.
  • Lunch will remain as before and be on a first come, first serve basis.
  • To make a reservation, click the “Reserve a Table” link that can be found at the top of our website, on our social media platforms, through the Tock App or Website, and on Google when you search for Pizzeria Mercato.

We always want to be able to provide the friendly and hospitable service that you all know and love so please note the following:

  • We recommend that you arrive 5-10 minutes early for your reservation to allow time for parking and to check in.
  • Checking in will no longer be done by signing your name on the chalkboard. Upon arrival, please check in at the bar and grab a drink while we prepare your table. As it has always been, we are unable to seat your party until your party is complete.
  • Our reservation system is based around a 90-minute dining experience per table which is the same formula we previously used for quoting wait times for our guests. Please let us know ahead of time if your party will require additional time so that we can plan accordingly.

Gratuities:

We are dedicated to every member of the Mercato team receiving a fair living wage. To do so, we have worked with our staff to create system where everyone receives a share of the gratuities from our guests. A great deal of work and pride goes into every step of our day-to-day operations. We are extremely grateful that our guests have always provided gratuities that reflect that level of pride and hard work. Dining out is a luxury, and we are so thankful that you choose to do so with us. We look forward to seeing you soon!!