I've never teared up over a piece of perfectly cooked shrimp before, but Il Mercato has done it. This is a place you go to spoil yourself every once in a while, a place to take your girlfriend to on an anniversary night, or beg your parents to take you because you're too poor. This is a white table-cloth restaurant without the pretention of one; it had a lively atmosphere and a well-lit interior. In fact, you know a restaurant is the real deal when their bathroom intrigues you - either through its OCD cleaning standard or a captivating painting in front of the urinal. Even their patio seating comes with red blankets - warming and stylish. Your focaccia goes beyond the average. It is warm, fluffy, and even seasoned! I can tell the chefs had high standards for this place immediately after tasting their complimentary bread. I have had the seafood pasta, jumbo shrimp linguini, lasagna, Aglio e Olio, and others over my many visits; they were all delicious. Did I ever mention this was also the place I tried my first gnocchi? I remember the moment I put it in my mouth I felt like I was floating amidst the cloud. I am not ashamed to admit it: it was so soft and fluffy I felt, as ridiculous as this is going to sound, as if I had became the gnocchi. I grew up with Chinese food - a type of cuisine devoid of rich use of cream or cheese like Italian, yet Il Mercato has convinced me even with a palette from a different culture, it is still possible to enjoy food outside your usual tasting game. Thank you for the memorable meals. read more

I never write reviews but this dessert was so flippin AMAZING I had to rate it!!!! It looked as good as it tasted! Layers of in house made mango sorbetti, coconut gelato, whipped cream, caramelized pineapple and an almond biscotti in a Pinterest worthy presentation read more

Il Mercato - Paridisio Parfait - Italian Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Food and service was great! We went out to celebrate our anniversary and had such a nice dinner.

Fantastic dining experience for any occasion. Reservations are recommended but not always necessary. Great Italian pastas as well as lamb dishes. Save room for desert if possible! Tons of parking available. read more

Very good service. Got us In without reservation. Quickly saw to our order. Food was delicious. Everything cooked perfectly. Price was well within what was expected read more

Il mercato is a sought after restaurant. The menu is huge and the drink selection is just as large. The food looks great but it isn't anything special and the portions are rather small. The food and drinks took awhile to get to the table. We had a table of 7 and we expected a little wait but it took about 25-30 minutes to get 4 drinks including a few tap beer and 20 minutes after the meal for the mojito. It was sad because a lot of the conversation was on how long the drinks were going to take. The waitress was always smiling and was a pleasure to have. The atmosphere is loud and because it's such a small restaurant- you are no more than half an arms length away from the table around you. One of the waiters had told us that it was around for 13 years, which is really surprising to me. Honestly for a pasta restaurant - it didn't exceed my expectations. read more

Il Mercato - Italian Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Atmosphere too noisy for us. With reservation we waited over an hour to be seated. Food was good, service ok. We are not regulars but found that wait with a reservation just too long for a repeat performance. I know they don't need us but-----------? read more

An excellent place to eat. Nice to have a higher end restaurant in Bedford. Prices are steep but you get a perfectly cooked Italian meal and great service. I would highly recommend this place to anyone wanting a special place to eat, maybe for a special occasion. You will not be disappointed. read more

It was Il Mercato for my birthday meal this year. I have never actually been here before, but had really high expectations. I was not disappointed. From the appetizers to dessert, it was all fabulous... I only wish I actually took some pics to share. For starts we went with Calamari ($11) and the Pan seared local Scallops ($12). Although my husband is the one who likes calamari, he wasn't crazy about this one, I on the other hand usually hate it, and after trying one thought, I could actually eat it. It was more mild then others I have tasted. The scallops were perfect. Lots of flavor, not too rich, and I really enjoyed the crispy pancetta that accompanied them. For our mains, my husband went with the Handmade Cannelloni, stuffed with braised Veal, ricotta, fresh herbs, oven baked with tomato & béchamel, topped with Parmigiano ($17). He loved it, just wished the portion was larger as he didn't find it enough. I went with the Linguine Carbonara, smoky bacon, egg, black pepper, Parmigiano ($16) and added chicken for an added fee ($3 I think). It was exactly what I imagined it to be. Rich and satisfying. You can taste everything that is in this dish. I would definitely order it again, and will most likely return for this dish alone. We finished with some fresh gelato (fruit flavors), which were light and refreshing. The dining area was a bit close for my liking, I like the tables a bit more spaced out. The server was great, knew her stuff and was very attentive. Overall, it was a great time, enjoyed by both of us. A new favorite. read more

This has to be one of my favorite restaurants. We are starting to become regulars @ilmercatosunnyside! And honestly! Who doesn't love great Italian?! It may be located in a mall but it definitely doesn't have that "mall restaurant" feel at all. It feels more like an upscaled casual restaurant. We go about twice a month sometimes more. I often get a craving for the the mushroom and chicken ravioli. I have tried a few things on the menu but can never seem to shake my love for this ravioli dish. It is by far my all-time fave pasta dish. Make sure you give this place a try. You won't be disappointed. Whole you're at it make sure you order the Zucato (sp?) cake at the end of your meal. It's handmade and delicious!! We often have to choose between our fave apps or this cake. Sometimes we will switch it up for the ever famous maritzio styled gelatos but this cake always makes it back to us! Do yourself the favor and try this restaurant. read more

This place is great! I've gone there more than a few times and every experience has been fantastic. The atomosphere is classy and intimate, the food is well prepared and the desserts are outstanding and the staff is sincerely friendly and accomodating. Definitely worth a visit. read more

"Wow" what a phenomenal experience we had! The feeling you get when you walk through the front door is awesome. The service, wine and food was outstanding. We loved the Calamari, Jumbo shrimp, Scallops and pizza with Italian sausage created in house. Ask for Jamie. He will make your experience unforgettable! read more

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I should be up front. I will pimp myself out for anything Italian. So that means that I'm predisposed to liking any restaurant that has a name where I have to roll my Rs. At the same time, it also means that I'm particular. It takes a lot to really impress me when it comes to Italian food. And Il Mercato does it consistently each and every time I go there. Both locations...I don't discrimate. It's not your Mom and Pop's trattoria in a back alley in Rome. It's glorified, pretty Italian food. And it's damn good. The litmus test? I routinely crave items on their menu. Here are my top 3 faves: 1. Risotto Croquettes - delicious mushroom risotto stuffed with cheese and proscuitto, breaded and deep-fried. And then served with a tomato sauce that is somehow the least-acidic tomato sauce I've ever had. Really? Can you go wrong with this? 2. Warm Cabbage Salad - bacon, bacon grease and cabbage. Sounds unappetizing, but it's a must-try. 3. Rigatoni with Black Olive Pesto, Pancetta and Goat Cheese - exceptional comfort food. If you're a Haligonian, I would find it hard to believe that you haven't been to Il Mercato and loved it, but if you haven't, it's a must go. And, if you're a visitor who loves reasonably-priced, but unreasonably delicious, Italian food, make this a top priority stop during your visit to the city. read more

There are a lot of Italian joints in this city I find lacklustre. I walk away thinking, "Meh, I could do that at home." (As long as I'm willing to make the mess in the kitchen.) But dinner at Il Mercato makes me wish I was independently wealthy so I could eat there every night of every week of every month of the year. Each time I go I try to sample something different on the menu. Some of my faves include: the jumbo shrimp, the wild mushroom and prosciutto risotto croquettes, the mussels, the pan seared scallops, the sauteed snails, the Roman style artichokes, the tomato roasted garlic soup, and the warm cabbage salad... .... and OMG! That's only the starters - antipasti/zuppa/insalate. You could easily make your meal off that menu section alone. The thin-crust pizza's are amazing! So fresh and light with an incredible combination of flavours. I'm not a huge mushroom fan in the least, but Il Mercato makes even me enjoy mushrooms! The thin crust, wild mushroom with pancetta, arugula, asiago cheese and balsamic drizzle is awesome! I was with a friend who ordered it, tried a slice (against my better anti-mushroom judgement) and absolutely loved it! I have yet to try any of their focaccia sandwiches, but every time I sit down with a menu I'm highly intrigued by the lamb focaccia. I always tell myself: Next time.... (and then 'next time' I just find something else intriguing!) Every pasta has been amazing! The mushroom and chicken ravioli is a fan fave with everyone I know. I absolutely adore the ragu tagliatelle! And ANYTHING they make involving seafood has always knocked my socks off! As for dessert. Rarely is there room leftover. But sheeeesh! I always try to find room - even if it's something to take home and enjoy later in the evening. Having been to both the Bedford & Spring Garden Rd location, I will always choose the Bedford location first. The ambiance is far more cozy and bistro-esque. The food at the Halifax location has been just as amazing as the Bedford location but for me it just feels more 'industrial', more packed in. The staff have been amazing - always ready to offer up wine suggestions, knowledgeable on the regular dishes and specials, and always super-friendly and personable. So often with Italian food I find myself leaving the restaurant saying, "Meh. I could have done that at home," or "Yeah, it was alright. Nothing to write home about though." After all, it's Italian. It's really hard to screw it up. But also, it's Italian - everyone has their own at home go-to spaghetti sauce or lasagna that they love. For me though, Il Mercato is the gold-standard that Italian food is measured against. I'm sure there's better out there, but the affordability coupled with the quality of the food & ingredients makes Il Mercato my go-to restaurant when the Italian crave hits. read more

Ahhhh, Il Mercato. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Mike and I frequent both locations as often as possible, but we usually end up at the Bedford location simply because it's easier to get there from our home in Clayton Park West and hey, free parking! The staff at both locations are friendly and professional. The Bedford location feels a bit more "cozy" to me, YMMV. The menu is a pasta lover's dream. I honestly have never tried anything else on the menu 'cause their pastas are soooo gooood. Who knew you could make a simple spaghettini and olive oil dish so darn tasty? It's my favourite by far. Mike loves the linguine with lobster; they don't skimp on the shellfish. We both go straight for the gelato for dessert, but they do have a wonderful selection of cakes and tarts. I've never had a bad experience here. If I could buy stocks in this place I would. read more

My boyfriend took me here on Saturday night for my birthday dinner. I've been before as well to the one on Spring Garden so knew what to expect. We arrive after 8pm and the restaurant was busy, but there were still plenty of empty tables, yet it took over 5 minutes for them to seat us. This is awkward at the Bedford location because you just hover at the top of the stairs and if others arrive behind you they are stuck waiting on the stairs. There were others waiting on Saturday and I felt bad for them. By the time we were seated everything else was smooth sailing. Our waitress was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu and suggestions. We ordered the calamari to start. Certainly not the best we had, but it was good. Very smooth - not at all chewy. And a fair sized portion - even for the price. I, as always, ordered the mushroom ravioli. It was delicious, as always, although the portion size has apppeared to have shrunken since my last visit. I still cleaned the plate though. With the bread. If it was at home I would have licked it clean! The boyfriend got the lobster/seafood linguini. He had some nice chunks of lobster in his meal - even if they were a bit chewy, but he was satisfied. With no room for dessert, we paid our bill and left. A little pricey for our liking but it was a special occasion. You only turn 30 once! read more

wow. how impressive. I was shocked to enter this restaurnt through the mall and be taken away to a different place once we reached the top. I really felt, because of the atmosphere and decor, that I was transported to a different place. the wait staff were friendly and attentive. the olive oil and balsamic was delish (although I wish they got it from liquid gold rather than large supplier sysco). But it was good. just like to see local supporting local ;) anyway, both pasta dishes we order were delicious and were generous portions! the Tiramisu was the best I ever had! definitely recommend. the entire dessert case looked amazing. I highly recommend this restaurnt. especially as a nice escape from the mall. I think all of the dishes would be amazing. and the atmosphere is truly great! read more

First time here! I was expecting the food to be incredible before I got here just by looking at the website and the reviews and they definitely met all expectations! Started the meal by bringing us bread with caramelized onions also with oil and basamti vinegar to dip it in. I had the penne roasted free range chicken and the flavour was excellent. By the time I was done eating I didn't have room for dessert. For dessert the others had peanut butter cups and it had a whipped topping that was to die for. Total meal was about 30 bucks a person with tip but it was definitely worth every penny from the top notch customer service to the flavourful food! Definitely a spot to return for special occasions! read more

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Like the place.. almost everything is fresh and tasty.. I'm a big fan of their pastas.. Ravioli is my favorite.. everything tastes good.. I usually go there for dinners .. service is friendly and ready to serve. a bit slow but with the fresh ingredients i sure hope so.. would recommend them for dinners and even large gatherings as well. Food options are great and in some cases are ready to take special requests.. read more

Simply declicious! Food was tasty and fresh! Visited twice in week, that says something. Place was packed both times. Highly recommended. read more

Went for the first time. Nice surprise to find such a nice place in that area. The restaurant was full but that didn't affect the service. We were attended by a very attentive waitress that had a nice cheerful attitude which just added to an already delightful experience. I had the penne salsichia which was very nice though not extraordinary. My date had the penne roasted chicken which she let me try and I regret not having ordered that instead. It was simply delicious and melted in my mouth. Rightly recommend. Very nice experience. read more

Great date spot. Also if you can't get a table the bar is a better option anyway. The bartenders put on a customer service show nightly. Pouring and shaking awesome cocktails and adding to the conversation. Foods great and comes out fast. Much better than their sister joint A Mano which I despise. read more

Renovations are complete, and they are now building a patio - it will be beautiful in the summer! We had a spectacular dinner and experience on Friday evening. The staff were extremely busy, yet everyone had time to smile and chat. The owner, Dean stopped by to say hello - he truly cares about your experience. Jad was our server and I must say he is one of the best servers we have ever had - we will request him next time we go. He was knowledgeable about our wine pairings and had excellent suggestions on menu items. He was funny, charming and attentive without being in our face. Loved meeting him. The dinner starts off with the fresh focaccia bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. So delish!! I had the risotto balls - to die for. And my main was the seafood pasta. It was perfection. I loved my food so much that I can't remember what my husband had!! But he loved it! We can't wait to go back. We live in Dartmouth and it is a quick jaunt and no bridge to worry about! Thanks Dean and team - we had the best anniversary dinner. read more

When the hubby and I feel like a nice dinner out but not like trekking the whole way into the city, Il Mercato in Bedford is always our number one pick. Don't be tricked into thinking it's subpar because it's located above a shopping mall! The decor and atmosphere is excellent, service is always prompt and friendly, and the food is outstanding. Every meal starts off with bread and olive oil, a nice touch that we always appreciate. I don't even know what dish to recommend - they have some amazing thin-crust pizzas (the veggie is my favourite, with artichokes, asparagus, and baby tomatoes). Hubby orders the chicken ravioli every single time and raves about it and wishes there was more. They're very accommodating about special requests if you have food allergies or are vegetarian/vegan. It's consistently awesome! read more

Il Mercato is one of my neighbourhood restaurants. I can walk to it in ten minutes. The food, service and ambiance are great. We've eaten there many times at lunch and supper. I can't say that I've ever had a bad meal. I even took my staff out for dinner there. When my mother in law passed away this last week, it was Il Mercato where I went for "comfort" food. My wife and I had one of their pizzas. It was really good. I particularly enjoy their calamari and risotto croquettes. I also find that the service is great there. As we say in Italian, si mangia bene. read more

We've been addicted to Il Mercato since the early days in the mid-90s at the NFB building. Pre-kids the Spring Garden team knew us by name. I've eaten at all the locations, new and old, dozens of times. Not once have I had a poor experience. The Bedford location is now the closest and most convenient for us. The food is always perfect. The favorites continue to be on the menu - croquettes, grilled vegetable salad, mushroom soup, zicotto and the pastas change with the seasons. What sets Bedford apart is the ease with which they handle kids. There's a little more space, it's a little bit quieter and they're just as willing to customize for the fussiest of kids (or adults). Il Mercato is my go-to restaurant in Halifax or Bedford. It's always a treat. read more

Can't make one complaint about this place, it is a staple for us,being that it is close to home, and never disappoints. I should point out that I have been here many, many times and have eaten many things on their menu, my current fav's are rice balls, tomato soup, scallops, and for main dish pasta, the black olive pesto with goats cheese, it is fantastic, I mean really, really good!!! Can get quite busy on Friday and Saturday nights, anytime after 6:30 and you may be in for a wait for a table, but if you go a little earlier you won't have any problems. I would recommend this place for sure and would suggest that anything you try is going to be great. read more

Never a bad meal here. Great modern italian at decent price. The room is nice and they hire and keep excellent staff. Date night dinner or out with a few couples? This is the spot in Bedford. Try the pumpkin ravioli. read more

It had been a while since I'd visited one of my favourite dinner date places with a good friend. Il Mercato is never a disappointment. Classy yet very comfortable. Our waitress easily gave me the run down of the wine they had on hand and what would best suit my personal taste buds. Their delicious home made bread that comes to the table alongside a plate of the best Olive Oil around for soaking up. Ohhh Yumm! I am sure I could eat a whole basket of that alone. Decided to try something a little different then my usual Ravioli that I always seem drawn to re-order. Started with the pan seared scallops. They may have been lightly(very) breaded in panko crumbs? They were served with a parsnip puree. Now, I don't even like parsnip--but this puree was incredible!!! I couldn't get enough of this loaded onto my plump juicy scallop!! My main was a Fettucine Alfredo dish. Loaded with big huge mushrooms & caramelized onions. I am salivating just re-thinking about this...hehe. It was soooo good! Pasta was so fresh, the sauce light...a little rich...but the flavour...Yum-o! As much as my belly screamed..IM FULL, I squeezed in room for dessert. The waitress offered us the specials, one of which was Gluten Free. Some sort of a cappuccino mousse cake. I thought..its Gluten free...it must be light right?? Hehe. I got as much as I could in, it was tasty as well. But not exactly what I was expecting based on the name of the dish. read more

Went here for the second time early January 2013. I had the chicken ravioli with gorgonzola brown butter sauce. I have to admit I was a little dissapointed. The ravioli's were not that great and the sauce tasted a bit like it had been cooking far too long and it was a bit 'gloopy'. The last time I went I had the lobster ravioli with the grilled vegtable salad and it was fantastic. Guess it was an off night. I may give it another shot, we will see. read more

Something has changed at Il Mercato over the last year or so. The food isn't quite as good as it used to be, though it's still pretty yummy. Their desserts are pretty good but overpriced IMO, *unless* you're getting a piece of pie. Their banana cream pie is like nothing I have ever tasted before. I dream about it. 'Nuff said. The pizza di lingua (or something like that) is yummy and so is their lasagna, though I wish they would leave out the dark meat as the wrong piece can make that particular bite taste "off". Service is usually efficient and friendly. read more

I took a large group to Il Mercato for a birthday party and it was great. The atmosphere was perfect. We added a couple extra seats to our reservation upon arrival and they accommodated us with smiles. The servers were very pleasant, the restaurant was clean and comfortable and the food was delicious. We will definitely be enjoying this restaurant again. read more

three of us ate here on Christmas Eve. we were not disappointed. The pasta dishes I am told were excellent although the seafood linguine won the competition. The lamb was good but not great. I have high expectations of lamb and this was only average although the meal was well presented and very tasty vegetables. The lemon roulade for dessert was exceptional Would definitely return as there are several other options on the menu we would like to try read more

Excellent pasta and antipasto, certainly worth the slightly inflated price tag!

This place can be busy even on weekdays not because of great food but is the ONLY nice looking restaurant in the Town of Bedford with free parking while good restaurants Downtown is 21 Km away and no parking. Service is slow due to poor 'table service training'.Servers are friendly but do not know how to pamper customers to get great tips. The Appetizers are standard fares that one finds in all restaurants, as for taste, it was lacking. The mussels were fresh but the sauce was flat., The lamb rack looked good but the seasoning could use more mustard and rosemary and other herbs, while the gravy tasted like it came out of a box from supermarket. The haddock was not fresh and cooked too long and very dry. The little piece of so called lobster can fly away if one breathed too heavy. The sauce tasted just like the one with mussels; a mass produced sauce sitting on the warmer. The chicken focaccia sandwich used to be fill with chicken and now you need to look closely to find the chicken; more bread than meat........very sad looking sandwich. The pasta with garlic and olive oil tasted like it was simply thrown together by some busy line-cook; just one grade above Kraft Dinner. The pizza is plain ORDINARY. Great for the doggies next day. Last Word : This place used to serve great and fine tuned food 10 years ago. In the past several years it has steadily deteriorated both in taste and quality. The price point is upscale but the food is second rate. Its only Blessing is that Downtown restaurants are so far away and parking is a headache. read more

I love this place! The renovations and addition of the outdoor patio make me feel like I'm tucked away in Europe. The food is great, and the atmosphere is lovely. read more

Flashback to Valentine's Day. The fiance and I were looking for somewhere to go out and celebrate, and I was envisioning Italian dinner- something sophisticated and romantic (think Lady-and-the-Tramp, Bella Notte kind of stuff... ha!). I heard really good things about Il Mercato, and it's only a hop, skip and jump from my place. We tried booking early for a particular time slot (We have really messed up schedules), and at first we were told they were booked solid. Bummer. BUT... a few hours later I get a call from the maitre'D (can't remember her name for the life of me). We had a reservation- score! Our reservation was for 7:30, but they were running behind a bit (understandably so-the place was PACKED). In time we got our food, and it was well worth the wait; I'm a pasta lover, so I had the fettuccine, which was divine- nothing beats pasta made in-casa. Even my picky fiance loved the chicken parmisiana, which speaks volumes. Il Mercato has all kinds of vino varieties, but we didn't indulge (he doesn't drink, so I didn't either. Good behavior...). Maybe next time if I'm with girlfriends or clients I will sample some... All in all a nice treat when you're feeling fancy read more

I have been going to il Mercato in Bedford for many years. It is my favourite restaurant by far. The food, service and atmosphere are fantastic. Recently, however, there have been a lot of changes that are not for the best. The tomato soup has been taken off the menu and replaced with butternut squash soup. I think this is a mistake. The tomato soup is amazing and should have a permanent home on an Italian menu. The seafood stew has also been removed which was an amazing entree. Change can be good, but the new owners should be careful with what they take away. There is a reason why people have been coming back for so long. I was just there on the weekend and was also disappointed that the scallop appetizer is now being made with a different sauce. It was not as good as the original. This is an amazing, successful restaurant so why are so many changes being made so quickly after new ownership? Please keep the dishes consistent with their original recipes and make changes to the menu carefully. It is a wonderful restaurant, too much change may not be a good thing!! read more

Great meal in a lovely setting. Gluten free options w a staff that's very knowledgeable about allergies/safe food handling. The gluten free carrot cake was one of the best gluten free desserts I have ever had. read more

This place has terrific food, it's one of the only places you can go for really great pasta and the pizza I've heard is unique and delicious, it can get busy despite the location so there might be a wait, but it is more than worth it! read more