Two months ago, my wife and I traveled to Hartford, CT, for a Post Malone concert. Before the event, we stopped by the Parkville Market, a bustling food hall featuring incredible ethnic food from numerous countries. Picking a place to eat was a challenge with so many delicious options, but after exploring, I decided on Mercado 27, a Peruvian restaurant offering a taste of authentic Peruvian cuisine. Mercado 27 draws inspiration from the rich culinary traditions of Peru, showcasing classic dishes that highlight bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and deep cultural roots. The restaurant's name, "Mercado," nods to Peru's vibrant marketplaces, which are central to its food culture, and "27" reflects its position as one of the standout vendors in the food hall. I ordered the Pollo Saltado. A savory dish featuring sautéed chicken, onions, and tomatoes, served with crispy fries and fluffy white rice. The meal, priced at $17.00, was hearty and flavorful, offering a perfect balance of textures and spices. To complement the main dish, I added two sides: Sweet Plantains ($5.00) and Fried Yuca ($6.00), both prepared to perfection. The plantains were caramelized and sweet, while the yuca was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, delivering a satisfying crunch. For my drink, I chose a 16oz Chicha Morada ($5.00), a traditional Peruvian beverage with a deep purple hue. Made from dried purple corn, fruits, and spices, this natural juice was refreshing and subtly sweet, a perfect accompaniment to the meal. Chicha Morada's unique flavor transported me to the Andean regions of Peru, where the drink originated. The ambiance at Mercado 27 was inviting and vibrant, fitting for its location within the lively Parkville Market. The space was filled with energy from fellow diners enjoying a diverse range of cuisines. The décor was simple yet modern, allowing the food to take center stage. The service was excellent, with our server, Alejandra, providing attentive and friendly care throughout our visit. She patiently explained the menu items and even recommended the sides and drink that I thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, Mercado 27 delivered an exceptional dining experience that added to the excitement of our trip. The combination of authentic flavors, warm service, and the lively atmosphere made it a memorable stop before heading to the concert. read more

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I'm updating my review to reflect my recent experience. I ordered the Seafood Trio Combo Dinner, which consisted of Peruvian Style Paella, a white fish ceviche and fried calamari, all served with condiment world superstar "aji" (aka the " Light Green Sauce"). The paella was like a saucy hybrid of seafood risotto and paella. Tender shrimp and calamari bathing in the creamy red sauce were highlights. A standout dish that I'm glad I tried. The ceviche was good acidic and had the right texture and heat pops. The calamari was crispy and well salted. And the aji -- herby, garlicky goodness. The one miss food-wise was that the calamari was made before the paella so that it wasn't warm when I received it. I'm not factoring this into my score since the food service industry is short-staffed, but it took about 15 minutes longer than the time I was given. At least with the paella though, I got it when it was practically right out of the pan and it was fantastic. Four Stars read more

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The food is very delicious, the staff was very friendly and the atmosphere is pretty cool. There's tons of restaurants to choose from but Peruvian food peaked my interest. I'm now a huge fan. Try the fish ceviche. Out of this world. read more

If you're having trouble deciding what to get at Parkville Market today, you can never go wrong with Mercado 27 and their Peruvian cuisine. There is some great Peruvian food in the Hartford area period. Mercado 27 is the Peruvian food truck without the food truck. They are always busy yet I never find myself waiting too long for the food. I thought they'd have way more reviews on Yelp because everytime I come here this place is always getting a ton of attention. Sometimes I skip this place because the line is too long but now I realize the wait is well worth it. So far I've gotten the traditional Lomo Saltado twice. Each time it tasted exactly the same and it was absolutely perfect. Consistency with the steak, perfectly cooked vegetables and crispy french fries all tied together with some rice. The meat had the perfect texture to it and it was seasoned beautifully. The onions had the perfect crunch to them preventing the french fries from becoming too soggy as they are all in the same container. Everything just tasted like a heavenly home cooked meal. This meal is filling. So if you planned on trying a bunch of places at Parkville Market be prepared to tap out early or on the bright side, you'll save some money! Service is also very friendly! We always need that in every business of course. So if you are hungry and want some Peruvian, Mercado 27 is your place. I feel like everytime I find myself lost in this cultural melting pot, I find my way to Mercado 27. It's like it was meant to be. Yes, it's that good. read more

Mercado 27 - Lomo Saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Wanted a quick snack while waiting for a friend at Parkville Market, so tried a side of Salsa Criolla (red onion "salad"). I was a little nervous about a salad basically made with just onions and tomato, but that stopped with my first bite -- YUMMMM!! My mouth watered as I smelled the fresh-squeezed lime juice and cilantro. It was served with a slightly zippy jalapeño dressing, which finished it off nicely. A bowl of fresh & crunchy deliciousness!! I totally recommend it and hope to go back soon to try some other dishes. Parkville market is a great place to sample tasty bites from different cultures!! read more

Mercado 27 - Salsa Criolla (red onion "salad") - Peruvian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Where should I have lunch at the Parkville Market? That was Saturday's dilemma. I mean choosing one of 18 options is a tough choice. So, I went for something different, something I have rarely had. That's why I went over to Mercado 27 to check out their Peruvian food. Their food falls into two groups - Saltados (veggies and proteins sautéed in a wok ($10-$12), and Seafood Specialties ($12-$15). I went with Arroz Con Mariscos (a mix of seafood, rice and vegetables). It reminded me a lot of the paella I used to get at Costa Del Sol. It had quite a bit of shrimp, squid, shellfish, and diced vegetables in a wonderfully flavored rice. It was delicious and a pretty darned good value at $12. It was served with a green hot sauce that was absolutely fantastic and really kicked up the old zip factor. I could not have been happier with my choice of vendor and entrée. read more

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The food here is great, but the experience with online ordering has been disappointingly inconsistent. I've recently been obsessed with the ceviche de pescado at Mercado 27. It is fresh, meaty chunks of Mahi-Mahi with the refreshing tang you look for in ceviche, perfect for summer! It is balanced out by the fresh Peruvian corn and sweet potato which add a sweetness to it. The best part... the filling portion that you can eat as a whole meal. Other favorites are the causa de pollo, which is oh so smooth and creamy, and the lomo saltado is a generous portion given the price (not always the case in the Hartford area) and the steak is always cooked perfectly. As mentioned I've been ordering from them a lot lately, but I've been disappointed with online ordering. In one instance, I placed an order on Doordash and it took the shop an hour and a half to cancel the order because they decided, after accepting the order, to not to fulfill anymore online orders that day. In another instance, I placed an online order on the Parkville Market website and waited the estimated 20 mins. When I arrived they hadn't even started making my food because their machine was not alerting them to new orders. It's frustrating that this happened twice in 3 weeks, especially because these services are used when convenience is imperative to the customer. read more

Mercado 27 - 1. Causa de Pollo - Peruvian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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I've never been to Peru and I am laughably unfamiliar with the culture and, regrettably, the food. Great news, my best friend is very familiar with the food, having studied abroad in Peru! I went to Parkville and she got what looked like an incredible fried rice bowl with seafood and some delicious green and yellow sauces. I wish I knew the real names, I don't. Tonight I decided that I needed to get it for myself and I am so glad I did. I got the chicken chaufa and in the notes, asked for "yellow and green pepper sauces ". I am happy to report I got just what I wanted. A delicious, hefty, portion of fried rice with egg, chicken, scallion, bell pepper, and some sort of magic that made my taste buds dance. I mixed in both sauces and my soul was happy. It hit every note I wanted, salty, sweet, sour, acidic, umami. You want to eat this, trust me. Best part? A ton of food for only 10 bucks. You need this. read more

I am committed to trying every restaurant at Parkville Market because the food is soooo good. I love all the options there, and when I took my friend there for her first time, we took our time examining all of the menus before landing on Mercado 27. I've never had Peruvian food but I am now a big fan. We ordered the Tallarines Verdes Con Carne (pasta with pesto and sauteed beef) and Trio Marino (Fish Ceviche, Fried Calamari and Seafood Paella) and split both dishes so that we could try it all. Everything was delicious. The beef was tender, the ceviche fresh and spicy, the calamari was well seasoned and the paella was packed with seafood. It was all so good, and I have been dreaming of going back. Not sure how I'm going to hit all of the restaurants at Parkville if I keep going back to sample the menu at Mercado 27, but I will sure try!!! read more

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I absolutely loved this spot!!! The service was great! The food was amazing! Perfectly seasoned meat and the rice was great too! Worth the drive and price! Can't wait to go back! 10/10!!! read more

Mercado 27 - Lomo Saltado - Peruvian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Foods pretty good, but they have a poor pick up method for when you call in. They can improve this little tedious process and earn a 5 from me easily. read more

This place is inside the Parkville Market food hall. Food was very flavorful. Papa rellena appetizer was my favorite. It was kind of an empanada, stuffed with flavorful beef. The green sauce which came with it was really flavorful, and slightly spicy as well. Chaufa carne was beef fried rice, which was good as well. Lomo saltado was beef, french fries and onion sauteed with a side of white rice. It was also nice and flavorful. read more

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I get the fish ceviche nearly every time I go to Parkville market. Today, I was a bit hungrier and happy to see they offered a seafood trio: fish ceviche, calamari, and seafood paella as one entree. Disclaimer: it's a lot of food and probably shareable if you get an appetizer. The ceviche was amazing as always - fresh, tangy, and tasty. The calamari was light and crispy, not overly battered like other restaurants. And the paella was also solid - with a generous amount of seafood included. Definitely recommend! read more

Hubby and I stopped at Parkville Market while visiting hartford and we had to try the only Peruvian spot in the place. The Salchipapa and papa rellena we both good and the ensalada criolla had a little spice kick to it which was fabulous. The only reason I gave it 3 starts is because I was disappointed with the lomo saltado. They used good quality steak and it looked delish but the lomo itself was fairly bland in fact the only real burst of flavor that stood out seemed to be ginger. Lomo is usually my go to to gauge how I feel overall about the place so it was a bit bummed but I'd be willing to give it another shot since their appetizers/ starters were very good. read more

Mercado 27 - Me u - Peruvian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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It's in heavy rotation right now because it's so delicious. I usually get Lomo Saltado and Mrs Vincey usually gets a chaufa and It's always right on the money, perfectly prepared and hot and fresh. Very reasonable pricing for such quality as well. read more

Can't say enough about this place, incredibly fresh and authentic. I look forward to every visit. Generous portions and superb flavor in every bite.. read more

They acknowledge I was standing at the counter, made eye contact with me then proceeded to ignore me until I asked them if it was ok to place an order, food was good but not worth being ignored, they were not that busy, too bad first negative experience I have had at Parkville Market. read more