Founded by Jean Georges, Mercato is an Italian restaurant with three branches in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The concept of Mercato comes from the Italian wet market (which itself means "market" in Italian), breaking the rigid atmosphere of the traditional Fine Dining restaurant, and preferring to create a relaxed and free dining mode while maintaining exquisite production.
The founder of the restaurant, Jean-Georges, was not only one of the most prestigious chefs in the world, but also a very successful businessman. In addition to Jean-Georges, which bears his name, there are also Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges, ABC Kitchen, ABC Cocina and many other restaurants in famous cities around the world. In the run-up to the opening of Mercato in Hong Kong in 2016, current Head Chef Anthony Burd won Jean-Georges the heart of the job with his solid roots in Italian cuisine and in-depth knowledge of the city's food and beverage industry.
Mercato revolves around the concept of family-style Italian cuisine, where dishes are shared by multiple people. A seasonally updated menu that reflects Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges' signature flavours. Instead of the traditional use of gravy and cream in Italian cuisine, the restaurant has turned to refreshing sauces such as vegetable juices, fruit extracts, consommés and herbal vinegars to create a modern Italian menu with fresh flavours. Highlights include fresh sashimi and rich craft cheeses, as well as an abundance of seafood salads, handmade pasta and farm specialties such as grilled sea bream and crispy beef ribs.
Like the Shanghai restaurant, Mercato has a built-in wood-fired oven for pizza baking. Mercato's pizzas are made on the same day, using the chef's special dough and top-quality Italian semolina. Freshly baked pizzas are fragrant and have a great taste, which is light and soft and chewy. Mercato also offers diners original cocktails made with authentic Italian spirits, fresh fruit mixes and herbs. Sicilian Margarita, Almafi Sunset and the refreshing sparkling Prosecco are good pairings.
As its name suggests, the atmosphere of the restaurant reflects the richness and vibrancy of the Italian market. The street-inspired entrance leads to an old iron door with openwork lettering, behind which is the main dining area and bar area, divided by thickened red brick and curved to the roof. The restaurant also features an outdoor terrace nestled in the urban jungle of Hong Kong, where lush vegetation softens the city's rigidity and provides diners with a tranquil corner. The overall dining atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxed and lively, and the waiters have also let go of the formal dining room, and the relaxed and lively denim clothing is very novel, and the warm and friendly response is more popular.
