Il Mercante — Restaurant in Venice

We came here on a recommendation from a bartender at Vizietto (a great and intimate bar just down the road) as they were closing. Il Mercante is my favorite cocktail bar I have ever been to. I was blown away by this place. I have never been to anything like it anywhere in the world. What they do here from a cocktail creation standpoint is ridiculously impressive, the service is absolutely fantastic, and the atmosphere is fun and comfortable. On top of all that, it's even reasonably priced. Dario was our bartender and he was friendly and engaging from the start. My girlfriend had a sore throat and asked for something served hot, and Dario made an absolutely delicious rum based cocktail for her. I ordered 3 different drinks from the menu and was amazed by each one. Dario also noticed me taking a photo of the mezcal selection and had a brief discussion with me about it when he had a free moment. I cannot say enough good things about the drinks and service. If I lived nearby, I'd be here all the time. If you're looking for a unique experience in Venice with friendly service,...

This was by far the most impressive cocktail bar in Venice -- enough to bring us back two different nights. The cocktail list here is the most interesting that we encountered in Venice -- the ingredients and tastes diverse and even a bit weird. Of particular note was an old fashioned with hints of balsamic vinegar. We sat indoors the first visit -- it was warm but it is a fantastic setting for cocktails. The staff was attentive and quick with our drinks, something much appreciated in the summertime heat. On subsequent visits we were able to get seats outdoors which we appreciated more -- it was a bit cooler than indoors. The menu is quite extensive with three categories to choose from; we focused on the last page which had cocktails that come with a small 1 Euro food pairing -- highly recommend that you get the paired food item. Another thing worth mentioning is the panino that is on the menu -- one of the best 'drunk' foods that I've had in a while. Give this place a shot, no doubt you will be coming back again and again until you've had a taste of the...

A true gem in the heart of Venice. The cocktails are so creative and made with so much passion. They used different techniques that are incredibly rare in Italy, like fat-washing and distillation. Every cocktail had an amazing balance (I had 3 and my girlfriend 2 out of their 12 crafts), and even the Dark Side that included pineapple and rum was not too spirit forward (or too pineapple forward). I loved the Amatriciana, the only way I’ve found to make my vegetarian girlfriend try the real amatriciana flavor (but in a cocktail). The location is beautiful, but from outside it just looks like a regular bar. If you love creative cocktails and crafts, I highly recommend this. Also, all this for 13€ a cocktail, which might seem a lot, but if you consider that a good gin tonic can cost 12€ in an average bar, the price is incredibly low for the amount of work and care...