Mercante Restaurant — Restaurant in London

A Disappointing Christmas Lunch at Mercante We recently visited Mercante for our work Christmas lunch, and unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. Our party of nine was looking forward to a festive meal, but the service and food left much to be desired. To begin with, our server was incredibly sassy and unprofessional. At one point, he told one of my colleagues to shush so he could "explain the menu." He also tried to push alternative food and drink choices a little too aggressively, making us feel pressured rather than accommodated. Throughout the meal, he kept emphasizing that the recipes were his "grandmother's". The worst part of the experience came when I ordered my steak. I requested it to be cooked Blue, but the server immediately dismissed my preference, insisting I wouldn’t want it that way and suggesting I have it Medium instead. Despite explaining that I genuinely prefer my steak prepared Blue, his response was a dismissive "whatever you want." When the food arrived 30 minutes later, my steak was—unsurprisingly—Medium, not Blue as I had requested. I politely asked for it to be cooked correctly, but 15 minutes later, the server returned to inform me that the kitchen refused to prepare the steak as I wanted and that I should order something else. If that was the case, he should have told me at the start rather than making me wait so long without a meal. By then, my colleagues had nearly finished their food. I asked what would be quickest, and the server said everything was fast, so I settled for a small carbonara. However, the carbonara took another 15 minutes to arrive, by which time everyone else was done eating. We were also the only table in there so there was no pressure on the kitchen! To top it off, it was the worst carbonara I’ve ever had. When the bill arrived, we noticed the carbonara was included, so asked for it to be removed. Whilst the server did take it off, we later realised that we were still charged for the steak I never ate! Overall, the service was sassy, and inattentive at times, and the food wasn’t even good enough to redeem the situation. We certainly won’t be returning to Mercante, and I cannot recommend it to anyone looking for an enjoyable...

Nestled in the heart of London's Sheraton Grand London Park Lane Hotel, Mercante is a hidden gem that takes diners on a culinary journey through the diverse regions of Italy. From the moment you step through the door, the warm and inviting atmosphere welcomes you in, making you feel as though you have been transported to a bustling Italian trattoria.

The decor is simple yet elegant, with warm lighting & cosy booths. The menu at Mercante is a celebration of the diverse culinary traditions of Italy, featuring a range of classic dishes and modern interpretations.

To start, we ordered Bruschetta, Fritto Misto and the burrata, which was served with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The creamy cheese was so delicate that it practically melted in our mouths, and the sweet and tangy tomatoes complemented it perfectly.

Next up was the pasta course, and we couldn't resist the CAVATELLI a classic seafood pasta dish. The homemade pasta was cooked to perfection, The pasta was perfect al dente, and the clams, mussels and prawns were tender and flavorful.

For our main course, we opted for the fish of the day, a whole roasted seabream served with lemon, garlic, and herbs. The fish was cooked to perfection, with crispy skin and moist, tender flesh. We also tried the Pumpkin Gnocchi and the kids had their usual Margherita pizza.

Throughout our dining experience at Mercante, the service was impeccable. Elia, Ivilin and Pedro were knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly, and Elia helped guide us through the menu with ease. In conclusion, Mercante is a must-visit restaurant for anyone looking for family-friendly authentic Italian cuisine in London. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is welcoming, and the service is top-notch. Whether you're in the mood for a cosy date night or a celebratory dinner with friends, Mercante is the perfect place to indulge in the...

I visited Mercante in September with a friend - I was gifting her with Bottomless Brunch for her birthday. Upon arrival we were the first to arrival as we had a 12:30 booking on a Saturday, we were asked to wait a couple of minutes, then offered a choice of where to sit - we chose the booth, however decided to go to the bathroom first. When we came out of the bathroom and went back to the booth, another member of staff saw to us, we told her we'd already been seated - she showed us to another table, we said no we're going to sit at the booth - we've already been seated but went to the bathroom, she understood eventually but still looked bemused. Our waiter visited our table and told us we'd start off with (excuse me as I may get this wrong) a bellini, a mimosa, then prosecco and whatever we liked most, we could stick with. Ok fine. We were served each drink, almost in courses, then I chose to stick to prosecco - but it wasn't bottomless. The staff were not on tap (excuse the pun) to refill, after two hours when I asked the waiter for a refill he told me we'd reached our two hour limit - I told him I don't think so as he'd hardly been around during those two hours! He refilled me and apologised saying they'd been understaffed - not my problem - this is the first time I've experienced this for bottomless brunch - no other place in London has this weird routine - also, I didn't want to "try" the options as he'd stated (this is not advertised as so) - usually you choose the drink you'd like and stick to it - or in some cases, some places let you mix - but not "you'll try what we want you to try" - very odd and clearly Mercante's way of ensuring you don't make the most of the two hours. The food was nice, nothing amazing to write home about and not the Italian fare I was expecting. I was disappointed with the...