Mercato Cafe & Coffee — Restaurant in Mauldin

I have edited my review because the owner did not appreciate that I compared Mercato directly against other local shops. I have removed all such references.

I do still enjoy this place for its atmosphere and kind staff, however I will maintain that my repeated experience here is that there is a need for greater quality control, specifically as it pertains to the coffee. I have had cold brew at Mercato several times that was very weak/watery, which is an issue that goes beyond personal preference. This disappointment is exacerbated by the fact that they charge $5 for a small cold brew served black, which is a bit exorbitant for a coffee poured over ice with nothing added to it. (They were also very generous with the ice, so the actual amount of coffee I received was a bit sad.)

I will continue to check this place out from time to time to see if they improve and will update my review...

Nice coffee shop, but I am very particular about consistency. I have been there several times now, and there is only one girl there who makes it perfectly. I expect a creamy texture, and not a watery texture with foam on the top; I can get that at Starbucks. I am disappointed. Ordering a cup of coffee - for me - is like ordering a steak; every steak must be prepared properly as it is someone’s dinner, and if under or overcooked, it ruins the experience, and is remembered. This is a...

I was really excited to try Mercado because I love finding new little coffee shops and cafes to go to. I got one of the seasonal drinks (a pumpkin spice latte) and it was good, but it didn’t taste at all like any pumpkin or spice. It just tasted like a latte. The coffee was still good, but that was disappointing. The vibes were nice, but unless you want to be right next to a bunch of other people, there aren’t many places to sit and just hang out...