Since Taverna Mercatto is near my building, I have always wanted to try it since I have a deep love for pasta. However, every time I ask about the wait times, it's always at least an hour. I finally gave in and went on a Friday night around 5:30pm and got on the wait list. They gave us an estimated 45 minute wait time and were right on the ball about that; we were promptly seated 6:30pm.
The ambiance was cozy but lively. The interior was beautiful and classy and it paved the way for a nice evening out. It's a short walk to the ACC and one block away from the CN tower which made it very convenient.
My party and I ordered the calamari starter, the salsiccia pizza, the bucatini gamberetti, and the polla alla diavola. The calamari was a good sized plate and the caper cream dipping was delicious. I loved the shrimp that came with the bucatini and the pasta was made just to my liking - on the harder side but very tasty. I especially loved the pesto sauce in this dish. The pizza was okay; the dough was very thin but was a good add on to go with the rest of the dishes. As for the spicy chicken, it was cooked well - not dry at all. Overall, I was very satisfied with the plates that we ordered and was very pleasantly surprised. Prices were reasonable and were at about 20-30$ a plate. Service was great and we always had what we needed.
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here and would say that I'd come back for another meal. The only slight deterrent is the wait time but given how I had a great time here, it seems that everyone else does too so it's no surprise that wait times are long. Definitely recommended!