Pizzeria Mercato

Pizzeria Mercato Restaurant Review:

Owner/chef Gabe Barker is the son of Ben and Karen Barker, of acclaimed Magnolia Grill in Durham until its closing. They worked with him to create Pizzeria Mercato, which occupies the space of a former retail store with concrete block walls, concrete floors, corrugated metal ceilings and wooden banquettes. The look is youthfully hip, and the acoustics lively so it’s not for holding a conversation. Situated across from the famous Carrboro Farmers’ Market, it uses the market’s produce in its dishes. Crispy-crusted pizzas have Neapolitan-style toppings including such delectable combinations as Castelvetrano olives, caramelized onions and speck; shaved fennel, fennel sausage, tomato and fior di latte mozzarella; and local mushrooms with Fontina and oregano. The menu offers intriguing appetizers like arancini with pimento cheese, crostini topped with golden beets and cavalo nero, and a velvety chilled carrot soup drizzled with carrot top pesto and crème fraîche. Besides pizza, main course items include chicken piccata and gnocchi with fava beans and pea shoots (in season). House-made gelati and sorbetti comprise the dessert list, but daily specials, perhaps buttermilk panna cotta with a fresh blueberry sauce, are always interesting. Italian wines populate the short, expertly chosen wine list, but most beers are from the best of North Carolina’s boutique breweries.