Mercato @ Daylesford
Reviews
Mercato in Daylesford can't be missed when you visit the spa country, the food is great and an award winning wine list where you will always find something you like. There is plenty parking and you can walk if you stay in Daylesford. The service is always outstanding and so friendly. The interior in great and will make your night the best you'va had in ages.
Food was average, but the service was appalling in that the staff were prejudice towards us, humiliated us and were extremely rude.
I loved this restaurant and went there many times while staying nearby in 2005. This January my husband and I had a terrible experience there. We arrived at 8.40pm on a Thursday - a recorded message had advised that the restaurant was open 'til late'. There were a couple of groups of diners. We were met by an unsmiling lady. She stood behind her counter and did not speak. My perplexed husband said "Umm, are we too late?" With raised eyebrows she sternly told us "Yes. We closed 45 minutes ago." (This was news to us in view of the sandwich-board outside saying "OPEN".) She didn't offer us a drink, cake etc nor express any concern for our disappointment and inconvenience. We didn't mind that they'd finished serving, it was just the bad attitude. We were younger than the other patrons, which perhaps accounted for her behaviour. But as two professionals celebrating our wedding anniversary we would have been happy to spend gazillions. We went up the road to the Indian and had a perfectly nice meal with much friendlier service!
We luckily got a table for two on the day after a cancellation on the Queens Birthday Weekend 2011. The food was absolutely fantastic. It is on par with some of the better Melbourne Restaurants I've been to. The service was attentive, knowledgable and warm.
We were looking for the perfect place to celebrate a perfect birthday and we found it at Mercato. Decor and ambience just lovely, service excellent, could not faulter our waiter, and the food to match. Every dish we ordered was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. Well worth the 5 stars. We would highly recommend Mercato to anyone who enjoys first class food and service.
