
IT’S Mea Culpa time. Dear Readers, we got the background completely incorrect on Mercato LIC, now we are going to make it right.
Prominently located at 47-46 Vernon Boulevard, Mercato LIC opened up this fall and is the creation of Gino Mila and Carlo Cungu. Gino worked at Upper East Side stalwart Lusardi’s and then at the W Hotel in Midtown for many years. Carlo is the owner of the Sparkill Steakhouse, located in Sparkill, NY, which is adjacent to the celebrity-filled hamlets of Piermont and Sneden’s Landing (Al Pacino, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, etc.). In addition to both being in the hospitality business in New York for a long time, both men are originally from Montenegro, along the Adriatic Sea.
The restaurant, whose tagline is ‘PASTA PIZZA VINO,’ has a warm and welcoming interior that is intended to be casual and family friendly. Unlike Lusardi’s, there are no tablecloths here. In addition to homemade pasta and freshly made pizza, the restaurant serves other familiar staples such as Pollo Parmigiano, Pollo Scarpaiello, and Veal Scalloppini.
Not very hungry right now? Mercato LIC has a full bar and a beautiful selection of wines if you just want a nice setting for a drink or craft cocktail. As those familiar with the location know, Gino and Carlo chose this site because it was a beautiful corner in a very vibrant neighborhood. That’s a pretty good starting point, so come make it your dining room away from home.
mercato LIC – website w/ full menu
Fantastic pizza and very friendly and warm place for sure. Thumbs Up!