Would you pay 888RMB for a pizza set meal?

At three on The Bund, an upmarket Italian restaurant named Mercato sells pizzas for the price of 888RMB. Food plays a vital part in our lives, but how much are you willing to pay for this necessity? As the wealth gap widens, top quality lifestyles are becoming less affordable. Located in one of the wealthiest districts in Shanghai, Mercato has proven itself to be worthy of the price.

The Bund, designed with a mix of Neo-Renaissance and Baroque architecture, used to be a popular residential neighborhood for foreigners in the 1880’s. After reconstruction due to damages from the war, three on the bund remained as one of the most elite places for the upperclassmen in Shanghai by gathering high-level services along the coast.

Mercato, a Michelin three-star restaurant sitting at the sixth floor of three on the Bund, is a high-quality Italian restaurant that contributes to the Bund’s first-class status. “The gorgeous space created by Neri & Hu bridges the organic and natural with elegance and emotive modernity,” reads the official website’s explanation of the brand’s concept.

The highlight of the restaurant’s menu is the black truffle pizza set that costs 888RMB. All the ingredients used are fresh and organic. The black truffles and spring eggs are put into the pizza to create a musky taste and an incredible texture. There is a thick layer of cheese crust at the bottom supporting the pizza, making it even more delicious. The black truffle pizza is ranked as the number one pizza in Shanghai among the people who’ve tried it.

As one of the costumers exclaims in Chinese: The black truffle pizza offered a generous amount of ingredients, especially the thick layer of cheese. They served quickly. The black truffle strong aroma struck me when I took my first bite into the pizza. This pizza is worth the try!  XiaYu Cai, another customer, MaoXiao Feng ,commented saying that the panoramic view of the Shanghai’s Bund can be seen if you take a peek out of the window. The experience of dining in Mercato is marvelous. The smell of the black truffle is apparent right away when served. Black truffles and the fragrant cheese make a perfect combo for a sumptuous texture and flavor.

It seems like most customers that go to Mercato are satisfied with the experience. The black truffle pizza is worth the cost, but the food is not the only reason why the customers find the Mercato experience worth the price. The environment of the restaurant is far more superior than any other average restaurant, creating an exceptionally relaxing and pleasant atmosphere.

WangXin Yu who went to Mercato for the first time describes the restaurant by saying that this was his first time at Jean Georges’s Mercato restaurant. He also noted that the waiters were accommodating and patient, although the lighting was a bit dim. And that he needed some extra light to be able to make out everything on the menu.

Meanwhile, WangXing Yu describes the restaurant saying that there is a gentle touch of warm lights illuminating the whole restaurant. The bar area is the first thing that catches the customers’ attention when they step into the restaurant. Then, they’ll be welcomed by an area lit with dim lights—the pizza lounge. The primary light source in the pizza lounge is a wood burner, giving the space a peaceful vibe for dinner. Further, into the restaurant, the exposing iron on the wooden walls become more noticeable, blending into the warm lighting of the restaurant.

“A meal at Mercato Shanghai is an extraordinary experience that is sure to transport you to a place of pure enjoyment and indulgence,” claims the Mercato restaurant itself. This Italian Michelin three-star restaurant is indeed worth a try since every aspect of the restaurant fits together so perfectly to create a luxurious dining atmosphere.

Featured Image – Mercato’s Open-view Kitchen Photo Courtesy of LanQing He