‘Inspired by Italian food and tradition,’ new restaurant opens in State College

With Harrison’s vacating its long-time location at the State College Hilton Garden Inn at the end of 2019, the hotel and its local management company, HAMCO, was looking for a replacement that would appeal to both locals and hotel guests. The result was a new, Italian-inspired eatery serving lighter takes on traditional Italian fare, christened Mercato Mio.

Rebecca Larsen came onto the project as a consultant, assisting with the set up of the restaurant, including operations, branding and hiring.

“When we got together on this project, we wanted to make sure we were filling this niche, filling this local gap, with opening an Italian-inspired concept, as well as a concept that would be make the Hilton guest very happy,” Larsen said. “In the area, there are other Italian restaurants, but their focus is primarily pizza or more quick, bar-style foods for large sporting groups and things like that, while ours is a little more on the refined side of food.”

Mercato Mio opened its doors Jan. 19 and finalized its menu last week.

Feedback, Larsen said, has been positive, with guests noting the restaurant space’s suitability for both family dining and business meals.

“Being inspired by Italian food and tradition, the idea was to bring people together at a table with great food and great drinks, but the philosophy is very simple. We want to (offer) very high-quality, whole foods, in a very casual setting,” she said.

The goal was to create a welcoming and inviting space for locals and out-of-town guests, Larsen said.

“It’s very welcoming and a casual setting for locals to grab a happy hour glass of wine ... for folks’ families coming into town for Thon ... as well as for our loyal hotel guests who are here for business and having business meetings for dinner,” she said.

The menu was, in part, inspired by Larsen’s recent visits to Italy and traditional Italian cuisine. However, the restaurant takes a fresh and light approach to Italian fare, which can sometimes be on the heavier side. The kitchen features no fryer — so no greasy fried chicken parm or fried calamari on the menu — and everything is either sautéed, baked or roasted.

Some favorites, Larsen said, include the “amazing” meatballs, and the lamb shank entree and lasagna have been popular among customers.

“On the beverage side of things, we have some classic Italian cocktails like an aperol spritz. That’s been a really popular beverage,” she said. “We’re also hearing that it’s been a really nice breath of fresh air for people to enjoy some not-so-mainstream wines by the glass at the bar. We have a nice selection of Italian and domestic wines by the glass.”

She said many guests are gravitating toward the menu’s pasta dishes, but encourages them to try some of the more unfamiliar menu items, such as the Italian-style onion soup, a far cry from the French onion soups most diners know.

“It’s made with sweet onions and there’s a polenta cake in it, as opposed to being beef-based and made with bread. It’s so good and it’s vegetarian,” Larsen said.

In addition to the dinner menu, Mercato Mio also serves breakfast seven days a week, with a few Italian-inspired options (orange ricotta pancakes, a polenta bowl, breakfast panino) alongside traditional breakfast favorites like omelets. Larsen and the team hopes the breakfast menu will appeal as much to locals as it does hotel guests.

Currently, the restaurant is only open for breakfast and dinner, with plans to open for lunch as well in the coming months. Other future goals include increasing the amount of locally-sourced ingredients used in the kitchen and the restaurant’s catering capabilities.

Mercato Mio is located in the State College Hilton Garden Inn, 1221 E. College Ave., State College.