About Us
Located in the Lower Garden District on Magazine Street, Il Mercato’s 8,500 square feet of event space sits adjacent to Sophie Wright Park, surrounded on three sides by local boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants.
Il Mercato offers five distinct vignettes. In our outdoor space, we have an open-air courtyard with gorgeous plants and flowering pots featuring a picturesque fireplace, as well as a covered arcade with original flagstone floors and painted wood ceiling. Indoors, our ballroom has herringbone wood floors, original plaster walls, and Italianate chandeliers, while the annex features French wall panels in a rich gray tone with aged gold leaf accents. The library has original wood beams and custom cabinetry filled with books and objets d’art, along with four velvet and leather upholstered banquettes and our custom bar.
Property Specifications and Event Capacity
Total event space is 8,500 sq ft, with 3,500 sq ft in our exterior courtyard and 5,000 sq ft of interior space.
We can comfortably accommodate the following number of guests:
Cocktail style reception: up to 450 guests
Seated dinner: 225 guests with limited entertainment, 200 guests with a 6-10 piece band, 185 with a large band or orchestra
Wedding ceremony: 250 seated with ample standing room in the courtyard
Amenities included with each event:
Event Furniture and Decor:
Tables with upgraded linen and bistro chairs to accommodate up to 120 guests
French bistro tables for courtyard and library
Farm tables used for food service
A selection of iron and brass lanterns used both indoors and in the courtyard
Brass bar carts and a 6-tier grand Étagère perfect for signature drinks, food presentations, and party favors
Services:
Customized floor plans and additional design coordination
Vendor recommendations
Security detail
Event timeline
Cuisine
Il Mercato exclusively welcomes Joel Catering for food and beverage service at each event. The Joel team approaches catering with complete dedication to the craft and a focus on finding the best local ingredients, staying ahead of culinary trends and continuously creating new dishes and cocktails to add to their repertoire. Their chefs are trained in French technique and five-star standards. The in-house mixologists create cocktails using a full range of spirits, including house-made syrups, shrubs, and bitters. Their talents are put to work for awe-inspiring passed hors-d'oeuvres; food and drink stations; seated multi-course dinners with wine pairings; and family style receptions.
