I’m a huge fan of supermarkets. Everywhere I go in the world, I always make it a point to visit their supermarkets as their local supermarkets always seem so much more interesting than those we find here in KL. Even hypermarkets like the Big C in Bangkok never fails to fascinate me as it is always filled with all kinds of interesting and cheap foodstuff. So, when I heard from sis that a spanking new supermarket had opened in The Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur, I couldn’t wait to visit it.

Mercato is located on the LG floor of The Pavilion where most of the restaurants are. It’s at the end of the floor and silently exudes luxury and style with its funky black cashier counters and gleaming tiles. Do be careful not to make your way there if you’re hungry as there is a wonderful bakery right at the entrance which sells all kinds of interesting breads, sandwiches and buns. We once tried a really interesting meatball sandwich there once which was made out of a bun filled with delicious meatballs covered with a piquant black pepper sauce.

Mercato is styled after an European supermarket with wide aisles and neat layouts. Grocery shopping here is definitely a breeze as the shelves are beautifully stocked with easy to reach items. Their snacks and confectionery, especially, are arranged in eye-catching displays that will definitely reach out to children and those with a sweet tooth. It being a foreign supermarket, expatriates will be very happy to know that almost all kinds of products they are used to in their homeland can be found here, from American to Japanese and Korean products. At the opposite end of the entrance is a magazine section which brought fond memories of the extensive magazine selection I used to enjoy in Australian supermarkets.

Mercato supermarket is a fantastic supermarket and definitely a fitting one for the posh Pavilion. However, I’ve noticed that it tends to be a little quiet, even on weekends with only the bakery doing brisk business. Perhaps this is because the prices are a little higher as most upmarket supermarkets would be. Nevertheless, it’s still a great place to wander in for supermarket fans like me!