The Merchant is a very welcoming, friendly and relaxed newcomer on the Kingston Foreshore helpfully open 7 days for breakfast lunch and dinner.

It’s great strengths are it’s honest, accommodating and attentive staff, it’s key corner location and it’s value for money menu options.
But it is also stylish and food is beautifully presented.

There is nothing pretentious about The Merchant. Staff are happy to answer and respond to all kinds of queries and requests making it a very good spot for sharing dishes and ordering to suit your appetite.

The menu changes daily, but there is a pattern to what’s on offer.

The sharing platters $28 are great for two people for lunch and I’m told that extra complimentary bread is available to go with all those lovely dips, cured meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables.

Some dishes make a great light meal for one person. The baguettes, soup and salad were all generously sized, and well priced making them excellent value. The pancetta and cheese baguette ($12) had plenty of filling, the soup of the day ($12) serve was large and came with bread and the salad of the day $14 was also a good sized serve.

Likewise, dessert from the cabinet offered well sized serves for $8.

The lamb, lemon and rosemary skewer $25 was large and served with salad.

The pan fried salmon fillet $25 did not come with accompaniments so it made a smaller meal.

The chilli spanner crab linguine $22 and braised lamb shoulder pappardelle $22 were more modest serves as well, but looked delicious.

The Seared Canadian Scallops -served with pea puree, chorizo and olives $14, was a small entree sized serve.

The chicken liver mushroom parfait $20 was a very generous serve and ideal for sharing with some other dishes. (Extra bread available on request at not cost).

BYO wine is available at around $4 per person, but if you purchase your wine from the nearby sister store ‘Prohibition’, corkage is free.

(Prohibition is on the corner behind Local Press and has plenty of good option in the $10-$15 range).

In a nutshell, The Merchant has plenty going for it and is well worth trying out. It could easily become a favourite.