The Discovery District’s MaRS building has to be one of the grandest renovation projects on the go. Showing the utmost respect for the old Toronto General Hospital, the architects of the project have seamlessly fused together a century-old, venerable landmark with the elegance of millennial modernity. And it works beautifully.

At the complex’s north-east corner, there is something equally grand going on that also pays homage to history: Mercatto. An area known more for its student pubs and low-end sandwich shops is being transformed with the arrival of Mercatto and its long-standing love affair with all things rustic Italian. Attracting more than just frenzied hospital workers, the chain’s third location is a departure from the other two, which are hybrid lunch counters/groceterias where you can grab a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil for the pantry after scarfing down a panini. At the intersection of Elizabeth and College, expect the same Italian classics in a more calming, relaxed and fit-for-dining atmosphere — not to mention one of the nicest patios in town.

In keeping with the trend of small-plate/antipasto/tapas/meze whatever style of dining, Mercatto offers a wide selection of salumi (cured meats), formaggi (cheese) and verdure (olives, pickles, greens, etc.). Individually priced from $5 to $10, these openers are a better deal when grouped — two selections from each category come for the remarkable price of $13.

Thin ribbons of lemon-cured beef tenderloin stack up well against the city’s best carpaccio, their citrus essence blending beautifully with not-overly-salty shavings of Grana Padano. Buttery-rich discs of salami hit the right carnivorous notes: slightly sweet with a smidge of heat and a melt-in-the-mouth consistency. Burrata is a little overripe; the creamy centre of this ultra-fresh mozzarella delicacy is a bit of a disappointing little spurt rather than an explosion of milky flavour.

But when you consider a terrific salad of musky, roasted, multi-coloured beet wedges with orange sections and red onions dressed up with an aged balsamic, that’s really all the flavour punch you can handle.

Divine zucchini fritters ($6) are perfection actualized, especially when dipped into a generous pot of herbed buffalo ricotta cheese mixture. Despite being pink in the middle, a trio of massive braised veal meatballs ($6) seem somewhat dry. Then again, an oil-laden San Marzano sauce al rustico fixes that up pronto.

Pasta seems to be the only area that Mercatto needs to improve upon. The top-quality imported dried version they serve up should be fine for dishes like rigatoni Bolognese ($14) where it’s always about the sauce. But Mercatto’s slow-cooked meat sauce lacks the complexity of flavour and creaminess of mama’s, and its subtle salinity builds to a mouth-drying denouement.

Judging by the prosciutto ($14) pie we try, pizzas are both generous in size and toppings. And though its loaded with fine slices of wickedly good cured ham and a hillock of baby arugula, the crust’s consistency is not unlike that of a toasted pita. Nevertheless, it goes down pretty well the next day after being doggie-bagged.

Even dessert shows off finesse with one of the most velvety pannacotta ($5.95) ever sampled. Topped with wild blueberries, it earns the tag “awesome.” As does the service.

In a ’hood formerly devoid of any culinary aplomb, where you might as well have been on MaRS, Mercatto is a marvelous addition to what was once a desolate corner.