Apparently, Monday, April 16 is going to be a HUGE day for Philly’s restaurants. We already reported that this will be the grand opening date for the new Green Eggs Cafe. The 16th is also the day they’re releasing the Four Seasons / Dock Street collaboration beer (Caliente Golden Ale) and opening day for HipCityVeg (which, according to our commenters, is kinda awesome).

And now, we’ve just gotten word that Monday the 16th will also be the first day that Mercato on Spruce Street will be serving its brand new lunch menu–a lighter, smaller take on the restaurant’s traditional dinner board.

The new service will run from 11:30-2:30, Monday through Friday, and will feature paninis (like truffled wild mushroom with grilled asparagus, or fontina and grilled spring vegetables) , salads, and half-size portions of popular dinner pastas (like the lobster and shrimp pyramid). The kitchen is also doing desserts and promises to be throwing wide the dining room’s big windows on days when the weather allows.

Mercato BYOB [Official website]