We ate here on Valentine's Day for lunch, a good way to avoid the crowds that swarm restaurants in the evening. I have to admit that we were underwhelmed with Cento- it was not bad, but it was not great, either. To be fair, the menu we were given was primarily brunch, and I hate breakfast food, so my choices were somewhat limited. I ended up with their burger, which is billed as "the best burger in town", and it did have a nice smoky flavor, and a bacaon marmalade which after a while became a bit much. We also ordered the butcher board, and I would absolutely not order that again. Maybe I'm not really that much of a 'foodie', but some things come off as more "I dare you to eat this mystery meat thingy that might in fact be head cheese". The space is gorgeous, and I would certainly have a drink here before a show, but I'm not in a hurry to go back for the food. read more

The first thing you notice about Cento is the soft gray interior. It's modern and clean but welcoming and warm at the same time. If I was rating my dining experience on the space itself, Cento would recieve five stars. Sadly, I also have to take into account the food. I've only been to Cento at brunch, so maybe I'm missing some of the charm that seems to entice everyone else. I ordered the onion fritatta, and I have to say, there was no flavor to it. Rubbery yet airy (is that even possible) eggs that were tough around the edges and potatoes that tasted like the burnt ends of a french fry and drenched your mouth in oil. I longed for some salt or pepper, but, as is common today, none was to be found at my table. I had a bite of some of the other dishes on the table. The ragu was nice but the pizza was plain. There are other places in Madison (Grampa's, Sal's, Brutta) that do pizza better and with flavors that really come together. Drinks were ok. $5 for a mimosa isn't bad in Madison. There were some nice flavors on the menu as well. The Fizz is a great play on a classic punch with prosecco and aperol, and was refreshing and bitter in a good way that wakes you up in the morning. You have to try the lemoncello drink with espresso. It sounds strange but you'll be wanting it again next weekend. Service was very good. Our server was attentive, kind, and quick to fill up a glass of water and grab a cup of coffee. The bartender was friendly and ready for conversation. All in all, service was more formal than most of the establishments in the area and was a nice change of pace for Madison. I can see why this place has made such an impact in the growing fine dining scene around the capitol. I'll be back for dinner to see if the food can sway me. One thing to note...if you're going to have the dates stuffed with spicy sausage (ahem...chorizo) and wrapped with bacon in a pepper sauce, do yourself a favor and trek to Avec in Chicago where the recipe originated. They're much better. read more

Cento is great foods, excellent service. Granted, our waitress broke the cork of our wine, but the manager and sommelier both came to apologize and gave us free dessert. It was completely unnecessary. Having worked at italian restaurants myself, I completely understood what the poor girl was going through. Still, everyone was extremely friendly, even with midwestern standards. Recommendations were spot on, the sommelier commented on the wines we had, and the manager came out to comment on our dishes. The food was equally excellent. We had the beef tartare and calamari as appatizers, which were great (the calamari was a bit on the heavy side). The beef tartare was very fresh. We also had the pizza margherita - it was cooked in their stone oven which made the crust super crispy and the tomato sauce was excellent. AFterwards we had the black tagliatalle seafood pasta with sea urchin sauce. I've had worse seafood pasta's in Japan's Ginza district. I was super impressed. Finally, the lamb, dessert, and dessert wine were equally impressive. I will be recommending Cento to all of my friends. I'm a student now, so expensive restaurants aren't usually my thing, but I will definitely be coming back to Cento soon! read more

Outstanding!! Took customers here and they were all very pleased. The President of our company liked it so much that he planned to take his wife back the following weekend. Great find in a town full of great restaurants read more

Don't waste time in line at The Old Fashioned for brunch. One block off the square is the best Brunch in the state. On both Saturday and Sunday. Better cocktails, better wines, better beers, better food. Waaaaay better. Ben my bartender and Jordan the manager were outstanding. Let me sample numerous wines including the best Rose' I have ever had. I strongly recommend the arctic char with poached eggs, hollandaise, asparagus, and potatoes. Also the Italian sausage with sautéed onions and bell peppers. Pure perfection. Plus the interior is gorgeous. May be my favorite restaurant in all of Wisconsin. 5 stars all the way. read more

Our first visit to Cento and I have to give it a 3 based on one of the entrees. We started the meal with a shared Baby Kale salad. It was delicious! My husband ordered the scallops and I snagged one. It was the best I've ever eaten!! I ordered the spaghetti carbonara and was highly disappointed! It was so dry it was difficult to eat. There was not enough sauce to bring any flavor to the noodles. There was lots of pancetta but I felt like I was eating plain spaghetti and pancetta. We might go back but I will order another dish. I also agree with another reviewer about the server asking if it was a celebration meal. How to ruin a surprise is right! Final note: the music/sound/whatever did nothing to lend to the mood of the restaurant. It was a pounding beat that just kept on and on and on. We almost left before we ordered it was so irritating. read more

This was a great spot for a date night. My wife and I went on a Monday night and had no trouble being seated at 6:30. Our table was at a window overlooking the Overture Center; a beautiful view, but a reminder why this place is hard to get into on show nights. The food was very good: - We started by sharing the Roasted Brussels Sprout salad, which was rich and delicious (a theme throughout the meal). - Next, we shared a "first course" (pasta): a bucatini pasta with mushrooms, truffle oil and pecorino. It was also delightful, though a bit buttery. - Then, we shared the Porcini-Crusted Beef Tenderloin, also very good. The barolo sauce (a red wine reduction of some kind) was the highlight. The steak was good, not great. - Finally, we talked ourselves into the Caramel Budino for dessert, a custard-y treat with vanilla whip cream, caramel drizzle, and cookie crumbles. This was probably the highlight, though I could have done with a bigger portion... :) The ambiance is excellent; it can easily be either intimate and romantic or professional. Both my wife and I felt very relaxed and commented that we were easily able to enjoy a slow meal. Speaking of slow, the service was perfectly paced. We were able to enjoy each course before being rushed into the next, which allowed the food to be savored and settle before the next onslaught of richness. This is definitely a place to which I'll want to return. Now if there weren't so many other restaurants in Madison I want to try... read more

My boyfriend and I came here for our valentine's day dinner. It was both our first time and our waiter was genuinely the nicest girl I have ever met. The interior is beautiful! Very simple and elegant. It's a great place for dates or dinner/lunch dates with friends. It's actually a lot bigger than it looks from the outside! There's two sections to the restaurant. One thing that was "eh" for me was our table. My boyfriend made a reservation like two weeks in advance and they gave us kind of a sucky table. The table was small and there was no where to put my purse besides the ground. Also it was kind of crammed in between two other tables. We looked around and there were booths and better table available so that kind of irked me. Other than that the food was great! We both got pastas! My boyfriend got the seafood pasta and I got the braised beef. They were both delicious! Pastas are from $14-$16 which isn't too bad! I also got their limoncello and mannn it is STRONG! I've had limoncello from other restaurants in chicago and san fran. but this one by far packed a punch. It is really sweet but it also stings cause it's that strong! For dessert I got their Affogato (they use collectivo espresso!) and it was amazing!! Such a huge fan of it! Not too sweet and not too bitter! Overall great dinner date experience! I'm a fan! Hopefully we get a better seat next time! Hope you guys like it too :)!! read more

Cento - Pasta time! We got the braised beef pasta and the seafood! The limoncello is superrr strong - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Visited with my wife and another couple recently. I have eaten at Lombardinos a bit so that was my point of comparison for higher end Italian. Pros: * Service was attentive and competent. * Appetizers were pretty good, wrapped dates, beats were both good. * Good bread. * specialty cocktails were ok. * desert was great. Cons: *Of the four of us everyones entree was poor. Two got the prosciutto wrapped fish special and they were all fishy tasting, not the quality one would expect for the price and generally gross. I got two pasta half orders and both were not flavorful or memorable. The fourth was another pasta dish that was equally bland. * The whole place put on a lot of airs from the servers to the menu it was all trying to scream IMPORTANT FANCY RESTAURANT. Unfortunately the food did not stick to that narrative. On leaving we all agreed that there were some nice parts but the entrees were such a disappointment and made up such a bulk of the bill that we would probably not go back. Lombardinos is not perfect, but for the same price I have had many better Italian meals there. Maybe if you just got appetizers it would be a better time. read more

My wife and I love this place and wish we could get here more often. Luckily for us, it's open on Mondays, a day that works well with our schedule. The seating is cozy but the space is adequate. The food is simple but delicious. The gnudi and other pasta dishes are thoughtfully prepared with local and seasonal ingredients. The salads are tasty and the soups have never disappointed either. Reasonable prices, great service and delicious cuisine are the reasons we keep coming back! read more

Ate brunch at Cento today. First off, the inside of the restaurant is beautiful- it's only 4 months old and is very modern and comfortable. As large as the restaurant is, there aren't that many tables, which is nice because you don't feel like you're on top of other parties. Also the booths are large and comfy. Plus, it was easy to get a reservation for a large party, which I can't say about many brunch places in Madison. I'm guessing this is because Cento is new and doesn't have a large following yet, though I doubt that will last very long. The service was fantastic. I wish I could remember our server's name, but she was so thoughtful and kind. She didn't mind that we asked 100 questions and made a huge ordeal out of splitting the check/using different cards/gift certificates, or that we had several diners join us at different times. At one point, she overheard me say that my drink was a little sweet and came by and offered to replace it. We loved her- I would come back just to have her as my waitress again. Everyone absolutely loved their food. We started with the porchetta & brussels sprouts pizza, which was gone in 3 minutes flat. I had the baked eggs & polenta with vegetables and added prosciutto, so good. Others at my table had the bacon wrapped dates (amazing), eggs benedict, margherita pizza, artic char, and soft scrambled eggs with prosciutto. No one was disappointed, and we all vowed to go back for dinner after peeking at the dinner menu. They also had wonderful drinks. Will definitely come back here and would strongly recommend to others. read more

I had my birthday dinner here tonight with my husband and came away really impressed. I had the orecchiette, which had wilted spinach and stewed tomatoes and Italian sausage - SO GOOD. I also ordered a side of fingerling potatoes because I just can't resist them. It was a huge serving and very tasty but most of it got boxed up as I focused on my pasta. We shared two appetizers - sourdough bread as well as fried mozzarella. Both were great, but I probably wouldn't order the fried mozzarella again as it's not too different from cheese curds you can get anywhere in town. That sourdough though. Only $3 and absolutely perfect in taste and portion. I was a little disappointed that moscato was only available by bottle, not glass, and instead I had a vodka lemonade, which was okay but a little too watery. To top it all off I got a free dessert thanks to my birthday. We shared the vanilla buneto (sp??) which was again okay but not amazing. I would absolutely love to come back, either for another special occasion meal or maybe for happy hour. Server was very attentive and sweet; atmosphere was chic but cozy. Our bill came to just about $100 before tip and included 2 cocktails, 2 appetizers, 1 pasta and 1 chicken entree, and 2 sides. read more

We came here for dinner on the graduation weekend before heading to overture center for The Lion King. The food were amazing, super tasty and just perfect. We ordered cod and steak for our main course and we had nothing to complain! We ordered budino for dessert it is certainly a must try here!!! You won't regret it! Service is also super! The waitress we had was very good at timing knowing that we had a show to catch! Definitely recommend it! read more

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Great date night spot. Upscale ambiance. Nice cocktail list. Enjoyed the bacon wrapped dates, Margherita pizza for app. Dinner was yummy. I'd go back again. read more

I went here with some girls I met on Bumble BFF for their late night menu! The food was fantastic, and the atmosphere was so fun! I'm glad I had a fun place to go to to meet these fun, new friends. I will definitely be going back! read more

This place was a delicious discovery! My extremely food savvy friend recommend it last week and I'm so glad I made reservations for last night. The decor is swanky and I loved the huge windows for evening people-watching. Order the bread (it costs extra, but is worth it!) and enjoy anything on the menu. I went with the healthier salad option and was surprised and pleased with extremely flavorful spinach salad (honey-champagne vinaigrette?! Yes please!) For the main course, my friend ordered the Orecchiette, which was wonderful (and that's coming from someone who does not like Italian sausage usually) and I was blown away by how tasty, yet light the Roasted Arctic Char was! Don't miss this! The Chocolate Salumi is a decadent blend of rich chocolate, smooth caramel, and cool vanilla gelato (which was wonderful! I know "vanilla" can has a bit of a plain reputation). Only note is that this place is loud (a ton of hard surfaces so hearing your other dining guests may be hard) and reservations on the weekend seem to be a must. Well worth the reservation! Yum! read more

Cento - Delicious dishes at Cento - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We went to Cento last night for the first time. Had a wonderful experience. We had a booth looking out on the Christmas lights on the Overture Center. Overall, the ambiance of the restaurant is upscale...feels like Chicago or NYC, not Madison. (We live in Madison, so I'm not dissing it.) Food was very good. We started with the bacon wrapped dates. I thought that they would be too sweet, but they were not. It's a winner. My wife had the tagliatelle, which she enjoyed; very rich, but also very good. I had the snapper. It was done perfectly. Service was excellent. read more

My fiance and I reserved the Chef's Table at Cento for our five year anniversary, and were immediately blown away! From the homemade squid ink pasta, to the signature cocktails, and the bread pudding to end the meal, it was more than we imagined. If you are looking for an intimate and special evening, I would highly recommend the Chef's Table. Oh, and don't forget to interact with the kitchen staff! They are there to answer all your foodie questions! After all, your table is in the kitchen! read more

The experience here was terrible, Maddox reservations for Saturday brunch. The hostess, if you could call her That look like she just rolled out of bed. She was completely incompetent and did not know what she was doing. When we waited for 15 minutes to get our reservation we finally said can we please get our table she said I'm busy. When we finally got her to lead us to our table she let us to the table that was not acceptable we wanted to have a booth or a table in the main room she said we could not have that because they were pre-booked which is not true. I asked to speak to the manager. She went up to the manager basically rolled her eyes the manager never came and spoke to us. So we just sat down at a booth it was open and had the waitress who is lovely social our meal. We never heard from the manager we never heard back from her I will never go back there again nor recommend it read more

Had dinner here before concert at Overture Center. Service was exceptional. Great salad and they added anchovies for us. Entrees were excellent. Beautiful open space. read more

Atmosphere was chic but warm, excepting the music, which was some strange Eurotrash/jazz and very distracting. Service was lovely, pace was perfect, food was beautifully plated with thoughtful combinations that were unfussy. Prices were very reasonable for the portions and the quality. Highly recommend. read more

I've got nothing to complain about in the food department. If you're looking for a modern take on traditional Italian cuisine, go right ahead. However, both times I've gone here, the service has been SO STRANGE. The first time I came was for a friend's birthday dinner. After finishing our meal, a host came around and asked us to leave so someone else could use our table. We'd barely been there 40 minutes. That is unreasonable and impersonal. The second time, we were fortunate enough not to be kicked out of our table, but the server was subpar. After I would order something off the menu, she would stare at me like I had just ordered dog food. Other people noticed this too, and were uncomfortable by the way she treated customers. Odd vibes, good food. That sums it up. read more

Cento has a very nice atmosphere with leather seats and good lighting. I stopped in for lunch. For a cocktail I tried the Eliot & Ambrose which is Carpano Antica, wood-grilled Orange syrup, house orange-cardamom bitters and club soda over ice. It was excellent. I ordered the frittata with prosciutto and potatoes. The frittata was a disaster. It was burnt on both sides and hiding under a few pieces of prosciutto. It seemed like the cook whipped up a few eggs with minced onion and threw it in the frying pan too long browning the eggs on one side. I am guessing they then put in in the oven under a broiler where the eggs were burned on top. Why the cook sent in out like that puzzles me. I almost left. Since my cocktail was good I decided to stay and try the meat ragu with penne. It was very good and was a generous portion. The fresh parsley and carrots made it special. The house ciabatta bread was excellent. Service was above average. read more

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What I love most about Cento is the space. It is a very open dining room, with a view of the kitchen and a beautiful bar. Beyond the atmosphere, the service is wonderful, attentive, and happy to make suggestions. I ordered the porcetta pizza, which was delicious but was no match for the squash pasta my tablemate ordered. I love that you can order small plates of pasta so that the table can share a range of options. It is so hard to choose between their dishes and the half portion makes this decision a little bit more bearable! read more

The four stars is 90% for the space and the design. Clean, modern, crisp, stark, simple, elegant. I love the warm lighting at night and open brightness of the space by day. That all said, the food leaves something to be desired. I had high hopes for Cento but the food itself at both brunch and dinner, on a few occasions, was underwhelming. The food is sometimes poorly proportioned amongst its components in many of the dishes and very often under-spiced or under-seasoned. The drinks and wine are quite good, though honestly.. enough with the grappa in like every drink. I understand you're an Italian restaurant. The staff and service is generally friendly and fairly quick. Overall it's an inviting and tempting space that just need to upgrade its main course offerings. read more

I have no complaints. zero. Drinks=Excellent. Service=Excellent. Loved everything from the bricks behind the bar to the suggestions about the menu. Did I comment already on the amazing cocktails?!? I had the mussels, they. were. delicious. Can't wait to go back! . read more

This was my first time here at Cento and the wait staff was AMAZING and the food even better! Bartenders know their stuff! And the Assistant GM was there to make sure my experience was PERFECT! 5Stars all day everyday! read more

We had the most wonderful birthday celebration for my daughters at Centos last evening. The staff made sure to make the evening special by providing amazing service with excellent food and cocktail recommendations. We enjoyed our appetizer, pizzas and especially loved the Lobster Scampi. We enjoyed the Italian cocktails as well. They brought out complimentary birthday desserts with candles. Just an absolutely perfect evening. Highly recommend!! read more

Centro has such a fun atmosphere and vibe! Really yummy food options, even for vegetarians! We had such a good time here and would recommend to everyone! Nice staff and great service! read more

Pros: Great service and pretty ambience. The home-made limoncello was stellar, and the boar pasta was delicate and delicious. The olives were tasty, though they'd be juicier if they kept them whole instead of pitting them. The burrata was creamy and rich and served with serrano peppers, which added a nice surprising bite, but the bread it was on got mushy quickly - maybe better to serve it separately with crostini on the side. Cons: The amatriciana was seriously disappointing. There was not a single piece of guanciale to be found in the dish and it tasted like Chef Boyardee poured over overcooked pasta. The pici with "truffle" also should specify that it is actually just "truffle oil." The charred romaine salad was a couple of wilted romaine leaves, and no anchovies in sight. In sum, come here after a show at the Overture Center for the lemoncello and a late night snack, but have low expectations if you come for dinner. read more

Great food, great atmosphere, great staff. Yet, I can only give Cento 2 stars. I had to knock them down, due to the loud music. It is so loud, that it is impossible to hold a conversation at the table! Each time, we have asked that they turnvthe music down so that we can hold a conversation, and within 10 minutes or so, they turn it right back up again. This happened on 3 separate occasions, and I will never go back again. Such a pity that they got everything right, only to lose 4 customers over something as stupid and disrespectful as this. read more

Went here last night, Tuesday, for dinner with friends and family. Service was great. Timely delivery if appetizers and entree. The Food was good, but over-priced for portion sizes. Ordered a pasta dish for entree and got enough pasta to cover the bottom of the plate. Which was $20. At an Italian restaurant I expected to leave satisfied, but left wanting for more. read more

Food was ok not fabulous. Service needs improvement. Brought out entrees when we still had our app's, asked for things and servers forgot. Place was not full yet they told us the only availability was an 8:30pm reservation. Really expected it to be better based upon what people and other reviews had said. read more

Good brunch. $30 includes entree, plate of pastries (very good), and 2 craft cocktails. All very good. Our table had breakfast pizza, lemon /blueberry pancakes, avocado toast eggs, bacon. All were very good. read more

I have almost nothing truly bad to say about Cento. I loved the atmosphere and classy design, and the service was just fine if not great. My boyfriend and I had their bacon wrapped dates and tuna tartare for starters, both of which were very flavorful. Then we each had pasta, I had one with lamb and he with trumpet mushrooms. We split cherry chocolate torte for dessert. I think my only smidgen of criticism was that the food, while still fine, was nothing very original or unique compared to other Italian-fusion restaurants. I think my lamb pasta was maybe not the best choice for a summertime meal, which I realize now, but it didn't really stand out. I couldn't taste much besides lamb and tomatoes, and there claimed to be mint (which I thought would lighten the flavor of such a rich meat). Like I said, I still enjoyed the food and atmosphere and service, but the five stars I would give are four because I was hoping for something more unique. All of these other reviews rave about the food, but I have had similar plates elsewhere (maybe a bit cheaper, too). read more

Main takeaway: not worth the price. Loved the decor, service was pretty good, wine was recommended by server and was a good choice. We started with the butcher board which was delicious, but nothing we could't have assembled ourselves. I generally like things to be a bit "out there" when it comes to charcuterie, but we could have found the components from the grocery store. Companion had Alaskan Char which was well prepared and beautiful. I had Garganelli pasta which was underwhelming but pretty good. I suppose I shouldn't have gotten pasta if I wanted something extraordinary, but it seemed to be their speciality. It's more of a traditional upscale restaurant, and in comparison to more experimental places in a similar price range, I was unimpressed. If you're looking for a place to take your grandparents and they are footing the bill, it's a good choice. If you're a 20-something looking to impress a date, keep looking. read more

It was ok. It was really nice that we called ahead and they held a bar table for us. Beer and wine selection wasn't over the top. Only had apps and they were ok. Fried artichokes were tasty, more sauce was needed. The beet cold plate was disappointing. Too much acid and no balance. The veggies looked like they had been cut by a 6 year old. Oh well, place looks decent and I thank them for sitting us promptly upon arrival. read more

I dine out often... and everywhere. Cento was a breath of fresh air among the decidedly mundane that has become dining in Wisconsin. After all, how many "gourmet" versions of a cheese curd can one consume? But I digress... We arrived on a Friday night during prime hours, (we had a reservation but were quite early) and cozied up to the bar for a glass of wine. The hostess and bartenders were both quite friendly and attentive. Our coats were hung (greatly appreciate this) and although we had to wait for a seat at the bar we were informed that the wait would be short as a large table would be dining soon. The wine was fresh, crisp, perfectly chilled and served in lovely delicate stemware. The ambiance, seating, lighting, and general atmosphere is lovely. I always appreciate an open kitchen concept to feel more connected with the food. We ordered a variety of dishes: Warm marinated olives (Delightful and genius to serve them at a toasty temperature, it truly brought out the different flavors of the olives.) Seafood bisque (My date had this and loved it. I don't eat meat so did not partake.) Cedar roasted artic char with roasted vegetables (Absolutely mouthwatering and so flavorful. The fish was wonderful...the roasted vegetables...perfection! I can't even accurately describe the flavoring on this. Oddly enough it was reminiscent of a campfire and s'mores, but not. You have to trust me and TRY THIS!) Squash, Goat Cheese and Mint with Balsamic as a side. (This was a stunning side dish. I could have eaten a trough of this delightful dish!) My date had: Prosciutto wrapped branzino with spring vegetables (The fish is served whole with head and tail, yet deboned. It was flaky, fragrant and perfectly cooked. It was beautifully presented and well worth the wait.) For a side he had the roasted brussel sprouts and this very generous portion was flavored with apples and cooked perfectly. For dessert we indulged in the caramel bundino, which was a decadent multi texture dish that exploded in subtle tastes. If you haven't been to Cento, then you are truly missing out on one of Madison's gems. I am looking forward to many more visits to sample the rest of their extraordinary menu. Bravo Chef Michael Pruett on a wonderful addition to Madison't culinary highlights. I WILL be recommending you to everyone I know. read more

I took my wife to Cento for our first anniversary. Based on the experience we had we will most certainly be returning! Everything about our experience was outstanding. We were seated promptly upon arrival, we were given a great table in the middle of the room (upon request in OpenTable), the food was phenomenal, and the wait staff and management were friendly and knowledgeable. Cento is a Chicago or NYC caliper restaurant in the heart of Madison. read more

BF planned a secret date. Made Saturday reservations (glad we did; super packed). Service was pleasant. Drinks= Old Abe's Return and Lumaca Brutto. *Very* spirit-forward, but good! Ordered their grilled octopus, potato gnocchi and garganelli. Serving sizes are...."appropriate" for their prices. Tasted wonderful (previous reviews had me terrified). Definitely will return. read more

Cento - Sorry, I forgot to take the picture before I ate it. Potato gnocchi is A1! - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin