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    Centro Café

    4.2 (289 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Bars

    Centro Café Photos

    CENTRO CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Centro Café

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    Reviews With Photos

    Cacio e Pepe
    Rebecca W.

    Second time coming here and already one of my favorite spots in Milwaukee. Love that it's a smaller more intimate dining experience. Service is always amazing and the food is out of this world! Tried a non alcoholic drink last night which was delicious. Appetizer we had bruschetta which I could bathe in. My daughter tried the cacio e pepe and I had the butternut lasagna. Both were absolutely divine! Also had to get the tiramisu for dessert. Cannot recommend this place enough.

    Shrimp curry
    Emily N.

    Really amazing evening. Great vibes and great prices. Drinks were really nice and you could tell the restaurant cared about the experience. The bruschetta was a little bland but the rest of our meal was great!!

    Bruschetta
    Marissa P.

    Celebrating Valentine's Day with a girls' night out at Centro Café was fabulous! I opted for the flavorful salsiccia pasta (sausage pasta), complemented perfectly by the spicy marinara sauce. While my friend and myself weren't thrilled with the bolognese due to the short rib being somewhat unflavorful and untraditional, our flourless chocolate cake was dense and delicious. Additonally, the waitstaff was quick, knowledgeable, and friendly. The lively atmosphere, complete with a live band, added to the fun vibe of the evening. While this is not the most authentic or my favorite Italian spot, this cozy restaurant in Riverwest offers some great food options and a lively ambiance. I can't wait to return and try their cocktails--they looked amazing!

    Interior
    Kate P.

    My favorite Italian place in town. I love the cozy, romantic vibe here, and the open kitchen is so fun to watch. As soon as you walk into Centro you are practically assaulted by delicious smells, and it only gets better once you sit down. Everything here is good, and my Bolognese turned out great. The tiramisu at the end was probably the highlight of my night.

    Chad M.

    Oh man, don't even think about it twice and just go to this amazing place for a meal. I was delighted with my dinner. The meal was so enjoyable and beyond delicious, the service was not pushing us along to dine and enjoy our experience, and sitting by the window, a pure delight. I will to go back here soon and have yet another incredible experience.

    Tiramisu
    Allison H.

    Have been wanting to come here for a while and it did not disappoint! The food was really good and we loved being able to watch the chefs! We had bread and olive oil, two pastas and tiramisu-- all of which were delicious! It is a cute little spot in river west and we can't wait to come back in summer for the garden!

    Jessica J.

    Such a great night at Centro Cafe! Nothing but good things to say about the atmosphere, service, food, and drinks. There's not a lot open on Monday nights, but I'm sure glad we found this place as a spot to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday! We booked in a reservation for six people, and were sat in the upper area. All of the seating options at this restaurant are different, all really great. I liked being almost tucked away in the back. You can also opt to sit at the bar area that overlooks the chefs at work - pretty neat. My husband and I arrived first and decided to grab drinks while waiting on the rest of the group. Absolutely loved the Loren cocktail - think gin, basil, lime, simple syrup. Very tasty, and strong ;) Once the rest of the group arrived it was a no-brainer to order a few apps. Huge fan of the prosciutto wrapped asparagus and the baked criostini because who doesn't like the pesto, moz, tomato, balsamic combo. Delish. For my main, I went with the Cacio e Pepe with Scallops. Oh my goooodness. I don't often eat pasta so this was an absolute treat. Note: you must like truffle oil to enjoy this dish, because it's heavy on that flavor. Loved the cappers, mushrooms, and fettuccine all blended. The whole thing was delightful creamy, and the four large scallops on top were prepared to perfection. The rest of the table spoke highly of their dishes as well. Keep in mind, you'll spend a pretty penny on dinner here but you do get what you pay for. Also, shout out to our server; he was extremely attentive and friendly. Plus he so kindly helped us execute a mini surprise for mom: decedent dessert that came out on our family's beloved birthday plate (a long standing tradition), topped with candles. It was some sort of German chocolate cake. The dense, creamy, kind that literally melts in your mouth and keeps you wanting another bite. All in all, a wonderful evening at Centro. A real hidden gem I'd say. Be sure not to overlook this spot on your next date night!

    Anthony J.

    Food and service were nothing but exceptional. I had the spaghetti & meatballs, my wife had the chicken parmesan. The drinks were really tasty too! Will definitely come back!

    Vodka Gnocchi
    Kenisha K.

    Bored and hungry yesterday so I decided to try Milwaukee's Italian side. (I also was hiding from that 100 degrees) anyways I found this place on google and decided to head down there! It's a cute little cafe on the inside with a bar and some seating outside. I dined at the bar and the bartender was very fast and friendly. The lemon drop was 10/10! For dinner I had the Vodka Gnocchi and IT WAS AMAZING! The sauce was very flavorful, hearty, and hot! The gnocchi texture was perfect! I definitely will be back!

    Gnudi
    Nicky W.

    Everything about this restaurant was delightful. We ate our meal on the patio that felt like we were in an old Italian city. The bruschetta was refreshing and light. The service was fantastic and timely and our server answered all of our questions on the menu. Definitely will be returning.

    Kate M.

    We had a lovely dinner at Centro Cafe! The space is so cozy and sweet with string lights and tulips at each table. The pasta was absolutely incredible! I highly recommend the gnocchi with the vodka cream sauce. Though, we all got pastas and I don't think anyone had any left over, so you really can't go wrong! Everything was fresh and the flavors all complimented each other. If you're in the Milwaukee area and looking for a new spot for date night, this is it!

    Dessert flourless chocolate cake!
    Calvin S.

    Fabulous dinner drinks etc ! You won't go wrong if you decide to attend this establishment. I can't wait to attend this for a second time. The owner pat and his wife are very friendly and accommodating!

    Cacio E Pepe With Scallops
    Joanne R.

    My husband and I used to visit Centro often when we lived in Riverwest 3 years ago. After moving to CA and not being able to visit again during the pandemic, we were finally able to fly back and try more food from Centro. I am happy to say everything is still just as delicious as it was in 2018 and I am so so very happy we decided to stop here for dinner on our trip back. We always started our orders with some garlic bread. You have a option to add cheese and marinara which we did and it was absolutely delicious! I picked the Cacio E Pepe as my entree and couldn't have been happier. The scallops were cooked perfectly and tasted amazing with the spaghetti. There wasn't a time we had dinner here and left without earthing their Tiramisu. It was almost just as we remembered but they used to have some crunchy chocolate on top. The cake tasted perfect without them and the perfect end to our meal. I will always make time to stop at Centro for dinner whenever I am in Milwaukee and if you're visiting the area and looking for a nice place to have dinner, this is definitely the one!

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    Absolutely delicious; authentic mouthwatering Italian cuisine I can't describe it any better

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