When I had lived in the Quad Cities, they had a Centro and I remember liking it (I believe it closed). So, I was optimistic about this Centro location. They had great reviews too. I went with a group of girls for a girls night out including WineFest! We had reservations for 5:15 on a Friday night and had no problem getting seated right away. We were quickly brought our drinks and additional drink orders were placed. Warm bread was brought to the table. It was rather good but not phenomenal. They have a good range of items on their menu. It ranged from appetizers to salads, to sandwiches to pasta and seafood. I did not like that most of their pasta dishes were sausage. There were not pasta dishes with chicken. Also, their side salads wer like $7! I felt that was high for a side salad. I ordered the Cemtro Salad with chicken. The others at our table ordered items such as a Margarita Pizza (which was split), Chicken Panini, soup & salad, and bruschetta. My salad was good. It has good quality greens, pecans, gorgonzola cheese crumbles and the chicken. The girls that had the pizza loved it. Overall, good place to go downtown with good ambiance, good food, decent service, with reasonable prices. read more

A very nice restaurant. We did not have a reservation on Mother's Day but were able to get in between Brunch and Dinner. It was a limited menu but very good. We sat on the patio that was heated. Our waiter Saeed was excellent. We had calamari as an appetizer that was delicious. We split a salad, good thing as it was huge, that was also fresh and delicious. The pizza was good. We were very happy with the selection and quality of the food and service. Sorbet was yummy. We might not have even tried to go because when we called for a 5 pm reservation we were told they were booked. The hostess said we could sit at the bar or patio and basically hung up - this was accurate but she may have wanted to "sell" the patio a bit more because it was covered and heated and nicer than we would have expected- so glad we decided to try it. read more

Good for brunch. Father in law says the Bloody Mary is great. Parking can be spotty on weekends so be prepared to walk.

Always amazing. The atmosphere is great and it's nice to walk around the temple of performing arts. The staff is very professional and helpful. I haven't tried a single thing on the menu that wasn't delicious. If you like a classic East coast style pizza you'll love Centros! read more

This place is kind of going downhill. I placed a pickup order for 2 large pizzas and a bruchetta appetizer totalling around $55. For that price, I expect well.... centro quality pizza. That isn't what I received. I went to pick up and noticed on my kitchen ticket that was still attached to the box(yeah I work in food service thats not sliding by me) that one of my pizzas had double sausage on it. I checked inside the box while the bartender was ringing me up and noticed it was exactly that - a pizza with a ton of sausage on it. I pointed out to her that this was incorrect and I had ordered a pepperoni sausage combo. She then takes all the tickets off the bar and tries to say that she rang it up correctly but the kitchen messed up. Nice try, I already saw the kitchen ticket and it was clearly entered wrong on her end. No apology, she tells some other guy working to throw some pepperoni on top of it and put it in the oven for another two minutes like that fixes it. When it came out my arm hurt carrying this thing to my car because it was so heavy from all the meat! It was completely wrong and for this price I really expected them to fix it for me correctly or at least an apology but I received neither. When I got home, I was disappointed to see the pepperoni just thrown haphazardly on top. The bruschetta was also WRONG, as it had.... mixed greens in it?? Umm ew? Their bruschetta was always my favorite but they're apparently cutting it now with plain lettuce? Who does that? Unfortunately I don't think I'll be coming back ever again. Since moving back to DSM, this old favorite of mine seems to have gone way downhill. Poor customer service and incorrect orders at a high price point.. No go for me. read more

Centro - They made my pizza wrong and tried to fix it by throwing a ton of pepperoni on top. This was gross and unacceptable for a $25 pizza - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Yes please. I expect we will eat here several times in our 6 night stay in downtown Des Moines. Steak Salad comes in a small size (for about $2 less). So many wonderful menu options, friendly staff and great service!! read more

This restaurant is amazing! The food is always delicious and the service is awesome! My favorite is the truffle grilled cheese with tomato soup. read more

It's been a long time since we've been but this was one of the first "nice" places we went after moving to Iowa and it did not disappoint. The food was great and service even better. read more

Centro - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

A Des Moines classic that should either be a spot you fall back on for a guaranteed good meal or somewhere you bring out of town-ers to show off a little bit of Iowa nostalgia. The atmosphere, the seasonal menu, the staff- all amazing! However it can get a little cold (but then again I'm always cold). My boyfriend and I went for dinner one night just because and I ordered pasta where he had a steak. Both delicious! Ended the night with a must-have creme brûlée and it never fails. The staff is very attentive and super helpful. The hostess was quick to seat us and very approachable. They were pretty busy for a Monday night but the service did not suffer. Love Centro- will always be coming back for more! read more

Centro - MUST HAVE portobello fries!!!!!! Literally- my FAVORITE thing on the menu! - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Ambiance lovely, bar great, service friendly and efficient, food-pizzas are quite nice.

Place was very busy. Nice atmosphere. Had another couple with us. The food was OK. Nothing special. Can't really say we had any food that was worth even bring it up. I would not go back to his place and I've been there twice. read more

Went here with a party of 5 in celebration of a friend's birthday. The place was packed since it was Saturday at dinner time around 8:15pm. Ambience - romantic, low yellow lights. It was kind of dark in our table but a few areas are still nicely lit. Centro does not have candles or lighting on tables so you will have to rely on their ceiling, chandelier-type lighting. Romantic and slightly upscale. Service/dessert - we had a server named Nick and he was great. He waited on our tables patiently and made great recommendations. Since it was our friend's birthday, he comped his sundae which was big enough to be shared by 5 people. It was topped with melted marshmallow and had some vanilla ice cream, melted chocolate, and some peanuts I think. It was a great dessert! Nick also split our check 4 ways (we didn't let our birthday friend pay of course) evenly and barely explanations needed. He was a great server! Orchid Martini - per recommendation of the bartender at Nick's (waiter) request. It was strong and slightly sweet. I was already feeling tipsy after drinking 1/4 of the drink. Highly recommended drink. Foccacia bread - just this bread alone is enough to make me come back to this place over and over. It was served warm and wrapped with a white table napkin. The bread tasted fresh, and slightly sweet. Great by itself or you can dip it in olive oil and some parmesan. Highly recommended. Appetizer - we got calamari and portobello fries. They were both good. I didn't think the calamari was anything out of the ordinary. It was served hot with a couple of dipping sauces. I think it was lemon aioli and marinara. I liked the lemon aioli better. It was good but I don't think it is something to write much about. The portobello fries was good. I liked it better than the calamari. It was fried so it was crunchy and the dish was accompanied by 2 sauces as well - truffle aioli and chipotle dressing. Both sauces were good. If I will get just 1 appetizer, I would pick the portobello fries. My first words after taking a bite of the dish was "oh wow'. Both are highly recommended regardless. Main dish - I got the Cobb salad. I thought my salad was good. I do not usually order salads but since my party got 2 appetizers and I got a drink, I figure I should go lighter for my main dish. The salad was huge. See attached photos. There was also a lot of bacon and it was not really bacon bits, as the bacon were on a slightly bigger side about almost an inch per piece. I thought the gorgonzola cheese is what made the dish special. Every bite gives the dish some sort of "different" kick. Although I really liked my salad, I had a bite of my friend's Centro salad. And sadly I prefer it over the cobb salad. It had a tasty balsamic vinaigrette and I don't like that dressing usually but Centro's version is really good. Highly recommended salads. Overall, I can't wait to return to Centro. read more

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Wife and I Stopped in for an impromptu brunch and couldn't have been more satisfied. From the bread you start with to our appetizer of portobello mushrooms, to my breakfast pizza and her crab cake, it was all superb. My one small hangup preventing a 5 star review was the pizza. Slightly dry and needed an extra kick. I ended up adding red pepper, some Parmesan cheese and a little salt. It helped, but it's just still missing something. All in all we can't wait to come back for a dinner reservation sometime. See you soon Centro. read more

Absolutely amazing, from the drinks to the food. One of the best places to visit in Des Moines.

Great atmosphere! Awesome food! Literally everything on the menu is amazing. Brussels sprouts and white wine or a must-have appetizer. The tomato basil soup with tortellini... OMG mouthwatering good. You can't go wrong with any of the pastas or pizzas. read more

My significant other and I went here for our anniversary dinner and everything was amazing!! Our server recommended just the side of Brussels instead of a full order, and they were by far ENOUGH!! Plenty to go around for two of us and even enough to have to take some home. I can't even begin to describe how amazing the Steak Centro was, lots of flavor, I substituted the broccolini for green beans however, but so good either way. My significant other had the pasta and he couldn't stop mentioning how well the flavor was and how it had flavor to make it enjoyable unlike some other places you may go. Our server was Iralee and she did great, lots of good help with menu and very personable. Thank you Centro!! read more

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Normally, I don't leave bad reviews. I stopped in during Des Moines arts festival and waited at the bar for 20 mins without being greeted or being offered a menu or drink. Too bad, because I really wanted to try it. read more

I guess I haven't wrote about Centro since 2013 I figure it's time for an update! Centro flat out is my favorite place to eat in town! The staff is always top notch! They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Also the bar is great and first come first serve! The food is 2nd to none! I love the Tofu Scramble and Tofu Noche as vegan options.. But I also really enjoy the pizza! Get it with no cheese and it's vegan and always amazing! The bread is a highlight too, always warm and delicious, with a little olive oil, which is always on the table! I have probably ate here at least 30-40 times in my life and have never really had a bad experience.. Talk about consistency! I like to take my parents to brunch here, cause I can always snag a good meal and my dad loves the Bloody Mary Bar! Local Beers on tap, great food, great service, perfect for a night on the town or brunch after a night on the town! read more

Centro - Kids menu - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Best restaurant in town. Always a great meal. Always great service. Trendy space a tasteful decor. First choice for a special night out.

Center is an all time DSM fav! My personal favorites are the pizza, the centro salad add salmon, the tomato soup, and the truffle oil grilled cheese! All of their food is amazing, and their beverages are fab as well. If you are looking for a place to grab lunch or dinner downtown, I would definitely recommend Centro. read more

Very pleasant atmosphere great service. Can't stop talking about the food excellent taste. My wife and well recommend this establishment to our friends and family. read more

I love the summer patio and the seasonal decor. The bread, salads, and pasta are so delicious and it's the one Italian place I can count on for consistency and a variety on their menu. The service is usually spectacular but last time I got one server who forgot to bring us bread ‍ read more

Service was excellent. Really enjoyed our meals. Was a little heavy on the garlic but was still very tasty

This is my favorite restaurant in Des Moines. We have been there for brunch, dinner, and lunch multiple times. The service is always impeccable. My favorite is the calamari as an appetizer, handmade cavatelli, any type of calzone. The pizza is excellent as well. I wish they were still open for lunch! read more

The menu had great selection and the food was good. The service and atmosphere were excellent. Not the best pasta I have ever had but the service made up for it. I'd come back again! read more

Centro - Chicken & Prosciutto - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The food and service are amazing. Pastas and sauce are all made in house, you can not go wrong. During a prior visit ordered pizza, it is also very good. So far all of my expectations for the restaurant are always met. Today I made the terrible mistake to order the Crabcake Benedict. Crabcake - perfect, ham perfect, Benedict sauce ok, egg, oh no hard boiled, 2nd chance medium done. Ok so Centro is not a eggs Benedict place. Next time I'll stick to the non breakfast items. The eggs are the reason for not giving 5 stars. read more

Centro - Not poached egg. - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Very nice restaurant!! The ricotta gnocchi was excellent! Great staff! I recommend the bread before dinner. Not too heavy and was delicious, read more

Centro never disappoints!! They have an excellent drink menu with a large variety of options. The service is impeccable as is the cleanliness of the restaurant. They are very accommodating with making substitutions (they made my bruschetta without cheese since I'm vegan) and the vegan sausage pizza is just out of this world. My husband and I usually eat dinner here every friday night after work and its something I look forward for all week long! read more

Centro - VEGAN sausage pizza - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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My mother, brother, and I came in for lunch. We ordered a pizza and chicken panini. The restaurant was almost completely empty however it took well over an hour to get our food. When my mother politely asked the waiter, after 45min, she was met with the response "it's a pizza it takes a minute" and an extremely rude eye roll. After 20 more minutes the pizza arrived with curdled cheese and burnt crust. My chicken sandwich was raw on the inside. Did not eat a single bite. Terrible in every regard. read more

Food was delicious, couldn't get enough of the bread! We had the brussel sprouts for an appetizer, our entrees were the tofu and ricotta gnocchis and we finished with the cheesecake. Everything was amazing from beginning to end with the cheesecake being especially yummy. Service was fantastic, all the food came out quickly and our server was incredibly friendly and helpful. We'll definitely be going again! read more

Ordered for pickup but when I reached the restaurant (10 min after the pick up time notification), food is not ready. The server does not seem to get the order from the app. After rounds of explanation, everything was finally cleared up. Did not receive an apology at all. Food is too salty and the crab cake patty is rather mushy. Did not have good experience though have multiple dining here. This place is over hyped. read more

Centro - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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One of the best date night spots in DSM. Beautiful restaurant and amazing food. I'll never get sick of it. It's expensive but so worth it.

So today we went to Centro Fathers Day. NEVER WILL I EAT HERE AGAIN. It was so cold I the restaurant they said they could not regulate the a/c. My niece had to get me a blanket out of her car to wrap up in. The food was horrible. The gravy for my biscuits, broke and tasted like old grease. My husbands egg's Benedict were hard boiled instead of poached. The food is awful. The service horrible, we sat for an hour with no water, no drinks and over an hour to get our food. read more

My favorite italian restaurant in the Des Moines area. It's located in the heart of downtown and the patio is so nice. Upscale italian and AMAZING food. I have never had a dish I didn't thoroughly enjoy. My favorite is the cavatelli. Must try!! Great drinks list, FANTASTIC deserts- my favorite is the chocolate torte. You must go here if you're looking for an amazing italian meal in Des Moines. read more

Centro - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This was our first visit to Centro. We had to adjust our arrival by 30 mins. and they were willing to accommodate us. We were seated right away. Our server offered tastes of two wines and tried to help with the decision. We never new her name, as an introduction wasn't offered. We ordered salad and soup. The soup was a very large bowl and nice and hot. The classic Caesar salad was good and perfectly dressed. The timing was good but when our entrees arrived the plates and bowl from our first course were still at the table. We ordered ricotta gnocchi, shrimp pasta, which had pieces of shrimp not full shrimp and the half chicken which was good. We had to flag down someone to refill waters. We ordered coffee and dessert, these were good. The restaurant is a little loud, bathrooms were okay. A full bar is available. read more

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Fabulous. Been coming here for many years and every time the experience is as expected. Delicious food cozy environment professional staff. Truly worth the time. read more

We were visiting Iowa from California and our cousins took us to dinner at Centro for dinner. The amazing chef went out of his way to poach salmon for me. It was utterly fantastic. The service was excellent also! My husband raved about his steak too. Highly highly recommend. read more

Great food, very friendly staff. I normally don't eat at the restaurant as it's a little too cold for me but it's very clean & efficient service while I was there. read more

Dined outside on a beautiful evening. Service and food as always outstanding. Our "go to" favorite downtown!

I forgot to get pictures, but you will not be disappointed when you order the calamari and the cheese dip. They are both wonderful! There was 3 of us and 2 ordered the pork chop and I ordered the chicken Frances everything was fabulous! read more