Osteria Il Centro

We had a wonderful experience here. I had the lamb with the roasted zucchini and yellow squash with a heap of garlic mashed potatoes. My companion had chicken penne and I had a couple glasses of the house wine, all were superb. The service was good but rather than waiting, we decided to take the table in front of the door. BIG MISTAKE. We were jostled and interrupted by just about everyone that passed by plus, coats hanging near us kept finding their way in front of my companion and practically in his dish. I know the restaurant is trying to maximize the use of its tiny floor space but seriously, this is why I’m not giving 5-​stars. The issue of the cold drafts from the open door and the jostling simply put a big dent into an otherwise superb dining experience. The food was cooked superbly! I cannot rave enough about how much I enjoyed my lamb. Another thing that bothered me was, I e-​mailed in advance asking how the veal was raised. We are careful to consume only humanely raised veal. No one got back to me until a few days later. Fortunately, our server took our inquiry to the kitchen and came back with an answer that was honest and that led me to the lamb. Anyway, We will definitely come back but we will wait for a more acceptable table.

Though not completely satisfied by the food, with the exception of the incredibly delicious lamb chops, Osteria gets me every time as an intimate environment that is at once cozy and familiar yet romantic. It is an excellent place to enjoy a glass or drink from an extensive list. The people that work here are also gems, making you feel comfortable and welcome whether it’s your first time or your 100^th as a regular.
Of note, the dining area is small, so not recommended for large groups unless reserved in advance. The setting is more fitting for dining solo, business or romantic dates, and for small groups. Tables are close to one another.
Menu suggestions: Shrimp carciofi (shrimp with artichokes), antipasti (select olives, cheeses, meats), primavera salad, margherita pizza, lamb chops, and tiramisu.

On the fence about this place. The atmosphere is great but our pasta was just ok. The pasta just seemed a little bland for what we paid. We will try this place again but wont be getting the pasta.

I love this place. Always great. Their lamb chops are terrific. Go early. It fills up.

Still one of my all time favorites! The food is consistently great!

Excellent place. Food is awesome — every time. Service is great too. We were seven of us – put our name down and have to wait couple of hours. Since our wait was longer than what they had initially estimated, they were extremely apologetic and made sure it was worth our while.

I loved this place, we went on a busy Friday night we waited 45 minutes, but it was really worth it. When we sat down our waitress was attentive and polite even thought was a busy night she was amazing. I had the pesto tortellini and my boyfriend had the chicken talgita and both dishes were amazing. For desert we had crème brûlée, I feel may say so it was the best crème brûlée I ever had. It was chocolate flavor and so creamy and the dark chocolate taste was to die for. The entire experience was wonderful:)

Part 2 for my KC restaurant week!
We were told they weren’t taking reservations (not sure bc it was KCRW or they don’t normally) so we decided to go after work at 5. So glad we arrived when we did bc 20 minutes later the place was full. I should’ve prefaced this by saying that this restaurant is pretty small. The tables are all close together so if you like your space I’d see if they do take out. The waitress informed us of the happy hour specials (4−6pm) so we gave in and ordered the goat cheese spread app (half price!). I ordered the Caesar salad (it was good, but nothing to brag about), chicken spedini entrée, and the tiramisu. Loved my entrée! The saffron risotto was delicious. The roasted veggies I didn’t care much for. The tiramisu was one of the best I’ve had at a restaurant. A friend got the lamb chops and it was a pretty big serving. Delicious nonetheless. Another friend ordered the walnut chicken pasta and that was awesome as well! The service was great and their regular menu looked promising so we plan on going back for that!

Oh how the mighty have fallen.
It pains me to write this review as 12 years ago I had an amazing experience at Osteria and all I could do was rave about it since then. So, I talked a small group of 4 into going there before a concert that we were in town for.
It was busy, which was a tad unexpected as it was 6:15p on a Wednesday but that was no problem. The hostess and waitress were nice and accommodating. The atmosphere is intimate, like I remember, even with a bustling crowd.
They have an awesome selection of wine.
Now the food. What to say about the food?
We ordered calamari as an appetizer. The inside was chewy like a rubber ball and the «crispy» outside lacked crunch and flavor. One of the sauces tasted like generic BBQ sauce and the pesto sauce was good but didn’t compliment the calamari.
For our Entrees:
I ordered the Pesto Shrimp Pizzette — with asparagus and mozzarella with basil pesto sauce. The waitress told me they were out of asparagus so I changed my order to the
Chicken and Vegetable Salad (I substituted grilled shrimp for the grilled chicken) — Grilled shrimp, roasted asparagus, yellow squash, and red peppers over spring mix and spinach. Anyway, I just assumed it would come out minus the asparagus. However, the salad was filled with asparagus which tasted good buuut miffed me because I thought they were out. So, all you really served me was lies. The salad was fine but not great. The grilled shrimp were cool, not cold but cool. Oh Osteria, being served disappointment after such high expectations. It saddens me but you know what they say about expectations.
The bf ordered the Atlantic Salmon — Atlantic Salmon Marinated and grilled, topped with cilantro beurre blanc. Served with saffron risotto and vegetables. It was ok but nothing special and the cilantro didn’t shine through, heck, it didn’t even peek through. The vegetables were average and the risotto was gummy.
The other 2 diners, hmmm, it escapes me as to what they ordered but at least one was a creamy pasta dish. Both of their reviews were that it was ok but mostly underwhelming especially for the price.
Now, I’m kind of a food snob – well I’ve been called that. I don’t think that I am but my opinion may be a bit harsh however the rest of the diners are not food snobs and they didn’t care for their dinners and probably won’t be back.
It was a sad day to introduce my fairytale Italian place in KC to good friends and have us all be disappointed.
Buona sera.

I travel for work and this is the one place I NEED to visit when in the area! EVERYTHING I’ve had here was truly exceptional! Thus far, the best Italian food I’ve had! Yeah, it’s in MO!

We came here on a bitter cold Monday night for a family birthday. When we walked in I was surprised at how small it was, but it makes for a bit of a cozier atmosphere.
The last few Italian restaurants I’ve been to were Garozzos and Anthony’s which have an extremely authentic vibe to them. That’s not the case with Il Centro. It has a nice feeling to it, but doesn’t have that just walked in to a former mob bosses hangout feel and instead has a big high-​def TV when you walk in.
We had wine and foccacia bread to warm up with, and then tried the chicken spedeini. It was all delicious, and the portions were huge. Along side was a risotto and large portion of veggies.
Il Centro could be a great neighborhood hangout and staple, but with the quality of staff and food it seems like it would be a $ 9-​$ 15 per plate type of place instead of $ 15-​$ 25. Everything was a notch higher than it should be and that’ll keep me from being a regular despite living around the corner from it. However, on some occasions, I’ll be back because the food was worth it.

I’ve been here twice now. So here we go…
I love the atmosphere, wine list, service, ambiance and location… But it’s not the absolute BEST food that I’ve ever had.
We’ve started at the bar since there was a short wait… Got a bottle of wine that was recommended by the bartender (nice work) and had an appetizer. The bruschetta was delicious. We upgraded and got it with mozzarella and prosciutto (highly recommend that). We got a table right after finishing so we moved from the bar and finally got to looking at the menu.
I ended up being stuck between lamb chops and the special which was filets covered in some sort of caramelized onion sauce. Decided on the special and got a salad first with the meal. I like their house dressing and fresh greens but it was just a salad. The boyfriend got the veal meatballs and when both our plates came I can’t lie, I was slightly jealous. Haha. They both looked yummy and they were flavorful but I didn’t like the texture of the meatballs… Maybe it was particularly the veal but it wasn’t great.
My special was good and the filets were perfectly cooked but it reminded me of a Salisbury steak sort of thing because of the sauce on top. I wasn’t a huge fan. I liked the garlic spinach and mashed potatoes on the side. The wine matched the meal but it was the company and ambiance that made my night.
We’ll probably check it out again :)

Great place!
I do not recommend chicken Marsala, their seafood pasta, or their Gorgonzola pasta dish. Their shrimp pesto pizza is awesome. The steak special I had was great as well: Many other dishes are great. Very classic place to eat. Really good for a date. It’s a bit crowded, but is great place to eat.

Saturday night, beautiful weather, LONG wait. Like an hour+ when we were told 30 minutes.): oh well. The prosciutto pizza was so good: flavorful, reasonably priced. DH got the lasagna. He said he’s had better at Zio’s –ouch.
The other people in our party got a wide variety and seemed pleased with their choices, but no one raved about their food. Overall, the intimate setting was fun, but not enough to bring me back. With so many places that serve great Italian in Kansas City, I’ll visit one that takes reservations.

I’m sitting here enjoying the afterglow.
My partner and I came to KC for the weekend after a few days in STL.
Did the BBQ thing at Jack Stack, which never disappoints, but we needed something different tonight, the last dinner before we head home to Minnesota.
Unilocaled this place, and whoa. Not tiny but cozy. Got seated and wow…
Chicken tortellini was amazing. My partner worked to save half for the possibility of it making the drive home. I had the Spiedini Di Pollo and it changed my life. Best Italian meal I’ve ever had, Italy included.
Totally considering another trip here just for a dinner weekend. For real.

Visited this restaurant with a great group of friends. There was a bit of a wait to get a table as the restaurant is always busy. Make sure you go in advance and not when you are starving as expect to wait a bit.
Ambience is great in this restaurant and staff are friendly. Appetizers were good and the main dish too. Their desserts were not as great but overall a very nice night out, I would visit it again :)

Short review: Good solid food. Not too adventurous though. Good service. Good wine selection. Good prices (all dinners less than $ 20). Full portions. Cozy, neighborhood joint.
Wow! I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this place. Much like Matt E., Osteria was one of the first «fancy» date places my husband and I frequented when we moved to KC as mere boyfriend and girlfriend. Therefore, it is a sentimental place for us. We hadn’t dined here in forever so we went the other day. In the past, I would’ve rated it a 4 or 5, but it’s funny how perspectives change…
Osteria is a cute neighborhood Italian place. The atmosphere is cozy, and many of the tables are so close that it’s impossible not to eaves drop.
The service was very attentive, while not being overbearing. They happily let us savor our meal and wine for several hours.
Per their website, they are known for having a great wine menu. They have some wine specials, such as Monday night all wines by the glass are $ 7 and Tuesday night their table wines are $ 22. They also have ½ price appetizers from 4 – 6 during some days of the week. I really appreciate places with specials, and I especially appreciate nicer places with specials. My only bone to pick about their promotions is that currently their website says they have ½ price appetizers Mon-​Sat 4 – 6, but when we dined on a Monday, we were told it’s only Thursday-​Saturday. Not a huge deal, they just need to get it corrected.
On to the food… I think this is a great place to go if you have a pickier eater. They offer fine-​r dining that won’t scare away the picky eaters, as most of their meals contain pretty typical/​regular ingredients. Plus, they have pizzas for the really picky ones. As I get older, my food expectations have changed, and as a result, I find this place a little boring. However, they have good, solid dishes that many enjoy, such as their chicken walnut pasta. Mmmm.
On this date, I had the lamb chops which were a great value and pretty good. Surprisingly, my sides were my favorite part. I love their mashed potatoes, and I swear they put crack on their sauteed vegetables. They were shockingly good. SHOCKINGLY good. The hubs had a seafood stuffed chicken special which was tasty and very rich.
Overall, it’s a good, solid restaurant that many folks will enjoy. However, if I’m going on a date, my palette would rather spend a little more to get some more diverse options.

I believe that one of the marks of a great restaurant is consistency. It had been more than one year since my last visit to this place but the dishes still hit the spot. Service was not as conscientious — empty dishes waited 3 – 5 minutes to be removed — but I ordered an old favorite of mine — the sausage and pepper pasta. Absolutely delicious. My dining companion ordered the chicken spedini because that was a favorite of here also — and she ate all of it. Always a reliable, quiet dinner for two.
Super small quibble: there are two aspects to Il Centro — the quiet intimate dining room and the the neighborhood bar for a quiet drink while you watch a game while munching on some small plates. There are times when you want those separated and the design of the restaurant doesn’t allow for that. Not a dealbreaker, though :-)

Good stuff is made in this cozy little place. Good service, too.
Perhaps one of the best wine lists in the city. If you are entertaining a small table of clients or friends and want to pop some cork, this place is a solid choice. For the swilling fools like me who already have the good stuff at home, OIC does $ 5.50 wine specials by the glass. One red selection. One white. Whatever fits your appetite, as the song says. :)
The food is all good. Chicken walnut gorganzola cream penne. Ridiculously good and a classic flavor combination.
Orange roughy with crab and spinach topping. Puhleaze! Another knockout.
Salmon. ditto.
The only thing I would warn about is this place is small. Please… leave the kiddos at home. Do not come with a group larger than 6. If you follow those suggestions you will likely enjoy a special meal here.

I have a soft spot for Osteria Il Centro. It was one of the first «nice» restaurants I visited in Kansas City when I could finally afford to do so, and I’ve had some pretty awesome dates here in the past. It’s never made it into my heavy rotation, but in a city lacking much quality Italian food, I think Il Centro does it (mostly) right.
I was a bit worried about eating here due to my current vegetarian restrictions (I’m beginning to feel like a broken record here), and Il Centro seemed to simultaneously prove me right and wrong. The left side of the menu (apps, salads, pizzas) is chock full of vegetarian options. The right side? Two. And they’re boring.
Let’s talk about the good side. Under apps, there are a lot of the traditional Italian restaurant options. We opted for the bruschetta, which is incredibly fresh and on soft bread (I do not care to cut my gums with hard bread while dining out). Still, this was a tough decision. They have incredible focaccia here, as well as caprese. I was also quite interested in the goat cheese with garlic spread, but I feared the pesky hard bread. Lots of meatless options, and a few for the carnivore too: I was really torn about not being able to order their calamari. It’s delicious, served with pesto and a funky twist on cocktail sauce, heavy on the roasted red pepper.
Salads are salads.
The pizza options were quite good. I personally don’t care for the pizza here as it’s on a thinner crust than I like, but if that’s your thing, go nuts! Still, I’m generally a big fan of margherita pizzas, and was intrigued by one called the Carciofi. It had artichoke hearts, mozzarella, feta, roasted red peppers and spinach. Sounded dang tasty.
Unfortunately, their entrée selections for the vegetarians are pretty weak. You have two: eggplant parmesan and spaghetti with red sauce. There’s really not much else to say about them. Talk about an after-​thought. Still, for the carnivores out there, goodness abounds. I have it on good authority that the veal meatballs are stellar. And I’m always a fan of lamb chops.
The atmosphere is MOSTLY really nice here at Il Centro. We were sat in a little nook, which I always appreciate. I find some of the tables to be too close to one another, and sometimes you’re forced to listen to the rantings of hardcore Republicans at the next table who are convinced that the government was going to raise taxes to 90% and make every junior high student have an abortion. Those conversations tend to put a damper on my evening.
I digress… It’s a nice atmosphere. What DOES bug me about it? That GIANT frickin flatscreen TV that overtakes the entire dining room. You are a nice, intimate Italian restaurant. Do you REALLY need to be able to show ESPN ²⁴⁄₇? It’s virually impossible to sit anywhere in the restaurant and not have to see that eyesore. barf.
I dig Il Centro. If it was closer to my house I’d probably visit much more often.