Centro Café

I agree with all of the other great reviews here! Maybe I was just hungry but every single thing on the menu sounded great and I could not decide. I went to use a City Tin and got an appetizer special to split (a spicy cheese fried ravioli) and the salsiccia. They were both delicious. I was going to post a picture of the salsiccia but it doesn’t do it justice. It looks like a standard meat sauce pasta but tasted so, so much better. I also tried the dishes my 3 friends got and they were all great. Everyone was very happy with their meals. The free, fresh bread and dipping oil is a nice touch. The atmosphere makes me want to make this a regular spot too – it’s intimate and cozy but didn’t feel crowded. You feel like you’re eating at an authentic Italian restaurant. I can’t wait to come back and try everything on the menu.

Another city tin!
The salsiccia is incredible, it’s what we always come back for, sooooo delicious. A spicer penne pasta dish with a creamy red sauce, mushrooms, and spicey Italian sausage— amazing!!!
Last night we went and had a great time, our server was really busy so we felt a little ignored but that’s okay.
She was able to take our drink orders and appetizer order promptly while still tending to a dozen tables. We tried the fried gnocchi last night for the first time and just loved it.
The food quality at this place is just amazing and the atmosphere is nice.
My few dislikes for this place: we sat right by the kitchen and there were fruit flies buzzing around our balsamic that we were dipping our bread in. My vodka/​tonic didn’t come with a lemon or lime and our server was so busy she didn’t come back so we had to go up to the bar. Last but not least, the napkins are paper! I think any self respecting restaurant that’s going to charge over $ 10 a drink should at least have cloth napkins. It doesn’t feel worth $ 70 for a dinner for two when you are using a paper napkin.

I had a city tin for this place and had seen it on the street next to some other favorite spots so decided to check it out for dinner.
Great space inside and I really liked the unique ambience of the entry section vs the upstairs vs the outdoor patio (actually my fav and will ask to sit there next time).
Started with the baked goat cheese which was superb. Creamy warm gooey spread for some crostini that were better than most with that rustic Italian bread flavor. Bowl was right sized for appetizer but I could make that my meal for one with a salad.
I ordered the bison and pork meatballs with spaghetti. One word — outstanding. Superb flavor and balance of gamey meat with tender pig. Cream sauce and red wine reduction were perfect blend for richness and depth of flavor. Pasta was cooked PERFECT. Nice job making it al dente with no error. Bowl came with two large meatballs and more than enough spaghetti for a hungry boy. I ate what I could so lunch leftovers traveled home with me.
All in all a great presentation for my first visit. I’ll be back on the patio.

Solid four stars. Been hearing about Centro for some time and finally made it there yesterday. Really cute space. Three dining areas (front, back and a covered outside space).
Menu was good and several specials on the board. We went with baked goat cheese and that was rock star good. Wifey had the meatballs and not only tasty but omg what a huge portion. I had the salmon special. Perfectly cooked over a mushroom risotto. Perfection. While mine was also huge, apparently I am a pig and ate all of mine.
So far my favorite Italian in Milwaukee. We will be back.
Bonus: had a $ 10 off tin coupon and got 10% off future visit using my small shops card. So glad they are in the small shops program.

Tonight was our first time dining at Central Café and I will not be returning anytime soon. I was there with 4 other women celebrating a friend’s birthday.
Centro Café is a small place; tables are close together and are best suited for parties of two or three people. Our waitress was attentive, but she clearly had little or no training, and service was poor. Our party ordered 5 entrees and 2 desserts to share among us; all of these items were disappointing including dishes that previous reviewers have raved about. One dish (gnudi) was over seasoned with cracked pepper and another dish (duck risotto) had undercooked risotto. The daily special (steak) was by far the best of the main entrees. Probably most disappointing was the so-​called tiramisu which actually had very little resemblance to the actual dish. Considering this is billed as an Italian restaurant, this was particularly surprising.

Excellent food, prepared right in front of you if you sit at the bar. Get the chef’s recommendation from the actual chef – who will make sure yours is prepared exactly right. The Polla pasta dish is the best!

I’m in love. First off, the service as so great! From the hostess to the server, everyone was knowledgeable and very kind.
They were crazy accommodating. It’s hard to go to an Italian restaurant and have non-​pork meat options (usually sausage is mixed into everything). These guys had a number of delicious sub options for meats, veggies, vegan and GF options for pasta.
The atmosphere is very cozy and very high end. I loved the way they decorated this place.
Food:
Baked Goat Cheese — YUM
Gnudi (sub pancetta w/​duck prosciutto) — Decadent! Truly a dish made for kings. It was delicious, but very rich.
Salsiccia (sub lamb sausage) — This was my favorite. The flavors were both bright and bold! Loved it!
Flourless Chocolate Cake — As good as this dish could get. Amazing.
If you haven’t’ tried this place yet, please make an effort to check it out!

It is probably the best of the Italian restaurants in Milwaukee, keep up the good work.

We love Centro Café.
The only gripe I have is the space between tables. It makes it real cozy on date night, but the food and service is always amazing.
This time we went on a Friday evening and it was busy, but there was a table for us right away.
We were seated and ordered some drinks and ate their side of bread. The bread is perfect because it can also be dipped with their baked goat cheese appetizer.
The baked goat cheese with the candied tomato jam is so warm and delicious. It comes with crostini, but our server brought us more soft bread upon request and the soft bread absorbed the goat cheese nicely.
For entrees, we ordered scallops on a risotto with mushrooms and beggar’s linguini, which had dried cherries, raisins, pancetta, and shallots on a brown butter sauce. Both were cooked perfectly and the presentation was beautiful. The mushrooms with the scallops were so meaty and rich — yum!
For dessert we shared a cookie with ice cream. The cookie was soft and the ice cream tasted home made, though I’m not sure if it was.
I cannot recommend Centro Café enough for a girls night or a date night. I believe they take reservations, so you can call ahead, but we have never had an issue with the wait time.
Oh! And don’t forget to ask about the specials!

Walking in here is like getting a hug from your nonna (the warmth and garlic aroma) — or your friend’s nonna, if you don’t have one. My favorite Milwaukee Italian restaurant (and I grew up on Italian food). Fantastic, authentic (and some inventive) Italian dishes at a reasonable price. Drinks and wine list are good, too. Will keep going back…

Been here often, great food and service. Stylish and comfortable. The specials are great. The gnudi is fabulous.

We Usually have a great meal, but stay away from the new Bison meatballs. Tasted like sawdust in a bland gravy and were hard as rocks. Shrimp scampi special was not special at all and very garlicky.

Hands down favorite pasta spot in Milwaukee! Reminds me of many-​a-​cute little café I attended in Italy. Reservations recommended. Went with my family here for their Mother’s Day brunch (along with several other times) and it was great! They were extra sweet to my Mom and made the day all the more special!

My (excerpted) email to the owner:
«I just wanted to touch base with you about my group’s experience this past Friday, and I thought it best to wait until the weekend had passed and I had a chance to collect my thoughts before writing to you.
To be candid, I was disappointed that the decision was made to allow us to be seated in the patio area… most of my party left their Winter jackets on throughout the evening and I could not help but notice that the door to the inside of the restaurant was diligently kept closed (because it was obvious it would have been too cold for the patrons inside to leave the door open). What troubles me the most is that I had anticipated it being materially colder than the immediately preceding days and I raised it as a concern to not only you but your two employees that fielded my calls earlier in the week. Only because my concerns were not validated did I think that Centro must have had either adequate heating or a contingency plan.
Peg…I very much wish you – or one of the staff that night, would have tried to reach out to me (even if just a few minutes ahead of time) to suggest that it might have been a bridge too far to expect that we would have been able to make a go of it out in the patio – and I am disappointed that the customer’s experience was sacrificed.
I have been to your fine restaurant many times in the past… but I am hard pressed to tell you that our overall experience was satisfactory.»

Centro Café is especially pleasing to the taste buds. This place is beyond great and I’m not sure why I haven’t reviewed it sooner. We have been here more than a few times.
Nestled into a quiet section of Center St. in Riverwest MKE is one gem of a restaurant. I enjoy many an evening sipping wine and drinking down cocktails out on the sidewalk patio area while enjoying some of the best Italian fare one could ever wish for. The menu has some seasonal dishes but Centro has some staples, they will and better never get rid of.
Favs list:
BAKED GOAT CHEESE — seasonal accompaniment, grilled bread & crackers
Oh so delicious. Especially with the jam spread accompaniment.
DUCK SAUSAGE FLATBREAD — Maple Leaf Farms duck sausage, fontina, roasted garlic alfredo & mushrooms, finished with arugula tossed in truffle oil
Out of this world scrumptious
GNUDI homemade ricotta dumplings, pancetta, wild & domesticated mushrooms, spinach
& truffle oil
I’m drooling right now!
SALSICCIA — Scardina’s Italian sausage, portabella mushrooms, spicy marinara, cream & fontina with penne
It is spicy and spiced up correct!
Not only is this place within walking distance but they serve up solid dishes. It is one of MKE’s better restaurants and worth coming every time!

Centro Café is especially pleasing to the taste buds. This place is beyond great and I’m not sure why I haven’t reviewed it sooner. We have been here more than a few times.
Nestled into a quiet section of Center St. in Riverwest MKE is one gem of a restaurant. I enjoy many an evening sipping wine drinking down cocktails out on the sidewalk patio area while enjoying some of the best Italian fare one could ever wish for. The menu has some seasonal dishes but Centro has some staples, they will and better never get rid of.
Favs list:
BAKED GOAT CHEESE — seasonal accompaniment, grilled bread & crackers
Oh so delicious. Especially with the jam spread accompaniment.
DUCK SAUSAGE FLATBREAD — Maple Leaf Farms duck sausage, fontina, roasted garlic alfredo & mushrooms, finished with arugula tossed in truffle oil
Out of this world scrumptious
GNUDI homemade ricotta dumplings, pancetta, wild & domesticated mushrooms, spinach
& truffle oil
I’m drooling right now!
SALSICCIA — Scardina’s Italian sausage, portabella mushrooms, spicy marinara, cream & fontina with penne
It is spicy and spiced up correct!
Not only is this place within walking distance but they serve up solid dishes. It is one of MKE’s better restaurants and worth coming every time!

I love this place. We have been here several times and I can’t remember all of the food we have ordered. That said, they have awesome food and are creative in their servings. I love the atmosphere as well; it’s small and cozy with a good local vibe. I tend to buy gift cards for people to this place when I am buying gifts because it’s local and fabulous!

Wow! So good! I had some of the best risotto ever. The waitstaff was great as well.

This place is a gem in the heart of Riverwest. The service is excellent and the food is fresh and quite flavorful. The have vegetarian/​vegan/​gf options listed on the menu. The chocolate cake with glazed hazelnut mousse is rich, perfect, and delightfully sinful. We were there twice in 2015 and can’t wait to dine there again soon.

When people ask me about favorite places for Italian food, I seem to always forget Centro Café. It’s not mainstream. It’s just a super solid place in Riverwest. You wouldn’t expect anything, but when you taste your food, you ask yourself why you don’t go there more often. That’s what happened to me Saturday.
After hitting up some RW bars with my friend, she suggested we get dinner here. She already knew what she wanted without opening the menu. I had my eye on the special of the day, posted on the chalk board: shrimp, bay scallops, kale, tomato, shallots, red wine Alfredo sauce over linguine with fresh shredded parmesan ($ 20).
My friend took over and ordered the Grilled Asparagus Wraps ($ 9.50) and a Caesar Salad ($ 6) for apps. Both were great, but the grilled asparagus wraps were amazing! The asparagus was perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, had a delicious charred flavor, and were wrapped in prosciutto. I will admit a few bites were saltier than I expected from the prosciutto, but a great dish overall! The Caesar salad was also on point with three very basic ingredients, romaine, parmesan, and croutons.
My friend ordered the Arancia ($ 16.50) with chicken, olives, capers, artichokes, a tangy orange tomato sauce, and Parmesan over cavatappi pasta. I tried some and we both liked it, but she expected something else. Turned out she was thinking of the Pollo dish and ordered the wrong one. The Foundation Mai Tai strikes again!
The special I ordered was awesome! The shrimp, scallops and pasta were all perfectly cooked and the red wine Alfredo sauce was delicious! My friend agreed I had the better entrée, and I let her continue to share it with me because I was already getting full.
Our server was great and we had fun chatting with the elderly couple next to us, who had some serious energy and were very fun!
I’ve dined at Centro Café a couple of times before, but it’s been a couple of years. I enjoy dining at the counter and watching the cook work the ranges and skillets. The heavier lifting is done in the kitchen in back.
The tables are close together a la Pasta Tree, but if you’re fun and you sit next to fun people, it doesn’t matter.
I need to get back soon to try the bison and prosciutto meatballs and the duck breast risotto! Maybe I’ll try to get there this weekend!

My wife had been here before and dragged me from BayView all the way up here. It was more than worth it. The food was fresh, authentic and delicious. Seems as if they use local ingredients. Her GF dish was impossible to tell it wasn’t traditional pasta. It was a lil expensive but it was worth every penny and probably no more than other great Italian in the area. You gotta get here if you haven’t.

My fave restaurant in Milwaukee. Originally from Chicago and it makes me feel like I’m back there. The food never disappoints. My fave is seafood risotto and giardinera (sp) the only thing is they are packed on weekends and they tell u to go somewhere else. Why would a business do that? Anyway great food great atmosphere when u can get a table!

Delicious food and drinks and excellent service. It’s dark and intimate and the prices are definitely «boutique,» but the food is obviously fresh and crafted by an expert. Great date night or pre-​club stop!

As out of towners, we had to use GPS to find the restaurant. After reading great reviews on Unilocal,I figured it would be a perfect little place to have dinner before going to a show. I accidentally typed 808 W Center street and ended up near one of those shady for profit church establishments wondering how in hell anyone gives this place a decent review. We looked around and after getting some heebie jeebies we determined this was a wrong address. It’s supposed to be EAST not West !!!
After we finally figured where we needed to go and got there, we found ourselves in a hipsterish neighborhood with snazzy dining venues.
Had a bit of a predicament, because Centro does not take reservations and they were quite full. We only had an hour of time to spare. The hostess was super awesome. We told her we were tight on time and she worked her magic to find us a spot rather quickly.
The restaurant is modern, cozy with many feminine touches. The art work and was all about women, the staff was mostly female and the food was just how mom would make it. Very light and with gluten free options!
I ordered grilled calamari with scallops which was fantastic and perfectly prepared. Also enjoyed the slightly toasted bruschetta. Unfortunately didn’t get to dessert because we had to scurry, but I did enjoy a quick and amazing cocktail.
So here I have to compliment all the Unilocalers for reviewing this place and enabling me to find it!
Definitely would come back next time in Milwaukee!

Quaint, romantic little spot. Staff was friendly and prompt. Waitress was knowledgable. Charcuterie was amazing! Pasta was ok. A little under seasoned and not fresh. Either way we really enjoyed it. Might be back again

First time here and loved it! Loved that they had so many amazing gluten-​free options. They also have vegetarian and vegan options if you’re into that. We got the Scallops and Calamari appetizer with a Margherite Pizza. Both great. The appetizer was cold… maybe it was supposed to be that way? But still very flavourful. Pizza crust was slightly overcooked was still super tasty. We had a «perk» from small shops but they weren’t sure they could take it at first which was a slight put-​off. They did take it thankfully and we had a wonderful time. Will definitely be back again!

Must go if you haven’t been. Delectable Italian with a modern bistro-​like atmosphere. Always a go-​to if we can’t decide where to eat. Last time we visited, I was in the mood for greens – went with the Tuscan Kale salad and it was absolutely delicious. Shared the prosciutto wrapped asparagus, perfectly cooked with the right amount of fattiness from the prosciutto. Wine list is always good, cocktails are delicious, and food is always fresh. Get there early or come later when its a little bit quieter in the evening. Service is always great – wait staff is always patient and never rushes the orders. Love coming here!

Great neighborhood gem. This quaint (and by quaint I mean tiny) little café is serving up great homemade Italian.
I sat at the counter and watched as my dinner was prepared. The bolognese was delicious and filling. It’s a little different than a traditional bolognese in that it is prepared with in a cream sauce that isn’t spicy but has a little kick. Worth getting and is something that they always keep on their menu.

Beautiful tiny space!
Great ambience– fresh food! And a lovely waft of garlic when you walk in the door!
Service was super friendly and helpful! A wonderful selection of specials for the evening.
3 of us decided to share a selection of appetizers and a pizza.
We had a double order of the scallops and calamari– good thing we ordered 2; Super delicious and scallops were cooked perfectly!
We each had a salad: the special of the evening was an arugula salad with berries, walnuts, and goats cheese, and we also had the rocket salad with parmesan– classic flavours, great taste!
We shared a carafe of their house sangria which a very delicious: not too sweet, great mixture of fruits including watermelon!
Overall great experience, great price, great food and ambiance! Check it out!

I am in love with Centro. In. Love. We’ve been there about three times in the past couple of weeks, and I wish I could go every day.
The interior is on the smaller side but is classy and cozy. There are two main rooms for dining, and there is also a closed-​in porch at the back that provides additional seating.
We have ordered, and enjoyed, several dishes, including the duck risotto (my favorite!), the Bolognese, the Arancia, and the Gnudi. I really enjoyed the duck risotto — it was creamy without being too heavy or greasy. The Gnudi was delicious as well, but I could have done without the cheese on top, which congealed as it cooled and did not really add anything to the meal. We have also tried their soups and specials, which have not failed to disappoint. And their gluten-​free pasta is excellent! And if you’re an asparagus fan, definitely check out the grilled asparagus — it’s excellent.
Their wine list is on point, and their service is consistently good. Two more reasons to hit up Centro if you’re in the neighborhood!

Stopped in for dinner last night with a friend — it was the first time at Centro for both of us but I had heard good things so I suggested we check it out.
The inside of Centro is adorable & I love that they cook the food right behind the bar area!
Speaking of the food — OH-​MY-​GOSH was it delicious! Both of our dishes were amazing, the bread at the table was amazing, the wine was amazing. I wish I would’ve had room for dessert, because I’m sure that would’ve been out of this world too!
I will DEFINITELY be going back now that I’ve discovered Centro for myself!

Such a fan of having Centro in my neighborhood. I absolutely agree with my friend who recommended Centro to me: it is intimate enough for a date but not too much so that you couldn’t go with your parents or a group of friends.
My boyfriend and I go when we’re feeling like splurging so we usually get an appetizer and one or two nice drinks-​they have delicious cocktails and a great wine list. I love that they have a ravioli flavor of the day. The last time we went I decided to go back to the basics and get spaghetti and meatballs and it might have been the best meal I’ve had there.
Their building is small so plan to wait if you go later than 6 on a weekend night. A note on the menu reminds you to respect other diners by not lingering after your meal. They seat diners at the small bar so waiting in the building sometimes isn’t an option but they do a good job of pointing you towards Stonefly (when it was open) or Fuel for a beer while you wait. I cannot wait for the outdoor seating in back to open when it is nice out again, the porch looks very cozy and fun!