Wonderful birthday celebration at Cento. Seated promptly even though crowd for symphony and boys' state basketball. Tried three appetizers. Wrapped dates were tops, with tuna tartare close second. Table had branzino, seared gnocchi, ravioli, spaghetti bucatini and pasta with sausage. Everything was very good. Waitress did a great job serving four large groups. Recommend, we will return to try the pizza! read more

The restaurant inside was decorated beautifully. The service was so amazing, responsive, and friendly. The seasonal butcher's board was great - great choices for the meats and cheeses. The Creste deli Gallo pasta was yummy! It was a little spicy and sweet! I would recommend coming here! read more

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Incredible service from Tyler, even on his 2nd day!! He was so accommodating, kind, and professional. He helped a recommend a great non-alcoholic beverage for me which was so tasty. They made bread and butter feel fancy! I got the prosciutto and arugula pizza and it was seriously one of the best pizzas I've ever had. My boyfriend got the carbonara and he loved it. We split a tiramisu for desert and it was just perfect. An all around 5/5 experience, and wasn't even too expensive! read more

Cento - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Cento brunch lived up to high expectations. All the food was served hot and stunning to the eyes. Potatoes were crispy, salads were fresh, burgers were juicy. As a party of 9 with a reservation our table was set and ready upon arrival. Atmosphere is bright and clean. Only complaints is that the food took 30-40 minutes to arrive, so this is not a place you should expect to eat quickly, but it's great for a leisurely brunch. Also note there is no kids menu. read more

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What went well can be summed up in a word: Jocelyn. We've been to Cento a few times before. The food is routinely delicious, the service is impeccable (all the servers and kitchen staff clearly look out for one another to make sure customers are happy), and the drinks are delicious. But Jocelyn did amazing work to make sure our visit was special - even with it being such a busy Saturday night (we sat at 9:25pm, ultra late for us... but we'd just come from a show at the Overture). While it was definitely not quiet ambiance, that's not what they're designed for. They are definitely a place that brings the festive atmosphere to this man's birthday celebration. But even while surrounded by the cacophony that is a busy restaurant on a late busy Saturday night, Jocelyn was thoroughly engaging while also not being overly attentive. She absolutely hit the mark on service. She magically showed up when she was needed, and cared for other customers when not. The burrata al pesto was a starter I shared with my wife. I don't think we've EVER tried to clean up a plate with extra bread so much in the past, but the dish definitely brings the reason to do this. The heirloom tomatoes, the pesto, the microgreens, and the mustard seed combine to make such a delicious combination to go with the house made mozzarella. So delicious! I ordered the chicken Parmesan; a dish that I order at least once in every classic Italian-American restaurant (before venturing into more of the house specialty dishes). Jocelyn suggested an upsell to Cento's vodka sauce. I'm generally not a fan of vodka sauce, but after initially hesitating I embraced Jocelyn's suggestion, to which her response was "you won't be disappointed..." I was not. In fact the add-on was so delicious that I recommend that twist on such a classic Italian-American dish the next time YOU visit. It really does make the dish a next-level work of art. My hope for you is that you, too, get to experience Cento with Jocelyn as your server. But even if you are served by other staff, be ready for a great experience. read more

〰 Fried calamari was really good and tasty. 〰 Mushroom risotto was also really tasty and very filling. 〰 Bucatini alla carbonara was flavorless. I had to put a lot of cheese to at least have some sort of flavor. 〰 Espresso shot was absolutely TERRIBLE. It tasted like sour jet fuel. It felt like they gave us a stale, reheated old shot. The cup also had no handle which was baffling considering the cup was very hot. Honestly ridiculous. Without a doubt the WORST coffee I've ever had, not even exaggerating and not even close. read more

Cento - Bucatini alla Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Our server, Logan, was super amazing and helpful. He recommended the Spicy Sulumi Pizza and Bucatini and Meatballs which were both amazing. Our food came out piping hot and was perfect. Logan was very attentive and a great server. Will definitely be here again. read more

You can't beat the fresh pasta! My friend really enjoyed the cheesecake too. Not the best Italian restaurant in Madison but a close second.

Yum! Came for the $35 boozy brunch! It's a pretty dang good deal: you get pastry, entree, 2 cocktails, unlimited coffee or tea! And the unlimited coffee includes lattes! Only gripe is the brunch advertised a "pastry basket", when really they only give you one pastry. We got these morning bun type cinnamon croissant things for the pastry, it came with a little blueberry compote on the side. So decadent and sugary and delicious. For brunch, we got the rigatoni alla carbonara and breakfast burger. Burger was delicious! I did ask for it done medium and it came well done. The rigatoni was a very solid pasta dish, pretty scrumptious. The unlimited lattes was a real showstopper those things are like 6 bucks each nowadays!! For drinks, we tried the: Fairchild fizz - light fruity, definitely one for an aperol spritz lover Italiana 87 - herby and fresh Black Coffee Manhattan - BOOZY breakfast Negroni - sweet and boozy It's a fancier place, service was great! We went at 10am on a Sunday and were the first people there, but things definitely got bustlin come 11AM. read more

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The staff here was super nice & the vibes were immaculate. I ordered gluten-free pasta and it was really good. I went before a comedy show so didn't spend too much time inside. Great for a girls night! read more

So disappointed as I've always like this place and make a point to go to it a few times a year but now after several bad encounters of customer service it's just not a place I want to invest my time/money, makes me question the entire food fight brand. Incident one... put our name on a waitlist for brunch, told 45 minutes. Over an hour passed no communication on our status of our table - got the text we were on the list so I know they had our number. Went somewhere else. Incident two: made reservation a month prior to our dinner before our monthly trip to the symphony only to show up and find that it was closed due to renovations. After further investigation it appears that I received an email the Tuesday before a Saturday reservation just that it was cancelled. The email didn't state any reason why just that it had been cancelled and was very generic like they just cancelled and let the third party system send the generic cancelation email. Innident two continued: I reached out personally to see what was going on and why and how this happened as renovations seem very unlikely just to close for a week out of the blue. Was it a failed health inspection, bad plumbing issue, just a general refresh... never got a response and was forced to scramble to find something to eat with less than two hours before the show. Poor customer service, poor communication, poor planning, poor execution. read more

so much fun. great food. Prasad our waiter was fantastic! Love this restauranr. We are locals and have been enjoying Cento for many years. read more

I'm unfortunately a bit shocked by the good reviews.. Maybe people are being deceived by the nice ambiance and high prices?? I came in with a group of 6 for dinner, and I was immediately impressed by their service and pleasant interior. When the food came, I was sadly disenchanted: - bacon-wrapped dates (3/10): the wrapped dates themselves were pretty good-- chewy, sweet dates wrapped in a salty strip of bacon-- pretty much what one might expect of a bacon-wrapped date. HOWEVER the sauce it came in, I'm not sure what it was, I was guessing tomato but when I tasted it it was giving something much more bitter, like a pepper. Ideally, peppers should be cooked down or roasted before being put into a sauce to give it all the sweet notes of the pepper without any of the bitterness of the skin. Spoiler alert: I don't think this place did that... - arancini (2/10): arancini kind of fell apart as you'd bite into it, but I can get past the structural integrity if the arancini is good. I'm not sure what was on the onion topping but it tasted STRONGLY of BBQ sauce which is a strange taste to pair with arancini to say the least (and when I say strong, it literally made me cough when I first bit into it). Ultimately, would not get again, but the cheese and rice part wasn't inedible - bucatini with meatballs (4/10): man... i just wanted a classic spaghetti and meatballs dish but why you gotta go and try to fancify it :/ the bucatini was so al dente it was practically undercooked and difficult to eat, the meatballs themselves had pretty good flavor, but were a bit dry and had a crust to them since the outside was so overcooked. this dish was basic, verging heavily into "bad" territory-- honestly insane that they're charging $24 for this As for other food, my table got the porcini papardelle, gnocchi al pesto, baked salmon, bucatini alla carbonara, and creste di gallo-- I'm not gonna give them a numerical rating since I only tried a bite of some of them, but I can say, from what I tried, the porcini papardelle and bucatini alla carbonara had absolutely NO FLAVOR AT ALL (how is that even possible with a carbonara idk) would probably give those a 1-2/10-- the only thing worth getting was the gnocchi al pesto which was actually delicious Overall, wouldn't come back here, and would recommend others not go back as well. If you have to go, get the gnocchi al pesto, it was the only thing I'd rate above a 5/10 read more

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Hit all the right notes! Biscuits & gravy at a whole new level, light fluffy & amazing! Crab cakes had a nice texture & great flavors, egg was perfect! Salmon melt in your mouth, fresh as a daisy.. delightful! Potatoes crispy outer layer & light & fluffy inside! Great staff & booths nicely designed for a private feeling in a busy space. Chefs kiss! read more

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My partner and I have been here a few times, and every time it's always an incredible experience!! I highly recommend to stop in for brunch or a happy hour! However, make sure you reserve ahead of time, as if not, there is guaranteed to be a wait... Starting with the service, always quick and very kind. Definitely 5 star service! The ambiance is quite formal, it's a great for a night out on the town! When coming here I always enjoy choosing something I can't make at home. This past time we got the squash and ricotta pizza. And it was absolutely incredible! Be sure to stop in for happy hour too, half price off some drinks! I can't wait to stop back! read more

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The service was top notch, the ambience beautiful, the food so presentable and delicious. We were on a road trip when we stopped by here so were dressed very comfortably but most of the people there were dressed up, many on dates. We had the Arancini and Black Tagliatelle. Both were delicious and quite a good size for the two of us and our three year old. We were feeling good and full at the end, although we weren't looking to stuff ourselves since we still had a long drive ahead. The waiter was friendly and professional, checked up on us just enough. The tables were pretty close together and it made me a little uncomfortable since covid was still perceived as a threat then and it was packed. I will definitely return next time if we get a chance to try some other things. read more

Cento - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We had a reservation so no wait. Service was great. Side of bread was good. Ordered 2 pasta dishes, and I felt they were both mediocre. The tomato sauce felt very one dimensional, and the mushroom pasta was overly rich but lacking flavor. I'd say the pricing is what you would expect from upscale Italian dining, always a little more than you think a bowl of pasta should cost. Overall, I wasn't impressed but I can see the appeal with the atmosphere. read more

We went prior to seeing Wicked. Our server was distracted.she was training another person.too bad,we asked another server about gettingvariousthings also coffee and deserts as our server was not around . she finally got our bill to us. We gave the other server a hefty cash tip. The wine I ordered #507 was good.I ordered the pasta bolognese.very good.oh forgot,my wife called days ahead for a reservation.when we got there they tried to seat us at a table by the open kitchen.worst table in the house.many empty window booths.it took minutes before they would give us a Good booth.we are townies,eat out a lot at good places.better straighten up your act.you have one good employee that we met . . . read more

Food: 4 Service: 2 We have done dinner here before and liked it, but we went for brunch for my teen's birthday which came highly recommended and we were disappointed. The food was good enough and the boozy brunch is a cool option. Came with a cannoli, cocktails, coffee or tea and entree. However our server was so inattentive it soured the experience. While working our section, she would march to one of her tables at a time and not even glance at the others 3 feet away. No eye contact. No "everything ok here?" This one-at-a-time approach to her tables meant you maybe got her every 30 minutes and I had to practically jump in front of her into the aisle to ask for our check at the 90 minute mark. She knocked the price of a cocktail off because I finally said something. It's a tough job so I hate to ding people for service but this was exceptionally bad. read more

Always an amazing time at Cento. Our server Mitchell was extremely knowledgeable with great recommendations. Happy hour cocktails are a great deal also! Perfect if going to a show at the overture. My favorite is the Tuscan kale salad! They also do brunch on the weekends which is delicious!! read more

We had bacon wrapped dates, pesto gnocchi, and the Italian sausage broccoli pizza. The pesto gnocchi was good, but everything else was not. Food rating was a 2. Service was good. It definitely should not be anywhere near the top of your list for restaurants to try. The menu also isn't super desirable. I've been twice recently and I'm always struggling to pick something that looks good. Very very mediocre read more

Cento - Pizza - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I've had a great time both times I've been to Cento. This last time we had a work holiday party. Great service. Good ambience, a very romantic place to take a partner as well. Amazing food, if you haven't tried the bacon wrapped dates you should they're quite delicious. For appetizers we had warm marinated olives, chef selected premium cured and cold cut meats, a plate of Wisconsin and Italian cheese, various nuts. Course one: A mixed green salad, spec, goat cheese, apple, fig, candied walnut, with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Absolutely delicious light flavors. Course two consist of pasta: Rigatoni alla carbonara: cracked black pepper, pancetta, parmesan, and poached egg. Delicious with rich flavors. Tagliatelle : ragu alla bolognese, ricotta, and parmesan. Tasty and rich Course three: Ney's Prime rib Tenderloin: celeriac puree, broccolini, sunchoke chips, barolo demi. Very juicy flavorful tenderloin. The broccolini the purée and the Sun chokes all went really well with the dish. I would definitely order this again. Brick Chicken: arugula, fennel, salsa Verde, citrus. If you like fennel, this is a delicious dish. The chicken was cooked to perfection. Sides: Grilled broccolini: topped with lemon anchovy vinaigrette and Parmesan. One of my favorite things of the entire evening next to the prime rib tenderloins. Crispy Fingerling Potatoes baked and dressed with herbs Dolce: Chocolate, stout cake macerated blueberry with vanilla gelato. I would not mix this blueberry and chocolate stout cake. The cake was very soft, The food and drink service was great. I did have difficulty getting water for the last hour. read more

Cento - Limoncello - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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My first time dining at Cento was definitely memorable. To start, we ordered a Butcher Board. The presentation was amazing, and we could even see someone carving the meats and cheeses before they were brought to us. The soppresata and Hook's cheddar were my favorite selections from the board. To eat, I got the tagliatelle and crispy fingerling potatoes. I think the tagliatelle was great, but could have used more acidic flavors and a creamier ricotta. The fingerling potatoes were deliciously simple, flavored with parsley. The restaurant itself I found very loud, but I suppose that just means it's busy! Worth a try! read more

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It was such an elegant environment and the food was delicious!! There were three of us and we ordered two wood fired pizzas and we have leftovers! read more

I was always a little hesitant thinking it might be overrated but we decided to try it out. Hostess and waiter and all the staff were amazing. The drinks were all good and the food was all delightful. Best gnocchi I ever had and the bolegnese and duck were both a fantastic dish as well. One of our new favorite restaurants in Madison area. read more

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During our visit to Wisconsin for a local conference, my lady and I chose to dine at Cento. We were originally set to have dinner with some colleagues, but their plane was delayed a lot, so we decided to push on without them. Unfortunately, the delay caused us to be delayed to our reservation by 30 minutes, arriving at 9pm; for reference, Cento closes at 9pm. Regardless of this incident, the hostess was kind enough to seat us since the kitchen was still accepting orders from other guests. Cento is a very cozy, intimate restaurant with a great contemporary interior. Everything about them, from their kitchen to the decorations screamed casual luxury. Their menus were printed it on thick textured paper, which gave that premium feel to it. Our waiter came to our table not too long after we sat down. He introduced himself and got our drinks. I got a 2021 Ancien "Le Petit Elevage" from Sonoma, CA, and my lady stuck with good old water. My drink came and our waiter then took our orders. We got the ahi tartare as an appetizer, lobster scampi (minus the horseradish breadcrumbs) for my lady, cavatelli for me, roasted carrots for the table. Our food started arriving not too long after we ordered, primarily because we were one of the last tables that ordered. The ahi tartare came first; it had pleasantly balanced proportions of avocado and citrus to offset the fishiness of the tuna, which were all scooped onto sunchoke chips for immediate consumption. Great start. Our main course came right after I put the last chip into my mouth. The cavatelli had a very Mediterranean aesthetic to it; the rich spices mixed together with minced lamb, chickpea, and housemade cavatelli pasta were most definitely an adventure for the taste buds. My girl reported that her lobster scampi was "delicious, straightforward, and fresh". She was delighted seeing the squid ink pasta, her first time having it. The roasted carrots that were also ordered were pretty good, with the lemon crema, lemon, and balsamic dressing pairing well with the roasted flavors of the carrots. We had a very positive experience overall with Cento. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating despite our very late arrival (sorry, again), the food was fantastic, and the ambiance was great. We saw one of the chefs even wrapping unused pasta dough in cellophane wrap and labeling it, which was a nice touch to the dedication to safety and transparency. When it came to the price, we were kind of biased since we are from California, where everything was expensive. The final price did not seem bad for us at all, considering everything that we ordered. So from a Californian standpoint, the price for everything was superb, cheaper than our home state. How the final price was for locals, however, is a different story that we could not tell you. What we can tell you, however, is that Cento will be highly recommended and revisited every year we come back to the conference! read more

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Delicious food and great service! We also got the Rustic Ciabatta Bread as an appetizer. read more

Cento - Tagliatelle - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

One of my favorite spots to eat at, food and service is good. I am not sure why it said classy upscale but it's more like buinesss casual IMO read more

Absolutely amazing! I was traveling here for a work conference and I'm so glad I stopped in on my last night here. The Tagliatelle was INCREDIBLE- the dish came out quickly with hot noodles and sauce with cold ricotta on top. It was delicious. I would come back to Wisconsin just to have this pasta again. read more

Cento does just about everything right - great ambience, delicious food, and excellent service. For appetizers, I recommend the brussels sprouts, grilled octopus, and Burrata salad. I went with the roasted duck for entrée and it was great. The duck was cooked to a perfect medium and the meat was tender and succulent. For dessert, we tried the ice-cream sandwich, tiramisu, and panna cotta and they were all lovely. Overall, it was a great dining experience and I would highly recommend Cento to anyone. read more

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A delight having dinner here! Starter list is excellent... loved trying the octopus, meatballs and the bread. Don't skip the bread and butter. The octopus was nicely cooked, and I was surprised that it had a ton of chorizo too. I personally like my octopus dishes a bit lighter, but this one was meaty and savory. Good but not what I'm used to. I thought the pastas were a great value... pretty big portions for the price. I got the lobster scampi which came with a TON of lobster on it (mostly claw) and was $26 I believe. I had some leftovers and ate them for breakfast the next day. Pretty much wanted the next hungry opportunity to experience that dish again haha. I tried the other two pastas and really enjoyed them both (risotto and tagliatelle). The mushroom pizza is wood fired and nothing too exciting... wouldn't order that again. We also shared an unbelievable bottle of Tuscan wine. It was the 2021 montepeloso red blend which had deep dark fruit flavors, but was super smooth with a dry finish. We went searching for it the next day at a wine store. They only had 2019 and 2020... I'm on the hunt for 2021! Service was good... and we got to bring our dog out on the patio. It was good weather and temps. Would definitely come back and dine on the patio again, or sit inside next time as it's a bit more vibey / upscale in there. read more

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I was seated before my dinner companion arrived. When she did she was told that I didn't have a reservation! I ordered a drink & rustic bread when I arrived -- it took 15 minutes. Food was good but sound volume was so loud that we had trouble having a conversation even though we were sitting next to each other. read more

Really delicious, upscale Italian restaurant in Madison. Definitely make a reservation for Friday/weekends and start with the sourdough bread appetizer. That bread was surprisingly and unnecessarily incredible. 5 of us shared 2 orders and had to stop ourselves from filling up on it. WHAT is in that bread?! Didn't even need butter... Next we had the cheese board which was seasonal and unique. Everyone was really happy with their entrees. I had the porcini pappardelle which was really delicious and satisfying. They also have great happy hour specials. read more

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Unbelievable, just unbelievable. How have I never reviewed Cento before?? The best brunch spot downtown, the best espresso cocktail ever, the best location and place to eat before a show. Y'all, I am flabbergasted. I've been here so many times that you don't need to look any further cuz ima tell you what to get right now. Brunch- again I told you this place is the BEST for brunch. They have a $30 deal, might be more now but it includes 2 drinks, coffee or tea, pastries, and and entree!! Their lemon capri is the best possible cocktail. It sounds weird with lemon cello and coffee but goes so well. You can ask them to make it at dinner and they'll just check to make sure they have the right ingredients. But what to order for food? The breakfast pizza, tagaletelle, or the baked eggs are DEVINE. You can't go wrong and you won't be sorry. Dinner- gnocchi, octopus app, artichoke app, or scallops. That is all, done. Sign, sealed, delivered. Enjoy the experience, it's upscale but still approachable and the staff is usually really busy but friendly and the vibe makes it worth it to stay even longer if the drinks don't first. Happy brunching! read more

We went for Sunday brunch and it was fabulous! Great service; great food; great cocktails. Highly recommend.

I called the restaurant to inquire about a reservation before I went and they told me that they were booked up but they had an area of tables for walk ins and that several were empty. Sure enough when I arrived they had several pub tables available in the bar or the outside patio. It was a great night so I opted for the patio which really is the sidewalk but it was a great place to sit and have dinner and I highly recommend it. Quick server got my drink order along with an order of sourdough bread. The bread was fresh and the perfect size for dipping into the softened butter. Next was an order of chicken parm which was huge. Good crust on the tender chicken sitting on a bed of pasta and the sauce which can make or break the dinner, totally made it. The food, the service, and the atmosphere were all excellent. I can't wait to come back. read more

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We went for the $35 brunch. You get way more than what you pay for. We often get brunch on Sundays and I'd say the biscuits and gravy are my favorite in Madison so far. The cookie/brownie sandwich was off the menu but very very delicious (my wife knew a staff member). Cocktails were all very good. One of our favorite places all around! read more

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Definitely one of the better Italian restaurants I've been to in Madison. Although we showed up a little late to our reservation they were still able to sit us down only seconds after entering. The service was welcoming and helpful. When deciding what to drink, they had a wine specialist speak with us about what to order. Although we didn't end up ordering wine it's good to know they have a specialist to assist others in finding their palate. The food was flavorsome. I ordered the Fettuccini and Meatballs with a spicy tomato sauce, the meatballs are made in house and the spicy sauce wasn't overpowering. However the Butcher's Board seemed pretty limited, it offered several different charcuteries but only two different cheeses. I was expecting a little more for the price. Overall a great experience and I definitely recommend! read more

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Went to Cento tonight. Good but not dream about food. Well prepared, but we had nothing I feel obsessed with returning for.... The service was excellent. My favorite item we tried was the Burrata with figs. read more

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When three friends of mine from three different circles independently suggested Cento for dinner for my first night in Madison, I needed to see for myself if the street cred matched the in-person experience. It did. Upon arrival, ambiance and pleasant host set the tone for a great evening. Seated and settled near a bustling open kitchen, our great evening got underway with Sophia G. taking careful note of our allergy needs and got our order underway. Wine list on point. Two great choices caught my eye: Grillo and Barbera...off the beaten path and super fun. Bacon wrapped dates, spinach salad, and sourdough bread set the first course. Each dish delivered with fresh flavors, presentation, and quantity. Entrees selected were scallops w pancetta, broccolini, and polenta and an Italian sausage pizza on GF friendly crust. Great dishes. Desserts were tiramisu and pannacotta. Great takes on classic recipes. A special point to be made was Sophia G's exceptional service. Prompt, professional, and friendly cues...all added to our great Cento's experience. Overall, I was impressed by Cento and I would return again to see what's next on the menu. I found Cento to be great Italian and that says a lot when you're talking about Italian outside of Chicago. Until next time...tk read more

Cento - Our spinach salad and bacon wrapped dates. - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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