I love their food! The place is small but it's so worthwhile! The home made pasta is always a winner! Nice staff and fast service!

Absolute best pasta I've ever had in my life! This place is a must go!

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... read more

We were here on 3/18 with a group of 6. Food was great! Highly recommend the seafood risotto and the bison and prosciutto meatballs. The evening was even better due to the great service we received from our waiter Justin! Only draw back is that they do not accept reservations and there was a fairly long wait. However, there's a brewery across the street that was great to hang out at prior to being seated. Overall great experience! read more

Wow. This place. Ambience is amazing (although it does get a little warm in there) and the food and service are out of this world. We had the bruschetta, seafood risotto, and duck bacon mac & cheese. I can't wait to go back!! read more

The restaurant is really nice, cozy and the service is incredible, but the food, Mamma mia!!! Its so far away from the Italian flavors. The ingredients are not fresh, in the bolognesa, as an example, was possible to taste the frozen meat... Is sad because the restaurant expensive and fancy. Again, the service is really good, but in a restaurant you pay for the service and food, and here food was bad one.I suggest to seel your option as a fussion american italian, but not italian. Flavorless pizza. Pros.. the good wines from Piemonte and Tuscany. Missing Puglia as referent in wines. read more

Very impressed! We tried the white bean dip and grilled asparagus with prosciutto appetizers - both excellent with good portions. Entrees were the lobster ravioli, penne with Italian sausage and tortellini with prosciutto. Each was very flavorful without being overbearing, and, again, a good portion. Dessert was a mixed-berry vanilla custard torte. The berry mix included red currants for a little extra tang, and there was also a floral component - lavender or rose flower, I think. Very light and flavorful, although, if you don't like the floral flavor, this might be one to pass on. I'm a big fan and thought it was a very pleasant surprise. Overall, Centro Cafe offers excellent Italian food without going over the top - simple ingredients, well-prepared recipes, and enough individuality to make me want to come back for more, and at a good price: Two appetizers, three entrees, dessert, a soda and two glasses of wine for $67. read more

Food was outstanding. Delicious pasta, cooked properly and combined with interesting and tasty fixings. I had the tortellini with prosciutto and peas...it was very cheesy and oily, but in a very good way. I only tried one of their house cocktails--the boulevardier. It was so good I had 2. I'd had Bittercube drinks before, and I felt a weird twinge of serendipity when I was served my first drink (not fully realizing that he was creating drinks for Centro). Later when I found out it's the same guy, it made much more sense. It's hard to get a better cocktail in Milwaukee. The environment inside the front of the restaurant (where we were seated) is excellent. It's a small space, but rather than feeling cramped, it simply feels intimate and warm. I'll be back. read more

If you're looking for a simple but delicious kale salad and a warm comforting bowl of pasta in a very cozy place, this is it. Food and service is always spot on. Only wish there was a little more room between the tables, I feel bad putting my butt in someone's face while they're eating and I need to get out of my seat to use the restroom. Everything else is top notch! read more

After hearing such good things about Centro, I finally had a chance to go. The Caesar salad was overdressed and tasted of sour cream. The lobster ravioli, sauce was thick, congealed and oily and overly hit with garlic. One should not burp garlic for 3 hours. The pasta was thick and heavy. I will try the place again sometime to give it a second chance. Guess I just watch too many chef shows. read more

Centro Café - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It was my second time there, but the first time with my wife. This is a really great thing they have going on . The environment is warm and inviting, and the food is outstanding! They make a nice old fashion as well if you're into that. Very well ran restaurant in a really cool neighborhood. read more

Moved my sister to the River West area and came upon this restaurant. Very quaint. Had one of the best Italian dinners I have ever had!! Definitely going back again! For the quality and taste of food, very affordable. read more

Certainly not a bad experience, but the prices were very high and the food was very average. The food is not traditional Italian or Italian American, but rather a creative gourmet version inspired by such cuisine, which is good if you want to try something you've never had before, but not so good if you have a craving for actual Italian food. The interior is very cramped and crowded and the decor is total dive bar: translucent plastic roof, rough cheap wood slapped together with exposed nails and hard wooden benches to sit on and no air conditioning. The short ribs were tough but flavorful, the gnocchi made perfectly, but in a somewhat bland sauce, the garlic bread is garlic toast, dry and bitter. The pizza was great,but you could get something just as good or better for a better price anywhere else. The scallops were near perfect, but small and also overpriced. A small serving of fresh bread was served before the meal, but without butter or anything else to put on it (tapenade? olive oil?). The wine was excellent, but at $75 for a bottle. Overall, I didn't feel I wasted my time and enjoyed the new experience, but I can get better food for the same price in a safer neighborhood and with a more comfortable seating arrangement. read more

Very rude service. Overrated food. Would never go back. I thought the food could have used more flavor.

Fact: 80 percent of women cannot orgasm from intercourse alone. Fact: 100 percent of women do orgasm from a dinner at Café Centro. I am not one to be hyperbolic, but this is my favorite restaurant in Milwaukee. It is sooo West Village-esque. It is more Italian than Italy. This place is so warm and cozy, it feels like I am lying naked on a bear rug with my lover, near a raging fire. In a formal restaurant review, this would be known as "good ambience." If you are socially awkward, you may be put off by how close together the tables are. Not me, I love talking to strangers and asking if we can do the ole "bite for bite." I know it is lame, but the Caesar salad and fettuccine alfredo (now off the menu) is pure culinary heaven. After dinner, go have dessert at nearby Foundation Tiki Bar. read more

I had been hearing rave reviews of Centro Cafe some time and finally had an opportunity to check it out for myself. I went fairly early during the Sunday dinner hour (5:30 - senior citizen early bird special time, right?) My friend and I were seated right away, and I think we were on to something with our timing. CC is tiny, and they don't take reservations. I am confident I would not be ballsy enough to chance it at a peak time like Friday or Saturday night. It was fun to watch the chef do his thang right there behind the counter. It is clear that the food is fresh and made to order. My friend and I each had a starter (soup for me - you know how I am crazy for soup) and a Caesar for him. I had a pasta dish with curly pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken and sundried tomatoes. It was sinfully delicious, but also very, very rich. I did not finish it, and I am a long-standing member of the Clean Plate Club. My friend had a tortellini dish which was equally rich. Not to be deterred, we shared a piece of ridiculously rich choclate cake for dessert. We are troopers! One note that I think is important to share - they only accept cash, so plan accordingly. (That being said, there is an ATM right in the restaurant.) All in all, I liked Centro Cafe and thought the concept and ambiance were superb. I'll be back, but next time for some lighter fare. read more

this is one of my favorite italian-esque restaurants in the city. the salsiccia is my favorite (although i've had he bolognese once too, which is fantastic). their thin crust pizzas are really good & i didn't notice until the third time that all their pizzas are gluten free, which was interesting to know given none of the flavor seemed sacrificed. i love to sit on the sidewalk or their adorable patio in a summer night. good for date night or when your parents come to town :) read more

Our recent dinner at Centro Cafe was seriously the best dining experience we've had in I can't remember when. We visited Centro on Friday July 3, arriving promptly at 5:00 on the advice of the friends who joined us for dinner. Centro is a small and intimate space, has a no reservation policy, has very limited dining hours (5PM-9PM at the time of this review) - and as a result, you are almost guaranteed a wait if you don't arrive early. That minor inconvenience aside, you simply MUST put Centro on your short list of restaurants to try. Our group of four was seated promptly upon arrival at one of the front windows (with a floor to ceiling screen to allow the beautiful summer's eve breeze to join us for dinner, without the annoyance of bugs! :D). The host was very friendly and welcoming. The interior space is small - a handful of tables, in addition to a few spaces to sit at the marble-topped bar. Behind the bar is where all of the action takes place, as chefs prepare the culinary delights for the waiting diners. The sights and smells of the food being prepared are at least half the experience! :) Our server, Danielle, greeted us promptly after we sat down, went over the specials of the evening and took our drink orders (try the home made sangria!). This is the only point in the entire evening that seemed a bit off - we had a noticeably lengthy delay in getting our drinks delivered to the table. One of our friends noticed, however, that the bartender appeared to be late in arriving for work - so that might have just been a random glitch. Danielle did apologize for the delay when she finally brought our drinks - and that was the last we thought of it. For starters - and based on the recommendation of others here - we tried both the prosciutto-wrapped grilled asparagus and the baked goat cheese. I can't even adequately describe them - they were absolutely phenomenal! The goat cheese, arriving in its own baking carafe and served with toasted crusty breads, had a hint of something sweet in it that was completely unexpected but positively delicious. The flavors in the asparagus dish were crazy - the salty prosciutto, a bit of char from the grill, a perfect tender-crisp cook on the asparagus, some sort of herb-y/lemon-y oil dressing to finish them off and served atop a bed of greens - oh my goodness gracious! Just insanely good. We also shared their new Mediterranean salad - a heavenly blend of sun-dried tomatoes, spring greens, red onions, artichokes, goat cheese, Kalamata olives, and topped off with a divine, house-made lemon vinaigrette. All I can say is thank goodness we brought two friends with us because that salad served all four of us! It was positively incredible. The dressing was light, fresh and summery - and the flavors were so delicious we simply couldn't stop eating it. What a way to start our meal! For our main entrees, our guests had the special (grilled shrimp served over Jasmine rice and topped with mango salsa) and the seafood risotto. My wife had the Arancia pasta (chicken, olives, capers, artichokes with cavatappi noodles and a zesty orange marinara sauce). I had the duck risotto - also based on recommendations from previous diners here. Every entree was a home run (we all simply had to sample each other's selections) - but my duck risotto was unquestionably the standout performance of the evening. The risotto itself was so creamy and elegant, it probably could have easily stood on its own - but topped with that sliced, seared duck breast with crispy skin and a perfect cook, it became something that was simply beyond all expectations. I cannot recommend it highly enough. For dessert, each couple shared a hazelnut gelato, topped with espresso and chocolate. One of our friends, who is not even a coffee drinker, couldn't get over how wonderful it was! Our final bill - with everything included - was $167 before tip, which we felt to be more than reasonable for the food quantity, quality and service we all enjoyed. Needless to say, if Yelp offered a sixth star, Centro would unquestionably earn it - hands down. Highly recommended! read more

In my opinion, the most hidden gem in Milwaukee. The food is cleverly crafted and the prices are very reasonable. This is a great spot for an intimate dinner or a group. I had my birthday there last night and everything was spot on, our food was all decadent and rich and the staff was attentive and friendly. You can tell nothing is skimped on either- the portions are large and you will want to eat it all! read more

Centro Café is quirky restaurant in a quirky neighborhood. The food is rich, hot, and perfectly prepared. The fresh lobster ravioli was deeply satisfying. Unfortunately, the intimate atmosphere is often punctuated with gusts of cold air as the single door is but a few feet from every table. If you drive by and see both tables open in the window don't expect to be seated unless you are a foursome. Even at 5:30 PM the management though it better to turn away the two of us in hopes to fill them with a party that might bring in more money. read more

Has the best Italian food every and I live right around the corner. Definitely brings in an eclectic crowd and many from outside of Riverwest . The portions have gotten a bit smaller, but the quality, thank god, remains consistent. The bread has been a bit of a dissapointment as you expect it to be warm and the best. We have so many local great bakeries it should not be hard to get a contract with one of them. Some of the waitstaff seem to be overwhelmed with having more than 3 tables at a time and don't seem to know how to appease their customers with at least settling them with their drinks and bread while attending to the rest of their tables. read more

I have been to Centro multiple times. I have always had warm and welcoming service. It reminds me of a little restaurant we visited while in Italy. The menu has something for everyone. I have really enjoyed the risotto while my daughter really enjoys the meatballs. They also have daily specials that are very tasty. read more

Their food is amazing and I'll continue to go here. However, their customer service is lacking to say the least.

Great food and friendly service. Sat at the chef table. Would give it a 5 if they took reservations!

My husband and I went here when my Brother and wife were in town and all 4 of us were BLOWN AWAY by the ambiance, service, and food! My husband and I chatted this place up and quickly returned for a second try! We both LOVED our entrees so much that we ordered them again. We LOVED them both just as much the second time around, the giardianira and the pollo! The service again was very good. The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is we ordered a caesar salad to start which was less than average, and our friends were not in love with their entrees or cocktails. We will definitely be back to Centro Cafe and continue to tell people it's some of the best Italian we have found in Milwaukee. read more

Outstanding food and wonderful service. This is one of the best kept secrets of Milwaukee dining.

Wow! What an unexpected delight! Our taste buds were in love from appetizer to entree and a cheese plate with port for dessert. Amazing food. Have a hand crafted drink at The Foundation tiki bar before hand. N read more

We came to Cento Cafe because of the Yelp reviews and we were not disappointed. From their garlic bread to the pizza to the duck sausage and polenta cakes right up through the tiramisu...everything was amazing! read more

Has only gotten better. We've been coming to Centro since it first opened, when they only took cash and had a 1 page menu. I remember going down the street to Foundations (the tiki bar) while we waited because they didn't have anywhere to wait. The upstairs addition helped, and the menu progressed over time. Well, it's been a while since we came back, but we're glad that we did. The food was better than ever. We started with the pizza special, prosciutto and potato pizza (gluten-free), and it was outstanding. The duck Mac 'n Cheese was delicious, as was the seafood risotto. We ended with the flourless chocolate cake, which was rich and dense, enough for 4 people. Centro is back on our list of places to go. read more

I loved this little Italian place. The atmosphere was great, the food was beyond delicious and although others have complained about slow service and such, we were very lucky to have excellent service on our visit. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. The pastas/legumes were fresh and desert was delicious too! read more

The food was brilliant. We all traded bites and everyone 'won'. Especially loved the prosciutto wrapped asparagus.

Yay, one of my favorite restaurants, if not my actual favorite!!! Everything here is so tasty, you will not be disappointed. Be prepared to wait, but the wait is a good sign. It'll be worth the time you waited! Fun atmosphere and amazing food, plus the wine selection is great. Love love love it here! read more

We love Centro Café. Great atmosphere - I much prefer small and cramped to cavernous (and Centro isn't even that cramped - Crazy Water wins for cramped, I think). The pasta dishes are inventive and perfectly prepared. The appetizers (particularly spreads) are also delicious. We've brought our kids here (5 and 7) and they liked watching the open kitchen (and sometimes talking to the chef), which is far preferable to the seemingly ubiquitous restaurant TVs these day. It can be difficult to get a table on some nights, but we discovered that during Packers games can be much easier (probably because no TVs?). One of our favorites in Milwaukee. read more

We have enjoyed dining at a number of locally owned Italian restaurants and this ranks at the top of the list . To start we shared the capresse salad. I had the Vongole and my dinner companion had the spicy Italian sausage pasta dish as our entree. We finished with dessert of flour less chocolate cake with sorbetto for me and gelato with espresso for my partner. Well prepared, served in a timely fashion and delicious. We will plan to come back the next time we are in Milwaukee. read more

Returned to Centro last evening. Wonderful dinner. This is a very special restaurant and whenever we are in town make it a point to dine there. read more

Fantastic dinner! We started with the prosciutto wrapped asparagus which was so good my bf was sad we only had one order. Pasta was great too, love when all the flavors can be distinguished. I'm gluten free and I was so impressed with the menu choices. We will definitely return. read more

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. read more

dined at Centro cafe for the 1st time last evening. Thoroughly enjoyed the dinner and appetizers. Wonderfully welcoming hostess and really great pasta. read more

Delicious, fresh Italian food. Such a great atmosphere, love it here! Sat at the bar and loved watching the chefs cook right in front of us. Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee. read more

Hi, my daughter invited us the first time to Centro Cafe on Saturday. We were celebrating father's day. The food was good. The place is nice. I like the fact that I was able to switch my spaghetti pesto to pene al pesto. *But the service... not so happy with it. We have to wait half of an hour after finish the appetizer for our pasta arrived, we all were annoyed, kind of desperate by it, and not happy. Beside my pene pesto was kind of cold. Well, we decided to put the above experience described aside. And base on a review and considering that the food was good, we decided to try some desserts. Well, we almost canceled dessert! We can not believed that, it took 20 minutes for dessert to arrive to our table! The place looked full, but we don't think that is was crazy busy for us to wait such a long time for a plate of pasta and dessert to arrive to our table. Like I said before the food is good, I will probably try it again,....hoping that the service and time of waiting for the food to arrive to the table is not for ever. read more