Came here for dinner on Friday. The place was exactly what we were looking for... Inexpensive, cozy, and warm atmosphere! The place was busy the whole time we were there, so I highly recommend making a reservation. Amazing service and delicious soup! We dined on the outdoor patio. The food was fresh and came out fast. However, my only complaint is that they could have taken better precautions when preparing my gluten free pasta dish as it contained some cheese with dairy. Others had something else I had no interest in to remember the name. Their menu offers a variety of choices, including options that are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. read more

See all

My friend and I came here for dinner on a Wednesday night and we were able to get seated right away. I got the spaghetti bolognese and tiramisu for dessert, which were both delicious! The staff were all very friendly and attentive. Such a cute restaurant that has indoor and outdoor seating. Definitely recommend coming here! Parking is also easy as it's in a shopping plaza. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

"Yes, I'm stuck in the middle with you And I'm wondering what it is I should do It's so hard to keep this smile from my face" (Stealers Wheel) Centro translates into the English words "center or middle". And to paraphrase the above song lyrics, you won't be wondering what it is you should do, because you'll be smiling big time when you're in the middle of a dining experience at Centro's. The dining room is beautiful with bright red-orange walls with old school French art posters and a classic black and white tiled checkerboard floor. Today (Wednesday) was high school graduation day in Fairfield, so Centro was jam-packed, no doubt as a "nice" restaurant destination for celebrating families. We were lucky to get a table without a reservation. Our server. Patrick was a gem. Super professional, friendly, and attentive without being intrusive. Our lunch experience was excellent. Our selections were a Caprese Panini ($14.00) with local New Haven Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil pesto, grilled on panini bread, a Curried Chicken Salad ($18) with raisins, celery, onions, dried papaya, pineapple and curry mayonnaise over mixed greens with grapes, watermelon, and strawberries, and a Mushroom, asparagus, tomato and Swiss Cheese Omelet ($15) with Balsamic splashed mixed greens. The Chicken Salad was mine and it was a home run. I loved the mixed texture and mixed sweet and savory tastes of the sweet fruits, chewy and crunchy dried fruits and celery, and the savory tang of the curry. It was terrific. Centro has a pretty patio for outdoor dining, and that looks like a gorgeous location for a nice dinner and glass of wine on a summer afternoon or evening. Overall, we were very impressed with Centro. read more

See all

Fabulous! We had a late dinner on NYE and I was impressed by the service. Everyone was really accommodating and let us move to a table with more space so that we could fully enjoy our meal. My friend ordered an espresso martini that was basically 2 for 1 because it came with the shaker for a refill (photo)! Everyone was really pleased with their pasta. And the brownie dessert was the perfect ending. It's also super cute and cozy inside. Will definitely recommend and be back! read more

See all

Been ages since we've been to Centro, finally decided to stop by. Good meals, nothing outstanding. Service is great. Place is always busy, so we were lucky to get a table. My daughter had the seafood and I had a steak, it was Ok. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

See all

Centro is a Fairfield staple. Friday night and absolutely packed inside and out. I ordered the seafood St Tropez - a piece of salmon with a couple of pieces of shrimp and scallops. Asparagus and potato. It was good but not outstanding. My son needed a gluten free option - they carry gluten free penne. He liked the bolognese but again found it average. Also, the dish wasn't clearly marked that it was gf so we had to stop and double check. A good Italian restaurant but not great. read more

Went there for Easter 2026 brunch. Large group of 12 people. Service was wonderful especially our server Courtney. Most of us got the eggs Benedict which they said was good. The reason I did not give 5 stars was because of the Quiche Lorraine. It was served almost cool and the eggs did not seem set. It was one of the specials for that day so surprised. May have been a one off or maybe it was supposed to be served that way by design. read more

We recently tried this spot for dinner and had a mixed experience. On the positive side, the tuna tartare appetizer was fresh and flavorful, and it came out fairly quickly. Unfortunately, the rest of the evening had some challenges. Service was on the slower side -- after our appetizer, it took quite a while for our entrées to arrive, and our server wasn't around much to check in. When our pasta dishes did arrive, both mine and my wife's were very overcooked to the point of being soggy, which was disappointing. I don't know about you, but I like my pasta al dente so the texture was a problem. For an Italian restaurant, I was also surprised that no bread was served at the beginning since that's usually a staple and adds to the overall experience. I also found it to be pretty pricey but I guess that's how it is these days. I'm more than willing to pay a good price for quality, but I didn't think the quality was worth it. I think with some improvements, particularly around pacing of service and quality of the pasta, this restaurant could be much stronger, because the flavors in the appetizer showed potential. they have a nice patio outside and the indoor dining room is pretty cool as well. read more

I called for take-out order of 2 pizzas and when i got home to Trumbull I found one pizza was missing the arugula and honey, when i called to complain, the owner said "sorry about that, next time we won't forget" sorry lady, there will not be a next time because if you can't appreciate the fact your business screwed up - and then you add insult to injury by missing an opportunity to make it right, you don't deserve my business..there are too many other better options in town! read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

I was very impressed with the quality of service given our party of 8 for a recent weekday lunch. The food was very, very good, but I'm taking the time to write a review because of the service. The server walked over to each person ordering instead of requiring them to yell across the table to her, she took the womens' orders first (which I certainly don't think is important in this day and age, but it reinforces to me that they've taken the time to train the staff in a specific method of working) and when our meal came 3 different people brought out our food so we could all start at the same time. The attention to service really set our meal apart from other restaurants I go to. It made the meal feel effortless and I enjoyed it very much. read more

This place never fails to make me happy! The food! The service!! Just a fun place to have a great Italian meal! I have tried so many things on their menu and have yet to be disappointed! Make reservations!!!! read more

There used to be a Centro in Greenwich, but it closed years ago. We were in Fairfield for a concert and went to the Centro in town. Amazing. We split a Caesar and had 2 apps-Roma Beans and the Grilled Shrimp appetizer. With bread, it was plenty for a meal. Everything from the decor to service to food was great. read more

One of my favorite Fairfield places! Great options and good is always good. Lunch portions are great (saved half for next day!).

We made a reservation for 17 people weeks ahead of time and they assured me they could accommodate our group for a family reunion. I then called a week before our date and they again assured me we were all set. On the day of our 6:30 reservation I again called to confirm and I was told our table would be waiting for us in their outside heated tent. Well, when we all arrived at the restaurant the hostess had nothing ready for us and she suggested splitting the group up which was unacceptable. After about 40 minutes they squeezed us all at a table inside (not in the tent) that normally held maybe 12 people. The people on the inside of the table were trapped and one waiter took all of our orders. Not a good experience and we were very disappointed. Food was ok but not great. Poor management. read more

5 empty plates. That's how good the food was. Chicken parm. Lemon chicken. And the special: butternut squash ravioli. Service was excellent. Food was excellent. Good stuff. read more

We reside in Fairfield, and have been dining at Centro for many, many years; the food is priced right and plentiful. The good food and service to match is plus. read more

Came here for lunch on a Monday. Cozy Italian vibe with vintage posters on the wall. Friendly service. I had an excellent fried cod, roasted potato and asparagus main dish. Carefully prepared and delicious. Paired it with a very good Headway IPA. Go there. read more

A cute spot in Fairfield if you're looking for a quick sit down meal. Unfortunately the food wasn't amazing. The fettuccine lacked flavor. My fiancé did enjoy his pizza. We got the tuna tartar to start which was good but the tuna to avocado ratio was off. The service was very good, no complaints there! The little ears pasta was tasty. Overall, food needed more flavor. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Tuna tartar - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

See all

I ordered a variety of dishes for take out and was disappointed in the quality. Even with the spaghetti and meatballs, the pasta was not al dente but over cooked. read more

One thing I noticed while visiting Connecticut - this state REALLY loves their Italian food! Even better, Italian brunch spots like Centro! We were meeting up with family who had chosen this place, and boy we were not disappointed at all! First off, this place is so cute and charming. The inside is decorated to make you feel like you are in Italy, while the outside patio is so relaxing to sit out on. The staff were great and handled our large party with ease. The food is wonderful! I tried the Bellagio sandwich and loved every bit of it. And as soon as I saw dessert cappuccinos on the menu....Well, I had to order one of those too! The sugar free vanilla was so sweet and creamy. I would easily come back here in a heartbeat. It's a great choice in downtown Fairfield. read more

Came here and omg the sauce was amazing. We sat outside since it was a warm day and just a perfect night out on our vacation. We actually debated years ago moving to the area so it was nice to see the life we'd have if we lived over there :P Raviolis were good and my hubs loved whatever he got. Our son also loved his food until he saw some birds which then became all about omg birds instead of eating :P over a week later and I'm still like wow that sauce was so good. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Homemade Artisan Cheese Ravioli Dinner - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Troy provided great service, best bartender in town- hands down. Great butt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Dinner was very nice. 2 of our party had pizzas they enjoyed. Another had the homemade fettuccine with mushrooms which looked great and was enjoyed. I had the panko crusted scallops with risotto and asparagus. The scallops had a crispy coatng and were cooked.perfectly. The risotto was a little bland but some black pepper took care of that. Our drinks were nice and refreshing. I enjoyed my rose sangria. It did take a long.time to get our food, but maybe that was due to my risotto. I have to give a shout-out to the hostess though. We had reservations but the unpleasant woman before us did not, and was kind of nasty saying there were empty tables so why did she and her party have to sit at the bar to eat - well, because people with reservations were behind her! The hostess was young but was poised and didn't back down while still being nice about it. The woman grumbled out loud but went to.the bar area. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Crispy scallops with risotto - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

See all

Compared to before I feel like this time there was a little bit left to be desired. I ordered a salad with pecorino chicken. The chicken was undercooked and not crispy. It was a little soggy, cold, and the color was so light, not that golden brown color with a nice crust. That was the first thing I noticed. The table I sat at had a cloth napkin with a huge piece of food stuck on it. The menu is simple, not that extensive, which can be a good thing for some but for me it was hard to find something here that was inventive that I wanted to try. Server was kind. read more

I was really looking forward to checking this local spot out. It's centrally located to downtown, close to my home and the beach, and the number one reason, I love Italian food. Unfortunately, my lunch today left a great deal to be desired. The entire experience was terrible. The food was low quality, it was also overcooked and presented poorly. All three of the dishes we ordered. The California burger, which came out wrong the first two times, the 1st was the wrong burger all together, the 2nd time no bacon, lettuce, tomato, etc and overcooked both times until it was barely edible. The flat bread pizza, which was not flat bread, was super greasy and oddly chewy. The third dish, a pasta dish was also bland and appeared to be previously frozen. Also worth mentioning the women whom I assume to be the manager or possible the owner was walking around the establishment while we dined, not engaging in running the restaurant or helping the staff whatsoever. Having a manager on site is normally helpful to a business, but not at all in this case. Our server did not even know she had us at one of her tables. We sat there for 15/20 minutes with no water while the manager who saw us there did nothing. Our server was friendly, but we never interacted with her again after ordering and could not get more than one drink. It wasn't exceptionally busy either. The outdoor patio where we were seated was not clean either, before sitting down we had to wipe dirt and debris from our seats. Also, if you're unfortunate enough to have a table along the tent wall like we did the plastic sides are positioned too close to the tables with no anchors securing them so they slap against you as you eat. I absolutely won't be returning, and I wouldn't recommend even bothering to try it. read more

While visiting the area we decide to give these guys a try for dinner since the menu looked good. Drinks to start I had a Pinot & Hubby had Beer , both not bad. Appetizers tried one of the pizza , mozzarella , tomatoes & arugula on top , nice thin crust it was very tasty. Main dishes I had the Homemade Ravioli in the creamy pesto sauce , wow it was delicious very good , light sauce great tasting dish. Hubby had the Rigatoni a la vodka very good as well , I would have preferred if it had more sauce on the pasta. Decent looking place , we sat inside , service was good & prices were not bad we enjoyed our meal. read more

See all

This is a tried and true place for me. The prices are very reasonable given the consistent quality of the food, the lovely decor, and solid service. I think they have the best omelette in town. And their homemade blueberry pie is fabulous: flaky, buttery crust with ice cream and fresh whipped. My daughter loves the Bellagio sandwich, but we have also enjoyed the salads and the pizza. Great for lunch or brunch with friends or family. Lovely, happy, bistro vibe. Coffee is good, too! :-) read more

Came here on super rainy day for lunch recently and we couldn't get a table because we didn't have a reservation, but we just ordered food up front and set our own table. The food were delicious and the guy upfront he was super helpful. It's cool that they make their own pasta as well. Not sure about the pasta maker guy, he seems busy on his phone rather than focus on making the pasta. Overall it was a good day. read more

See all

Met some friends for dinner at Centro's in Fairfield on a Tuesday. There is plenty of parking behind the restaurant, so don't worry if the small lot in front is full. I had fresh linguini with chicken and mushroom cream sauce. It was delicious. I used up the bread to clean all the sauce from my plate. My wife had a risotto with asparagus and scallops and she really enjoyed it, our friends each got individual pizzas which were very good. For a Tuesday they were fairly busy and service was good. We skipped dessert here and walked a few blocks down to get ice cream at MilkCraft. Worth the walk and wait in line. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Fresh linguine with chicken and chester County mushroom cream sauce. - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Having dined at Centro scores of times over the past six years, I must say I'm quite baffled at the four and below star reviews as I find it to be a nearly perfect restaurant experience. The space is luxurious and stylish without an overly pretentious theming, the interior being warm and sensual while the courtyard patio (more on this momentarily) is quite honestly my very favorite place to dine near home in the summer. It's even a little whimsical with crayons on the table so you can scribble on the bufcher paper table coverings while you wait on your meal. The food was always excellent but over the last year they've focused their offerings down to the very essentials and I believe this has worked dramatically in their favor. Now what were always pretty good dishes have been elevated in technique, presentation and quality of ingredient with the loss leaders and extraneous stuff no longer taking any of their kitchen's attention. I can't recall a single time I was served something I disliked. In conjunction with the dining room, they also have a small storefront in the vestibule where you can purchase exclusive ready-made items for the home such as fresh pasta, sauces, deli salads and even the ocassional focaccia (to die for). This vestibule however also houses the host stand (a reservation book and phone suspended from the wall) and can make for an awkward few moments of dopily standing in the doorway waiting for seating. Perhaps if your host must wander about, have a trip sensor installed at the door and connect it to some sort of buzzer so they know when they're needed up front? At very least the cashier at the deli counter could more consistently offer a friendly "She'll be right with you" but it's honestly the most minor nitpick I could toss out in an effort not to keep rambling on about the glowing positives. Oh but they do glow. The fairy lights and fireflies dancing overhead and the sweet smell of wet grass on a summer night transport you to another sublime world when seated on their patio. It's always been popular but now on the back of covid it's become essential, to the poont where a reservation is vital. Last, let me address the tenor of the other reviews claiming stilted service-- I think this perception is down to two factors. This is a relatively large restaurant. Perhaps two hundred seats with the patio. And they are always packed and it's always a specific 6pm-8:30pm rush. Even the strongest waiting teams can buckle under the level of pressure they face however it's been my observation that they A) never have quite enough servers and/or support staff to fully cover their densest moments and B) when they appear clueless, aimless or snowed under, management is nowhere to be seen. An effective, present and commanding leader on the floor could easily turn chicken shit into chicken salad. And to be clear even at its worst the service is never "bad" and it is always friendly, inviting and genuine. It's a date spot, it's a family spot, it's a grab a sandwich by yourself spot. But most of all, it's a forever spot. Much love, Centro team. S. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - When they get me to have dessert (a course I skip 99% of the time), you know it's irresistible. - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Went today with a good friend and I was very impressed with the service and the food my Margarita Pizza was delicious the crust crunchy I could not stop eating. I surly will return. read more

I have visited this place on several occasions and was surprised to see I have not reviewed it before. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor dining options along with a small store area to purchase take home meals and other Italian products. We stopped in for lunch and I had the open faced burger served with a side salad and my girlfriend had personal sized pizza. Both meals were excellent, great taste and quick service. I have always found the staff to be quick to take care of you and they provide great service. During warm days it is always nice to be able to dine outdoors. read more

See all

We had a delicious meal and sat outside (June 2023) We enjoyed people watching and a performance event in the park. Would def go back! My daughter had the scallops and I had a pasta dish that was a special. It was all great. Service was perhaps a tad on slow side but it was extremely busy and the wait staff was hustling. Would definitely eat here again. read more

A long established, excellent restaurant for lunch and dinner. I have eaten here often over the years.

Spaghetti and meatballs with a dob of ricotta, so good. Homemade spaghetti my wife had eggplant parm grinder also excellent. This place never disappoints. read more

Centro Ristorante & Bar - Italian Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Food is good- staff could be more friendly at the front..sometimes they mess up togo orders which is annoying. Not the most efficient place.

Always love my time at home after moving away from CT and specifically happy that after getting vaccinated my trip could consist of a meal at Centro! Walkable from the Fairfield train station and love to spend time in this area to catch up with friends after being gone for awhile. Pizzas, pastas, and other entrees are always great-- you truly can't go wrong! While it's usually busy, I have always felt taken care of by the servers and have enjoyed conversation with managers and bartenders over the years. Always happy to feel at home at Centro and looking forward to the next time I'm there! read more

I had Centro for the first time this week. I didn't have the pleasure of dining in, but even as I ate my takeout cold (had work meeting and couldn't get to it for well over an hour) it was still hands down delicious. I ordered the Firehouse sandwich, which is a panini with roast turkey, bacon, avocado, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo with the Parmesan fries. Holy moly that sandwich was good. I've never been a fan of mayonnaise but that chipotle mayo was godsent. The sandwich was huge and filling, and those parmesan fries were packed with herby goodness. Even cold, there was no denouncing those fries. Truth be told, I snarfed that sandwich down mercilessly and have no regrets. I look forward to trying other items on their menu, but for now they can make one mean sandwich and I'm not mad at it. read more

I was meeting a friend here for dinner after work and took the train over to Fairfield. I liked how close the restaurant was to the station - very easily walkable and in a cute area, so it was a pleasant walk. I also loved the vibe of the restaurant. We sat outside and they had little strings of lights and a cute brick facade. It was a nice atmosphere to enjoy dinner. The dinner itself was pretty standard - nothing spectacular but certainly good enough. I had the rigatoni a la vodka with chicken. It was a little dry, but the flavor of the sauce was good and the portion was pretty large, which was nice since it was kind of expensive. The same is true for the bread. I always judge Italian restaurants by the quality of their bread and this fell short of what I would consider to be top quality bread, but it wasn't bad and dipping it in olive oil helped moisten it and give it more flavor. Not a bad restaurant by any means, but I think comparatively speaking there are better places to hit up. read more

See all

Was very excited to try centro. It's a quaint appearing Italian bistro that overlooks the town green. Pro: the ambiance was ideal; They have a wonderful outdoor seating area with string lights. It's location is also convenient, at the center of downtown Fairfield. Service was fantastic. Our waiter was very nice and food came quickly. They made sure our little one got her food quickly. Con: food was terrible. I really wanted to love it. The "European thin crust pizza" was not thin and delicate but instead just dripping with grease, and sauce did not seem fresh. Cavatelli with broccoli and sausage was nothing to write home about. At the bottom of my plate was just a pool of oil. The burger (shame on my wife for ordering a burger at an Italian restaurant), was overcooked, dry and appeared as one you'd buy from the grocery store. Bottom line: I wanted to love it, but food was just not good. read more