Centro Café Delivers Fresh, Affordable Cuisine

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Centro Cafe

808 E Center St, Milwaukee, WI 53212

(414) 455-3751

Monday-Thrusday: 5-9p

Friday-Saturday:5-10p

Sunday: Closed

It’s going to be hard for me to explain my experience at Riverwest’s Centro Café without getting off track by gabbing on about how great the food is. Located on Center Street in the heart of Milwaukee’s up and coming Riverwest neighborhood, Centro Café is a staple of the areas recent revival. While sitting inside the beautifully modern yet homey dining room it is hard to imagine that you are in what used to be one of Milwaukee’s roughest neighborhoods.

I arrived for dinner at 5pm and was surprised to see that Centro Café is only open for a short window of four hours on the weekdays and five on the weekends. The restaurant was packed, and my only complaint about the entire experience was that they could use a larger space. However, the space is beautifully decorated and includes an intimate patio in the back. I felt underdressed until I looked around and noticed that most of the other patrons were also dressed in casual attire. The atmosphere didn’t match the prices of the food, which I was surprised to find that they were more than reasonable. I ordered their pasta Pomodoro which came with perfectly seasoned and cooked chicken, fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and pasta. Reasonable priced at 16 dollars I was shocked at how large the portion was.

I don’t think I have ever had such good pasta Pomodoro. Every ingredient was fresh and bursting with flavor. The menu boasts that they use as many local ingredients as they can in their dishes, a smart move considering the demographic they are serving in Riverwest. The waitress was kind and attentive, but didn’t bother me while I was eating. All of the other guests surrounding me seemed also have a great experience which added to a happy and light atmosphere. I glanced at the table next to me, which due to the small size of the restaurant, was RIGHT next to me, and saw a delicious looking duck pizza that I will have to try during my next visit.

Be aware of the fact that Centro does NOT take reservations, and the popular restaurant fills up quickly, even during the week. They have somewhat of a rotating menu and often feature new items weekly which only shows that the chefs at Centro Café love what they do. It’s definitely apparent in the food.

Cuisine Type: Contemporary Italian

Price per Entrée: $12-$20

Attire: Formal. Casual

Reservations: No, first come first serve

Payment: Credit cards accepted