Cento
| Address: | 122 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703, USA |
| Phone: | +1 608-284-9378 |
| Site: | centomadison.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 4–10PM 4–10PM 4–10PM 4PM–12AM 4PM–12AM 10AM–2PM 10AM–2PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 16
CO
Courtney Robinson
I was very disappointed by the food at Cento. I went there for my birthday dinner because I had heard good things and Italian is my favorite style of food. I ordered the meatballs and grilled bread, brussels sprouts, foraged mushrooms, sourdough bread and butter, fried artichokes and pulled pork pasta. I found all but the pasta and mushrooms to be bland and boring. The meatball wasnt hot when it was served which made it unappetizing. The fried artichoke was actually fried artichoke hearts (Id been expecting a whole artichoke), and it was very bland and greasy. Not at all what I was expecting. The brussels sprouts were a good texture, but again, super super bland. There were no sharp or interesting flavors at all. Not what I expect from an upscale restaurant. The sourdough bread was fine, but not particularly sour or special in any way. The foraged mushrooms were delicious, as was the pulled pork pasta. But honestly, they were not interesting enough to make it worth another trip to this restaurant. The mushrooms could be replicated easily at home. The service was also sub-par. I expected much much better considering the reviews of this restaurant and the price tag. I would not recommend it unless youre looking for something mediocre. Youll do much better at Fore Quarter, Graze, or LEtoille if youre looking for a special meal.
TH
Thomas Ansfield
Our first visit to Cento: We brought our newlywed daughter and son to dinner. The dinner was superb. We chose two sputini (small plates: the dates filled with sausage and wrapped with bacon, and the arancini - rice balls with cheese and spicy tomato sauce), two salads (a wine-poached beet salad and an heirloom tomato and burrata {cheese} salad, two small pasta dishes (gnocchi and pappardelle with veal ragu) and a wonderful whole fish (prosciutto-wrapped branzino) and a large pappardelle. Signature drinks including the Moscow Mule and a Blackberry cordial were enjoyed by our children. On this trip, we did not have any wine choices: we had grand-parenting duties later that night. The food was elegant, portioned correctly and severed perfectly. The server Anna has become our new best friend. This is a great choice for a special evening. We look forward to lunches and starting next month the weekend brunches. Salute!
JO
John-Michael Robinson
The service was good, except for resolving the bill. The presentation of the food was good. However, they failed to mention that their holiday menu included something from each section of the menu, and that I would be charged for something from each section whether I actually had anything or not. A bill that should have been $40.oo ended up being over $70.oo (for one meal), and the steak was not that good. It had an odd texture, like it had been frozen too many times or something. All of my complaints on the matter of the bill have been ignored. I think the true test of a business is how they handle problems, and Cento failed. The only reason they get one star is because the software will not let me give anything lower.
DA
David Ross
Absolutely delightful experience. Both appetizers recommended, tuna tartare and mussels with spicy Italian sausage, were delicious. Could be one of the best mussel dishes Ive ever had. We also has Tagliatelle Bolognese which was as close to perfection as possible. Pasta was al dente and perfect. We also had Chicken Parmesan and an excellent sangiovese wine which could have been just a few degrees cooler. Was at room temp. Im in the restaurant business and this place does things right! With my daughter being a sophomore, we look for to many more visits and Cento will unquestionably be our go to restaurant in Madison.
BR
Brianna Bennett
5 stars represents "loved it" and I truly did love my experience at Cento! Party of two on a Thursday night: we were greeted and seated right away, had exceptional service, and everything was delicious. Two appetizers and a pizza was our approach to a menu with the perfect amount of options + a post-dinner cocktail. Even though we went for a tapas approach to the evening, our server didnt lose interest. Im excited to bring friends for another dinner soon. *I saw a plug for their negroni cocktail on here and ordered it as well - so good!
KE
Kelsey Storm
Yesterday was my second visit to this beautifully modern Italian restaurant in Madison and I think it is safe to say it will not be my last! They were wonderfully accommodating to our group of 7 and even allowed us to stay well passed closing time for their brunch hour. Our waitresses were fantastic and also recommended some great things from the menu to try! I highly recommend the tagliatelle and chocolate cherry truffle cake, both were phenomenal!! Thank you so much for making my birthday such an awesome day!
JO
Jon Nichols II
Beautiful Italian cuisine, Italy-themed high end cocktails, and a warm and inviting staff combine to make this a great place for drinks, dinner or weekend brunch. They are another place specializing in pork, but most of it here is cured in some way... Prosciutto, fennel sausages... Youll find flavors of Italy everywhere, even in their brunch breakfast pizza (bright, delicious sausage).
NA
Nate Gold
Went to Cento with my wife for our 10 year wedding anniversary. Our waitress was excellent and very knowledgable. The food was great and moderately priced. The atmosphere was very upscale and nice. They even gave us both complimentary desserts because it was our anniversary. Very impressed. A great place to go before seeing a show at the Overture Center.
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Sasha Aranow
Amazing pasta and craft cocktails. Everything seems to be home made and incredibly decadent. I had the bucatini which was in a butter and herb sauce with mushrooms. I believe the pasta was fresh. It was a rich and satisfying meal. We also had cocktails and appetizers. The whole experience was lovely and the staff was friendly and caring.
HE
Helen Bengtson
Trendy, upscale atmosphere and good Italian cuisine. The butcher board was a highlight of the meal with finely sliced prosciutto, speck and soprasetta, Hooks aged cheddar and blue cheese. The pizza was alright, and included nice charred traditional edges. The service was friendly, although somewhat slow, but relaxed.
GA
Gabriel Valle
This place is absolutely beautiful, atmosphere is so elegant and modern, service is always good and they accommodate to the needs of the customer. Drinks are so good and the market drinks even better so creative. The food is delicous and carefully prepared the chef is pushing the restaurant in the right way.
BO
Bonnie Wood
Both the food and the service were wonderful. My husband enjoyed the venison but would love to return to try the rabbit. I had the steak au poivre and was pleased. Staff very attentive, water glasses refreshed regularly. Would return if in the area. We did have reservations, probably wise.
KA
Karen Jahns
My husband and I met some friends here for brunch on the weekend. They had a nice variety of items on the menu to choose from. I had Bucatini pasta dish which was very delicious. Everyone loved the meals they got. Would really like to come here for dinner sometime. Great Restaurant.
NA
Nathan Edwards
Had an awesome meal at Cento. Prices are quite reasonable for the amount of food. I definitely recommend getting antipasti and/or something from the bread and board menu along with your pasta or pizza. A nice middle ground between upscale and casual. Would go back in a heartbeat!
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RN Activist
Excellent, fancy yet casual date place or great after-Overture site! Small-ish servings of amazing food - which are actually normal human sized portions of gourmet fare, instead of the platter-sized portions of lesser quality found in many chain restaurants.
LA
Lauren Scranton
Went here on a Sunday night of a 3 day weekend. Dining room was full so we sat at a high top in the bar for dinner. Had fantastic food and service; we both had pasta, sauces were great, food was hot, large portions for the price. Would definitely come back!
