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Cento, Madison, WI

Cento

4.8
4.8
2429 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
Top Tags:

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Make a reservation

2 people
May 2022
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7:00 PM
Booked 58 times today

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Italian, Wine Bar, Pizzeria

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch
    Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm
    Dinner
    Mon–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
    Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (608) 284-9378

  • Website

    http://www.centomadison.com/

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Executive chef

    Chris Myers

  • Catering

    For catering inquiries, please contact Jordan Bright at jbright@foodfightinc.com.

  • Private party facilities

    At Cento, we pride ourselves on hosting spectacular private events. Whether you would like to entertain a select small group, or host a large reception throughout the entire restaurant, Cento offers a number of options suitable for any occasion. We tailor each event to suit your needs, and a dedicated staff will ensure that every detail of your event is attended to.

    Experience Cento from within the intimate atmosphere of our second dining room, which can accommodate up to 35 guests. Our second dining room is equipped with a private bar and is perfect for any occasion, whether it"s a business function or a celebration with family and friends, and is situated a few steps up from our main dining room. For larger groups, exclusive use of the restaurant can be arranged for both luncheon and dinner events, with the front lounge and bar as the perfect setting for a reception in advance of a seated event.

  • Private party contact

    Jordan Bright: (608) 284-9378

  • Location

    122 W. Mifflin St. Madison, WI 53703

  • Neighborhood

    Madison

  • Cross street

    Fairchild

  • Parking details

    Two public parking structures adjacent to Overture Center offer more than 1,400 parking spaces. Additional parking ramps can be found on State Street and the Capitol Square, and on-street metered parking is also available for short-term parking in the downtown area. www.cityofmadison.com/transportation/parking.cfm

  • Additional

    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,429 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Wisconsin

    Italian

  • Wisconsin

    Most Booked

  • Madison

    Best Overall

  • Madison

    Best Service

  • Madison

    Best Ambiance

  • Madison

    Best Value

  • Madison

    Fit for Foodies

  • Madison

    Healthy

  • Madison

    Notable Wine List

  • Madison

    Special Occasion

  • Madison

    Most Booked

Sort by

Filters

  1. JG

    JodiG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We had tickets at the Overture, so we thought we would give Cento a try. Our server, EMMA, was AMAZING! She was attentive, knowledgeable and had THE BEST smile. Food and drinks were good, but were a bit pricey for portion sizes. The restaurant was packed and was loud since tables were pretty close together. We will be back before another show at the Overture.

  2. f

    francesca

    Milwaukee

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We took our daughter for brunch before a matinee performance at the Overture. Excellent food and service! Beautiful decor and we will definitely return for a date night soon!

  3. v

    vepaw00

    Milwaukee

    9 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall4food4service5ambience4

    Highly recommend the Boozy Brunch on the weekend. Food and drinks were terrific.

  4. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Excellent brunch and excellent service.

  5. KM

    KarenM

    Milwaukee

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    This is our go-to spot when visiting Madison. We went during the busy graduation weekend and had great service and food.

  6. JD

    JayD

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    My wife and I wanted a reservation but originally none were available for our time slot. At the last minute one opened up so we canceled our table at an upscale American food restaurant and came here. It took no more than five minutes for us to realize we made the right move. I am a former chef and tend to be fussy about food and service. The sourdough bread and calamari were terrific starters. The Amori pasta and Duck entries were wonderful but the wild mushroom side was out of this world. Jensen was our server and terrific. We are already discussing our next trip. WOW. I strongly recommend Cento (and their mushrooms).

  7. JM

    JosephM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Extremely nice staff Accommodated a change in our seating needs. Good recommendations about the menu itemd

  8. z

    zarndt

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Amazing food and location. Service was excellent, and the roasted chicken entree is one of the best things I’ve eaten in Madison.

  9. S

    Sascott

    Naples

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We especially recommend the salmon followed by the Nettle Cake.

  10. n

    none

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 10, 2022

    overall5food5service3ambience4

    Always high quality, and great food. I always enjoy it.

  11. L

    Lisa

    Minneapolis

    47 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience5

    We had early evening reservations, so it was quiet. I ordered the linguini alla vongole, my favorite go-to Italian dish. It had an amazing flavor profile, the clams were so fresh and the noodles were had a creamy texture. I would hands down eat this dish again; everyone should. My husband got the Porcini Pappardelle and loved it. He got a gelato dessert with espresso poured over it and said there were so many strong flavors. He enjoyed it. The server could’ve been a little more welcoming, but other than that, I would definitely return and recommend to others. Our bill was about $130, four drinks, an appetizer, two entrees and dessert; pretty great value.

  12. QO

    QueenOfStaffining

    Chicago

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    I was very impressed with the ambiance and even more impressed with the level of customer service we received! The entire team was very nice and welcoming but our waiter Will specifically stood out with the kind of care we received from him! He knew everything on the menu, he was fast and very accomodating, this old school service is very rare these days! He found a vase for my mother's day flowers, he let me taste my wine, he was just wonderful!

  13. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 9, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    4 different meals. All 4 were fantastic!

  14. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Mother’s Day

  15. TC

    TonyC

    Milwaukee

    40 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We had a wonderful Mother's Day brunch. Services was excellent even though it was a busy day. The food was very good as well.

  16. MS

    MarthaS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 7, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The food and the service was wonderful. Great atmosphere as well. Will definitely be back to try different things on the menu.

  17. b

    brookevang

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2022

    overall3food2service3ambience2

    The portions were nice, but the food that my friend and I got were bland, but the steaks that our boyfriends got were very good, very well seasoned, but ours were really oily and bland. Maybe we made a bad decision but it was okay, not extraordinary. Our waitress Kyra was funny because she asked us how we were doing when we first sat down, and she gave us a few minutes to look over the menu then came back over and asked us again, nothing bad just funny, to me. Kyra answered all the questions we had about the menu and went into detail about every item we asked about.

  18. W

    Wendy

    Milwaukee

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Group of 3 couples (6), sat at booth which made conversation easier than at table. Excellent food and service as usual.

  19. DJ

    DJSmooch

    New England

    19 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on May 3, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Great service. Lamb Meatballs were large tasty and moist. The duck salad was a nice change from the traditional poultry of grilled chicken on a salad

  20. d

    dkt78

    Tampa

    15 reviews

    4.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2022

    overall4food5service3ambience5

    Ambience and food was excellent. Server was very knowledgeable and attentive. Biggest issue we found when getting the bill we ordered 3 $9 glasses of wine charged $18 a glass. Said nothing since we drank it, but, no happy about it.

  21. ED

    EveD

    Milwaukee

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience4

    Cento did an outstanding job accommodating a large crowd after the opera. The service was prompt and the food delicious.

  22. MB

    MartinB

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2022

    overall4food3service5ambience4

    Hot items cooled down quite a bit before being brought to the table.

  23. a

    alex

    Milwaukee

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2022

    overall3food4service2ambience2

    Pros: Food was pretty tasty. Service was just okay. Negatives: Portion sizes were random/bad. My steak + eggs barely had any potatoes, but my partners burger had loads more. Drinks took longer than expected, one drink tasted mostly like cough syrup. The pastry they delivered to our table was stale and hard. The coffee is supposed to be high grade but it tastes like it was sitting for too long or incorrectly brewed. Overall the place is just way too loud. Add in the fact that the service is running around tending to the tables makes the place feel more like a gym than a fancy restaurant. Nobody could really hear anything anybody was saying at the table and for that reason I will not be back with guests.

  24. RM

    RobinM

    Tampa

    6 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2022

    overall2food2service1ambience4

    I was so excited to try Cento! But sorry we did! Our reservation was for 12:30, we arrived 12:15. We were seated quickly. However our server was MIA for 10 minutes! We had to flag someone down. Then it took her another 15 minutes to come back to take our drink order. Once ordered, we waited for almost an hour to be served our food. The pancakes my daughter ordered were burnt and had to be sent back. We tired to order another drink and had to do so by going to the bartender. Finally at around 2pm we flagged down the bartender again so we could pay our bill. What should have been no longer than a 45 minuets, we were there 2 hrs!

  25. TT

    TimT

    Milwaukee

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience4

    We dined here for my wife's birthday. Cocktails were great as were our meals.

  26. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Minneapolis

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 30, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great brunch with lots of drink & food options. Even gluten and dairy free options!

  27. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Milwaukee

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Companion and I enjoyed the special menu items benefiting Second Harvest.

  28. MM

    MaeMae

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Plenty of well trained friendly staff to keep up with a busy preshow Friday night dinner crowd. The server took a moment to ask about our plans for the evening and showtime so that she would be aware of any time constraints . The food was excellent and presentation very well timed. Perfect dining experience for show night at the Overture Center or as any other occasion.

  29. L

    Lela

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 28, 2022

    overall3food3service5ambience4

    Overture show

  30. JB

    JB123

    Chicago

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We dined at Cento prior to attending a play at the Overture Center, very convenient. Our waiter was friendly, engaging, had a great sense of humor and was very helpful in describing the dishes so we made informed choices. Added to our experience. The food was excellent, had ample servings and nicely presented. Cento is a gorgeous space, nicely appointed with sufficient privacy -- well done. Dinner was the highlight of the evening -- the play not-so-much.

  31. S

    Sascott

    Naples

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 27, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Delicious food and attentive service in a beautiful atmosphere.

  32. CR

    ConnorR

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 27, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience5

    Had a great first date here, staff was friendly and it was a very nice vibe

  33. BE

    BobbieE

    New Mexico

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 27, 2022

    overall2food1service5ambience5

    Ambience & service was excellent. Food quality and taste was not good.

  34. CK

    ChrisK

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 26, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Everything was outstanding and nice to have a dinner that was very enjoyable. They could use some sound baffles on their ceiling ‘cuz it was tough to carry on a conversation.

  35. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 25, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great service. Pasta, risotto & ice cream sandwich were all great with great service to match.

  36. ID

    IsabelleD

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Both the service and the food were fantastic! Every time I visit Cento the service and the menu never fail to amaze me. It is a must see in Madison!

  37. MH

    MargeH

    Milwaukee

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 24, 2022

    overall4food2service5ambience3

    Had foie gras French toast. Had to search for the tiny bits of foie gras. Incredibly loud. Excellent service.

  38. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Our waiter Nick was charming and helpful with great recommendations. Everything was delicious. We had a great night

  39. JH

    JillH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 24, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    Very cool ambiance, amazing appetizers. Pasta was just ok for me , however my daughter loved it. Our waiter , I think his name was Nick, was adorable and was wonderful!!!

  40. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 22, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Great job to Allison

FAQs

Cento offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (608) 284-9378.

Cento is rated 4.8 stars by 2429 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
May 2022
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
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17
18
19
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31
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11
7:00 PM
Booked 58 times today
Google Map for Cento

122 W. Mifflin St. Madison, WI 53703

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Fairchild

  • Neighborhood

    Madison

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch
    Sat, Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm
    Dinner
    Mon–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
    Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    Italian, Wine Bar, Pizzeria

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Parking details

    Two public parking structures adjacent to Overture Center offer more than 1,400 parking spaces. Additional parking ramps can be found on State Street and the Capitol Square, and on-street metered parking is also available for short-term parking in the downtown area. www.cityofmadison.com/transportation/parking.cfm

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Chris Myers

  • Additional

    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Website

    http://www.centomadison.com/

  • Phone number

    (608) 284-9378

  • Catering

    For catering inquiries, please contact Jordan Bright at jbright@foodfightinc.com.

  • Private party facilities

    At Cento, we pride ourselves on hosting spectacular private events. Whether you would like to entertain a select small group, or host a large reception throughout the entire restaurant, Cento offers a number of options suitable for any occasion. We tailor each event to suit your needs, and a dedicated staff will ensure that every detail of your event is attended to.

    Experience Cento from within the intimate atmosphere of our second dining room, which can accommodate up to 35 guests. Our second dining room is equipped with a private bar and is perfect for any occasion, whether it"s a business function or a celebration with family and friends, and is situated a few steps up from our main dining room. For larger groups, exclusive use of the restaurant can be arranged for both luncheon and dinner events, with the front lounge and bar as the perfect setting for a reception in advance of a seated event.

  • Private party contact

    Jordan Bright: (608) 284-9378

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