Cento

I was so happy about displace. The quality of the steak was amazing. I would definitely come back for the sake.. all the passes were great hit. Great environment I saw a lot of people having date over here which I think it’s a great idea.

Cento is the go-to for elevated, classy, quality pasta in Madison 🍝 🥂 I love the creste di gallo—tomatoes and spinach bursting with flavor balanced with crumbles of spicy sausage create a light, savory sauce. The pasta is always cooked to the perfect bite. Their butcher board is to die for—the seasonal mixes of sweet and savory bites are masterfully arranged. Cocktails are complex, creative, and thoughtful. To top it off, the servers are knowledgeable, professional, and so kind. I will always come here to celebrate a special occasion—I especially adore the vibes in the winter ✨❄️

Had a group of friends and made a reservation long in advance. Definitely need to make reservations as this place gets busy . We were quickly greeted and taken to our table which was located close to the kitchen . Our server was excellent . She did a truly great job explaining the menu and recommended several small plates appetizers to share . Service was truly great . Drinks and cocktails were all well prepared . We got a combination of multiple appetizers and several main dishes . Classic meatballs with a spicy marinara sauce were good and sauce had that desired spicy touch to it . Smoked tomato arancini with onion jam were okay . I was hoping for a bit better flavor punch having been to Sicily a few times . Fried artichokes with a lemon aioli for me fell short and was not my favorite of the various appetizers we got . Main dishes were served for the table all at the same time after the first starters were all finished . I appreciated that our server had timed everything so nicely with the kitchen . I only took two photos of the Main dishes as we started eating them . Gnocchi al tartufo was good fluffy gnocchi with a heavier sauce that included peas and mushrooms. The crispy Parmesan was a good touch - Okay dish . Also tried the ravioli di Drago . The sauce was a walnut crema base that was something I hadn’t tried before and I really enjoyed it . We also got the chicken Parmesan which looked big portion and allot of food . A very good selection of small plates and main courses along with great cocktails and super service . It was also nice to see they offer gluten free pasta and pizza ( it we did not try any this time ) Our main complaint and especially for me , was the noise level was very high . It was almost impossible to carry on a conversation and often hard to hear what the people next to me were saying . I understand the open concept and popular with younger people approach , but it was a bit too overwhelming for my personal preference. I would come back for the good service and food but I would try to return on a week night when it is less noisy .

I was highly impressed by Cento! Walked in without a resevation, and we were able to get seated faster than our wait time. Our table location wasn't ideal as it was by the front door and in a high traffic area, but we were happy to have been seated quickly on a busy Saturday night. Our server, Ella, made the experience great. She was very kind, gave plenty of suggestions, explained the dishes, and checked on us regularly. Amazing service! Drinks were tasty and the pasta was full of flavor. Would recommend!

Was visiting Madison for the day and made reservations at Cento. The food was amazing! Everything we had was a 10/10 in my opinion. We wanted to try the ravioli and the gnocchi so they split the dishes for us which was great! Tiramisu for dessert - can’t go wrong. Plenty of seating, happy hour during the week, and street parking. Highly recommend.

My husband and I had a great brunch here. Our server, Tina was fantastic. We had the frittata and biscuits and gravy for our entrees (pictured). Both were delicious! The lemon dressing with the prosciutto on the arugula salad with the frittata were incredible; tangy and flavorful. My husband loved his biscuits and gravy; I had some too; very flavorful and yummy. Brunch cocktails; must try the lemon capri. And the dessert was fantastic.

Cento has always been a favorite of ours since they opened. We celebrated our special occasion with 2 other couples by reserving the Chef's table. What a great experience! Chef designed special menu for the table. Food was spectacular. Service was great. Atmosphere was challenging for a few at the table as it was extremely loud and we had a really difficult time hearing people talk. Overall, it was fantastic.

Had a great meal at Cento! Our waiter, Prasad, took great care of us, making awesome suggestions about the menu and the amount of food we were ordering. They make their own shrub to add to cocktails, which were all sublime. My favorite dish was the seared scallops! Will definitely be back.

Our waiter Robby was the best! He recommend a delicious wine - very impressed! He was very quick and polite. He never let our water glasses get empty! Food was very good I recommend the chicken Parm. I had the Tagliatelle, very good but I think I would get something else next time. We also got the Squash Agnolotti which was very tasty. The Tiramisu was THE BESTTTT and it came with hazelnut gelato on top! It felt very high end in there. Perfect for a date night spot!

So disappointed as I've always like this place and make a point to go to it a few times a year but now after several bad encounters of customer service it's just not a place I want to invest my time/money, makes me question the entire food fight brand. Incident one... put our name on a waitlist for brunch, told 45 minutes. Over an hour passed no communication on our status of our table - got the text we were on the list so I know they had our number. Went somewhere else. Incident two: made reservation a month prior to our dinner before our monthly trip to the symphony only to show up and find that it was closed due to renovations. After further investigation it appears that I received an email the Tuesday before a Saturday reservation just that it was cancelled. The email didn't state any reason why just that it had been cancelled and was very generic like they just cancelled and let the third party system send the generic cancelation email. Innident two continued: I reached out personally to see what was going on and why and how this happened as renovations seem very unlikely just to close for a week out of the blue. Was it a failed health inspection, bad plumbing issue, just a general refresh... never got a response and was forced to scramble to find something to eat with less than two hours before the show. Poor customer service, poor communication, poor planning, poor execution.

Made a 5:45pm reservation before going to a 7pm show at the Orpheum. The host got us seated promptly. We ordered the arincini which was interesting. I didn't realize it would have a strong generic barbecue flavor. Aside from that it tasted good. We waited quite a bit for our entree to come out. It finally came out at 6:40 so we were very limited on time. We asked our waitress to put a dessert in right away as we were running late and she was able to do that for us. For the entree, I got the Mafalda which was cooked well but a little bland or underseasoned. I felt like a little more cheese would've helped or even just salt. For dessert we got the tiramisu which was so good, Overall, there was a lot of good but also things that could be improved.

I dined in on a weekend and had a late brunch, also called lunch. I went for a breakfast pizza. It was a nice twist on regular pizza. Toppings was all had good flavor. Having a poached egg on top was a good touch. The pizza was a lot to eat. I would say it would be enough for 2 people. I went at about 1 pm. I had a reservation, but at that time walk in would have been fine. Restaurant was spacious with tall cielings. Seats were properly spread with enough space in between.

Cento is an upscale/modern Italian restaurant right off of the capital square in Madison. Their menu is mostly meat based but I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious their vegetarian and gluten free options were. Our server was excellent and super helpful with my dietary restrictions/gave me really good suggestions on what to order because of that. The fried artichokes were surprisingly gluten-free and had a fish and chips vibe thanks to their super tasty lemon aioli. The pizza was wonderful and the gluten free crust was similar to a tavern style/thin crust pizza. The mushroom gnocchi dish with the gluten free noodles was homey and warm and so delicious. Overall it was so so tasty and I can't wait to return to try more of their wonderful options.

I'm unfortunately a bit shocked by the good reviews.. Maybe people are being deceived by the nice ambiance and high prices?? I came in with a group of 6 for dinner, and I was immediately impressed by their service and pleasant interior. When the food came, I was sadly disenchanted: - bacon-wrapped dates (3/10): the wrapped dates themselves were pretty good-- chewy, sweet dates wrapped in a salty strip of bacon-- pretty much what one might expect of a bacon-wrapped date. HOWEVER the sauce it came in, I'm not sure what it was, I was guessing tomato but when I tasted it it was giving something much more bitter, like a pepper. Ideally, peppers should be cooked down or roasted before being put into a sauce to give it all the sweet notes of the pepper without any of the bitterness of the skin. Spoiler alert: I don't think this place did that... - arancini (2/10): arancini kind of fell apart as you'd bite into it, but I can get past the structural integrity if the arancini is good. I'm not sure what was on the onion topping but it tasted STRONGLY of BBQ sauce which is a strange taste to pair with arancini to say the least (and when I say strong, it literally made me cough when I first bit into it). Ultimately, would not get again, but the cheese and rice part wasn't inedible - bucatini with meatballs (4/10): man... i just wanted a classic spaghetti and meatballs dish but why you gotta go and try to fancify it :/ the bucatini was so al dente it was practically undercooked and difficult to eat, the meatballs themselves had pretty good flavor, but were a bit dry and had a crust to them since the outside was so overcooked. this dish was basic, verging heavily into "bad" territory-- honestly insane that they're charging $24 for this As for other food, my table got the porcini papardelle, gnocchi al pesto, baked salmon, bucatini alla carbonara, and creste di gallo-- I'm not gonna give them a numerical rating since I only tried a bite of some of them, but I can say, from what I tried, the porcini papardelle and bucatini alla carbonara had absolutely NO FLAVOR AT ALL (how is that even possible with a carbonara idk) would probably give those a 1-2/10-- the only thing worth getting was the gnocchi al pesto which was actually delicious Overall, wouldn't come back here, and would recommend others not go back as well. If you have to go, get the gnocchi al pesto, it was the only thing I'd rate above a 5/10

The staff here was super nice & the vibes were immaculate. I ordered gluten-free pasta and it was really good. I went before a comedy show so didn't spend too much time inside. Great for a girls night!

First time coming here and don't regret it. I was in town for the weekend and this happened to be the place we decided on for dinner. We walked in and luckily they were able to squeeze us in. I worked for sure make reservations in advance. They were able to let us have a table but be done by 730. Which by then it was only 545 so we had time. Seems to me like fancy dining. We ended up ordering the a couple of drinks. We ordered the Fiore and raspberry bramble. Both were very good. Entree wise, I ordered the porcini pappardelle and my cousin ordered the chicken Parmesan. Everything was so so delicious. We also ordered the rustic ciabatta bread with butter and olive oil. Ill have to come back to try others on the menu.

〰 Fried calamari was really good and tasty. 〰 Mushroom risotto was also really tasty and very filling. 〰 Bucatini alla carbonara was flavorless. I had to put a lot of cheese to at least have some sort of flavor. 〰 Espresso shot was absolutely TERRIBLE. It tasted like sour jet fuel. It felt like they gave us a stale, reheated old shot. The cup also had no handle which was baffling considering the cup was very hot. Honestly ridiculous. Without a doubt the WORST coffee I've ever had, not even exaggerating and not even close.

I've had a great time both times I've been to Cento. This last time we had a work holiday party. Great service. Good ambience, a very romantic place to take a partner as well. Amazing food, if you haven't tried the bacon wrapped dates you should they're quite delicious. For appetizers we had warm marinated olives, chef selected premium cured and cold cut meats, a plate of Wisconsin and Italian cheese, various nuts. Course one: A mixed green salad, spec, goat cheese, apple, fig, candied walnut, with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Absolutely delicious light flavors. Course two consist of pasta: Rigatoni alla carbonara: cracked black pepper, pancetta, parmesan, and poached egg. Delicious with rich flavors. Tagliatelle : ragu alla bolognese, ricotta, and parmesan. Tasty and rich Course three: Ney's Prime rib Tenderloin: celeriac puree, broccolini, sunchoke chips, barolo demi. Very juicy flavorful tenderloin. The broccolini the purée and the Sun chokes all went really well with the dish. I would definitely order this again. Brick Chicken: arugula, fennel, salsa Verde, citrus. If you like fennel, this is a delicious dish. The chicken was cooked to perfection. Sides: Grilled broccolini: topped with lemon anchovy vinaigrette and Parmesan. One of my favorite things of the entire evening next to the prime rib tenderloins. Crispy Fingerling Potatoes baked and dressed with herbs Dolce: Chocolate, stout cake macerated blueberry with vanilla gelato. I would not mix this blueberry and chocolate stout cake. The cake was very soft, The food and drink service was great. I did have difficulty getting water for the last hour.

We had bacon wrapped dates, pesto gnocchi, and the Italian sausage broccoli pizza. The pesto gnocchi was good, but everything else was not. Food rating was a 2. Service was good. It definitely should not be anywhere near the top of your list for restaurants to try. The menu also isn't super desirable. I've been twice recently and I'm always struggling to pick something that looks good. Very very mediocre

My first time dining at Cento was definitely memorable. To start, we ordered a Butcher Board. The presentation was amazing, and we could even see someone carving the meats and cheeses before they were brought to us. The soppresata and Hook's cheddar were my favorite selections from the board. To eat, I got the tagliatelle and crispy fingerling potatoes. I think the tagliatelle was great, but could have used more acidic flavors and a creamier ricotta. The fingerling potatoes were deliciously simple, flavored with parsley. The restaurant itself I found very loud, but I suppose that just means it's busy! Worth a try!

Hit all the right notes! Biscuits & gravy at a whole new level, light fluffy & amazing! Crab cakes had a nice texture & great flavors, egg was perfect! Salmon melt in your mouth, fresh as a daisy.. delightful! Potatoes crispy outer layer & light & fluffy inside! Great staff & booths nicely designed for a private feeling in a busy space. Chefs kiss!

Absolutely amazing! I was traveling here for a work conference and I'm so glad I stopped in on my last night here. The Tagliatelle was INCREDIBLE- the dish came out quickly with hot noodles and sauce with cold ricotta on top. It was delicious. I would come back to Wisconsin just to have this pasta again.

I was so hungry and the food was so good, I forgot to snap a picture until the dessert was gone haha. I had the seafood scampi and it was soooooo good, as were the drinks. Our waiter was great and friendly. Recommend a reservation, the place was PACKED. But understandable with how fun the ambiance was and how good the food was. We went to celebrate a friend getting engaged and got this massive dessert board with gelato that was delish

Food: 4 Service: 2 We have done dinner here before and liked it, but we went for brunch for my teen's birthday which came highly recommended and we were disappointed. The food was good enough and the boozy brunch is a cool option. Came with a cannoli, cocktails, coffee or tea and entree. However our server was so inattentive it soured the experience. While working our section, she would march to one of her tables at a time and not even glance at the others 3 feet away. No eye contact. No "everything ok here?" This one-at-a-time approach to her tables meant you maybe got her every 30 minutes and I had to practically jump in front of her into the aisle to ask for our check at the 90 minute mark. She knocked the price of a cocktail off because I finally said something. It's a tough job so I hate to ding people for service but this was exceptionally bad.

Yum! Came for the $35 boozy brunch! It's a pretty dang good deal: you get pastry, entree, 2 cocktails, unlimited coffee or tea! And the unlimited coffee includes lattes! Only gripe is the brunch advertised a "pastry basket", when really they only give you one pastry. We got these morning bun type cinnamon croissant things for the pastry, it came with a little blueberry compote on the side. So decadent and sugary and delicious. For brunch, we got the rigatoni alla carbonara and breakfast burger. Burger was delicious! I did ask for it done medium and it came well done. The rigatoni was a very solid pasta dish, pretty scrumptious. The unlimited lattes was a real showstopper those things are like 6 bucks each nowadays!! For drinks, we tried the: Fairchild fizz - light fruity, definitely one for an aperol spritz lover Italiana 87 - herby and fresh Black Coffee Manhattan - BOOZY breakfast Negroni - sweet and boozy It's a fancier place, service was great! We went at 10am on a Sunday and were the first people there, but things definitely got bustlin come 11AM.

Kitchen needs to step it up. We have always enjoyed eating at Cento -- and last night the appetizers and cocktails were great -- and the atmosphere always works well for an enjoyable evening. BUT we had several problems last night. We asked for the server to spread out our meal into three separate courses, and yet the second and third course came out at the same time. Our pasta was cold, unfortunately, and the side of broccolini was underdone and very tough. The woman running the front of the house was nice enough to give us a small gift certificate for our next meal -- but more importantly, they need to work with the kitchen to produce the kind of quality and service we used to expect from them.

Went to Cento tonight. Good but not dream about food. Well prepared, but we had nothing I feel obsessed with returning for.... The service was excellent. My favorite item we tried was the Burrata with figs.

We went for the $35 brunch. You get way more than what you pay for. We often get brunch on Sundays and I'd say the biscuits and gravy are my favorite in Madison so far. The cookie/brownie sandwich was off the menu but very very delicious (my wife knew a staff member). Cocktails were all very good. One of our favorite places all around!

Another excellent experience at Cento. Ordered the gnocchi and it was out of this world. Great flavor. Very filling and nice presentation. Husband ordered the duck and he loved it. As an appetizer we ordered the bacon wrapped dates...these were the best! I absolutely loved them and would recommend to anyone coming to get these. You won't be disappointed. Cocktails are always good. Everyone loves a good craft cocktail.

During our visit to Wisconsin for a local conference, my lady and I chose to dine at Cento. We were originally set to have dinner with some colleagues, but their plane was delayed a lot, so we decided to push on without them. Unfortunately, the delay caused us to be delayed to our reservation by 30 minutes, arriving at 9pm; for reference, Cento closes at 9pm. Regardless of this incident, the hostess was kind enough to seat us since the kitchen was still accepting orders from other guests. Cento is a very cozy, intimate restaurant with a great contemporary interior. Everything about them, from their kitchen to the decorations screamed casual luxury. Their menus were printed it on thick textured paper, which gave that premium feel to it. Our waiter came to our table not too long after we sat down. He introduced himself and got our drinks. I got a 2021 Ancien "Le Petit Elevage" from Sonoma, CA, and my lady stuck with good old water. My drink came and our waiter then took our orders. We got the ahi tartare as an appetizer, lobster scampi (minus the horseradish breadcrumbs) for my lady, cavatelli for me, roasted carrots for the table. Our food started arriving not too long after we ordered, primarily because we were one of the last tables that ordered. The ahi tartare came first; it had pleasantly balanced proportions of avocado and citrus to offset the fishiness of the tuna, which were all scooped onto sunchoke chips for immediate consumption. Great start. Our main course came right after I put the last chip into my mouth. The cavatelli had a very Mediterranean aesthetic to it; the rich spices mixed together with minced lamb, chickpea, and housemade cavatelli pasta were most definitely an adventure for the taste buds. My girl reported that her lobster scampi was "delicious, straightforward, and fresh". She was delighted seeing the squid ink pasta, her first time having it. The roasted carrots that were also ordered were pretty good, with the lemon crema, lemon, and balsamic dressing pairing well with the roasted flavors of the carrots. We had a very positive experience overall with Cento. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating despite our very late arrival (sorry, again), the food was fantastic, and the ambiance was great. We saw one of the chefs even wrapping unused pasta dough in cellophane wrap and labeling it, which was a nice touch to the dedication to safety and transparency. When it came to the price, we were kind of biased since we are from California, where everything was expensive. The final price did not seem bad for us at all, considering everything that we ordered. So from a Californian standpoint, the price for everything was superb, cheaper than our home state. How the final price was for locals, however, is a different story that we could not tell you. What we can tell you, however, is that Cento will be highly recommended and revisited every year we come back to the conference!

My partner and I have been here a few times, and every time it's always an incredible experience!! I highly recommend to stop in for brunch or a happy hour! However, make sure you reserve ahead of time, as if not, there is guaranteed to be a wait... Starting with the service, always quick and very kind. Definitely 5 star service! The ambiance is quite formal, it's a great for a night out on the town! When coming here I always enjoy choosing something I can't make at home. This past time we got the squash and ricotta pizza. And it was absolutely incredible! Be sure to stop in for happy hour too, half price off some drinks! I can't wait to stop back!

It was such an elegant environment and the food was delicious!! There were three of us and we ordered two wood fired pizzas and we have leftovers!

Delicious meal and great service. We had a wonderful time. The restaurant is modern and airy. Lovely evening out.

Cento has become one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I ordered the Tagliatelle (ragù alla bolognese, ricotta, parmesan), side salad and to drink I had Aperol Spritz (Aperol, seltzer, prosecco. Served over ice with an orange peel). I have officially given up cheese but I dream about the Tagliatelle quite often. The salad was fresh and the Aperol Srotiz was very refreshing. The service was great! The only thing you really have to worry about is parking but luckly I found close parking. I beleive they have one of the best happy hours in the city.

The service was top notch, the ambience beautiful, the food so presentable and delicious. We were on a road trip when we stopped by here so were dressed very comfortably but most of the people there were dressed up, many on dates. We had the Arancini and Black Tagliatelle. Both were delicious and quite a good size for the two of us and our three year old. We were feeling good and full at the end, although we weren't looking to stuff ourselves since we still had a long drive ahead. The waiter was friendly and professional, checked up on us just enough. The tables were pretty close together and it made me a little uncomfortable since covid was still perceived as a threat then and it was packed. I will definitely return next time if we get a chance to try some other things.

This is one of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at. The flavor of the food was amazing! The service was excellent.

A delight having dinner here! Starter list is excellent... loved trying the octopus, meatballs and the bread. Don't skip the bread and butter. The octopus was nicely cooked, and I was surprised that it had a ton of chorizo too. I personally like my octopus dishes a bit lighter, but this one was meaty and savory. Good but not what I'm used to. I thought the pastas were a great value... pretty big portions for the price. I got the lobster scampi which came with a TON of lobster on it (mostly claw) and was $26 I believe. I had some leftovers and ate them for breakfast the next day. Pretty much wanted the next hungry opportunity to experience that dish again haha. I tried the other two pastas and really enjoyed them both (risotto and tagliatelle). The mushroom pizza is wood fired and nothing too exciting... wouldn't order that again. We also shared an unbelievable bottle of Tuscan wine. It was the 2021 montepeloso red blend which had deep dark fruit flavors, but was super smooth with a dry finish. We went searching for it the next day at a wine store. They only had 2019 and 2020... I'm on the hunt for 2021! Service was good... and we got to bring our dog out on the patio. It was good weather and temps. Would definitely come back and dine on the patio again, or sit inside next time as it's a bit more vibey / upscale in there.

we came on a thurs night for my friend's farewell dinner! tbh the food wasn't that great at the price point. if it was a bit cheaper i would be more willing to come back. we got the burrata and fig to share, which was good but i was disappointed that it didn't come with bread to spread over. i got the mafalda as my entree which was really lacking in the sauce and the ratio of pasta to asparagus/short rib was kinda off. the chicken parm is a staple, tastes like any other chicken parm. the burger was alright, didn't really blow my mind. i thought the pesto gnocchi was the best - the gnocchi was wide and dense and the cheese in the middle was a great touch. initially we thought the portion size of the gnocchi was lacking but it ended up being the perfect amount. the service was fine, our server seemed kinda irritated with us when we first got there though? the ambiance inside feels classier and more upscale

Excellent haply hour! Excellent service, really pretty interior. Cocktails were good and the pizza has some good color to it.

Came here in Valentines Day and had their prefix menu. Probably some of the best food I've had in Madison. Service was great on such a busy night and the atmosphere was nice and formal. Will definitely come back here again. I wish I had come here sooner

I've been to Cento twice, and both times had a good experience. The ambiance is beautiful and service is great. The food is very good but there have been some misses for me. The flavors of some dishes are very complex, sometimes a little too complex where it feels like they're using too many flavors and elements that just don't end up going well together. I would definitely like to come back and try some of their classic dishes such as the bolognese or carbonara.

Unbelievable, just unbelievable. How have I never reviewed Cento before?? The best brunch spot downtown, the best espresso cocktail ever, the best location and place to eat before a show. Y'all, I am flabbergasted. I've been here so many times that you don't need to look any further cuz ima tell you what to get right now. Brunch- again I told you this place is the BEST for brunch. They have a $30 deal, might be more now but it includes 2 drinks, coffee or tea, pastries, and and entree!! Their lemon capri is the best possible cocktail. It sounds weird with lemon cello and coffee but goes so well. You can ask them to make it at dinner and they'll just check to make sure they have the right ingredients. But what to order for food? The breakfast pizza, tagaletelle, or the baked eggs are DEVINE. You can't go wrong and you won't be sorry. Dinner- gnocchi, octopus app, artichoke app, or scallops. That is all, done. Sign, sealed, delivered. Enjoy the experience, it's upscale but still approachable and the staff is usually really busy but friendly and the vibe makes it worth it to stay even longer if the drinks don't first. Happy brunching!

I called the restaurant to inquire about a reservation before I went and they told me that they were booked up but they had an area of tables for walk ins and that several were empty. Sure enough when I arrived they had several pub tables available in the bar or the outside patio. It was a great night so I opted for the patio which really is the sidewalk but it was a great place to sit and have dinner and I highly recommend it. Quick server got my drink order along with an order of sourdough bread. The bread was fresh and the perfect size for dipping into the softened butter. Next was an order of chicken parm which was huge. Good crust on the tender chicken sitting on a bed of pasta and the sauce which can make or break the dinner, totally made it. The food, the service, and the atmosphere were all excellent. I can't wait to come back.

We came here for my husbands 37th birthday and everything was amazing! Max was our server and he took great care of us and so did the chefs! The beef Wellington was insanely tender with a perfect crust and everything else was also fantastic!!

When we visit Madison twice a year we always have dinner here. We arrived at 5:25 for 5:30 reservations yesterday, 9/4, noting we were celebrating a birthday. The hostess Ms A walked us over to a small 2 top table, in the main dining room that was totally EMPTY! This was very off-putting and we requested one of the booths by the window that was already set up for 2 diners. After a few minutes, she sat us at one of those tables. Our server Calvin was great and was quite helpful in helping us choose the wine and food. We enjoyed our entrees though I think it would be nice if one small piece of bread accompanied the dish. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the birthday (which was especially significant this year as my wife is presently under care for breast cancer). This was disappointing and at this point we will be rethinking our Italian restaurant choice.

Cento has a great atmosphere, delicious food, and makes for a fun dinner out in the heart of Madison.

I'd never been to Cento until a few of my culinary friends recommended it- so off we went for my birthday in January. The atmosphere is beautiful, and the open kitchen lends such a delicate dance to the restaurant. Our server was kind, helpful, and gave us drinks right away. He did seem occupied, as it was a full dining room at the time. I ordered some wine to go with my short rib pasta. I absolutely loved the flavor; however, the pasta wasn't salted when it was boiled, nor was the sauce and beef. It would've been perfect with some salt and pepper. For dessert, Cento was very generous and gave me a free dessert, which I ordered as a tiramisu. This was so rich and indulgent and full of coffee. Loved every bite. I'd come back again to try something different for second course.

I was always a little hesitant thinking it might be overrated but we decided to try it out. Hostess and waiter and all the staff were amazing. The drinks were all good and the food was all delightful. Best gnocchi I ever had and the bolegnese and duck were both a fantastic dish as well. One of our new favorite restaurants in Madison area.

Cento does just about everything right - great ambience, delicious food, and excellent service. For appetizers, I recommend the brussels sprouts, grilled octopus, and Burrata salad. I went with the roasted duck for entrée and it was great. The duck was cooked to a perfect medium and the meat was tender and succulent. For dessert, we tried the ice-cream sandwich, tiramisu, and panna cotta and they were all lovely. Overall, it was a great dining experience and I would highly recommend Cento to anyone.

I've been to Cento numerous times, with varying levels of success. I was recently there on a Saturday at 12:30. After being shown to our table, I pulled out my chair, which had some greasy arugula leaves on it, and I waited to flag someone down to wipe it off. He did, with a nice wet rag. I then dried my chair myself with my napkin before sitting down. Our server arrived promptly and she took our order. We then waited a really long time for our food to arrive, but noticed two tables next to us, (both had arrived after us) had their food delivered before us. Our server walked by our table (in the center of the room) one time and that was the last time we saw her. Another server finally brought our pasta dishes. Mine was delicious, the tagliatelle. My daughter, after a few bites, stopped eating. The carbonara, which she has always loved, was piping hot, and not in a good way. It started to separate, extremely oily and incredibly salty. Our original server never came back. No one refilled our water or even asked if we needed anything. Sadly, when a mans jacket at a booth near us, fell on the floor, I watched while every single server walking by, the manager, and even the server for the man's table, did not tell him his jacket was on the floor, or bother to pick it up. They all simply stepped around the jacket, as if it wasn't there. It was disappointing to witness the lack of common sense, but it seemed a perfect commentary on the level of disregard for good service. When explaining to the manager the issues with the carbonara and the service, he explained how short staffed they were, but removed the charge for the uneatable carbonara. It's very loud in Cento, so if talking is high priority, be aware. On the other hand, while it's difficult to get a table, last minute, at certain other restaurants, there is always a table to be had at Cento. It would be nice to count on it as a decent alternative for last minute dining, but sadly, it has let me down for the last time.

Atmosphere (5/5): It's really nice. In particular, as the sun goes down, the lightings inside the building made the moods in the restaurant more romantic. Service (4/5): There were servers in charge of certain tables. It was a little hard to say they were very professional, however, the customer service was very friendly. Food (4.5/5): Overall, all food was good, especially the pasta was really impressive. However, I felt that the seasoning of the octopus was a little bland compared to the very soft texture, and for dessert, I recommend tiramisu rather than celebration cake. Price: $55 per person (including tips)

Lovely experience. Brick Chicken was fantastic. Service was great. Pretty interior and can't beat the location either!

The Kale Caesar is perfection! I had to go back and have it twice in one weekend!The margherita pizza is also fabulous! We tried the calamari- amazing and the bacon wrapped dates - interesting preparation. Finally we had the baked gnocchi - wow! What a great experience at Cento! New favorite on visits to UW Madison! Will go again and again

Hells Yes Great food Very pleasant and efficient service We had a great time and would love to go back

YUM!!! So excited to visit again soon! Started with the Grand Marnier Spritz & Glass of Chianti off of the Happy Hour Menu and enjoyed the Calamari and Burrata appetizers. Finished off with one of the best Espresso Martinis I've ever had. Nathan behind the bar was a pleasure and we can't wait to go back!

The boozy brunch is so worth it!!! Yum! For $35 you get two cocktails, pastries, an entree, and bottomless coffee or tea. We enjoyed the black coffee manhattan, a bloody mary, and my fave, the lemon capri. The bloody mary really stood out to me, it's tangy, savory, and spicy with a kick. It might be the best bloody in Madison! Pastries are served with a delicious blueberry jam. For entrees, we have tried the seasonal omelette, salami hash, crab cake benedict, and breakfast burger. The burger was a hit with my fiancé, who loves a sandwich with a good runny egg. Everything was perfect. Whether your feeling casual or a little bit fancy, Cento is a must when it comes to brunch. Bon appétit!

Super loud, server never wrote anything down so nothing was right, and food was fine. I think Madison likes bad soggy pizza.