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Caffe Centrale  Caffe Centrale only one word MAGNIFICO.
When I entered the restaurant the atmosphere was perfect, just like going back to Italy. I ordered cannelloni and dish of the day, both of them to die for, then to finish the meal I got my favourite dessert panna cotta, magnificently made. The meal ended with a perfect espresso and a complementary limoncello the best I have ever tasted. Next time I come to Hamilton I'll stop at Caffe Centrale for another meal!!
Grazie mille!
Maurizio 
Review by MAURI, 31 August 2010.
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Other Reviews for Caffe Centrale
| El Gordo, 31 August 2010 (5 stars). Tears in my eyes! Good job Marco, everything was perfect, the Parma ham freshly sliced with the buffalo mozzarella was simply irresistible, atmosphere relaxed and peaceful, friendly staff, great value for money...what else? Bravo! | | Lisa, 29 August 2010 (5 stars). Dined at Caffe Centrale last night and everything was fantastic. Had the antipasto to start which had a great selection of cured meats etc. The gnocchi salmone I had for dinner was beautiful and the side of bread was so fresh and even better, the waitress said it's made by their chef! Had a panna cotta to finish off the evening which was divine. Although it was busy, with two large tables, the waitresses were attentive and our meal came without much of a wait. The complimentary lemoncello at the end was yummy. Thanks Caffe Centrale for a wonderful night out for my husband and I. | | James, 24 August 2010 (5 stars). Without a doubt the only Italian Restaurant place to go to in Hamilton. Delicious. | Flyfishing, 20 August 2010 (5 stars). What a find!!!!
Myself and my wife are Italian, it's really hard to find a better place to enjoy the authentic Italian food and Italian atmosphere, we had spaghetti with seafood, absolutely to die for, and dessert. Caffe Centrale is the authentic Italian restaurant where you can relax and enjoy the dinner and enjoy the time out.
Really friendly people, excellent service.
I suggest it to every one.
Antonio & Clara | Anonymous, 20 August 2010 (4 stars). Caffe Centrale is a lovely place to dine, it was suggested by a friend who had dined there many times. It did not disappoint, the waitresses where very hospitable and the steak I had for dinner was well cooked, awesome. Service was excellent, although food took a while to come but was worth the wait. Dessert was delicious and nice way to cap the evening off.
Highly recommended for an evening out. | | Dan, 19 August 2010 (5 stars). We visited Caffe Centrale last night with a large group. I had the chicken and ricotta cannelloni followed by their famous tiramisu which was to die for. The service was faultless and the bill was made without any mishaps whatsoever. Unfortunate to read previous reviews. We regularly enjoy dining out; while some I suppose simply skimp on the bill. Good luck guys and keep it up. | | Michelle, 17 August 2010 (3 stars). I recently visited Caffe Centrale. First of all the waitress mixed up two customer's orders and gave them the wrong food. Once realised, one customer had already started to eat so they stuck with what they were given. The waitress didn't make any attempt to fix the problem, with the hope they would settle with what they were given. No compensation was given. Two wine glasses were broken and we were advised as it was more than one, it would be "a couple of bucks" to pay. We were more than happy to pay, however once at the till this was $6. I ordered the lasagna and thought it was extremely plain and I was still hungry afterwards. Once everyone had paid, there was $20 unaccounted for. Unfortunately the last person to pay had to foot the bill. Basically this person paid for nothing and I believe if the waitress could not account for this charge, then we should not have had to pay for it. Other than those mishaps, it had a great atmosphere for a group outing. | Glen, 14 August 2010 (2.5 stars). The food was average, and the lighting was quite bright.
We were a large table, and everyone went and paid for what they had ordered. Then the waitress told us there was still $20 owing on the table. She was unable to tell us what for and was unsure as to whether she had under charged someone. We spent about 30 mins trying to work it out until someone decided to just pay it to save a dispute.
One person ordered the special of the day and it had far too much parmesan. | | Rashna, 7 July 2010 (5 stars). This is an unassuming and unpretentious place, but gosh, the food is divine and the atmosphere so relaxed. Recommended to all who enjoy authentic and simple Italian food. Well done guys! | Susan, 26 June 2010 (5 stars). Hi guys, this place had great food: run by Italians and as good as the best of the Italian restaurants I have tried here and abroad. The melanzani parmigani were fantastic and the personnel sooooo attentive. Dan and I were delighted to meet the chef Marco. Why had we not been told of this place before? No worries we'll be back from Melbourne in September and we will certainly visit again.
A message for Marco: what are you doing in Hamilton? Please move to Melbourne!
Ciao belissimi!
| | Beppe, 20 May 2010 (5 stars). Recommended to all if you appreciate eating authentic Italian cuisine. A great little spot not to be missed! | | Leonora, 2 May 2010 ( stars). I have been in New Zealand for more than 4 years. I am Italian and married to a Kiwi. We often go to Caffe Centrale for dinner and I find the food really amazing and authentic. I have often been to Italian restaurants in New Zealand and the food they serve isn't Italian at all. Caffe Centrale offers great food, affordable prices and in particular way is authentic Italian cuisine. I really recommend this place also for special occasions. Caffe Centrale has a very nice and cosy atmosphere and you will love it! Leonora B. | Delia, 26 April 2010 (4.5 stars). Hello greetings from Bologna,
I recently visited Hamilton for business and while I there I was looking for restaurants.
I walked around the city centre and compared menus and found this place to offer a very large menu for being so small. Importantly, the menu did not have the all too common spelling mistakes in Italian - typical of so many fake Italian restaurants abroad. Went in, dined and was so surprised to find an authentic Italian restaurant in a place like Hamilton. I complimented the waitress who introduced me to the chef Marco, a fellow who moved to Hamilton from Rome. I went back all 3 evenings I stayed in Hamilton.... and I must say: "Well done Marco!!".
One item I can truly recommend are "saltimbocca alla romana" the best I had in years, and I come from Italy! Otherwise, just go for the specials of the day. | | Paul, 13 January 2010 (5 stars). By chance I wandered across the road from my hotel and dined at Caffe Centrale. It was fantastic, authentic Italian beers, juices, coffee and EVEN staff (a very rare find). The entree of a buffalo cheese and tomato salad was divine, followed by a fantastic glass of house wine and perfect Fettuccine Porcini. This was a lovely find and the coffee was perfectly made. A great place for dining alone as I was or with a group. I definitely wish to plan a function here. | | Caesar, 2 September 2009 (5 stars). I'm a regular at Caffe Centrale and went there this evening for dinner. As usual it was delicious. I had my usual, lasagne and it was cooked to perfection. The tiramisu was beautiful and you can always rely on getting a great coffee. If you're after a genuine Italian meal in a nice relaxed environment I would definitely recommend Caffe Centrale! | | Fabio, 30 August 2009 (2 stars). I didn't enjoy the place AT ALL. Neither did my family or friends. We were annoyed with the loudness by staff and rudeness of a waitress. The place could be run much better! Service took a while but the food wasn't even cooked to perfection. My steak come out wrong and I wasn't even asked how it was. Also a lasagne was ordered and it came out cold in the middle as if it was heated in the microwave... The last time I came in the toilets were dirty. I have definitely been to much better Italian restaurants. | | Elise, 30 August 2009 (5 stars). I was with some friends and it was very good, good service and excellent cuisine, the best Italian restaurant that I've found. Great place. | | Pippo, 8 May 2009 (5 stars). I visited Hamilton for business and bumped into this place by chance because it was right in front of the hotel I was staying at. Great food, friendly service and ITALIANISSIMO taste. I will be back. | | Kathleen, 25 April 2009 (4.5 stars). My mother and I had a girls day out which we finished off by having dinner at Caffe Centrale. It was rather busy and so the service was a little slow but the waitresses were very helpful and friendly and the food was delicious! My mother adores the chocolate fudge brownie which she says is the best she has ever had. I definitely recommend Caffe Centrale and will be dining there in the future. | Francesca, 28 January 2009 (5 stars). What a feast of tastes! A quick msg to say Eric and I really enjoyed it. Does Marco get to read this? I hope so. Way to go, friendly, affordable and VERY genuine Italian. We'll be back with friends.
Ciao | | Sara, 19 January 2009 (5 stars). I recommend this place for "Cucina Italianissima" very original Italian stuff, affordable and warm atmosphere. I am glad there are still places like this away from Italy. It might be the case that one has to go abroad to eat good Italian! Good crowd as well, and friendly service. I give the roast pork with Chianti 6 stars. | Ron and Jess, 16 January 2009 (5 stars). What a surprise to find such a range of original Italian dishes, in NZ of all places!! Affordable, fulfilling and efficient. We loved it! Bravo Marco! If we ever get back as far as Hamilton NZ we'll come back. I can still taste your lasagne, most of all though, your freshly made bread and the fillet steak! The tiramisu was a dream..... delicious. Too bad you had run out of limoncello....
;) | Abigail and Bob, 3 January 2009 (5 stars). I just got back from my winter holidays (summer in NZ) to Scotland. I am glad I found this web-page to write how good a time I had in this place. I'd been told it was good by colleagues who visited Hamilton last year. I often dine out and Italian is one of my favourite ethnics, but this place was special. Nice service, effective, no fuss and felt very looked after.....but what really impressed me was the originality of the taste. While in NZ I often went to Italian restaurants (Tauranga, Dunedin and CHCH) only to find that except for the names in the menu there was very little of the original Italian flavour. This place was the opposite: great original taste and fantastically fresh ingredients. Possibly the best seafood platter I had since I was in Naples 5 years ago. By partner Bob had lasagne one evening and mushroom fettuccine the next and did not stop talking about it for a week. Risotto was good too, but you must order for two. And it was great value for money as all dishes were very generous size. We ended up dining here 4 out of the 6 evenings we spent in Hamilton. In the last two evenings we got to know the chef Marco, to whom we want to say: great work! Keep it up and we'll certainly advertise your dishes!! (Have you thought about moving to Edinburgh?)
Ciao | | Clorinda, 20 December 2008 (5 stars). Visited Hamilton for quick business in the Waikato, dropped in this place by pure chance, mostly because it was in front of the Hotel. I adored the experience, brought me back to my Italian days. Friendly service, nice atmosphere and fragrant and tasty food. BRAVO! | | Lella, 31 May 2008 (5 stars). Caffe Centrale once more gave me the possibility for me and my Kiwi friends to enjoy ourselves. The 22nd May was my birthday and we invited them to Caffe Centrale to have a dinner. Everything was OK. We were eating, talking and drinking for a long time. The atmosphere give us the possibility to fill well and the service was excellent as always , the food delicious for everybody and at the end we called Chef Marco out to give him our compliments. Marco is a real Italian Chef. | Joe or Giorgio, 29 April 2008 ( stars). Hi, I'm Giorgio or Joe. I arrived in Hamilton during the V8 race. I asked to the friends where was possible to have a really Italian dinner,(I'm Italian and I know how much is difficult to find around the world the real Italian cuisine). They showed me some newspapers where somebody had written so :"Top 5, The cream of 2007", and among The Top 5 restaurants in Hamilton there was "Caffe' Centrale" where is possible to have "Pleasure of sitting, Talking, Eating"; in another newspaper I could read about "A saucy puttanesca" a specialty of Chef Marco Scarpa; one more newspaper said that "Need to know" Caffe' Centrale in 10 Alma St, Hamilton; and the last newspaper wrote" No-fuss Italian flavours delight crowd". Than I decide to go to the Caffe' Centrale with some friends for having a dinner. It was really special. I started with "Antipasto all'Italiana" and I can say that was as in the best Restaurants in Italy, the "Lasagne" were fantastics; one of mine friends had "Spaghetti alla Puttanesca" and another one had "Gnocchi blue". The desserts were Tiramisu, Affogato and Chocolate Cake. We ate everything and drank Chianti Classico. The service was good and the atmosphere nice. The Italian Chef Marco Scarpa came out of the kitchen for asking us if everything was all right. We all said together. "Un vero ristorante italiano" (A real Italian Restaurant). That's all. Compliment to Hamilton town and to the journalists of newspapers that know very well the Italian food.
Best regards. Joe | | Anonymous, 9 October 2007 (4.5 stars). This is a great place for a relaxing evening. You should always start with the Antipasto - by far the best in Hamilton. Marco does great pasta. I especially like the Penne Picanti, Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagna, Spaghetti Putanesca, Fettucini with Porcini Mushrooms and Risotto. There are other good mains as well, but I like pasta. | | Anonymous, 27 August 2007 (5 stars). If you know what is Europa culture, you can find something here. | | Peter, 5 August 2007 (5 stars). Real Italian chef makes real Italian flavours! | | Jady Gibson, 21 July 2007 (5 stars). We recently visited Italy and loved each minute of the experience, with food being at the top of it all. We were told of a new Italian chef in town and checked out Caffe Centrale on Wednesday. Rob and I thought it was great, and so did our friends. We recommend the experience to all true Italian food lovers. You can't get better pasta around here and the atmosphere is just right and the menu varied and affordable. Well done Marco! We'll be back. | | Julie, 8 July 2007 (5 stars). The best and most fantastic place in Hamilton. | | TRC, 3 July 2007 (1.5 stars). Some friends and I went to Caffe Centrale a while ago on the recommendation of another friend. They had raved about how great it was however this expectation may have made the disappointing experience even worse. The bruschetta as a starter was actually very nice. The mains were pretty small for the price. A friend had the pork and it was still bleeding. When she asked for it to be cooked a little further we were met with the excuse/comment that "NZ pork is one of the only kinds of pork in the world that can be done rare." Having dined out quite a bit, I find this unacceptable from a service point of view and will be unlikely to return :( Perhaps some more staff training might be a good idea! | | Anonymous, 5 June 2007 (5 stars). Love this place...FANTASTIC. | Marco the Italian Ch, 9 May 2007 ( stars). Hello, I am Marco the new owner and chef of Caffe Centrale. I want to write a quick note to customers about what I want to achieve with my cuisine in Caffe Centrale and why I decided to work in Hamilton after experiences as an ethnic Italian chef in the UK, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and many years in Frascati (yes, the land of the famous white wine!). NZ is much the Italian equivalent of the Antipodes. If you notice, apart from being across the same latitude, it even has a similar boot-like shape placed up-side-down. So, I think Italian cuisine can be well-practised in NZ. Certainly most of the fresh ingredients can be found with ease. My mission is to bring to my customers uncompromisingly real Italian flavours, and awaken the Italian passion for taste of freshly cooked Italian meals amongst our patrons. Everyone is welcome to find out what my mission is all about. Venite a mangiare!
Ciao! | | Jiuliet, 8 May 2007 (4.5 stars). I have been dining at the Caffe for a few years now, and I want to compliment the new management and the Italian chef-owner who have certainly made a difference in the taste, which is as close to a real Italian experience that I can remember outside Italy. | Sue, 17 November 2006 (1 stars). A group of 7 friends and myself went to Cafe Centrale last night and were horrified at the service we received. We booked a table for seven and were asked to come at 6.30 as they were in for a busy night and we were more than happy to do so. We purchased drinks from the bar and we all had a main meal (so we spent a fair amount of money) and as soon as we were finished the owner asked us to leave as he had other people booked in. We probably would have been happy to help him out if he wasnt so RUDE about it and insisted that I had advised him we would be gone by 8.30 when I booked the table... I don't think so. Not once were we asked how our meals were. He asked us to leave in the next few minutes even though we were waiting on coffee, so we advised we would leave in 10 minutes and were told that was too long. The ONLY good comment I can make was that our waitress was very apologetic and nice.
PS - we got the anipasto platter and it only came with bread, ham, salami and a few pickles - not even cheese! | Raever, 27 January 2006 (2 stars). I went to dine at Caffee Centrale after noticing that it was always full of patrons. I was very disappointed. I had the fish of the day, it was extremely salty and it was a very small fillet of fish accompanied by a small salad and I had to ask for a dressing for the salad. I asked for the extra of potatoes, these were deep-fried pre-cooked potatoes. I left feeling hungry and disappointed. Will not recommend this eating establishment.
| Adam, 29 August 2003 (4.5 stars). Once again Cafe Centrale delivered on its reputation as one of Hamiltons best. Service is the way it should be, and the food even better than the service!
| Catherine, 11 July 2003 (5 stars). Four of us when to Caffe Centrale the other night and I have been telling everyone how great it was since. We shared breads and dip for entree, which were lovely, they were so fresh it was like they had just come out of the oven. My main was very simple beef ravioli in butter (probably not a very good description) and it was divine. My partner had the gnocchi in a blue cheese sauce, which he loved (it was a little bit too rich for me). I don't why I left the service till last to mention, as this can make or break a restaurant for me(to say I hate bad service is an understatement), but all I can say about Caffe Centrale is that the service was fantastic.
| PeterLang, 22 July 2002 (3.5 stars). After reading Bridget's review, I decided that CAFFE CENTRALE was the ideal venue for my partner's suprise birthday party. I was immediately impressed with the proprietor's willingness to take on over 25 covers on Fieldays Saturday. After a couple of phone calls, we managed to negotiate a fixed menu and price per head.
The night went off with a bang, everyone showed, and we were straight into it. Starters consisting of various breads and dips. Absolutely delicious, fresh and plenty for everyone, a good start.
The 4 mains were scotch fillet, which was cooked to perfection and obviously the most popular. The stuffed chicken breast absolutely melted in your mouth. Those who chose the grilled fish raved about their meals (I am not a fish fan myself), there was a pasta option also, but nobody ordered one.
In all, there was nothing but praise for the meals from everyone. The portion sizes were very generous. There was a bit of a down side to the evening, in that our tables received their meals alternatively. My table had well and truly dealt to their meals by the time the second table started to receive theirs. Also two guests at the second table received the wrong orders and had to wait another 25 minutes before their meals arrived, much to their and my annoyance.
Absolution came in the form of no charge for the ultra-late meals. However annoyance returned upon viewing of the "corkage" bill. A hefty $5.00 per bottle, and I had already sprung for a case of bubbly, and a bottle of Mo! Ouch!
For a small restaurant dealing with a large group I think CAFFE CENTRALE did a great job. The quality of the starters, mains and coffee justified the price (but maybe next time I'll just order drinks from the bar). Highly recommended. Will definitely be returning (with a few less people).....hopefully.
| Bridget, 30 January 2002 (3.5 stars). Hamilton's Own Little Italy
Caffe Centrale is a BYO and fully licensed Bar Ristorante in Alma St, among the cluster of restaurants that includes Original Thai and Adriana’s. We were thinking of Italian for dinner, and Adriana’s prices being what they were, we continued walking for another metre or two. The décor is distinctly Mediterranean inspired, with terracotta slate floors and burnt gold walls complementing the wood feeling and picturesque artwork. The owner is very affable Italian…friendly and chatty and efficient as well. They also have parking available if you don’t want to risk the McDonald’s carpark. We sat outside in the breeze and watched the lights of the Novotel.
Caffe Centrale claims to encompass Italian, Mexican and Kiwi flavour. It certainly tries, as the menu is huge. Not for the faint or indecisive. There are a large range of options in the lists of starters, light meals, pasta, main menu, and desserts. We ordered bruschetta ($5.50) to start; I followed that with creamy salmon and spinach gnocchi ($19), while Maverick had the special of the day - pan-fried venison with a port wine jus ($26). The bruschetta came promptly and was delicious, crispy bread overloaded with tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. Marvelous stuff.
The mains came not long after the entrée was cleared. Maverick won the day with this one, his venison was superbly cooked and served with crunchy kumera, caramelised onions and a fresh green salad. My gnocchi was lovely with lots of flaked salmon, but a bit too filling for a warm summer evening. The chef came to make sure the meals were to our satisfaction, which was a nice touch. There was a bit of a wait to have our plates cleared, due to the fact that customers were still arriving for dinner after the waitress had gone home. Hamiltonians keeping European hours? We spent the time speculating what the stiletto-clad young lady in the extremely short red skirt might be doing, sauntering into the Novotel, checking her notebook. The speculations got more lurid when we saw her leaving 30 minutes later.
We moved onto the tiramisu ($10.50); this was uncomplicated and coffee-strong, making it less rich than some I’ve had. Simply presented with whipped cream and fresh fruit garnish, it was a bit overpriced. The coffee to end was excellent. We sat for a bit more, enjoying the cooling evening and watching the moon rise. The other restaurants in the area closed and some of their staff meandered to Centrale for coffee or a beer before heading home.
Caffe Centrale seems to be rather a well kept secret by those who frequent it. The common response when saying we went there is “Where is that?” We found the food to be good, reasonably priced, the service efficient with a personal and friendly touch and the atmosphere easy-going. A very pleasant and well-spent evening.
Overall: Friendly, classic European dining. Good for any type of occasion.
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Caffe Centrale
10 Alma St, Hamilton Fully licensed/BYO
Cuisine Type: Italian
Open for Dinner, Tues-Sun, 6pm till late
Tel: 838-1013
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