Caffe Centrale

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#23 of 426 Restaurants in HamiltonItalian, European, $$ - $$$

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Caffe Centrale

Review

At a glance

Closed today

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Website

+64 7-838 1013Improve this listing

About

Features

CUISINES

Italian, European

Meal types

Dinner, After-hours, Drinks

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Full Bar

Gift Cards Available

Highchairs Available

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Takeout

Wheelchair Accessible

Wine and Beer

Location

10 Alma Street, Hamilton 3204 New Zealand

Does this restaurant serve Lombard food?

Yes

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Closed today

Sunday

5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Wednesday

5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Thursday

5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Friday

5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Saturday

5:30 pm - 10:00 pm

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4.3

230 reviews

Excellent

139

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Flai64

Singapore107 contributions

Authentic Italian Rare Find

Sept 2024 • couples

What a rare find!!! Super authentic Italian pasta and pizza, home cooked to perfection, the best in Waikato and Bay of Plenty. We were blown away. The Napoli pizza was thin, fluffy & light crust, almost melt in the mouth with exceptional anchovies, olives and a hint of chilli. The potato gnocchi with salmon tomato cream sauce was flavourful, and super tasty. Even the panacotta is well balanced, the cream being light and the combination of a tinge of raspberry cuts through the vanilla flavoured custard like pudding. We were greatly impressed with Jacob who was our server. His customer service, care to details, warmth and a surprise after dinner lemon acholic drink is simply outstanding. This is a MUST visit if you are in Hamilton. It will not be our first but the first of many visits to come.

Written 14 September 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Passenger22538846438

Hamilton1 contribution

An Authentic Italian Experience at Cafe Centrale

Aug 2024 • family

Me and my husband had dinner at Caffee Centrale eventually. We tried since last year to have dinner at Caffee Centrale but the first time we did not book, and restaurant was fully booked for that night, so we ended up having dinner at a different Italian restaurant in town, the second time our children booked as a surprise for us but accidently booked at a different Italian restaurant in town again (not the same as the first one) so the 3rd time was a charm. We can wholeheartedly say that Cafe Centrale is the BEST Italian restaurant you will find in Hamilton and even better than the Italian restaurants we had dinner at in Melbourne too. The food was absolutely outstanding, the atmosphere cozy, warm and welcoming. The owner was fabulous and a wonderful host! He made us feel very welcome and relaxed. The staff were attentive but not hovering over you and we did not feel pressured at all but rather encouraged to sit back relax and enjoy our evening. The portions are large, the service quick and the ingredients fresh. Experiencing the dish takes you straight to Italy, it is full flavour and authentic. I make my own Tiramisu and enjoy Tiramisu as a desert at any restaurant, but the weekends were the best I ever had. My husband and I have for the first time living in Hamilton (16 years) found or favourite restaurant!

Written 18 August 2024

Sandra L

Winchester16 contributions

Excellent food,wine and staff.

Mar 2024 • couples

Tonight along with my husband we ate at Caffe Centrale after being regular Customers until selling our business 4 years ago. The cabinara dishes and the mixed seafood dishes were outstanding as were the 2 wines we chose. We would once again highly recommend Caffe Centrale for either a casual meal or a more formal meal. Thank you Marco and your friendly professional staff. Kevin and Sandra Lamb Nelson. N.Z.

Written 23 March 2024

Callan

Auckland20 contributions

Homely food, good but expected better

Oct 2022 • family

Food was simple, homely style but for the price would've expected better quality. Portion sizes were good though. On this particular night they were out of a lot of ingredients and ovens weren't working so couldn't have pizzas, some seafood, and some of the desserts had to change slightly for a lack of cream. Service was lacking. One waitress was perfectly polite and helpful, the other didn't seem very aware of common courtesy (leaning over customers, passing plates over the table rather than waking around, etc). Overall an average experience, good enough but didn't live up to the reviews or the claim above the door that they are ‘the best Italian restaurant’.

Written 9 October 2022

Ellemay 🍹🐠🐳

Sydney47192 contributions

Yummy pizza 🍕 👏

Sept 2022 • business

We noticed this restaurant was busy every evening we walked outside the Novotel Hotel, so we decided to book a table ourselves. We ordered a pizza to share for an entree and 2 mains. The pizza was absolutely delicious and hubby is still talking about his yummy prawn basil spaghetti dish. My eggplant parmigiana was good too but probably wouldn’t rave about it like the pizza. Highly recommended for a casual cosy atmosphere with delish Italian food.

Written 22 September 2022

CybreSmee

Hamilton15 contributions

Amazing

Feb 2022 • family

We ordered via Uber Eats and the food was delivered very fast and hot. We got salmon gnocchi, fettuccini and tortelli. Wow, probably the best Italian we’ve had in New Zealand. Gorgeous hand made pasta, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The salmon gnocchi was light as a cloud and very tasty, with the other dishes perfect. Not cheap, but excellent value. Around $25 per main, and they’re not huge servings. But its very filling and was ample for three of us. I would probably add a side or an extra dish if you’re big eaters. We will defiantly visiting the restaurant soon, I can only presume the food will be even better. Can’t wait.

Written 7 February 2022

Dell

Hamilton208 contributions

Relaxed, authentic, Delish!

May 2021 • friends

Great authentic food in a relaxed atmosphere. I’d certainly return. There were some gluten free options too and the waiter was happy to organise a bit of mixing things up from the menu. Fabulous night out.

Written 1 August 2021

Adventure46750416956

5 contributions

Cosy atmosphere and divine menu

Mar 2025 • couples

Caffe Centrale is quite possibly one of Hamilton’s best kept secrets The restaurant is quaint with friendly staff, cosy atmosphere and a divine menu Personally, I cannot get past the gnocchi bolognaise - easily the finest Italian food I have eaten Well priced and positioned

Written 15 March 2025

Clint68

Taupo District30 contributions

Did not live up to reviews

Sept 2022 • none

We had long wanted to try this restaurant as we are frequent visitors to the Novotel and we finally did. We had chicken fettuccine and a mozzarella gnocchi. They were both tasty and ok but not really authentic as so many reviews state. We feel this is a young person's restaurant with kiwi tastes. The use of the chicken chunks in the fettucine makes me wonder if they are bought already chunked. I would expect them to be fried off a little with the garlic and onions rather than presented steamed / boiled. This made the chicken a little bit tasteless. The gnocchi had loads of flavour yet was more like a tinned sauce. The gnocchi itself was good. The staff were very good but I have never been to a more noisy restaurant in all my life. I got my decibel meter working and it was well into the ear damaging range getting close to the level of a jet engine at times! This was due to a large group of young people enjoying their night out and I couldn't help but wonder if the younger set were the core patrons here. Still enjoyed overall.

Written 9 September 2022

Traveler11628355733

Hamilton3 contributions

Somewhat underwhelmed

Apr 2021 • none

I liked the atmosphere but the food left me a little disappointed. I love authentic hand made pasta. The ragu here is put on spaghetti which made me a little cautious so I didn't try it. Cream sauces also put me off other dishes. Others with me, not so fussy about pasta, enjoyed their dishes. The service was excellent with food being delivered quickly. I think most people would enjoy their experience but if you have experienced good Italian food maybe you would leave a little disappointed

Written 30 September 2021

Brian Findsen

Hamilton8 contributions

Wedding anniversary dinner

Dec 2019 • none

We have long admired the quality of this restaurant. Our meal was moderately good and service not quite up to previous standards. After sitting down at a reserved table, we waited a long time for further communication. It was obvious that a trainee waitress was in place so we needed to be somewhat tolerant. We will return but perhaps modify our expectations.

Written 5 January 2020

Deb

2 contributions

Truly good food

Nov 2020 • none

My partner and I moved to Hamilton from Sydney four years ago and this is our favourite restaurant here. It's authentic Italian food (looking at you people who don't know how cabonara is meant to be served - it's not supposed to have a cream sauce!) and they make their own deliciously silky pasta. When we have overseas visitors, this is the restaurant we take them to because it's unpretentious, honest, generous, and the food is just plain yummy. If you haven't been, you're missing out.

Written 21 January 2021

CybreSmee

Hamilton15 contributions

A little underwhelmed

Mar 2020 • family

A little underwhelmed, I was expecting great things after a few rave reviews from friends. Atmosphere is comfortable, but the 80’s style look is a bit dated. It felt a little sterile and quite, we joked a guitarist sitting in the corner knocking out Dean Martin covers on spanish guitar would be perfect. If only. Our food was pretty good, but not what I would call particularly “traditional” Italian. More like Kiwi-friendly traditional. The Chianti was excellent. I chose the risotto on purpose to test the chef. It was tasty but slightly over al dente and nearing porridge. I polished off the plate, but I have defiantly had better. The wife’s salmon was a little dry, but tasty again. The aoli was to die for, especially with the super-chinky fries. The deserts were massive, with three scoops of gelato on our child’s plate who was never going to get through that. I had the Tiramisu which was good. Overall the food was unoffensive, lacking a bit of wow, but plenty of taste. Perhaps we struck the chef on an off night as everything was slightly overcooked, but Im being quite picky. We would go again, the service was very good and fast service.

Written 22 March 2020

Evelyn F

4 contributions

Authentic, Tasty, Fresh

Jan 2024 • friends

Nine of us went for dinner. I personally have been several times before and I have never been disappointed. The rest of the party had never been, and they were so impressed with our meals and service, and the value for money when it come time to split the bill. Waitstaff were attentive but not over-bearing. Everything arrived in a timely manner. Authentic, tasty, fresh - what more could you want? The tiramisu was amazingly light for something so rich. Will 100% be back.

Written 12 February 2024

Allan M

Adelaide19 contributions

Excellent food and superb service

Apr 2021 • none

I had been advised to this was a good place to eat. The menu was excellent but not as good as the Prawn & pesto Fettuccini. What made the meal was the unobtrusive but attentive table service provided by young Shakur and Briar. An all round top eating experience!

Written 29 April 2021