Centre Street Café

My sister took me here and the food was amazing and full of flavor! Highly recommend. I will definitely come back.

Great lunch! Despite the line which was out the door, my party of 2 got seated within 5 minutes of waiting. Maybe it was good timing. The café is really cute inside and I liked the mosaic on the walls (obviously irrelevant to the food but whatever). Ordered the Maine burger which was cooked to medium-​rare as requested, and the mac & cheese, both of which were really great. If you’re hungry, I’d recommend getting a side of toast to serve as a base for all the cheesy goodness left over from the mac and cheese. The service was satisfactory, and I will be returning to try the brunch and dinner menus soon!

Centre Street has a fantastic brunch. The sausage gravy and biscuits, a dish I try at a lot of restaurants, has a nice spice to it and tastes fresh. My girl loves the eggs benedict and swears it’s the best she’s had. Good beer selection for a café, I usually get the Green Flash West Coast IPA and appreciated that the bottle was fresh and not past its best by date.
Our only bad experience at the café was during the week for an early lunch. They jacked up my eggs and her huevos rancheros were a wet mushy mess.
The waiter never asked us how our food was and overall appeared to be depressed.
Didn’t let the one time scare me off though and every time we go for brunch (on the weekend) it’s been great. The weekday morning guy might just be a little off.

So good. Risotto was life changing. Salads on point. Lasagna excellent. Totally worth the trip.

I have only ever been here for brunch thus far, before and after the change in ownership and the renovations. I happily report that the food continues to be delicious, seems to all still be locally sourced, and the weekend line-​waiting is well worth it. Their biscuits and gravy were stellar: peppery, a slight note of spice, without being too watery or creamy.

My friend and I came here yesterday around 12pm for brunch and there was a short line. We waited around 15 mins to be seated. Service was attentive. My friend got the Truckstop, which came with the pancake del giorno. But make sure you ask them if there’s a pancake of the day! My friend got pancake of the day and it tasted so good! I just got the basic breakfast. Definitely going to come back here and try out lunch and dinner!

My family took me here for my birthday dinner recently. I never venture out to JP so this was a treat. The area seemed pretty busy and its where the original JP Licks is. There’s plenty of street parking which is always a plus.
In summary, Centre Street Café is a good restaurant. The staff was friendly and attentive. The appetizers were all amazing and the chef did a great job with the presentation.
We ordered the Roasted Oysters, Fried Calamari and Smelt Special, Meat Balls, and the Pork Shank. The only complaint that I had was with the pork shank. The meat itself was plain and lacked flavor. However, the stew that it came in and the toasted gnocchi were all great so I guess it helped balance it out a little.

If I was just reviewing the service/​our server this would be 1 star! She was rude rude rude! She answered questions with questions, appeared irritated and uninterested in our food sensitivities/​allergies and almost made up the answers but we insisted she double check, she literally rolled her eyes, was abrupt and frankly I would have walked except this was a past landmark in JP my family wanted to visit.
For the food it was good we had a meatball sandwich, burger, grilled cheese, huevos Mexicana, fennel soup, fries, and all of it was good, well seasoned, well cooked, and tasted great!
So to the owners I tipped the server even though she earned none of it! We even went to the extent of privately asking the server if we had somehow offended her she just said she was overwhelmed. When we tried to make small talk with our server during our dining experience even though she was terrible she said she was just a «mere server».
She is not helping your business and really is taking away from all your hard work!

This is our third time here. Twice for dinner and once for brunch. 1^st visit, we shared a nice appetizer, but my entrée was horrible. 2^nd time for dinner both our apps and entrée were great. This last time for brunch, was awful. My wife had the eggs benedict and I had the truck stop. The food was bland and lukewarm. Besides the food tasting like it was from the Holiday Inn continental bf, the experience was bizarre. Easter Sunday brunch, and the waitstaff is cold/​board line rude, the music was Salt ‘n Pepper’s «Push it» and Red Hot Chili Peppers «take it away.»
Sad, we wont be coming back. This place is too expensive to be «hit or miss.»

Went here with a friend to grab a bite to eat after hearing so many great things about this place. We made a reservation as it is quite a small space and we were able to be seated right away.
We were pretty hungry so we decided to order a bunch of dishes and split them – also bear with me, the menu online is a little different from the one in the restaurant so I will do my best to describe them from memory:
Ricotta, pepper, and vegetables (5 stars): This was definitely our favorite dish of the night. The dish was served with a generous portion of ricotta and a slew of different baked vegetables that were meant to be eaten atop a piece of grilled toast. The presentation was beautiful and the dish tasted even better.
Meatballs (4 stars): This appetizer came with 4 meatballs which had a nice smoky, peppery flavor that went well with the peppers and sauce they were served with. They were a bit small considering the price in my opinion, but definitely tasty.
Mafalda (3 stars): This was probably my least favorite dish of the night as it was a little too lemony for my palette – but if you’re looking for a light pasta dish, this is definitely for you.
Arctic Char (4.5 stars): The char was cooked perfectly and served with the skin crisped up and full of flavor – and was a good-​sized portion as well. I also enjoyed the fennel purée and cauliflower that was served with it.
Pork shank (4 stars): This was just a classic take on a pork shank. Nothing really stood out to me about the dish, but it was definitely tender and hearty and the dried fruit mostarda provided an interesting bite.
Panna cotta with strawberries and rhubarb (3.5 stars): This was a perfect light option for dessert as the strawberries and rhubarb compote were very sweet and paired nicely with the cold and fresh panna cotta. My friend and I both agreed that we would have loved to have it be a touch sweeter, but we were satisfied nonetheless.
Overall, this place is tiny, but intimate and doesn’t get too loud so you can actually hold a conversation. In addition, our waitress was super friendly and all the food came out at a good pace. Something of note is that this place is wine and beer only, so no cocktail list in case you are looking for that and be sure to make a reservation because there are literally only 30 seats or so in the restaurant.

I tried this place for dinner and was disappointed, especially since I always see such a line for brunch. The pasta was not cooked correctly and the sauce was rather bland. I could have made the same dish at home for a fraction of the price. I had the hot chocolate and cookies for dessert, but again nothing special. Definitely overpriced for the food, but I do love the interior. Has potential to become a great dinner spot in JP.

We visited the Centre Street café for lunch with mixed results. Of our party of four 2 ordered «This & That» (soup & cheese sandwich) and two ordered Burgers with pancetta & cheese. The two «This & That’ diners were disappointed with the soup being lukewarm. The Burger diners were both very happy with their meals. Mixed results !

I have mixed feelings about this place… But am giving them the benefit of the doubt because the food and service was good, but very undecided if we will be back or tip the same.
First off, food was all delicious. My boyfriend and I split the tempura oysters which were perfect for an appetizer. The bucatini and chicken parm was a amazing as well. The perfect portion sizes. The wine menu was perfect and we split a bottle.
Here is were we have an issue… The restaurant has an additional percentage they add to the bill at the end to pay the kitchen staff, and uses the entire back page of the menu explaining why they do this and how this is different than tipping the wait staff. Really a lot. Why wouldn’t they just build this into the pricing of their meals and food on the menu and increase the prices? So after looking at your meal prices they add administrative fees? Why don’t they just include a flat rate for the administrative fees and include the tip? If you need an entire back page of a menu to explain a tipping system or fee, I think this may be a bit much. It came across as very political and excessive.
Again great food, cozy atmosphere, excessive explanation for the additional fees.

Consistently good for Brunch or Dinner. Small so reservations are a good idea. The Chicken Parmesan with Buttermilk marinated fried chicken is so amazing! Great service and acomodating staff

It’s a cute café, but I have to say that I was disappointed leaving by the end of the night. The review has nothing to do with the food. The food was actually delicious. My favorites included the ricotta and the tempura oysters. We were seated in the corner booth and I was sitting on the bench that was against the entrance. The seat has to be one of the most uncomfortable seats I have ever sat in. There is no back to the bench, only what seems to be a 2X4 that digs up against your back. I shifted throughout the dinner and never got comfortable. Other than the back pain throughout dinner, the service was a bit slow. After the apps came, we had an extended break until the entrees came. Which is slightly confusing to me because they have the added fees to the total bill to help bridge the gap for the back of the house workers. I have no problem paying the fee or the embedded service charge if they wanted to add it, but at least make it worth it.
The seat is really what ruined the experience for me. I’m not sure if any of the other tables are more comfortable, but do not sit in that booth unless you’re willing to have an aching back the next day.

To not update with 5-​stars would make a me a total jerk & a liar — I don’t like being either.
The following day after visiting Centre Street Café, I received an email from one of the owners stating this was not a usual occurrence for them & offering me to come back to try the restaurant again. I was delightfully surprised that not only were my comments heard, but they were accepted, and an effort to rectify was in place.
We went back last night & had possibly one of the best dining experiences of our lives — we were still freaking out about it this morning, (like… is this real life? did that actually happen?). The service was spot-​on, the food was superb, & Keith, one of the owners, stopped by to share a drink with us, (p.s Keith, you’re mad cool, Stacy & I love you). After dinner we also met Dave & got to see what’s happening with the upcoming Casa Verde restaurant, (p.s. Dave, you’re also mad cool, Stacy & I love you too).
It was an UNBELIEVABLE night, one that will stand out forever. It is so nice to see a business & owners that really care what the patrons in the neighborhood think/​want and are completely open to any comments/​criticisms — a true sign of people that love what they do & want to do it right. I wish Keith, Dave, and team all the success & sending all positive vibes their way — cannot wait for tacos at Casa Verde!
P. S. You have to try the Bucatini, (and the Chicken Parm. And the oysters… And everything else). Listen to your server when you ask for suggestions — they know what’s up.

We always see a line here, so we got there first thing on New Year’s Day and walked right in for breakfast/​brunch! I was impressed by how family-​friendly they were — even for a tiny place. They had booster seats and high chairs available. Our stroller couldn’t be out, but they happily took it folded and put it downstairs for us. Not sure whether there is a changing table or not (we didn’t need one), but overall I was impressed by their service.
Food was excellent — pancakes especially nice and fluffy and delicious. They had grilled oysters with hollandaise sauce, which I’d never had but were amazing. Even though it’s not explicitly stated on the menu, you can order a single pancake if you have a little one. And I swear, every time he threw a spoon on the floor, a new one magically appeared.

The new Centre Street Café has become one of my favorite restaurants in Boston, and not only because it’s a five minute walk. It’s a major improvement over what was here before. Also, if you don’t like Tres Gatos (like me), don’t pre-​judge this restaurant.
The menu has a strong Southern Italian and Sicilian influence but the restaurant resists the label of an Italian restaurant (both in terms of name, décor, etc).
I’ve eaten here five times and have always loved what I ordered. The entrees change regularly and cover a wide range of ingredients and styles. Their squid ink fusili (with house made pasta, of course) is fantastic, as is the buccatini (I think these are regular items on the menu).
Maybe what I like the most is the wine list. It’s not extensive (nor expensive!), but it’s a well-​edited list of mostly Italian wines, with (again) a strong Southern representation — even some Sicilian wines made it on. Actually, one of the best wines on here is a Sicilian white — the Donnafugata.
My one suggestion — get an espresso machine!
I’ve never been here for brunch, only dinner.

My husband and I LOVE Centre Street Café. We’ve been there numerous times for dinner, usually to celebrate something. It’s cozy, service is excellent, and the food is absolutely delicious. It isn’t cheap, but restaurants like this aren’t. If you want a relative bargain, go for lunch, which is also excellent, especially the burger.

Great spot for simple, modern Italian food. I especially like stopping in for a casual lunch. They have dynamite versions of some comfort food classics like a meatball parmesan sub and tomato soup with grilled cheese. The dinner menu is quite nice as well, but lunch really plays to their strengths of simple, straightforward, yet delicious fare.

My wife and I save Centre Street outings for special occasions. The new ownership has done wonders for the dinner menu and helped take it to the next level. We always loved the brunches and enjoyed dinners there too, but they took a leap after the renovation in ²⁰¹⁴⁄₁₀₁₅. I love the pastas, the wine list, and the seasonal veggies and offerings. I always feel like the chef is bringing new energy to the menu and mixing things up and I love that. Also, I like the service… the staff has ‘tude in a good way. They own their roles and they know their business in terms of what’s on the menu and they always bring some good-​natured sass.

An exchange between myself and the food runner over the decadent sweet potato filled donut topped with brûléed meringue:
Me: «Holy Bananas!»
Him: «No, Sweet Potatoes!»
We’ve had both lunch and brunch here and let’s just say, when people wait outside for a table here (usually weekends at brunch time) it’s well time well spent. The food is purely magnificent. Lunch was delicious and enjoyable, but the runaway winner was brunch. Hands down. It’s just… wow. Seriously wow.
The Pancake of the day, mind you, is a stack of 3 pancakes. But they reheat excellently. I accidentally ordered too much thinking it was just one cake. Why not have their donut of the day too? Well because they don’t skimp on anything. Thinking their pricing was like most places in Boston given their top notch quality, I was surprised with the generous portions of absolutely decadent food. Yes it’s a $ 4 donut. But it’s a large man sized fist of absolute glory, that will make you rethink the paltry things that Dunkin or any other bakery may pass off as a ‘donut.’ So they have specials on donuts and pancakes, in addition to others for brunch. The hot chocolate is like melted chocolate as you sip in delight (as long as you know, you like chocolate. And if you don’t, we can’t be friends).
Lunch: absolutely excellent.
Brunch: mind. f**king blown. (I truly understand why people are always gathered outside waiting for tables on the weekends now, but if you’re lucky you can head in around noon-12:30pm after the morning brunchers finish and before the afternoon brunchers arrive).
Cozy atmosphere, with visually interesting interior. Small space. Friendly and quick service. Absolutely fantastic food. And cost? Pretty reasonable for the location, right on Centre Street in the heart of JP.
Edit note:// Looks like there’s a bit of a review war between people who can’t let go of the previous ownership, and those who went in with an open heart and empty tummies. I’m sorry if you loved the previous establishment. I’d never been there– but this is an honest review based on the current restaurant with the current management. If you don’t like my dumb jokes, don’t mark this as funny just to be spiteful because the other incarnation closed. I’m sorry, I truly am. But I like the new place, and I’m not judging it against anything but itself and what I feel fellow Unilocalers who have never been would want to know.//

I really, really, really wanted to like this place. Truly
I went excited, with an open mind.
I used to frequent the Centre St Café when it was under previous ownership.
It was awesome. Great food/​servce/​experience. It had a true JP/​homey/​hippy/​open
feel. When I moved away from Jamaica Plain, I would find excuses to get back to the neighbourhood just to eat there.
But sadly, nothing lasts forever.
«CSC» has attempted to go upscale and missed the mark.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t horrible. The food was «OK.» I’ve had much better.
The service was slow, very S – L – O – W.
There are countless other restaurants in Boston/​Cambridge which would give a better dining experience. If we didn’t have the Gilt City coupon, was it worth the drive?
Nope.
Like the rest of Jamaica Plain, it too has lost the charm that made «JP» «JP.»
Even if I’m back hanging out in JP, I will not be back to CSC.
I will try one of the other «new» eating establishments.

My husband and I went here Saturday night with a GiltCity deal having never been to this area before. Centre street is incredibly quaint and reminded me of a main drag in a relaxed beach town full of cute local restaurants and shops. The Café is adorable with small intimate tables, walls adorned with local artwork and a cozy ambiance. We were seated immediately by the manager and host. We started with the arancini which was scrumptious. It had a nice crust on the outside, wasn’t greasy at all, and the fillings, OMG – fava beans, mint, mozzarella, preserved lemon aioli creating a crispy, gooey, and hearty app. Next we had the rigatoni with squash & blossoms, tomato, summer truffle, pine nuts, thai basil, taleggio. The dish was quite flavorsome and earthy with the summer truffles and toasted pine nuts. The next course was the squid ink fusilli with puttanesca sauce, poached swordfish, littlenecks, squid, basil. The sauce was robust, spicy and exquisite with plenty of fresh seafood. The pasta was freshly made and cooked al dente. For the mains, we each had the spice rubbed skirt steak with charred broccoli, pecorino, chickpea salad, garlic aioli that reminded me of sitting outside at a café in a magical place. No lie, best execution of a medium rare skirt steak I have seen in a LONG time. It was just gorgeous. It had rested for the right amount of time, had a charred sear on it and was simply marvelous. Dessert was on point and rounded out this glorious meal very nicely. We opted for the chocolate semifreddo which was frozen at the right temp, had marinated strawberries, hazelnut bark (!!! package and sell pls) and fresh crème. My only critique is they do not have espresso, only drip coffee. If you are an Italian place with killer desserts, you have to have espresso.
Service was friendly, knew the menu, made thoughtful recommendations for wine, was fast and we wouldn’t hesitate to go back despite it being a bit of a trip down to JP. Well done!

What a delicious dinner! We started off with the arancini (perfectly crispy and the lemon aioli was delicious). For pasta, I had the squid ink fusilli and they definitely did not skimp on seafood. My boyfriend had the rigatoni which seemed to be a popular dish that night. I then had the striped bass. I thought it was a little fatty, but nevertheless delicious. We tried the semifreddo for dessert and it was to die for! I honestly can’t wait to go back and can’t believe that I haven’t been here before. I am the worst at describing culinary experiences, but this place is amazing!

I have had two great dinners here and have really enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere. The arancini and meatballs are great, and I really enjoyed my risotto and the chicken. A cute place with only a few tables, so make a reservation! A really fantastic place for a great evening.

I must admit my impressions of the new Centre Street Café are influenced by how much I liked the old restaurant, and how sad I was to see it closed. It was a favorite local place that felt comfortable and always had lots of vegetarian options for a reasonable price.
I was disappointed to see the new menu offers few vegetarian options, and was limited to a couple pasta entrees when I went tonight. The goat cheese ravioli were good, but at $ 15 for a plate of only three medium sized ravioli, not worth the price. The waitress did mention that the small serving was «a snack,» but I couldn’t imagine it would have been as small as it was.
The staff were friendly, but it was weird seeing a familiar waiter who effused punk attitude before the management change now wearing his hair slicked back neatly, his Barbie doll no longer dangling from his back pocket. Similarly, the warm, artsy atmosphere the dining room once had has been replaced with sterile and plain white and black décor.
If you’re not looking for veggie friendly dining, and don’t mind prices significantly higher than the old Centre Street, you’ll probably be fine eating here, but it’s a real departure from what the place had once been. It feels more downtown Boston than Centre Street now. I don’t think I’ll end up coming back. Too bad since Centre Street Café had been a favorite local place.

Well this was a pleasant surprise from the old Centre Street Café. The new look has a refined creativity to it and certainly fits in Jamaica Plain. It is a small restaurant with tables along the sides and I can imagine could get cramped for dinner service. I loved the brightness of the space captivated by the large front windows.
Anyways, a friend and I went for lunch and it was nearly empty which is fine for a weekday. Small lunch menu but I like the light and small options… perfect for a lunch portion. I ordered the buckwheat lasagna which was quite good. It had a nice burst of flavor, crunch with a nice pesto sauce. my friend ordered the meatball sandwhich which I heard was good and the sauce tasted homemade. Always, a plus! My only wish would be that my lasagna was hotter but no big deal. The service was adequate and and not rushed.
Definitely interested in trying out dinner! Hopefully, i’ll be back.

This place has always been awesome. The place was recently remodeled creating a great atmosphere, cozy, yet stylish and very clean.
Awesome food
Awesome service
Tip: if you like biscuits and gravy, this place has the BEST ones. It is not on the menu so you will have to ask for it specifically. They make it with their homemade biscuits (that they keep crispy) and homemade sausage and homemade gravy, topped with 2 eggs any style. I never finish all the food on my plate and there was no stopping me from finishing this.
Go here. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

ohhh man. i just got home from there and had to type this review pretty much immediately because it was just damn good.
my friend and i arrived this thursday night right when the restaurant opened. we walked in to find that maybe 80% of the 10 – 15 tables were reserved, but we got seated immediately anyway. we were immediately given three slices of very good crusty bread to dip in pepper-​and-​olive oil, and we decided to order the mushroom and cauliflower arancini to split. three arancini sitting in a pool of really fresh marinara sauce (BLOOD?! just checking to see if you’re reading) showed up on our table not much longer — it was perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. the mushroom and the cauliflower was on the inside, like a lovely heart waiting to hug you from the inside out.
my friend ordered the braised chicken thighs, and i ordered the buckwheat lasagna. i was pleasantly surprised to find more than one vegetarian option on the menu — in fact there were three! — but i’ve been obsessed with buckwheat lately so i ordered the half size. it came beautifully plated with some of the freshest pesto i’ve ever had. the half size was more than enough to keep me full and happy, even though i hadn’t eaten in well over 6 hours and i become a hangry monster. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
the waitress tempted us with a dessert menu, and we decided to order the mocha pudding thing. we didn’t know what the descriptions meant, but the waitress was super kind and not condescending at all when she explained to us what it was (this waitress was also really nice to the older ladies sitting next to me when she was explaining what pecorino and arancini were). the best i can describe the dessert is like a crème brûlée with mocha pudding on the bottom. the mocha was such a pleasant surprise, and the richness of the chocolate definitely had a wonderful counterpart with the creamy light sauce on top. the dried cherry shortbread with which we dipped it was also really, really good on its own. i wish there was more of that shortbread! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
tl;dr this place is really delicious, vegetarian-​friendly, and not condescending at all. make sure you make reservations!

This was my first time and after hearing great rave reviews from others and my partner, Micheal. I thought it was ok! Not rushing back to go again !
I had better omelette !! Esp my favorite was from my dad !! He was amazing chef !! I wish I had learn how he made the omelette so fluffy and light !
But it is my opinion so go try for yourself !
Enjoy !!