On Center Street’s busy dining strip, the front windows of Centro Cafe stayed dark on Tuesday, signaling the end of a 17-year run for one of Riverwest’s most familiar restaurants. A printed closing notice appeared on the front door, and regulars who showed up for dinner found the lights off. Owners Pat Moore and Peg Karpfinger chose to close the Italian-inspired spot, leaving a prominent Center Street storefront suddenly quiet.
How The Closure Surfaced
According to WTMJ, Moore and Karpfinger confirmed the decision in a voicemail to the station, saying they were closing Centro permanently. WTMJ reported that an email seeking further comment was not immediately returned and that a posted notice on the cafe’s front door informed customers of the shutdown.
Origins And The Owners
Centro opened in 2009, when Moore and Karpfinger transformed the Center Street space into an intimate, Italian-inspired cafe, as detailed by OnMilwaukee. The pair later expanded their footprint with the adjoining Bar Centro, a smaller wine-and-cocktail bar that OnMilwaukee profiled when it debuted in 2019.
The Building’s Long Run Of Eateries
WTMJ notes that the building housing Centro dates back to 1925 and has long rotated through different restaurant concepts. Before Centro, the address hosted Curt & Jean's French Quarter, East End Pub, Finale, Buzdom's on Center and T.R.A.M.P.S., a track record that shows Center Street has been a steady launchpad for neighborhood eateries.
What This Means For Riverwest
The timing of Centro’s closure adds to a run of recent changes in Riverwest. The Daily Bird halted operations in 2024, and the Riverwest Co-op announced plans to wind down last year, reflecting the churn facing neighborhood businesses, according to Urban Milwaukee and Urban Milwaukee. Neighbors and nearby operators now wait to see whether a new tenant will move into Centro’s corner space or if the building will stay dark for a while.
