There are lots of dining options in Downtown Disney, and we always get excited when a new restaurant opens. Well, today is an exciting day because we are headed to check out a new restaurant.

We have been anticipating the opening of this restaurant for a while, and it is officially open, so you know we had to try it out!

We are headed to Céntrico in Downtown Disney today! Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytan has crafted a menu full of Mexican-inspired cuisine for both Céntrico and Paseo. Céntrico is a courtyard bar and restaurant, while Paseo is the upstairs dining room. 

Céntrico invites diners to come together over an unforgettable meal and indulge in Mexican-inspired dishes. The restaurant has been designed to capture the spirit of a Mexican hacienda with delicious cuisine and wonderful hospitality. 

Atmosphere

Céntrico is an open-air design that overlooks the Downtown Disney District. There is a bar and lots of outdoor seating. You can see lots of wooden elements throughout the restaurant that reminiscent of the Mexican hacienda.

In addition to the bar area, there is a large seating area that also has tables that would work well for big groups. The dining experience is definitely full of activity, from both the restaurant and Downtown Disney. We liked the setting, but if you are wanting a quiet and peaceful meal, this may not be the best option.

We were so impressed with how friendly and helpful the staff was. They were more than happy to answer all our questions and provided us with lots of good recommendations. 

Now, let’s see what is on the menu!

Menu

The menu has a variety of options, all with a Mexican flair. You can find some of the classics like quesadillas, tacos, and burritos. But you can also find items such as a Mexican Truffle Quesadilla, Chef Carlos’ BBQ Ribs, and a Céntrico Hamburger. 

The main dishes also have a lot of variety, and you can get items ranging from a Caesar Salad to a Huarache de Hongos. There is also a kid’s menu that includes dishes like chicken tacos, chicken tenders, tres queso mac & cheese, quesadillas, and burritos. 

In addition to the food menu, Céntrico also has a very large drinks menu. You can choose from a variety of cocktails and margaritas…

…beer and wine…

…as well as tequila, mezcal, and additional beverages.

Now that we have explored the menu, let’s move onto the food!

Food

We really enjoyed this appetizer! There is lots of flavor and good textures. The chips tasted fresh, and they were crisp with just the right amount of salt. 

The guacamole has chunks of avocado, but the base is smooth and creamy. The queso fresco on top added a great touch to the dish.

Next up, we are starting our dinner escapade with Quesapastor Quesadillas and Chicken Taquitos.

First up is the Quesapastor Quesadillas which is fresh corn tortilla, pork al pastor, Oaxacan cheese, onion, cilantro, avocado mousse, and salsa roja. This dish is made without gluten and costs $21. 

Yummy! The Quesapastor had lots of crunchy cheese paired with tender pork. The pork has a great flavor to it, but this dish was mild overall. The red salsa added a bit more extra flavor, but it was not spicy either. 

Moving onto the Chicken Taquitos which are four lightly fried corn tortillas, with marinated chicken, sour cream, queso fresco, salsa verde, and avocado. This dish is also made without gluten and costs $18. 

This dish was also really tasty. We thought the Quesapastor had a slight edge, but both of these dishes were yummy. The Chicken Taquitos had lots of really fresh toppings which added a brightness to the dish. The taquitos were perfectly fried and did not feel or taste greasy. There was a generous portion of chicken inside which was spiced just right.

Now, we aren’t stopping with just three dishes. Oh no, we have lots more to go! With the next round of food, we are trying the Burrito Norteño, Mexican Street Corn, and Céntrico Hamburger. 

Let’s kick this next round of food off with the Burrito Norteño. The burrito contains braised short ribs, crispy Oaxacan cheese, pinto beans, tomatillo & Chile de arbol salsa, sour cream, queso fresco, and avocado. This dish costs $24. 

This burrito is very filling! It is jam-packed with meat and a great entree choice. The meat was tender and full of flavor. We loved the burnt cheese finish on the tortilla and the refried beans inside were fantastic too.

Next up is the Mexican Street Corn. This dish is made with local fresh corn, epazote, garlic aïoli, chili powder, and lime juice. This dish is vegetarian, made without gluten, and costs $8. We think this dish is a must-get. We loved the lime juice and addition of garlic aïoli. The garlic aïoli added just the right amount of garlic flavor without being overwhelming. The corn was fresh and paired well with the brightness of the lime juice and slight kick of the chili powder. 

Next up is the Céntrico Hamburger. The burger is made with Wagyu beef burger on a brioche bun with Gruyère cheese, pickled yellow beets, oven-roasted tomato, truffle aïoli, black truffle sauce, and jalapenos. It is served with Garlic Butter French Fries. This dish is made without gluten and costs $26.

The Céntrico Hamburger is not for the faint of heart. It packs a serious kick with a hint of sweetness. However, the toppings are amazing, and we think this burger is wonderful. The patty is thick and there was a generous number of toppings. 

There is no lack of flavor in this burger and the toppings all go well together. Although be careful as the jalapenos pack a punch, and we noticed that they weren’t even included in the ingredients on the menu. However, if you are okay with some heat, this burger is excellent. 

The Garlic Butter Fries were just okay. We had high hopes for these, but they didn’t knock our socks off. We were surprised by the size of them, but the overall flavor was kind of flat. If you are saying garlic and butter, we REALLY want to taste the garlic and the butter! We wouldn’t recommend going out of your way for them, but we did still enjoy them. 

Now we are moving on to one of the best parts of the meal, dessert! Céntrico does not have an official dessert menu yet, so we asked our server for her recommendation. We got the Guava Pavlova, which is horchata foam with guava and mango puree and topped with edible flowers. 

First off, this dessert is gorgeous. The edible flowers add lots of bright colors to the dessert. But just wait until you see what happens once you tap it open!

The chef recommended we tap it before we ate it, and we are so glad he did. It almost looks even prettier broken open, kind of like an abstract painting.  

The Guava Pavlova was such an interesting dessert. It was tart and sweet, with a little bit of spice from the cinnamon in the horchata foam. It tasted really fresh, plus it was a lot of fun to break open! The flowers were pretty, but we felt like they kind of got stuck in our teeth and did not add much flavor-wise. It was unlike anything we have really tried before, and the flavors all worked well together. 

Overall

Overall, we had a great experience dining at Céntrico. The staff was all incredibly helpful giving us recommendations and answering any questions we had. Our server was also fabulous and was super attentive. We loved the modern atmosphere of the restaurant as well as the outdoor setting. There are lots of different table options, as well as big tables for groups. We really enjoyed all of the food and we felt like the ingredients were all super fresh. Some of our favorites include the Mexican Street Corn, Céntrico Hamburger, Burrito Norteño, and Guava Pavlova. However, we also don’t think you can go wrong with any of the dishes we tried. It is on the pricier side, but we think the food is really high quality and we left feeling very satisfied. 

Nosh or Not?

You might want to stop by Céntrico if…

• You love Mexican-inspired food. The menu was created by Chef Carlos Gaytan and features lot of Mexican flair. We loved the unique combinations of flavors, and if you are a fan of Mexican flavors, we think you would really enjoy this restaurant.
• You want to enjoy some good, fresh food while sitting outdoors. We loved all the fresh ingredients and thoroughly enjoyed all our food. The seating is outdoors, so this would be a great option if you are hoping to get some food & drink while enjoying the outdoors.
• You want a restaurant that would be good for groups. We saw lots of good seating options for larger groups, so this could also be a great choice if you are traveling with a larger party and are looking for somewhere to eat.

You may opt for somewhere else if…

• You want a quiet and peaceful dining experience. The seating is all outdoors and overlooking the Downtown Disney District. There is a lot of hustle and bustle going on around you, so if you are looking for a quiet dining experience, this would not be a good choice for you.
• You do not want Mexican-inspired food. Chef Carlos Gaytan infused lots of Mexican flair into his menu, so if you aren’t in the mood for Mexican-inspired food, you will likely want to pass on this restaurant.
• You are on a budget. While not the most expensive option you could find, Céntrico is a bit on the pricier side. Main dishes range in price from $16 to $34, while tacos will cost you between $18 to $24. The food is great quality, but if you are looking to stay within a certain budget, this may not be the best option.

Thanks for coming along with us to try out Céntrico! We had a great experience, and we can’t wait for our next food adventure. Until then, make sure you stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney food news!

Check out our food reviews from this year’s Pixar Fest! 

What dish would you want to try at Céntrico? Let us know in the comments!

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