Old Town Tustin has long underachieved as a place for a good night besides Honda Ya and The Swinging Door, but that’s slowly changing. In the past year, El Camino Cafe brought in a morning crowd; now comes Centro, operated by the Pozzuoli family, owners of Pozzuoli Vineyard & Winery in Paso Robles. While already owning the Winery and Tasting Room off Redhill Avenue, the Pozzuolis opened Centro to offer their Archaic Craft Brewery label in a 900 square-foot spot.
Cozy as your grandparents den, and with attentive service and Neapolitan-style pizza that’s spot on, Centro’s 50 seats are always packed. Golden Ace IPA is their flagship beer, and for good reason. Smooth not too hoppy, it’s perfect with bruschetta that doesn’t skimp on the San Marzano tomatoes. The Maris XMas Ale is a hearty, tasty red ale, on par with better-known winter ales from Sierra Nevada and Anchor Steam. My Beer of the Week though is the Ruby Race IPA. This grapefruit-laced IPA is refreshing but not overly tart, and every sip is perfectly citrus, unlike others that eventually get you to make a sour face.
Along with serving its own craft wine and beer, Centro also makes its own olive oils.
Centro, 140 E. Main St., Tustin, (714) 258-8817 centrotustin.com
