Basta has a charming ambiance, with its dark, rustic vibe and an open kitchen featuring a wood-fired pizza oven that sets the stage for an inviting dining experience.
However, the pizza falls short of expectations. While not bad, it’s unremarkable—far from what I’d anticipate from a Michelin-rated spot charging $22 for a margherita pizza. The crust is dense without the satisfying chew, and the sauce and cheese are average at best.
Adding to the disappointment is the mandatory 22% gratuity on every check, which feels less like a reward for excellent service and more like a way to pad the bill.
The menu offers standard pizza options, with a few creative twists, but the overall experience feels uninspired. Basta seems to lack the soul and passion one would hope for, leaving it indistinguishable from many other restaurants in Boulder.
Cody Weimer
Had the best anniversary dinner with my wife here. Staff and food were amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
abby jean
Amazing food and service in an unfussy atmosphere. Truly welcoming.
Cosy, intimate, providing comfort food made from fresh in-season ingredients. Surprised to find it in a collection of condos. If I lived there, I'd eat there every night. If I were forced to change anything it would be to expand red wine selection a bit and to place your fabulous bread into a less hot spot in wood fired oven.
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Boulder and the surrounding cities. The food is consistently delicious, the drinks are great, and there’s something new on the menu at least once a month. It’s hard to pick a favorite part but the service might be it. Everyone who works here is amazing and prompt and funny and kind and thoughtful. 10/10 best place to eat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Daisy Pizza, Kumamoto Oysters, Donuts, Little Gem Caesar Salad, Burrata, Polenta, Half Chicken, Shishito Peppers
Michelle
We have been looking for a new favorite restaurant in Boulder after some previous faves declined or closed, and seems like we’ve found it. Love the ambience, wonderful service, and quality, delicious food. Everything was so good. The bread that comes with the burrata and the chicken were extra tasty. Cocktails hit the mark. We sat at the bar and had top notch service. Will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anna Atanassova
Food, menu, wine list, cocktails, dessert and decor were fabulous. Service was pretty rough. The tables to both sides of us were touched significantly more often than ours, with a truly bizarre interaction with a staff member outside of our server (a person literally walked up to our table, interrupted our conversation and said ‘are you trying to order more food?’) Not sure if it’s the tax of being heavily tattooed in a room full of Boulderites or perhaps something else - I was stoked to be here as a chef visiting Boulder but felt very bummed out by the service - the six top of insufferable, complaining women to our right certainly got the lion‘s share of effort and consideration tonight. Not sure we’ll be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Little Gem Caesar Salad, Lasagna
My Huong
Such a pleasure to visit here! Intimate dining experience, with cozy ambience and small, rotating, food menu, but well executed. The clam pizza is probably one of the top three best pizzas I’ve ever had in my life. Trust me, I like to eat. If seafood is not your thing, I heard people around me raving about pretty much everything they ordered. I also had the oysters - super fresh. The chicken liver mousse was smooth and velvety. Even the bread was top notch. Most impressively, there’s just a lovely energy and dedication to good service across everyone from back of the house to front of the house. The bartender was friendly and accommodating. I know restaurants can sometimes be tough gigs, but even the gentleman making the pizza said this is the most positive workplace he’s been in. I love that! I know a couple of reviews mentioned higher price point, but I am ok with that when the ingredients are quality and the employees are treated well enough to make a comment like that. Hope you get more and more support to keep doing what you do! :)
Visiting from Indianapolis and found this place on a TikTok - what a gem! When you see a line of people for the 5 o’clock opening…you know something pretty great must be inside. August was our server- he and the entire staff there were so lovely and professional. The food was AMAZING! We had the chicken with side of polenta, the fall pizza, and the Cesar- Highly recommend. Ambience & music too- just a super cozy vibe! 💯
I'm normally not a big "fine dining" person but Basta is amazing. The trout and chicken were delicious and I left full. Staff was very kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Spencer Uniss
great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Brussels Sprouts
Marsha Slatkin
Awesome all the way around! We attended a closed event at Basta for a wedding reception this past weekend and it was so great! Amazing atmosphere, amazing staff, amazing bartenders and chef, and the most incredible food. SO much food and all so uniquely flavorful. Truly delicious! I can't say enough about what a perfect venue this was. Kudos to all of you at Basta!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Emiliano G
Great spot in Boulder. I'm Italian and they offer some terrific interpretations of selected Italian classics.
Amazing place to eat
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata, Lasagna
Basta has a charming ambiance, with its dark, rustic vibe and an open kitchen featuring a wood-fired pizza oven that sets the stage for an inviting dining experience.
However, the pizza falls short of expectations. While not bad, it’s unremarkable—far from what I’d anticipate from a Michelin-rated spot charging $22 for a margherita pizza. The crust is dense without the satisfying chew, and the sauce and cheese are average at best.
Adding to the disappointment is the mandatory 22% gratuity on every check, which feels less like a reward for excellent service and more like a way to pad the bill.
The menu offers standard pizza options, with a few creative twists, but the overall experience feels uninspired. Basta seems to lack the soul and passion one would hope for, leaving it indistinguishable from many other restaurants in Boulder.
Had the best anniversary dinner with my wife here. Staff and food were amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food and service in an unfussy atmosphere. Truly welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Daisy Pizza, Burrata, Chicken Liver Mousse, Half Chicken, Whole Fish, Smoked Olives
Cosy, intimate, providing comfort food made from fresh in-season ingredients. Surprised to find it in a collection of condos. If I lived there, I'd eat there every night. If I were forced to change anything it would be to expand red wine selection a bit and to place your fabulous bread into a less hot spot in wood fired oven.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Burrata, Half Chicken, Clam Pizza
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Boulder and the surrounding cities. The food is consistently delicious, the drinks are great, and there’s something new on the menu at least once a month. It’s hard to pick a favorite part but the service might be it. Everyone who works here is amazing and prompt and funny and kind and thoughtful.
10/10 best place to eat.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Daisy Pizza, Kumamoto Oysters, Donuts, Little Gem Caesar Salad, Burrata, Polenta, Half Chicken, Shishito Peppers
We have been looking for a new favorite restaurant in Boulder after some previous faves declined or closed, and seems like we’ve found it. Love the ambience, wonderful service, and quality, delicious food. Everything was so good. The bread that comes with the burrata and the chicken were extra tasty. Cocktails hit the mark. We sat at the bar and had top notch service. Will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food, menu, wine list, cocktails, dessert and decor were fabulous. Service was pretty rough. The tables to both sides of us were touched significantly more often than ours, with a truly bizarre interaction with a staff member outside of our server (a person literally walked up to our table, interrupted our conversation and said ‘are you trying to order more food?’) Not sure if it’s the tax of being heavily tattooed in a room full of Boulderites or perhaps something else - I was stoked to be here as a chef visiting Boulder but felt very bummed out by the service - the six top of insufferable, complaining women to our right certainly got the lion‘s share of effort and consideration tonight. Not sure we’ll be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Little Gem Caesar Salad, Lasagna
Such a pleasure to visit here! Intimate dining experience, with cozy ambience and small, rotating, food menu, but well executed. The clam pizza is probably one of the top three best pizzas I’ve ever had in my life. Trust me, I like to eat. If seafood is not your thing, I heard people around me raving about pretty much everything they ordered. I also had the oysters - super fresh. The chicken liver mousse was smooth and velvety. Even the bread was top notch. Most impressively, there’s just a lovely energy and dedication to good service across everyone from back of the house to front of the house. The bartender was friendly and accommodating. I know restaurants can sometimes be tough gigs, but even the gentleman making the pizza said this is the most positive workplace he’s been in. I love that! I know a couple of reviews mentioned higher price point, but I am ok with that when the ingredients are quality and the employees are treated well enough to make a comment like that. Hope you get more and more support to keep doing what you do! :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Liver Mousse, Clam Pizza
Visiting from Indianapolis and found this place on a TikTok - what a gem! When you see a line of people for the 5 o’clock opening…you know something pretty great must be inside.
August was our server- he and the entire staff there were so lovely and professional. The food was AMAZING! We had the chicken with side of polenta, the fall pizza, and the Cesar- Highly recommend. Ambience & music too- just a super cozy vibe! 💯
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Little Gem Caesar Salad
Restaurantji Recommends
I'm normally not a big "fine dining" person but Basta is amazing. The trout and chicken were delicious and I left full. Staff was very kind.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Brussels Sprouts
Awesome all the way around! We attended a closed event at Basta for a wedding reception this past weekend and it was so great! Amazing atmosphere, amazing staff, amazing bartenders and chef, and the most incredible food. SO much food and all so uniquely flavorful. Truly delicious! I can't say enough about what a perfect venue this was. Kudos to all of you at Basta!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great spot in Boulder. I'm Italian and they offer some terrific interpretations of selected Italian classics.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Daisy Pizza, Burrata, Brussels Sprouts
The burrata and Rotolo are incredible. The cocktails are delicious and unique and the pizza is great too. Can’t wait to come back.
Vegetarian options: There are vegetarian appetizers, pizza and salads
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Daisy Pizza, Burrata
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