Cucina Basilico

Cucina Basilico has all the makings of a great spot—cute, charming, and welcoming, with a reasonably priced menu that offers a nice range of Italian favorites. Naturally, I went with the lasagna ($22)—because what’s more classic Italian than that? But… meh. The top layer was burnt, the marinara sauce was basically MIA, and the dish came without garlic bread, which just felt wrong. For something that should’ve been rich, saucy, and satisfying, it ended up being underwhelming. The atmosphere gets a thumbs up, but the lasagna? Not so much.

Absolutely FANTASTIC! A hole-in-the-wall, cozy Italian restaurant that knocks every dish out of the park. The quality and flavor behind their dishes is phenomenal and puts them far ahead of many Italian spots in town.

Pasta plates are the best in San Diego (in my opinion). Love the super alfredo sauce. They make their pasta fresh from scratch every day!! Small but cozy restaurant. This is my go-to restaurant for my birthday, I love coming back to this restaurant.

My wife and I always make it a point to eat at Cucina Basilico when we visit from LA. Between the amazing, authentic Italian food and awesome, attentive staff, it's hard to go wrong here. I'd suggest the Norcina with gnnochi, but everything I've tried has been delicious. Give this place a try, you won't be disappointed.

Brilliant meal, excellent service. Choice of homemade pastas with variety of sauces and proteins. Perfectly easy for a group to customize the dish each would like, and each combination we tried was excellent. Understated sophistication in the service, really great experience. No question we'll be back.

Absolutely delicious! Did a Google Review search for best Italian Restaurants while on vacation in San Diego for my son's birthday and found Cucina Basilico! We were a bit nervous when our driver stopped at a strip mall and not the Little Italy district, but oh my goodness...the charming space, the more than excellent customer service and the fresh, house made pasta and desserts were all incredible! The owner even brought a dessert and candle out for my son's birthday wish, which was so, very kind. Thankfully, the atmosphere was dinner casual, which worked out nicely after a full day of exploring and not having time to change. When in San Diego I would highly recommend Cucina Basilico. I will definitely dream of some of those bites and I can't wait to return. Thank you for a wonderful celebratory dinner!

We were visiting from Louisiana. Search my map for an Italian restaurant. Found Cucina Basilico at the next turn. It was a great choice. Very friendly, explained about the difference in their pasta. Food was served in a reasonable amount of time and was delicious! Would recommend stopping by. Great food for a hole in the wall family restaurant.

Absolute tip-top Italian food in SD. Pasta is fresh and handmade. Bruschetta was outstanding as an appetizer! I had the Polpette pasta was phenomenal, we also had the Pesto pasta with chicken and you can, with all of these dishes, taste the freshness in every bite. Every time I come here I leave with a full appetite and a smile on my face. 10/10 would recommend

Great food, great service. Fresh ingredients and the best pasta I've had outside of Italy.

Our new FAVORITE restaurant. Fresh homemade Pasta Customize it with a sauce and meat. Formaggio cream sauce was Amazing. Pasta is Al dente...it's fresh and delicious. Portions are large enough to share however I suggest ordering enough to take leftovers home. Entire service staff is gracious, welcoming, sharing their recommendations. And so accommodating. The dining area is small. Makes it a nice quiet meal. Restrooms are clean and tidy...a good indication of how the restaurant is managed. Make a reservation, the restaurant fills up fast! Locals are greeted as friends. We were treated with the same hospitality. Meatball appetizer and bread service is tasty, too. Can't wait to try the homemade tiramisu we took home. Definitely looking forward to our return! Thank you for a wonderful meal.

We had a wonderful experience here. It's in an unassuming location (outdoor mall) but once you're inside the vibe is so cozy and cute! It's not that big of a place and we didn't have reservations, but we were seated right away at one of the high top tables (6pm on a Wednesday). The hostess was very sweet. They import their pastas from Italy which is amazing. Our waiter (who was also Italian) was helpful and friendly, and also had a nice sense of humor! We had a lot of questions and restrictions (GF, DF, etc) and he was patient and helpful. Service was great and fast in general. We got bread with evoo+vinaigrette dip brought to the table first, and it was so good! We ordered two appetizers - the burrata and the artichokes, both were delicious. For my entree I got the pesto with GF pasta and added chicken for protein, delicious! My friends loved their pastas as well (marinara and fettuccini). We got two desserts to finish - the flourless cake and the semifreddo malaga. Both delicious and a great way to end the meal. I didn't have that heavy feeling I get after eating pasta or Italian food at many other places! It was all a really nice authentic Italian experience. The price was super reasonable too given the quality and everything we ordered. We'll be back for sure!

This is an absolute gem. I happened to be staying next door and walked right by the front door. It's almost hidden in the mall. Inside it is an oasis of serenity. I got a seat at the bar. The menu was confusing until it was explained to me that you selected from their fresh homemade pasta and then selected the preparation off the menu. I had the ragu alla bolognese made with some sun dried tomato infused long noodles. This was the most authentic Italian meal I have had in the San Diego area. Don't get me wrong, Little Italy is great, but Cucina Basilico delivered a perfect Italian dining experience!!! Great food, great service, great restaurant!

My friend and I tried here for the first time. She used to work in the neighborhood and wanted to go to this place for a trip to memory lane. She was not sure if this place survived the pandemic or not, but we were happy that it did. Obviously this place is a neighborhood gem as other reviewers said. It's right off the freeway 15, but there is no way I would have known about this place and stop by off the freeway since I don't live in the neighborhood. I was jealous that some people have this kind of a charming and delicious Italian restaurant nearby. Anyway, a long story short, the food was just AMAZING! You must try this place. I had Pollo Panna E Funghi, which was delicious! The sauce was the perfect balance of garlic, wine and cream with a great mushroom flavor. The chicken was a bit thin but well cooked. I added mushroom flavored homemade pasta with pesto sauce on the side, which was just a perfect combination. The best pesto I had ever tasted! Tasted so fresh! I could add the side of the fresh pasta to the entree for $5 that I thought was a great deal. My friend had Ragu' Alla Bolognese with linguine. It was basic, but meat sauce was amazing! Seriously, I simply felt that I had not eaten anything that delicious lately. The meal was memorably delicious, and I am already craving for more. The service was friendly and prompt. We made a reservation. We went for a weekday dinner, but the place was getting filled, so you may want to make a reservation. I will be back. The food is worth the drive for me.

The food, service, and ambience were perfect. I celebrated my birthday here. Making a reservation was easy. They charge, I think, $13 or something for a cake fee but that's okay for the convenience. The food was so good. Homemade pasta. They give you the options of which pasta goes best for each dish. Portions are generous. The service was wonderful. Pablo was an excellent host. He was so patient with our large party. He took the time to take our orders and answer questions. I enjoyed being called "Mama" by him. Lol. Might be the accent. The other staff were also very kind and attentive. It's dimly lit in the restaurant but in a romantic way. It is a very nice venue for a date night or a nice dinner with family like we had. The whole experience was so nice. I brought a large enough cake to feed my party as well as (I hope) the staff, so I hope they liked it. I did send, I think, a quarter of the cake to the kitchen for the staff to enjoy. Really, everyone made my birthday very memorable. I highly recommend this restaurant and look forward to dining here again.

Where do I start? This food is not good at all! It's nothing we ordered I ordered pasta bolognese and received gnocchi it was dry and not edible I ordered chicken parm it was a flat piece on watery sauce. Please look at the pictures I'm 100% Italian this is embarrassing

We are regulars for 2 years, now. This is a wonderful family-like staff in a traditional family-friendly flexible to a romantic atmosphere. The lasagna is glorious! We both enjoy the weekly specials which do repeat but are always wonderful.

Definitely recommend making a stop here for some good Italian food! The owner is so nice, service is fast, food comes out super quickly and piping hot! No complaints at all! The location is in the back of a big plaza so parking isn't an issue. So many things on the menu looked delicious and I'd love to stop by again to try other dishes in the future. The norcina pasta is a light cream sauce with mild sausage and caramelized onions. Delicious ! The sweet onions, the light cream sauce balance so perfectly with the mild salty sausage!! Never had beet pasta before and the shape was interesting but a bit dense for this pasta sauce imo. Still delicious, but I think I would opt for fettuccine next time. They have sangiovese wine on their menu, which is not super common in the states and I was super happy to see this on the wine list after returning from my recent Italy trip! Interior has a darker ambiance and they have both large and small tables. Would definitely love to return next time I'm in the area!

Locally owner restaurant with very authentic, fresh made Italian dishes. The pasta options were outstanding. The cozy cute restaurant was welcoming and warm. The super Alfredo with shrimp was fantastic and perfectly cooked. Their fresh gnocchi melted in your mouth. It was superb. Meatballs were very tender and flavorful. The service was very friendly and attentive. We absolutely loved this place!

I really wanted to love this place, however it did not live up to all the raving reviews. The two stars are for their very reasonable pricing, salad, and pretty good meatballs. Two stars also means I wouldn't come back. I honestly hate to say it, but the lasagna quite literally tasted like Chef Boyardee out of the can and the pasta in it was mushy. I'm sorry, it was so bad. The table bread wasn't good even though it was free. The sauce with the meatballs lacked depth of flavor. I guess you get what you pay for, unfortunately.

I'm sorry but I am not sure how this place has so many five star reviews. The pasta is mediocre at best with the sauce lacking any taste whatsoever. The bruschetta was horrible. Furthermore, my wife and sister-in-law are positive they were given regular coffee instead of decaf like they requested. We definitely will not go back to this restaurant ever again.

Came on my lunch break and dined in with some coworkers. We made our choices and loved that they brought out samples of the fresh pastas choices of the day. I ordered a spinach pasta with the pesto, added chicken. Very flavorful! Got a cannoli to go and it was delish. Filling was perfect and maintained its crispiness hours later. Service was great and I noticed there were regulars dining in and out and they treated everyone like family. Glad they're down the hill from work, I'm sorry it took a little over a year to finally try it out.

Nice place to have a casual dinner. Went there for dinner. It reminded me (the name and logo) to the Basílico restaurant in La Mesa that unfortunately is no longer there. Too bad as it had lots of charm. Well, this restaurant is good for a casual dinner. Food is okay. I ordered lemon chicken and it came with a good size salad but the chicken didn't have much lemony flavor. Hubby had a sun-dried pasta. Lack the sun-dried thou. Service, well, I am not sure if I am picky or not but, when the server chooses to reach out in front of your face, is not to classy. Serving in a restaurant to me is an art, I think. Definitely the servers (food, water, lack finesse). Nevertheless, if you are in the area, try them out. Hope that you will have a nicer experience. Happy meals.

Best meal during my week long work trip to San Diego. Was totally unexpected - finding a truly authentic spot where they make fresh homemade pasta daily? It was our last night there and we had a smaller group of 8. We were exhausted and hadn't had much good food (very limited in the vicinity). We walked to this from our hotel which was across the street and was blown away. The restaurant was small but seated another large group as well as smaller 4 person tables- it was PACKED on a Thursday. I got salmon and I haven't scraped off a plate in a LONGGGG time- I finished very last bit. So did everyone. Perfect seasoning and temperature.

Small out of the way, charming, tasty, Italian restaurant. Fresh pasta, delicious sauces and great service. You do not need to go further out for good quality Italian.

I don't want to repeat what the others have said... but I was completely impressed by the homemade fresh pasta! Excellent customer service and casual ambiance made for a very pleasant lunch.

This neighbourhood delight in the heart of Murphy Canyon is in a word...superb! We dined here in mid-June for a friend's birthday; it is one of his favourite spots. I've heard about it for the longest and was glad to finally make it in. Our party of six were greeted and sat as soon as we entered the restaurant. Our server came over and greeted us and suggested beverages and cocktails for our party. We decided on some great wine; it seemed apropos and it paired just right with all of our meals. I started with the Mediterranean salad and the absolutely delicious marinated artichokes. I am obsessed with all things lemon and the salad dressing for the salad was lemon-y goodness. For my entrée I ordered salmon in a white wine sauce with capers. The veggies with it were roasted. It was exactly what I wanted and it delivered! For dessert because of course I ordered dessert we sampled their dessert sampler that had tiramisu, panna cotta, and a coffee mousse. It was a great way to celebrate a birthday! You da best, Cucina Basilico!

We visited this restaurant last Sunday for dinner and we were so very disappointed. The fresh pasta was so thick and chewy normally it's light and fluffy so I don't know if they changed their flour or if there's a new cook in the kitchen I called the restaurant to inform them, but they never called me back. This used to be one of our favorite restaurants, but unfortunately, we won't be returning

This cute little spot was delicious and the service was great. The best part was their homemade pasta which you can tell because it was soft and amazing. Will have to come back to try some of their other dishes and some wine!

On business in San Diego and found this place walking distance from my hotel. I walked in and there was old Italian music playing and was pleasantly surprised it was not cheesy Italian, cliche music. I ordered the "Pollo al Limone" and was it delicious. It had a good amount of citrus and went well with the accompanying salad. I was very happy to have found this place just strolling through the plaza on my evening walk from the hotel. Definitely a revisit next time I am in the area.

We came in when they just opened and we got seated right away, we were given a basket of bread, the bread is really good, then we ordered a buratta and it was soft and good. I ordered octopus with black ink noodles, my wife ordered the cioppino and mushroom fettuccine and my daughter ordered Pollo panna e funghe with mushrooms pasta. The serving size look small but the it's so filling that I got full right away, I was not planning of having dessert but when the dessert menu was put on the table I had to have one because I saw that they have semifredo and my daughter ordered panna cotta, they were really good. My wife did not like the cioppino she said it's a little watered down and was eating my pasta which she likes the most but she still finished the cioppino. The place is not big with just few tables, will definitely come back to try other stuff.

Discovered a lovely cute Italian restaurant in Serra Mesa. The staff is welcoming, friendly like you just walked into a home gathering. Intimate and casual. For your everyday meal or date night or a glass of wine to unwind, the authentic flavors and homemade noodles will satisfy your tastebuds with every bite. I highly recommend Cucina Basilico for an exceptional dish. Shout out to Pablo for a wonderful experience. Grazie

When you're looking for Italian food, you're generally wanting authentic and flavorful food as well as a cozy friendly atmosphere where your presence is valued. This charming restaurant unequivocally meets that expectation. My party of four walked in without a reservation on Saturday night with the hopes of getting sat with relative quickness. We were given an estimate of 15-20 minutes and chose to occupy the bar while we waited. The wine list is carefully curated, with offerings of Italian beer and sodas as well. We ordered a bottle of red from Napa and a Peroni while we waited for a table. We were sat before 20 minutes was up, thanks to a reservation no-show. We ordered the burrata as an appetizer, and our waitress brought a small tray of the evening's freshly made pasta offerings. Now, I have not been to Italy so I have no reference as to how things are done there. What I do know is this; when the pasta is made in-house, everything else tastes amazing. So much care goes into making delicious pasta I can't imagine not giving every sauce and protein as much attention as possible as well. On to the appetizer! The burrata came out, beautifully wrapped in prosciutto and on a plate with a rather out-of-place seeming romaine lettuce leaf. My in from out of town guest explained that in Italy they serve burrata with lettuce (generally butter or romaine) and you cut the lettuce up, add a slice of burrata then eat. Honestly, it was better than eating the cheese on their warmed yeasted rolls. Color me educated. For the entree, I ordered the vodka sauce with smoked salmon on one of the freshly made pastas. For the life of me, I can't remember the name of it, but I will say I've never seen it before in the pasta aisle at a conventional grocery store! I know I love vodka sauce, and I know I love smoked salmon. Why wouldn't I put them together? The salmon was so tender and ever so lightly smoked, and the vodka sauce was the best I've tasted. They complimented each other the way kindergarteners do when their best friend gets new tennis shoes. My dining companion ordered the cioppino. He'd had it at a different establishment previously, and he wasn't sure it was for him. The thought behind his ordering selection was, that if it wasn't good at this restaurant then it probably wasn't for him. The depth of flavor, the tenderness of the seafood, and the generous portion delivered on all accounts. He scooped up every single drop, and even refused when I asked to switch plates for a few bites... unheard of! Our waitress was patient as we decided what we'd like to order, even on a really busy evening. Honestly, I appreciate the hustle of "Let's get more people in here to eat" but not one staff member made us feel that way. The restaurant is small, but inviting. It was so comfortable and just really embodied all you'd want from a lovely restaurant. We will be back, and frequently.

If you are looking for a mom and pop kind of Italian restaurant - then this should be your go to spot without a doubt! This is a cute restaurant smack in the middle of a busy plaza and is a great place if you are looking for fresh home-made food. Once we were seated we ended up ordering: *caprese - super fresh and refreshing, I especially loved the mozzarella cheese this came with, every bite was absolutely yummy * fettuccini with creamy sauce - I can't remember the name of this but this was not the Alfredo sauce but the other creamy one, this was delicious and light but creamy nonetheless. It also came with sausage which was fresh and delicious *pesto side pasta - we got this with gnocchi and it was amazing - the sauce was fresh and the gnocchi was like pillows of heaven. This is a spot with a cute ambience perfect for a girls night or a date night. Definitely support this local business - the service is top notch and homely, exactly what you'd want on a relaxing evening!

Cucina Basilico is a cute, Italian restaurant with a daily selection of freshly made pasta to choose from that you can match with their sauces. Besides pasta, they also make all their bread in house and all of it was delicious and complimentary, too. The pricing is pretty reasonable and the portion sizes are average. It's casual enough that you don't need to dress up, but nice enough to bring a date. The parking lot was relatively empty and there were only about three tables with customers at 7PM on a Friday. Bruschetta Classica (4.75/5): When the server brought this out, she warned me that it would look a little different than what I was expecting, but promised that their version was delicious. After I saw the item, I'll admit that sliced tomatoes on a pita-looking carbs, I was rather skeptical, but she was right; this is amazing. It looks so simple, but somehow was the perfect balance of savory from the marinade and sweetness from the tomato. Definitely a must get. Fettuccine Vongole (3.75/5): I think overall, the pasta is absolutely incredible quality, unique, and delicious. However, I think the sauce really let them down. It felt like there just wasn't enough flavor? They needed more cheese or more wine or something punchier because it just felt really bland. Also, the sauce ran super thin, which I also noticed on my friend's pesto. This almost was really good, but maybe some of their other sauce options are better. Tiramisu (4.25/5): Just a classic done well with a perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and bitter. A nice way to end any meal.

Our favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego! Whenever we visit we have to stop here. They great you with their fresh pastas of the day- usually 4-5. Then you pick your sauce and your pasta. Our 6 year old said they have the best pasta- he picked the spinach pasta with bolognese. Soo good. I picked the mushroom pasta with Rosa sauce which comes with sausage and onions. Sooo good! See you soon!

Hidden gem in a seemingly empty plaza! The plaza seemed quiet on Friday night but the restaurant was full and busy when we entered. We were glad that we made a reservation. Would definitely recommend making one! The space inside is small and cozy and has more of a casual vibe than many Italian places. They settled us in with some bread and the menu. There were many choices of pasta on the menu. The waitress came over with a display of their current homemade pasta that you can choose to go with a sauce from the menu. We went with the vodka sundried tomato pasta and the norcina fettuccine. The sauces for both were rich and creamy. Super flavorful and the pasta definitely tasted homemade and fresh. The prices were also super affordable for the quality of pasta. We really liked the customizable pastas and the delicateness of the pasta noodles!

Cousins Basilico is a surprise. A very unassuming location in a strip mall. It's fairly small. My first surprise was walking into the place. It's really cute inside. Very warm and an Italian feel. Second surprise was they make all their pasta fresh daily; including gnocchi! I've been there twice and had two different sauces on my gnocchi. The food is delicious. I highly recommend this cute little surprise.

Food, ambiance, and service were all wonderful! They gave us complimentary fresh bread while we waited for our entrees. We ordered the calamari appetizer as well as the bolognese, norcini, and pink sauce. The hand made fettuccine all tasted really fresh. Would definitely come back again if I was craving authentic Italian food!

Tonight, my husband & I decided to give Cucina Basilico a try for an early Friday night dinner. Everything we ordered was freshly prepared, & delicious! Highly recommend. We will be returning soon.

I would always suggest making a reservation here. Staff is sweet and accommodating, always. I can say limited menu, but always a choice of homemade pastas made daily and you get to choose which sauces you want to pair with. No eggplant parm here. Chicken parm was overcooked last night. I've had salmon and it was overcooked, when asked to have it medium rare, the chef wouldn't cook it any less so it is just not something I'll ever order here again. I'll stick to pasta! Cute, small neighborhood vibe. If you love pasta, it's a great place to go.

Bummed I don't live here to make this a regular stop. We had the calamari to start , delicious, tender calamari in a delightful sauce with just a hint of heat. We had the homemade pasta. Gnocchi with Norcina sauce, melt in your mouth heaven with a perfect complimentary sauce. The spinach spaghetti with the vodka sauce, another mouth satisfying dish. Save room for dessert. Panna Cota & also some semi frozen ice cream with Marsala dipped raisins, perfect ending to The Best Italian dinner we've ever had. The service matched the food, perfection. We're going back tomorrow before we leave town. Went back tonight, as wonderful as the first time. This time the gnocchi Formaggio, and squid ink fettuccini with seafood. Gnocchi melt in your mouth perfection and tons of fresh seafood with the delectable squid ink pasta. Try this place, you'll be happy you did.

This is a hidden Gem in a non descriptive strip center. The pasta is homemade. We started with the Artichoke hearts they were yummy, the squid ink pasta was heaven. The chicken mushrooms was fabulous. The chicken parmigiana was incredible as was the homemade ice cream. Small and lovely restaurant with great service. I'll be back . Highly recommended.

This is the place where I fell in love with Italian food for the first time, the location may through you off.. but let me tell you.. the restaurant will never disappoint you! I have been to this place over 20 times, and I will go back another unlimited times more.. it's authentic, it's fresh and very cozy as it says! Must try if you're in San Diego.

Love this cozy restaurant that makes homemade pastas. Great service and delicious pastas you can't find at your average Italian restaurant. They're definitely special.

Had a great experience here. Affordable, but really well done pasta. I really like the noodle texture. You'll be fine not adding protein to the dishes.

Found this gem! The meat lasagna was made from scratch, pasta, and everything. The bread knots were really good as well. The taste was amazing! I've never been there before and the cashier treated me as if I were a regular customer. I will be going back for sure!!

I've eaten here 3 or 4 times recently and every time was a joy. Their service and quality is excellent.

What a treat this little place is. It's a hidden gem of authentic Italian cuisine. We've enjoyed our meals every time. Pasta is fresh, service is great, dim lit and cozy.

The fresh pasta is amazing! Tons of sauces to pick from and five options of pasta choices. Warm bread and Olive oil and vinegar. Service was right on. I will be back tomorrow!

I love this place. The pasta is freshly made and DELICIOUS. They've also got tons of great wine pairings and other non-pasta dishes. I've gotten the vodka sauce more times than I can remember and every time I'm incredibly pleased. If you like smoked salmon and a creamier tomato sauce, the vodka sauce is the way to go. The employees are all so friendly and accommodating. They remember your face and create such a warm and welcoming environment that makes you feel at home. Because of that, I have made so many cherished memories here. My closest friends and I would very often come have "family dinners" here. I even celebrated my college graduation with family here. Cannot recommend this place enough and I will always try to bring as many new people here as possible. Smoked Salmon Pasta

My mom and I go all the time and we LOVE this place! The workers are so welcoming and the food is incredible. One of our favorite restaurants, and we highly recommend!! Great options, especially since they have gluten free, celiac-friendly pasta!

Sometimes you have an eating experience that is so good, it makes you wonder how you could live your life without having it again. Of course, there has to be opposition in all things, so to know good you have to experience bad. To know beauty, you have to see ugliness. To know perfection in food, you have to first eat Chipotle... Basílico BLEW my culinary mind. First, this is nothing like Olive Garden. No, this place is like what you'd eat in Italy. Perhaps at a street side cafe just outside a sunny vineyard. This, folks, is the real deal. It is what real Italian food is meant to be. This is, by the way, cuisine from Northern Italy. The pastas are mind blowing. First, they bring you a little dish with all the daily pastas (uncooked) so you can see them and make your selection. There are a myriad of pasta dishes on the menu, with varying proteins and sauces. The pastas are so fresh and so darned PERFECTLY cooked, that each bit is a sensory explosion of pleasure. The sauces...oh my word, the sauces. Honestly, I've never had better. Even in Europe, the sauces were not as good as this place. Each is Just perfectly flavored and cooked, and they enrobe the pastas and proteins in a beautiful, symphonic way. For example, the Pantera Rosa is a "pink" sauce with cream and some pancetta. Their Formaggio is a light cream with beautiful Gorgonzola and Italian blue cheese. And their Ragu' alla Bolognese sauce which is their family recipe meat sauce bolognese. It's just to die for. Period. I particularly loved their Norcina, which is a Light cream sauce with mild Italian sausage and onions. Mmmmm. Delicious. They have some excellent chicken dishes, and their chicken parm is the best Ive had anywhere. You can mix and match and select different pastas with different sauces and proteins. In short, they can make just about anything for you, and everything- I do mean everything- is delectable, fresh, interesting, savory, and nothing like you've had anywhere. There are some salads and familiar appetizers. I will say that the caprese is particularly good. To finish your meal, do your senses and soul a favor and order the homemade pana cotta. Holy cow. That may be the best dessert I've ever had. Light like an angel's breath. Very slightly creamy, with a tinge of blueberries, perhaps? It's just this light, fluttery, slightly sweet thing of beauty. Don't miss it, if nothing else. The inside of Cucina Basilica is warm and inviting, though the outside is completely incongruous, being situated in a strip mall that has long since faded from its glory. The restaurant is bookended by a Mexican food walk-up and a smoke shop. Nothing glamorous for miles. But don't let that stop you, because, once inside, you're stepping into a culinary Heaven with some of the best Italian food I e ever had the privilege of tasting. I'll be back. Tomorrow. And the day after that. And...

Really delicious, authentic Northern Italian food. Delicious preparations and great service. They serve fresh homemade pasta made by Italians! The cream sauces here are particularly delicious as is the lasagne made the way my mother made it- with a bechamel sauce- nice. Highly recommend the pesto or the superfredo.

Another takeout lunch for today I got to order from a highly rated Italian restaurant situated in a random plaza of various food establishments. They only offer lunch Wed-Fri and I ordered their Mozzini panini sandwich since it's not on the dinner menu. The prices were pretty decent and they definitely are untraditional in that they use a piadina bread as a wrap rather than a traditional sandwich format. It was delicious and buttery; the spinach had great flavor. I did let the panini sit a bit before I got to eat it so a lot of liquid was left dripping out and made it a bit soggy to eat and pretty messy. The side salad was very basic, not worth the $8 it was sadly. I would go back for their paninis though because they've got a lot of options and the price alone at $12 is a steal. I have to mention that the place was PACKED when I came for my order at noon and it left me wondering if the dinner menu is even better! It looks like they do make reservations by phone which I would recommend after seeing how small the place was.

I'm a really big fan of Cucina Basilico! It is located on Canyon Murphy Road focused on made from scratch traditional northern Italian food. The owners, Danilo and Francesca, are originally from Milan, Italy. Everything at Cucina Basilico is homemade (i.e. focaccia bread, traditional tiramisu, etc.). Their website notes that Danilo uses genuine ingredients to give a healthy contribution to society, everything there is free of preservatives and chemical additions. We visited in July 2022. I tried the following: - Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce and Mushrooms - Artichoke Hearts - Calamari - Tiramisu - Glass of Sangiovese Nom Nom Nom! Can't wait to go back!

Located in the same shopping center as Sizzler. The restaurant is cozy & has a homey vibe. The servers were super pleasant & attentive. Did you know that they make their own pasta in house?! & that their pastas change from time to time?! I love how they brought out a visual of their pastas of the day. Their lunch menu differs from their dinner. During lunch, they serve pastas, baked pastas, paninis, & salads. They give complementary bread which reminded me of the Filipino Pan De Sal, served with balsamic & olive oil. Pesto: I got this with their homemade spinach pasta, which was cooked just right. I do wish the sauce was a bit more flavorful because it was lighter than I would like, but still good.

Really wanted to love this neighborhood Italian place but left disappointed. Maybe it's an off day for them? The service was really the biggest issue. It was really chaotic when we came in and none of the staff seemed to bother with managing the situation. First all, I was standing by the entrance for 5-7 minutes and nobody came out to greet me. Not even a "hi there, we will be with you soon!" They just completely ignored my existence. A large party that arrived before us was trying to get seated and they just let them freely walk in and out of the restaurant and stand by other dining customers waiting for them to finish their meal (?) It was bizarre. Once we finally got seated, it was a little more smooth-sailing but the service was still mediocre. Our waiter seemed a little impatient and tried to rush us. We sat in the narrow corridor near the bathroom and it was a little difficult to get service at times. The pasta itself was good - freshly made and had a nice chewy texture. The sauce was just average so the overall dish didn't really impress. The dessert menu had a good variety and the Panna Cotta was tasty.