Tucked in Pawtuxet village in Cranston is this wonderful Italian restaurant that echoes the best in food service and atmosphere. We had early reservations for our anniversary dinner. I had perused the menu so I knew what I wanted. The on site bread with roasted garlic and high quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil , you cannot help but over do on the bread. We split a Caesar salad which was done perfect not overloaded with dressing. We would both loved anchovies but it was a winner . I had the Basta chop with the lobster sauce on the side . The presentation was spot on with the bone in on the plate . I upgraded the side to lobster risotto instead of the pasta marinara . Which was a good simple freshly made marinara . My husband had veal Milanese . He could cut his with a fork it was so tender . I saved room for dessert for a house made very berry sorbet which did not disappoint. Lots of moving parts inside large bar, private party. Constant water refilling and taking away if plates . If you you are ever lucky enough to go there , you'll want to hurry back . They have several light dishes pizza appts etc. Of course our server Taylor was top notch , lots of young busses being trained in the art of hospitality. read more

Came here to celebrate a birthday with a large party and the service was fantastic. I thought the food was well prepared, tasty, they had some unique options, and the portions on most entrées were sufficient. The complementary bread with olive oil, roasted garlic and balsamic is a nice touch, although there were no small spoons provided to scoop up the balsamic or the cloves making it a little awkward to fish them out, tasty nonetheless. There were several appetizers out on the table, the meatballs, charcuterie board, calimari, all the good stuff. The meatballs, and calimari were fantastic, extra props to the calimari. Nice and tender, very thin crisp batter that didn't get soggy. Good amount of cherry peppers to go along. I got the swordfish francaise, it was calling to me. I thought it was fantastic. There wasn't anything particularly inventive about the dish in terms of the batter, toppings or sauce- briney, lemony, and well balanced.. The treat was getting it was a nice piece of swordfish. It's not often you see it on the menu at all never mind as francaise. It was cooked perfectly, flaky, held it's structure, tasted fresh. I loved it. I thought it was a bit steep at $34, which is why I'm giving this a 4-star vs a 5. But overall, I enjoyed everything and would certainly go back for an occasion. For me it's a bit pricey to make it a habit. read more

Basta - Creamy polenta and roasted fingerling potatoes and root vegetables - Italian Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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Dined here last night with a group of friends. Service was outstanding. Food was amazing! Giselle was attentive, knowledgeable, funny, and spot on with food recommendations. We were a large group and she took care of our every need! Highly recommend!! read more

What a wonderful restaurant! Not only was the food absolutely delicious, but our server Giselle was fabulous- so helpful and attentive! I had the pistachio crusted cod which was amazing. And definitely don't skip dessert. I highly recommend the butter cake! read more

Valentine's Day at Basta Trattoria -- truly the night of a thousand roses -- and hands down the most romantic place to be on a day meant for love. The ambiance was absolutely beautiful, intimate, and perfectly set for such a special evening. The service was amazing as usual -- attentive, warm, and seamless even on one of the busiest nights of the year. And the food? Incredible. Every single time. We dine here often, and what I appreciate most is the consistency. It is always delicious, always beautifully prepared, and always exceeds expectations. One of my personal favorites is the veal chop -- but fair warning, it's definitely a two-person chop! Generous, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. However on this night we had the lobster à la bomba and the surf and turf! They didn't disappoint. Honestly, anything I've ever ordered here has been executed to the highest standard. If you're looking for romance, exceptional service, and unforgettable food, Basta never disappoints. It's truly a gem. read more

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It was a super busy Sunday...the wait staff was awesome, the food was awesome and the butter cake dessert was to die for. Seriously good stuff. We will be back! read more

Delicious food, reasonable prices, attentive servers! Plenty of parking, great location.

Our favorite restaurant in town! I've been coming to Basta for years, and it's a great place to come for a meal, a drink, and to hang for a while. Story time. Read to the end: I went there a while ago on a busy Sunday afternoon, and my wife and I ordered the seafood tower. It came out and we weren't particularly impressed with it, enough so that I decided to let management know about it. I figured if it were me, I'd want to know so that I can fix any future issues, so I sent an email detailing this as it was our first-ever not so great experience there. In response, manager Justin sent a gift card to cover the cost of the next one, and personally offered to oversee our reservation next time we came in. I honestly wasn't expecting much of anything, so this already was a very nice surprise. Well, we visited again last night and I can assure you that Justin and the rest of the crew took great care of us and MORE than made up for the experience that we had a few months back. Of course we ordered the seafood tower again, and this time it was 10/10 with a big hearty lobster tail, fresh COLD oysters, and big, snappy shrimp. I am a proud Rhode Islander, so it matters to me that our seafood is high quality. This absolutely passed the test, in my humble opinion, at least. For mains my wife ordered the filet mignon. She took one bite and immediately told me I had to try it. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly to order, and the potatoes were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I ordered the cavatelli, which was a nice contrast to the big pile of fresh seafood I just housed. It had a slight bitter (broccoli rabe) and complex taste to it which I enjoyed. Both dishes are highly recommended. The main reason why this is a 5/5 review though, is Justin's response to our initial complaint. Taking accountability, fixing the issue, and ensuring personally that our next visit was the best possible response, and is a mark of high integrity. Oh yeah, the cocktails and mocktails! The mocktails might have been even better than the cocktails... it's hard to get a NA drink to taste good and not just have a bunch of sugar, but these were fun and interesting, and worth having one or two. Check out Basta as soon as you can! We'll be back soon for sure! read more

Updating based on the managers response. After posting my review and receiving a response from the manager, I'm actually even less impressed than I initially was. The excuse of having difficulty predicting when clients would be done with their meal is not adequate for me. This apparently isn't your first large party or first busy night. One would think that after a poor first impression, staff would do more to make up for it. I watched the manager stand around awkwardly and avoid eye contact. He did step up to bus the table with the hostesses, while our server stood by the server station. To address his statement that he did speak with my father, yes you did. My father had to get up from the table to talk to you at the bar to express the disappointment of the night. You made no effort to rectify anything in the moment. As someone who eats oysters at actual 5 star restaurants in one of the most upscale areas in the country, I can tell you the oysters were not fresh. They had zero flavor and were not even worth ordering. I'm also not concerned with the length of time an item has been on the menu, what I am concerned with is the preparation at the time it was ordered --which was cold with mushy breading. With all of the dishes being such a disappointment, there was clearly a kitchen issue. Overall, Basta's reply felt more like a list of excuses as opposed to a genuine apology. You had multiple opportunities to improve over the course of the night and there was zero effort made. We were happy to pay full price for this absolute waste of a night but clearly there was no concern to make anything even marginally better at the time. As a manager, it would have showed more effort had you bothered to actually come speak to the table, especially after you knew it was off to a poor start. Instead we had to hunt you down to explain the poor experience. Nobody in my family has any interest in returning to Basta since we have been disappointed with both the evening and the response here. read more

I can't believe I waited so long to visit this place! The food is magnificent, the service is impeccable, and it's a very popular place so make sure you make a reservation. I enjoyed my typical Manhattan with a little bit of a twist and the calamari I shared with my friend was out of this world too. My dish of pistachio crusted Cod was spot on and I highly recommended. There Is a parking lot behind the restaurant if you can't find street parking and if you are party of four or more, I'd recommend the big table at the front by the window. People watching outside as well as people watching indoors. The food is pretty, too! read more

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Had a nice romantic dinner on the back patio. The pizza and swordfish were both delicious, though a bit pricey, but portions were good. Service was very friendly, but a little slow. Good experience overall read more

My first time at Basta last night...it was delicious and I wish I lived closer to frequent this spot. The spot is convenient and has street parking, but a large lot out back. The back entrance you come through a little patio that I hope I can come back and enjoy! We were greeted quickly and sat for our reservation and our waitress was attentive, helpful with recommendations and friendly! We had the antipasto - soooo delicious! Pizza was yummy! The others in my group loved their saltimbucca and the beet salad! We then split the butter cake - that was wonderful! Can't wait to get back here! read more

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I want to love Basta, and have tried to give them a few chances. Alas they always seem to disappoint. The location is great! In the summer I'd love to come back for a drink in the back patio area - it always looks so nice ! The inside as other people have said is always crowded and loud / it is such a nice place but the tables on top of each other is not ideal (to my taste - others may not have an issue with it). Another slight positive is we've always had wonderful service there - friendly and polite. I've never had a GREAT meal. In fact , I've only had subpar meals. In the three times we have gone, I ordered a linguine and clam dish (okay), a salmon topped with lobster (was so sick the next day I haven't ate lobster or salmon since!) and last time filet (one of the worst ). My husband's chicken parm was so dry and warm- he didn't even take the left overs. Our wines (one white one red ) are ridiculously overpriced here unfortunately, though it doesn't stop us from having a glass or two. The food is the biggest issue here unfortunately. Maybe we've come on three off nights but not planning on returning to eat anytime soon- ! Their sister restaurant- Bettola is far superior! read more

The restaurant itself is very nice and the service was quick. The bathrooms were very spacious, clean, and even had a tv. They had a mixture of booths and tables along with a nice bar. The Margherita pizza was very good. I liked that it was Neapolitan style pizza. The dough was thin, soft, and chewy. The shrimp pink vodka was very creamy. They also give you complimentary bread with olive oil, balsamic, with fresh garlic to start. read more

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First visit back in a while and it couldn't have been better. Appetizers at the bar (crostini and calamari) and a drink with a friend. The bartender was superb and attentive and the live music (acoustic guitar) was just loud enough and added to the ambience. The crostini came with fresh mozzarella and a basil spread- the taste and texture were great and, the staff was happy to 'recharge' the toast when we still had some cheese left. The calamari was crisp and flavorful. I forgot to mention the house bread (served with oil, basil, balsamic dip ) was top shelf. The Paloma (differently named in cocktail menu) was solid. We followed our time here going next door to listen to jazz at the blue room. Overall, an excellent visit that we would repeat without hesitation. read more

Basta - Salad at the bar. - Italian Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Great food and a very dim lit romantic ambience with friendly personable staff. Menu was easy to read and staff were great at offering specials and they also have outdoor dining when it's warm out. Would definitely return. Great for first dates, family or lunches. read more

Basta - Lobster Risotto - Italian Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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Food, service, and vibe is always on point. Basta is one of my go-to places both alone and with family/friends. They have delicious Italian food. One of the best places in Lil' Rhody. The front end staff are kind, aware, communicative, and patient. Bar and wait staff are always extremely friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. The bar is deep and spacious and as a person who prefers to sit at the bar, I appreciate the extra space. A special thank you to Giselle and Nicole for tonight's excellent service. A busy Friday night and still able to hold it down! read more

Had a yummy dinner last night. The restaurant was crowded and it took a minute for the staff to find our reservation. Once seated we ordered met our waitress Susan, who was on the ball and clearly experienced. We ordered a bottle of wine. People in our party ordered oysters and loved them. For dinner I had chicken parm. It was crispy and hot. Maybe a little on the thin side. The sauce was very very good. I ate every bite. One person in our group got the fillet mignon and said it was tender and perfectly cooked. Others had the stuffed veal chop and a pistachio crusted fish. Everyone was super happy with their food. Can't wait to try the patio in the nice weather. read more

Absolute best service, and always has great food. Our go-to is the calamari appetizer and tortellini with grilled chicken for the meal. Awesome classic drinks. The inside is always decorated by season and dimly lit. We're regulars, and it's always nice to be recognized by the staff! read more

Our party of two made a reservation for 7PM on a Saturday night and we promptly arrived at that time. It was moderately busy, with only a few vacant tables and we waited about 5 minutes for our table. Once we were seated, we were greeted with warm bread and a delicious olive oil with reduced balsamic vinegar, which was refilled several minutes afterwards. Our server informed us on the specials for the night and we took her up on the Lobster Tortellini and Mushroom Pizza specials. In addition, we got the meatballs and calamari to share. When the appetizers came out, they were devoured quickly. Our pizza and pasta took some time to come out, about 20 minutes after our appetizers arrived, but the staff had portioned out the Lobster Tortellini onto two plates which was great. The pizza was a bit oily on the bottom, which made the crust a little damp. The topping distribution was a bit uneven also, I've had better pizzas from Basta. Somehow after finishing all but two slices of pizza, we had room left for dessert. We decided upon the creme brûlée and it came out within 5 minutes of ordering. The topping was thicker than most creme brûlées I've had but it was a pleasant change and the custard was amazing. We were stuffed after finishing it and had happy stomachs on our way out. read more

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Went to Basta on a January Sat evening for a belated holiday get together with family. Waitress seemed peeved that we wanted to take our time but everything else was great. Interior was cozy and vibey. We got many apps - seafood tower, antipasto, meatballs.. standout was the strawberry bruschetta !! So good. Standout entree was the veal chop. Bolognese was not my favorite dish ever but still good. Butter cake for dessert more than made up for it! Will be back. read more

An update to my previous review: My husband and I recently enjoyed a wonderful meal at Basta. Everything, from the drinks, appetizers, and entrees was made from fresh ingredients and tastefully prepared. If you appreciate authentic Italian food, we highly recommend Basta. Service was excellent, and we were made to feel at home. Thanks to Justin for the warm welcome! We will definitely be back! read more

The food is great. A lil pricey but... Dining room is clean, service is good. Loved the bartender Chanelle, she's no longer there, boring without her convo, her attitude and eye roll...entertaining & fun she's was worth ever the price of the alcoholic beverages. She made our night out car convo hysterical. Bring her back! read more

Not my best experience at Basta. It was disappointing. We had a reservation for 7:30 Friday night dinner. We were seated in the back dining room which is charming and low key - but chilly. It's festive and decorated but it's still a canvas covered sunroom/ patio that's not meant for a December night's dinner. They had heating but the drafts were pretty uncomfortable for a somewhat upscale dining experience. Our server was covering the back bar and was the server for the area. She was attentive at times but mostly distracted. We enjoyed the lobster bisque which was lovely. It's served table side with the butter sautéed lobster in the bowl with the creamy bisque poured over. Delicate and rich, this was the star of the meal. We ordered our entrees at the same time as our appetizers...and we waited...and waited. And waited. It was a full hour until we were served our main courses. And they were cold. We ordered veal Parmesan and a lobster risotto as an entree. The lobster risotto was gummy and definitely not the creamy dish I've enjoyed during prior visits. The veal Parmesan, typically tender and crispy on the edges, was chewy and soggy. We asked for our check and called it a night. read more

Food, service, community was nice to be around. We eat at the bar and mostly eat appetizers, then share a meal. Everything is fresh and tasty. read more

We really enjoyed Basta! I would come back for the lobster bisque alone! It was delicious and much thinner than other lobster bisques I've had. My mom really enjoyed the lobster risotto and I found the gluten free pasta to be some of the best I've had at a restaurant. My fiancé liked his veal saltimbocca but didn't feel like it was anything special. We all agreed we would come back. The seats are pretty close together so if you come during a prime time you may feel you are seated on top of other diners. However, the people next to us were leaving as we were sitting down so we didn't have an issue with this read more

Basta - Gluten free pasta with vodka sauce and lobster - Italian Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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5 star food, 2.5 stars for service. Food was excellent, everything from the bread and oil to the dessert. Though long gaps in between apps and main entrees (considered asking for the check at that point) to long unattended stretches, had to ask for the check. Overall a 2 hour dinner, with only one round of drinks on a weeknight. Though other tables were in and out much quicker. Great food, ambiance was fine, though a little on the louder side. Everyone was pleasant, may return at some point. read more

Food was subpar and overrated. The only positive experience was the auxiliary staff to support the waitress. The atmosphere was noisy and the seating area was crowded. Not a pleasant experience. The overall restaurant needs attention. read more

Used to be a go to spot for me and my wife, but recently the service has gotten noticeably poor. The food is very hit or miss, for example I ordered a chicken parm and it was very dry. Not to mention it took an additional 15 minutes to get my side of dry penne pasta. This is on top of the hour it took to get me and my wife the 2 entrees. I don't know when or where the restaurant started decreasing but they need to figure it out. Definitely will not be returning for a while. read more

I've been coming here to BASTA for over 20 years. It's located right in my neighborhood ... have brought family and friends from near and far, always great service and DELICIOUS food!!! And if there ever was an issue it's always been fixed politely and swiftly w the best results! The NEW Manager Don and his team are doing an incredible job! We adore Justin and Ethan at the bar! Surprising creative drinks are often served ! Can't wait for SPRING and the outdoor Terrazzo !!! read more

Basta - What's not to love about the Outdoor Patio and Bar !!! - Italian Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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We had such a wonderful experience! Gisele and Nicole were fantastic behind the bar -- friendly, attentive, and so much fun to chat with. They made the evening feel special from start to finish. The food was incredible too -- the stuffed veal chop and the bolognese were both outstanding. We'll definitely be back! read more

It is the best Italian food I have had in Cranston. They really have great wine collection and beautiful ambience read more

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covid review: Basta is not your typical Italian restaurant. It gives a new meaning to home made pasta and desserts. Let's not forget the housemade limoncello, which is creamy and will end the night perfectly. The service is perfect, professional, quick, and smooth throughout the night. The outdoor patio is really romantic and private, i suggest coming here for a date or just a casual dinner. start your meal off with the rhode island calamari. there is no filler here, strictly calamari. its lightly tossed in the batter, and fried well. theres nothing but rings, which i loved. not an ounce of rubbery calamari with any bite. the tiramisu is perfect. creamy and plenty of espresso flavor. its huge! i would suggest sharing this with a large table. the marsala sauce is so unique. its sweet, but just enough. almost reminded me of a terriyaki sauce. the chicken was tender and made well. everything about this dish is perfect. i would highly suggest it to any diner. it also comes with a side, my date chose the penne and red sauce. sauce was great! the star of the night for me was my home made tortelinni in a vodka sauce. i could have just died right here. tender, but cheesy tortelinni, each bite was perfect. the vodka sauce was thin, but had a hard punch of flavor. i highly suggest you try this, especially if you dont eat meat. the vodka sauce is meat free. overall, i would come back just for the toretellini alone. read more

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Great experience overall on our girls' night out this Friday! We had reservations and were greeted and seated immediately. The decor is warm and inviting with a lively fun ambience due to the full Friday night dinner crowd. The Caprese Salad was delicious and beautifully presented with an incredible balsamic glaze. Our server, Randi, went above and beyond, and had it split for us so it came out on two beautifully plated dishes. She did a flawless job of checking in on us to make sure we had everything we wanted, but we never felt like she was hovering. We also especially loved the Rigatoni Alla Bolognese, made with veal, pork, and beef. The home made rigatoni was the perfect al dente. Lastly not to be missed is the warm Butter Cake with creme anglaise and caramel. It was sublime and worth a trip back all by itself. read more

Very generous portions. Dinner, beverages, and dessert was absolutely fabulous. If you're looking for a great dining experience I would highly recommend putting Basta on your list It is a hidden gem. read more

I came in on Sunday to celebrate my 21st birthday, and I had the best dining experience I have ever had! Callie was my waitress and she made sure I LOVED my drink! She made my birthday absolutely magical! Thank you Callie!! read more

Such a fantastic evening, food was amazing! The energy was incredible, our wait staff was knowledgeable and friendly. The drinks are unbelievable. I had the seasonal sangria! Yum! I had the Faroe Island Salmon, so delicious. read more

I have to give Basta 3 stars and here's why. The restaurant it self is very quaint inside. The service was okay. The waitress was very nice but ... she could have been a little more attentive, and no the restaurant was not even nearly full. I was disappointed with the food. My pasta dish was very salty. The appetizers were Luke warm as if it had been sitting awhile before it was brought to our table. I hope it was just an off night. I will try one more time before I write this restaurant off my list. read more

Excellent.. every time I go everything is fantastic. Our server was Mary M. She was great. The food was so delicious and plenty to take home and have the next day. We alway ask for the window seat and it is spacious and comfortable. We love Basta! It certainly is "enough"! We alway go on a special occasion because we know it is going to be an amazing experience.. read more

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This was my fiancée and I's first time dining here to celebrate our six year anniversary. The hostess was amazing and very sweet. But after that it did start to go down hill. We did get served great bread and oil to start but then it took our server over 15 minutes to come and greet us and get drink orders. After that we waited another almost 15 minutes to get said drinks and we immediately put our appetizers and dinner it. Our appetizers came out and the calamari was great and the meatballs were good but cold. We were giving everyone the benefit of the doubt seeing as the restaurant was busy. But then it got worse. Our server checked on us once after out apps were cleared (we were 30 minutes in to waiting for our food) and said he would grab me another drink and our food was going to be right out and after a half hour both the drinks and dinner still were not at our table. A couple was sat, ate, and left before we got dinner. Again as a server myself it takes a lot for me to be frustrated with service but we were with our 19 month old who too was waiting to eat. We were at the restaurant for two hours just to get our dinner and take it to go because it was already 8:15 when our reservation was at 6:15. The food was amazing but the service was not the best. The least he could have done was explain to us what happened instead of avoiding our table. read more