Came for dinner and was seated pretty quickly. Cozy, but a bit loud in terms of ambiance. We were offered bread and pesto immediately, and while it was pretty good (no nuts, so parm forward and thinner), it wasn't apparent to us until after we looked at the menu that it was $7, not complimentary. It's BYOB, but there's no note about this on their site or menu, nor the $10 corkage fee. Would be helpful to show -somewhere- so people know. Our server was informative about the specials, but needed to be flagged a few times. The food came out piping hot and in big portions. Shrimp scampi was okay and butternut gnocchi was way more heavy cream forward than it led on in the description, we couldn't finish it. Place isn't quite my cup of tea, so won't be going out of my way to return. read more

Sweet Basil - Shrimp scampi - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Cute Italian restaurant with street parking and very dark inside with two rooms for eating. We had to order the $7 sourdough bread with amazing pesto sauce, it's delicious and tasty. The bolognese sausage and meat was huge for $30, definitely will have take over. Great service read more

See all

Sweet Basil always good! Rosemary chicken and chicken parm are amazing. Huge portions and delicious. I need to eat there more often! read more

This was just one word: delicious !!! Thanks so much, Joe, for the wonderful service. The atmosphere was very calming, and I truly loved the music. read more

See all

I work in the area and came to Sweet Basil for dinner with my coworkers. We had really excellent service and were able to make some modifications to make dishes vegetarian or change the sides that came with an entree. The food was delicious and portion sizes were large. read more

Sweet Basil - Salmon with risotto - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Such a good spot - I always and have only gotten the rosemary chicken. The pesto to start is too good. read more

Sweet Basil - Rosemary chicken - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Had the lamb shank with potatoes instead of menu option. It was delicious! Went with 2 friends who also said it was great. One also had the lamb shank, the other had the salmon. Both split a huge salad. Still the best high end restaurant in Needham! read more

Found this place on our way to Boston. Great find. BYOB but there's a wine shop down the street. Recommend the bolognese and the rotolo. The gnocchi was also very good. read more

Really great find, delicious food, huge portions. Everyone was delighted with the meal, service, atmosphere. Italian at its best. read more

Sweet Basil - 4 cheese ravioli, delicious! - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

See all

I'm still dreaming about the meal I had at Sweet Basil. If you're a fan of bold flavors and comforting, elevated dishes, this spot is a must. First off, the shrimp scampi was garlic heaven. Perfectly cooked shrimp swam in a buttery, garlicky sauce that was rich without being heavy. It was the kind of dish where you find yourself reaching for every last bit of bread to soak up that liquid gold. Add in their twist with a touch of pesto, and it took the dish to a whole new level -- fresh, vibrant, and absolutely out of this world. But the real surprise star of the night? The braised chicken. Quite possibly the best I've ever had -- and I don't say that lightly. Tender doesn't even begin to cover it. The meat fell apart with a fork and was infused with layers of deep, savory flavor that only slow cooking can deliver. It was rustic, homey, but still refined -- like your Italian nonna had a degree from a culinary institute. The portions were generous, the atmosphere warm and inviting, and the staff friendly and attentive without being overbearing. I literally went home with plenty of leftovers and couldn't wait to wake up to have them for breakfast! Sweet Basil didn't just serve a meal -- it delivered an experience I'm already planning to relive. Five stars all the way. read more

This place is an absolute joke- i had such high hopes after reading many of the reviews, but this us just an incredibly overpriced olive garden. * After asking the server what she recommended, we ordered the Caesar salad: received a salad with wilted lettuce, 8 croutons, a tiny bit of grated, bland cheese and no dressing. We asked them to take the salad and add the dressing. When we got it back, they had just added olive oil. Do they just not know what a Caesar salad dressing is? * Grilled salmon with vegetables. Asked to receive the salmon medium - rare, and received the driest piece of salmon we have ever had. * Cheese ravioli. 5 raviolis for $30 that were overcooked, and just filled with bland ricotta, served under a huge pile of marinara sauce. * Chicken Parmesan. Very thick piece of chicken, that had somehow been dried to death, and again served with so much tomato sauch, that all the breading had fallen off and become soggy. Even my kids who usually love this dish couldn't get the chicken down. It came with some pasta in a bowl on the side, served with a huge amount of that same tomato sauce. The pasta was of course overdone as well- what kind of Italian restaurant doesn't serve its pasta al dente??? At the end of the meal, our server came and asked if everything was tasty (after seeing we had left more than half of each dish). I couldn't being myself to lie, so I said no, everything was dry and overcooked. She said she was sorry and then left. Just so weird that no one would care to even learn about what was wrong with our meal. read more

See all

The food was served piping hot! All four meals simultaneously. Super impressive. The people couldn't have been warmer or more welcoming. They made us feel like we were part of their family. My daughter said she thought the ambiance was very much like when we were in Italy or Spain. Charming vibe. New to the area. We will be back and BYOB Huge portions and the bread and basil are great starters. read more

Sweet Basil - Rosemary chicken - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

See all

Loved it all... From the dipping pesto to be delicious pasta dishes, it was truly a wonderful first-time experience for us. Our waitress made it all the more warm and friendly with her great attentive service and her inviting sense of humor. In fact, all of the staff were professional, friendly, and attentive. We are already looking forward to coming back here again the next time we're in Needham. (And we're bringing friends) read more

Perhaps my 10th time there, but recently had the pleasure of again dining at Sweet Basil in Needham, and not surprisingly, once again an incredible experience! I had the Chicken Scallopine (with lemon, capers, and tomatoes) for the first time, and it was exceptional! It was so fantastic - they asked if I wanted the recipe, to which I said yes, and to my surprise, the owner, David Beckham, went above and beyond by providing me with a signed copy of their cookbook--complete with the recipe for my dish! The Sweet Basil passion for quality and the personal touch made this experience even more special. The attention to detail, both in the food and service, was top-notch. Sweet Basil will continue to be one of my go-to spots, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for amazing food and exceptional hospitality. And of course, even better that it is BYOB (I had a killer pinot noir from the Jean-Charles Boisset). Thank you, David, and the Sweet Basil team, for making a fantastic night! read more

Very good food. Helpful staff. BYOB, with $10 cork fee. BUT, I have two complaints: 1) When we sat down the person seating us asked if we would like to start with bread and pesto. He never mentioned that we pay for bread ($7). We should have been advised if the price, 2) It is sooo cold in the restaurant. The wind blows in every time the entrance door opens. Wear layers! read more

We stopped by at this place on our way back home and this place turned out to be the best restaurant we have went to in a while!!! All of the food was amazing starting from bread with pesto, beet salad, French fries, to our dinner plates with octopus and lamb. Everything was 10/10. The lamb dish is soooooo good my fiancé still thinks about it. Everyone that works there was super nice and friendly. The whole experience was excellent. Thank you, can't wait to be back!! read more

Sweet Basil - Lamb abc octopus - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

BYOB with large family style portions. From the moment they welcome you, to the first bite of bread and pesto ($6), the family vibe envelops you. Lots of good things on the menu. Think family style and share with those are with. We ate the lamb shank and rosemary chicken with ziti. Both delicious. The lamb shank was very rich, so I enjoyed the rosemary chicken a tad more. Definitely a spot to travel to, if you are within 25 mins. read more

This place is always great. The pesto is genuinely addicting and some of my favorite dishes over the years are the shrimp scampi and eggplant parm. Service is always great, but be prepared for a wait. read more

First, and foremost, we love Dave Becker's restaurants. The food at the original Sweet Basil in Needham is definitely on par with Sweet Basil on Moody (Waltham) and Juniper (Wellesley). Service was reasonably attentive. That being said, at dinner last night at SB Needham, there were a few things to nitpick. First, it was a bit noisy and the music was "aggressive" (I liked the music choice but it was overwhelming). Second, no bread included at an Italian-ish restaurant is sacrilege. They offered bread -- for $6. Finally, we were shocked that there were no dessert offerings. Dave's date cake at Juniper's and SB on Moody is one of our favorite desserts in Boston! Again the pork chop with Jalapeño Molasses glaze was amazing. But, the overall experience could be tweaked. We'll continue to enjoy Dave's restaurants, but probably focus on SB on Moody (they take reservations) and Juniper. read more

Decided to go to SB after long absence for no particular reason. Food is still great as many attest daily. It's great. I bought a small screw top split of Pinot Grigio for $6. I asked for a wine glass since my wife doesn't drink. Dinner was great outside on a perfect summer evening. Lo and behold when the bill came there was a $10 "corking fee". Seriously? I pointed out to the server that there was no uncorking. She said the fee is required for SB to maintain a liquor license. That's bullshit!!!!! I said I'd pay a $5 fee. Nope. So unfortunately for the waitress I reduced the tip. Having lived in Needham for many years I know SB believes they're above reproach. In this case their arrogance is unforgivable. $10 for a wine glass for a $6 glass of wine? Seriously????? I won't be back or if I do, I'll just drink out of the bottle in a paper bag....... read more

Amazing food. Fabulous service. Love the warm atmosphere. While they don't serve alcohol, you can BYOB for a very small fee. Our entrees were amazing. The Pesto Pasta side is a MUST try. No dessert is served , but Abbot's Custard is a few doors down, and The Cookie Monstah (also a must try) is a 5 minute walk. There's plenty of street parking in Needham. Highly recommend! (Chicken Parm pictured) read more

Sweet Basil - Chicken Parmigiana! Yum - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Came here and learned that it was BYOB and they have no dessert menu. They don't take reservations, but I could tell that the food was going to be good. I would describe the food as home-cooking. Artisan with bread and fresh pesto... yum. The muscles were incredible.. , chicken scallopini and sampled the rosemary chicken . All good and fresh. The atmosphere was casual yet family style. Service was friendly . The place was loud. read more

See all

First time at SB. Came prepared with a bottle of white and caught up with a friend over the fried arancini which were delicious. They were fried very well but done in a bit heavier style with a cream sauce and slices of cheese, we put part aside to save room for the main courses. Which we should have split. Didn't taste her shrimp scampi but it looked good and there was a lot leftover. I was a bit disappointed cuz what came wasn't what either of us pictured. The printed menu we had was a bit dif from online so when I saw rosemary chicken with asparagus cream and ziti, I pictured a crispy skinned chicken w side of veg and pasta in cream sauce. It was a pasta dish w pieces of chicken and bits of asparagus and very very heavy. Maybe I needed to ask more questions. But I'll def eat the 8 lbs of leftovers . We had very nice service and the place is cute, just need to make sure I know what I'm getting. And remember there's no dessert. read more

Sweet Basil - Pasta w chicken asparagus and some tomato. $28 I think. - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

See all

arrived at sweet basil on a Thursday, a little before 7:30 pm. I was with my family of five, and, after skipping lunch and arguing over where to eat for hours, we were hungry and tired. We got seated quickly, and were asked if we would like some bread with pesto. The bread came out quickly, and it was paired with the best, freshest pesto I had ever tasted. Though this was $7, it was worth every dollar! We first ordered an arugala and snap pea salad, which came out in about twenty minutes, and was loaded with arugala. The portion size was large, and everything was super fresh. We also got another order of bread. This took a while to come out, and the pesto was different, confirming that each batch was freshly made. For entrees, we ordered the rosemary chicken, Bolognese, hanger steak (on the insistence of my extremely whiney brother), and house meatballs. It took quite a while for all the dishes to come out-maybe forty minutes or so, but everything was piping hot when it arrives on the table. My rosemary chicken was extremely rich and delicious, though, if I had one complaint, there was too little pasta to cut through the extremely rich sauce. The noodles of the Bolognese were so bouncy and fresh, and they tasted hand-made. The sauce was also extremely meaty. The house meatballs were also really good, with the meatballs being big and juicy, and the noodles also fresh. The sauce was a lot lighter than the other dishes, mostly composed of tomatoes. However, as the dish cooled, the mozzarella kind of formed a hard shell. The little amount of the steak I was allowed to try was tender and juicy, and the mushrooms and chips that came on the side were also really good. My brother pronounced the asparagus as the "best asparagus ever". Overall, sweet basil was extremely delicious-the noodles were so fresh and bouncy, the sauces were beautifully flavored, the portions were generous (even my starving family couldn't finish it all), and the pesto was the best ever. If I had one complaint, I would wish there were more noodles in every dish, since there was so much sauce, but, overall, sweet basil is a must if your in the area! read more

See all

Amazing food. A little expensive, but worth it. A creative menu. You won't leave disappointed read more

So delicious! The bread & pesto is a great starter. We enjoyed a special featuring salmon with a crisp crust over a butternut squash puree, accented with roasted beets and sautéed kale. The bolognese over pasta was plentiful and tasty. read more

Their Rosemary chicken is EVERYTHING! Along with their bolognese and chicken parm. Of course you can't forget the pesto which continues to amaze. Portions are gigantic! We specifically go to this location for the food quality. During covid the curbside pickup was on point. Order, drive up, they were outside and ran the food out to your trunk. Sadly, they no longer do that and you have to inside to pay. One wish would be to bring back lunch, specifically the chicken parm sandwich with fries! The. best. Ever! read more

Shame on me for the delay in my review of this absolute GEM, that we accidently discovered while moving our son and his girlfriend into their new Newton apartment. Looking for outdoor dining on an otherwise blah weathered night, that did not have a long wait at 8 pm, we turned to Yelp, and immedietly liked everything about the way Sweet Basil sounded.. BYOB..why, yes indeed. We hadn't arrived and already we were thrilled. After 8 pm on a Friday night is the perfect time to arrive and find an open table curbside. Fabulous service and a great menu. We had the Cesar Salad, Steamed Mussels, Pan Seared Scallops, Eggplant Parm and Braised Chicken. All were excellent, the Mussels were some of the best that I've had. We had a bunch of Treehouse & Trillium beer and a bottle of a homebrewed tripple. We noticed that each and every patron and passerby warmly greeted the Chef/Owner, who stopped by our table to chat. Being so well liked in the community is just another one of the facets that made Sweet Basil a great find and we can't wait to visit when we return to the area. read more

Sweet Basil - a close up of the eyeshadow palette - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Food is awesome. I happen have Celiac and they accommodate me no problem. Have been many times with my wife. Nice ambiance , service is excellent and love the BYOB. I usually pass forward my leftover wine which I received once. read more

This place gets busy! You can bring your own wine and they will uncork it for you. The pesto that they make there is amazing. The rosemary chicken was a hit at our table. I had the vegetarian lasagna which was a bit undercooked. Overall though we had a good experience! read more

Sweet Basil - Vegetarian lasagna - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Un ottimo ristorante Italiano! Cozy and welcoming inside, with whimsical decor. Sadly, I was only doing takeaway and could only observe from afar. The staff were friendly and helpful. We ordered eggplant parmigiano over ziti and a Caesar salad. The salad was excellent. It's not hard to di it right yet so many manage to miss the mark. Fresh Romaine, generous parmesan, even more generous anchovies, expertly toasted croutons and a garlicy Caesar dressing. They packed the dressing separately so the salad was both fresh and also at each person's preferred level of dressing. And the eggplant parmigiano! A lovely coming together of eggplant, mozzarella and ricotta. Gorgeous. The ziti were properly al dente but a touch dry; possible due to the reheating in la microwavio. A generous helping of quite good rustic loaf compketed the order. Bottom line - well worth a visit and I'll certainly be repeating the exercise.. read more

I'm a word class foodie with a lifetime of experience, from off-the-beaten-path restaurants to "famous" Michelin-starred restaurants. This place is FANTASTIC. It looks like a great neighborhood restaurant--which it most definitely is--but the food and staff are far beyond anything I describe. This restaurant is AMAZING and well worth the 30 minute drive from downtown Boston. I've been hearing about it for years from friends I love and trust, and--in one of those rarities in life--it's even better than I hoped. The entrees are all "normal" and exceptionally prepared. Nona cooking at its best, food prepared with love, served by people proud of doing what they're doing. I'm happy beyond belief. Ciao. read more

Since the Needham location is currently only doing takeout, I went to their Waltham location to dine in for the second time. The Waltham location is a lot more spacious and had artsy plant decors and paintings. It is perfect for an intimate meal while being safely spaced apart from other diners. We started off with complimentary bread and pesto sauce. I loved the pesto sauce but I still wasn't a fan of the crust of the bread - it was hard and tough to chew . However, the pesto sauce had the same fragrant and garlicky aroma as I remembered. We had to stop ourselves from getting more bread to eat with the sauce. We had the steamed mussels again and they was delicious per usual. The broth had such depth of flavor that we wanted to soak it up with more bread. The chef/owner saw that we finished the mussels and came by to offer to bring us some fresh noodles to enjoy with the broth! He was very humble and gracious. We finished off with the bolognese and it was the highlight of the meal! The noodles were perfectly al dente and soaked up the delicious meat sauce. The chunks of sausage and beef melted in our mouths. I highly recommend getting this. You will not regret it! read more

See all

Poor description of menu items, and arrogant staff remarks when this was brought up assuming that we are all privy to undisclosed details in the kitchen. Never again. Decor and music were nice though. read more

The food at Sweet Basil was absolutely delicious. The bread was served with the best tasting pesto I've ever had. My date and I each ordered salmon which came with a purple rice that I had never had before. It was phenomenal and the serving sizes were generous. The restaurant does not take reservations, but we were seated within a minute of arriving and the service was great. Looking forward to going back and trying some of their other dishes. read more

We haven't been to Sweet Basil in over a year mostly because they're not kid friendly. There's a new executive chef and the food has tanked. Salt partially masks the taste of terrible sauce and uncooked (albeit homemade) pasta. What a heartbreak from what used to be an excellent BYOB. The mussel app was great, but the entrees were cafeteria-grade. read more

Amazing local BYOB restaurant with such a happy atmosphere. We had a great time, the food was amazing, and the service was so friendly and welcoming. All the food is made from scratch, and the pasta is homemade. The octopus dish I had was so good, the octopus is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. My fiancé also really enjoyed his cheese ravioli. Highly recommend! read more

Sweet Basil - Octopus and Cheese Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

See all

I've been to Sweet Basil several times and have had a great experience on each occasion. The restaurant has a very homey feeling, and the food is incredible. You really feel like you're eating at somebody's house, in a good way. It's traditional Italian with a twist. The chef/ owner Dave Becker owns two other restaurants in the area, and he really puts his personal spin on various cuisines at each of them. It works great. The portions are ENORMOUS (seriously... two people could comfortably share an appetizer and entree and leave satisfied). The food is super flavorful and fresh. Try not to fill up on the totally addictive complimentary sourdough bread and fresh homemade pesto! BYOB, so swing by the wine shop down the road before you go. read more

Sweet Basil - Enormous portion of delicious calamari! - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

See all

Waste of time and money. Wish we just ate at home. Bad service. Bad Food. Cramped tables. Loud music from the speaker right behind our heads. It took ~30minutes for server to take our order, then after finishing our salads we were left waiting again for the entrees to come out, then to top it off, we got the wrong order. If only the food was worth the wait. Sorry to leave a negative review - wish we had a better first experience. It's a convenient location and we drive by often, but there's nothing about this restaurant that would have us go back. Lesson learned. read more

First time dining at this little place and it's now on our favorites list! The decor and ambiance is very down to earth and the music gets you in a chill and relaxed mood. BYOB! So bring whatever wines and drinks you like and they will bring out the glasses for you. There is a liquor store and a dessert store next to the restaurant. The food was high quality and on point, great portions, and kind service. We appreciate Emily who checked in on us a few times. Definitely give this place a try and support a wonderful family owned business! read more

See all