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    Basta Pasta Trattoria

    4.0 (526 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pizza
    Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Basta Pasta Trattoria Takeout or Delivery

    Basta Pasta Trattoria Photos

    BASTA PASTA TRATTORIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Just introducing this guy to an old love of mine in Cambridge
    Shaina P.

    Okay, so it's been 13 years since my last update. Reading my first review brings warm, fuzzy feelings to my soul. This is a casual spot. The interior is the same. Parking is limited to about (6) 1 hour spots a block ahead of and in front of the door. Same posters, same menu. Prices have creeped up, but the portions are worth it and, as a parent of two now, quite shareable (unless you are the 2008 version of me). You may eat in, but unfortunately, alcohol is not provided here and you can't BYOB. And so, take out is a popular choice. Now for the real question. What does Shaina order at this venue after a decade? My personal favorite: Puttanesca with homemade fusilli. Why? Because despite living in a region of Greater Boston where Italian restaurants are fruitful, people don't serve Puttanesca! Literally can't find it in the four Italian restaurants near my south shore home. Only other place that I can order this same dish is Vinny's at Night in Somerville. Folks love their fra diavolo, but Puttanesca gives that same heat with the bonus of salty kalamata, capers, and a touch of anchovies melted in. And, guess what? Tasted the same as it had 13 years ago. Amazing! Don't get me wrong, they have many more offerings that I've been dying to try. There's pizza, garlic bread with and without cheese, mini arancini; they have sandwiches, too. They even have four (or maybe it was 5) options for risotto. And for proteins, there is calamari, shrimp, chicken, beef, and sausages. I just can't stop ordering this puttanesca dish and it fills me too much to have room for a variety order.

    Tiramisu
    Brian S.

    Hidden gem of a spot! The homemade pasta was definitely worth it and portion sizes were generous. We got two pastas, a pizza, and a tiramisu for 4 people and were all happy. The pastas and pizza were very good, but the tiramisu was a bit disappointing. The atmosphere is a bit odd, but the food is delicious. Sauce is a bit heavy on the cream if you're sensitive to that, just a heads up!

    Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Veal Parmagiana, Meatballs
    Karen W.

    My default place for some authentic pasta!! Since parking is sometimes rough in the area, I usually order takeout since the food is always very hot when I bring it home. The place is pretty small with a few tables for sit-in. Service is great with welcoming staff. I've had their homemade meatballs, Calamari, Veal Parmigiana, and Shrimp Fra Diavolo. I'm pretty satisfied with all the dishes I've had here - the one I'd like to emphasize the most is the Shrimp Fra Diavolo!! This is the most flavorful dish at Basta Pasta. It is on the spicier end which adds a good kick to the flavor - you can ask for less or no pepper flakes if you can't do too spicy. I order here annually on my wedding anniversary, but the food's been too good to eat only once a year that I've gradually been back more often! Highly recommend Basta Pasta for a great pasta fix!

    Homemade Tiramisu
    Karise T.

    So good! This was so delicious, and some of the best pasta I've had in a long time. The vibe of the place is very vibrant, and the wait for the food wasn't that long. We took the homemade tiramisu for take out and the tiramisu had a very good coffee flavour. Order: * Shrimp Fra Diavalo * Homemade Meatball * Bolognese Pasta * Homemade Tiramisu

    Boris R.

    Friendly staff. Delicious food. Generous amount of food for the price. Ambiance is nice but a bit small. Luckily it wasn't busy when I arrived. Would definitely come back.

    Chicken broccoli Alfredo ziti
    Masmin P.

    Food is delicious as always. We got our usual chicken broccoli Alfredo (probably the best I've had anywhere), fresh, quality ingredients. We also had the shrimp fra diavolo and margherita pizza. All so good.

    Whole wheat radiatori
    Megan Y.

    Came here again last night and got the handmade fusilli with chicken ziti (and pink sauce instead of alfredo). Always love the sauce, but the chicken seemed very rubbery this time (almost tendon-like). Not every piece was like that, but a good amount. We also got the whole wheat radiatori which we enjoyed.

    Chicken Parmagiana
    Jason L.

    This is a little family owned place in Cambridge that is a hidden gem. The area is mostly residential and this is tucked away on corner of the main street. I got the Chicken Parmigiana and it was delicious. The chicken is not dry at all and the flavor of the sauce is perfect. I got it with linguini and you have the option to choose penne as well. I'm not sure if the store is only doing takeout still, but when I went in I did not see anyone dining in and have not really seen people dining in other than grabbing takeout (I usually just do takeout from here since I'm down the street). Overall, even for takeout it is still amazing! What steals the show for me are the meatballs. I have a family friend whose mom is Italian and these meatballs reminds me of the moms she would make all the time. The meatball is melts into your mouth and is seasoned to perfection.

    Chicken Marsala
    Sonya F.

    Ordered chicken Marsala to go and it was AMAZING!! The sauce, pasta noodles, and chicken were smothered in sauce, no pasta was left untouched. The portion was adequate for two meals (for me) and heated up great in the microwave. I'll have to go in person to try more of their meals!!

    Aglio Olio
    Elizabeth Y.

    Basta Pasta has amazing pizzas and pastas and is one of my favorite spots in Cambridge! I ate in the restaurant in previous years and loved their stuffed eggplant pasta (tons of yummy basil) and cavatappi con aglio e olio (great pasta texture). More recently, I enjoyed a takeout pizza! Their tomato sauce is great, and the topping:crust ratio is just right. Plus, you can get half-and-half pizzas if they have the same sauce base! Leftovers (if you have any) reheat well with about 5 or so minutes in a 400° oven. My friend got the stuffed eggplant over pasta and said it was delicious! I definitely recommend Basta Pasta for delicious pizza and pasta!

    Bolognese
    Felicia L.

    Wanted to try someplace new for dinner the other night and Basta Pasta did not disappoint! I ordered the bolognese penne pasta and some garlic bread and the portions were very big--the pasta literally was two whole meals for me. And the garlic bread was honestly fantastic, I highly recommend! I would say that this place is definitely is worth the price. The pasta was yummy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. I would definitely come back and try all the other pastas that they have. I ordered delivery and the packaging was done nicely but I think because my driver wasn't too careful, the pasta sauce leaked down the sides of the takeout container a bit. But other than that everything was amazing! Definitely try this place if you haven't already. And order the garlic bread!

    Outside
    Danielle D.

    Verrrry good & fresh food for a take out place. Has a regular pizza place dine in area, nothing fancy buttt the food is delightful. Very fresh & the pasta is perfectly made; al dente & marinara sauce was muahhhh delish. def try it out; prices are decent $$ but worth ittt

    Homemade meat lasagna
    Franco C.

    Excellent homemade meat lasagna! Beautiful, thick slice made fresh for my order! Would return again to try other menu items if I visit Boston again!

    Chicken piccata

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    2 months ago

    That's dome good ravioli. Not too bad to pop in to pickup but parking options limited.

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    Fast, casual but delicious. This is more for take out and no frills but the flavors are on point. Wish they had a better location

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    Page 1 of 14

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    4.0(1.2k reviews)
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    Stopped here after work to meet up with a friend, and loved this spot! Parking was relatively easy…read moreon the street a block away. We were seated immediately (with reservation). We shared the arancini and some bread to lap up that sauce - those were absolutely delicious! My husband and I then shared a pizza, which I shamefully forgot to photograph, and the carbonara (which was fun to mix in my own egg). Overall, it was a good and service was quick. I enjoyed the vibes and could see this being a great happy hour spot for locals.

    Hmm, this is difficult. I visited Posto twice in one week…read moreand the first time visiting, I loved it! Unfortunately the second time I visited, it was incredibly disappointing. My guess is, the first visit was shortly after lunch time so it wasn't all that busy so they had time to make the dishes good. The second visit was very busy on a Friday night & our server was nowhere to be found most of the meal. Food was not the same. Ordered calamari both times and the most recent visit, the calamari was overcooked, bland, and not good. As for the rest of the dishes we ordered, they were kind of cold already & not very flavorful. Just okay. Another thing I'd like to note is, we were sat in a separate room (with other ppl) but it was so hot & muggy in there. Wished there was some air conditioning or something. So, I'm not really sure how I feel about Posto because both experiences I had were polar opposites of each other.

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    Toscano - Tagliatelle Gamberi

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    3.9(561 reviews)
    0.8 mi•Harvard Square, West Cambridge
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    After three weeks in Cambridge we finally made our way to Toscano's at Harvard Square. Toscano's is…read morea Square staple with an inviting interior featuring a robust menu anchored around their superb house-made pasta. Our server Miguel appeared promptly and took time to walk us through their extensive menu, taking time to field questions and spending extra time on their Daily Sheet. Since it was our last night in Cambridge we went for oysters to start. Their only choice was Barnstable Harbors from the Cape which did not disappoint. The Barnstables are noted for being sweet and meaty and these finished with notes of seaweed and cucumber. Though accompanied by mignonette and cocktail sauces we chose not to mar the delicate flavors and ate them as nature intended. We ordered the Spada Picatta from the Daily Sheet, as recommended by Miguel, and could not have been happier. the generous swordfish steak was seared to perfection and served with a lemon caper white wine sauce that complemented the delicate fish. We also ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese Blanco. A departure from the more traditional red Bolognese, this featured veal, pork, and beef simmered in a ricotta cream and herb sauce that was a graceful splash over perfectly al dente pasta. Toscano's has a compelling wine cellar and we opted for the 2022 Toscana Sangiovese from Il Nero Casanova at the Casanova Estate in Tuscany. Crafted by noted wine maker Giorgio Rivetti, this vintage spends a year in French oak before release. This is a full bodied wine with dark berries and cherries on the nose with hints of spice and orange peel in the velvety finish. Now, I realize this pairs perfectly with the Bolognese and less so with the swordfish but we couldn't resist a Casanova Sangiovese. We mentioned that we were leaving Boston after three weeks at Harvard's AI Institute so Miguel gifted us their signature Budino-style Tiramisu which was a superb exclamation point to a wonderful meal. As usual, we savored the tiramisu with double espressos with a twist. Toscano's is a wonderful trattoria at Harvard Square that we recommend highly!

    I've been here twice now and have enjoyed it both times! The wine list is incredible, with tons of…read moregreat options at really reasonable price points. The bread is always hot and fresh, which is a must for me at an Italian restaurant. My favorite thing about this place is that you can order "halves" of any pasta, so you can try two different pastas without committing to a huge portion of one. We absolutely love the rigatoni sausage truffle pasta -- it's easily my favorite dish here! We usually substitute the rigatoni for a different noodle, and it's perfect every time. The veal was probably my least favorite. It was pretty thick and wasn't crispy enough for my liking. Overall, a great spot for a fresh Italian meal, especially if you want to try a few different pastas and pair them with a good bottle of wine!

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    Gran Gusto - Chitarra

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    3.8(474 reviews)
    1.9 mi
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    Tonight I went with a friend to one of the restaurants they have been to before and the food was…read moredelicious and very tasty. We started off with an appetizer that was one of the specials and we really enjoyed! The bread that was served to our table was moist and melted in our mouths. Our main entree was also very enjoyable too. The service we received was excellent and there was many people coming over to check that we had everything we needed and took the time to have nice conversations with too. It was nice that they talked about family members and little things about themselves. It was an enjoyable conversation and the ambiance felt like we had traveled to one of the places to eat in Italy. The atmosphere was relaxing and comfortable too. Had a wonderful experience here and I will return again.

    Today was my mom's Birthday. I requested that for dessert, Happy birthday written with candles…read more Reminded manager, that what ever dessert my moms asks for to follow email request, but then the waiter brought some simple pie, that my mom didn't ask for, with nothing written and a candle not lit up. Waiters excuse was "i don't have a way to light it, sorry". This is totally appalling and insulting, told him take this back, not paying for this, you ruined my mom's surprise bday. No one came and said sorry for mistake, told staff and they didn't even try to make it up. Worst service i ever experienced and food wasn't even that good. Also they forgot my 2nd app, they said i never asked for it, which is a lie Blake Bettencourt

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    4.1(4.5k reviews)
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    You might accidentally walk past this cute Italian ristorante...and you would regret it. I walked…read morearound the area for a while before settling at a table by the window in Giacomo's. I was quickly greeted and informed that they were cash-only dining. But fret not, for just inside the doorway is a perfectly placed ATM. It took only a few seconds for me to pinpoint the exact item on the menu that my stomach was craving and my eyes fixed upon...Antipasto for an appetiser and chicken Marsala for the entree. The antipasto dish arrived very quickly and was a beautiful layout. Of course I desired to save some room for the entree but ended up eating about 3/4 of the appetiser before it arrived. The chicken marsala was absolutely perfect, still steaming on the plate as she placed it before me. I told myself I would only eat half the dish and take the rest back to my hotel for snacking later. However, my taste buds are not allow me to stop feasting on this Italian delicacy. If you're ever in the area, don't worry about the other Italian restaurants in the downtown, although I am sure that they are well and good, but Giacomo's is well worth your consideration. My only regret is that I only have one more night here to try another one of their delectable dishes.

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