So glad I found this restaurant on Yelp. Visiting our son at Babson we wanted to treat him to a good meal. Sweet Basil is awesome. We are originally from Brooklyn NY so we know a thing or two about Italian good. Great handmade pasta and the sauce is great. Everyone had a great meal and the portions were huge our son had leftovers. Service is great, it's BYOB and now we know why the wait was long. Great find and we will definitely be back. Order the bolognese it's a great dish. read more

Went to Sweet Basil today after hearing good things about it from a coworker! We had the calamari and the Chicken Parm. In a word AMAZING. Simply amazing Italian food and they let you bring your own wine which makes it quite unique for the area. They have outstanding bread they serve while you are waiting for your appetizers or meals and while it is a tiny place if you don't want to wait for a table you do need to get there early. I can't stress that enough. If you don't you'll see all the people hanging out front on the sidewalk waiting and you, unfortunately, will join them. We've been three times now and all three times we were there by 5pm and had no wait but by 6 pm it was standing room only! Don't miss out on this gem in Needham. read more

A fantastic, unpretentious spot for a business lunch or a casual evening meal. The menu offers a little something for every taste. From the well plated salads to the unique summer soups to the fantastic mussels - everything is continental Italian and comes to the table with a smile and not a lot of fanfare. What struck me the most about the restaurant was the server. She made every effort to assure we were comfortable and well attended to - but provided us with plenty of space to drive into our business discussion without ever wanting for anything. Sweet Basil is the perfect place to relax and enjoy well prepared and beautifully presented Italian bistro fare. Oh - and well have great French fries! read more

I once loved this place but last night I was let down. One week ago had an amazing meal , got there 4 and the food service and experience was perfect Last night arrived at 8:15. Sat down around 9 and began. Service was a little slow. It was the usual busy sat night , that's ok. The food came and 1st course was cold. It was sitting for some time, took almost 30 min the main course . The pasta was not cooked , pasta is so easy to do right ' so why do it wrong , the chicken had no flavor and also appeared to be sitting around . The staff all sat down to eat at a table up front and basically stopped working , we waited and watched as they ate. This was new to me - never seen this before. We finally got the check from the water server and left without anyone saying thank you or good bye It was weird , food and service late at night seemed not cared for and we as customers felt let down I may not be back , at least after 6. I feel excellence should be door open to door close. Not window in between. This place is not cheap. Don't treat the end of the night like fast food Disssed and disappointed read more

What's the best restaurant in the greater Boston area? Easily Sweet Basil. The vibe? Awesome. The service? Warm and inviting. The food? Come on. Delicious. All the comfort of home made with all the excitement of the best culinary minds. Pasta. Lamb shank. This place doesn't miss. read more

Amazing food, amazing staff! Night out with fiends, none of us had been here before. Not a bad meal between the 5 of us. Shrimp Scampi, Risotto x 2, chicken parm and bolognese all delicious. Calamari for an app that we shared was great. Needham is BYOB we brought Margs but you cant bring in hard liquor. The food was so good we didn't even miss not having the drinks, it's that good! Go by sweet Basil and see Dave, he is super nice and personable. He really wants to make sure we were well taken care of. read more

The food, service and ambience were spectacular. We cant wait to go back!!!!

Ventured to this restaurant early on a Saturday evening with my son, husband and 2 friends. Pros: cute decor, good flavors, good gluten free options, BYOB Cons: NO HIGH CHAIR OR BOOSTER SEAT (wow first time I ever experienced that) and in stead my son sat on a pillow. My pasta was underdone (more than al dente). No reservations and will not seat until entire party is present. I may go back but definitely not worth the wait it seems to always have read more

I found this place on Yelp when I got off my plane. I placed an order from my Uber to pick up on my way to my hotel. OMG... can I just tell you...OMG!! I ordered the Ravioli with Vodka sauce and it was by far one of the best meals I've had in some time. It was just amazing!!!! There were 5 very large ravioli and I couldn't stop eating them. I'm not from the area but I travel here often. I will be back!!! read more

Sweet Basil - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Pros: - BYOB - Large portions - Reasonable prices - Great food Cons: - No reservations (they will call your cell though) - No place to wait - Cash only Added notes; 1. The Bolognese was probably the best I have ever had 2. Although the bread is good, do yourself a favor and only have one piece, there is a lot of food! read more

This place is so good that we want to come back on New Year's. I loved it. We loved it! The was an impressive service by Beth and we gave her our dietary restrictions and we got accommodations right away. I enjoyed the risotto the most. Didn't like the pork that came in the chicken Rosemary. Found my boyfriend encountered allergies to bacon. Boo-ho now I have to give up bacon? No no you can't do this to me! Ok fine, I've had enough of it, I'm not getting any younger. Dairy cheese that's a little bit harder. Today was a great experience. The music and voices, everything great, everyone laughing! Will go back soon! read more

Very friendly staff Very nice and cozy ambience Very very delicious food especially the calamari and the rosemary chicken pasta The portion is very big so the price is definitely reasonable !!!! Can't wait to come back again read more

Sweet Basil - The calamari and the rosemary chicken pasta is just too good !!!! - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

My wife and I celebrated our birthdays with our two children on a Friday night. We walked into Sweet Basil and were promptly seated. Beth greeted us and told us the night's specials. As we listened to the specials, we started with the crusty bread and basil pesto. Delicious. Each of our dishes (i.e. braised chicken, shrimp scampi, lamb shank and rosemary chicken) were wonderfully tasty. The table we sat at was located near the door which meant frequent cold drafts as patrons entered and left. The table was also located near the waiting area which meant my chair was bumped numerous times and proximity to patrons waiting caused a lack of privacy. read more

Sweet Basil - Braised chicken with vinegar peppers. Packs a little heat. - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

I've pretty much eaten everywhere that people rave about and while I always enjoy my meal, am always unenthused. This meal however, perfect. From the service to the execution of the meal, every aspect of this dining experience was flawless. Firstly, Sweet Basil is BYO beer/wine. There is a $5 corking fee, but I think it's reasonable as they open the wine, pour it for you, and bag it for you. I ordered the goat cheese appetizer which was to.die.for. For my entree I ordered the scallops which were cooked perfectly. My date ordered the braised chicken and this was a meal worthy of all the praise that it receives online. Honestly, I was blown away by the flavor. A word of advice, they do not serve dessert. However, if you leave early enough you can grab custard next door at Abbott's! Also get there early as the restaurant is small and the wait can be pretty long. read more

Sweet Basil never disappoints. A great Italian restaurant in a small town.

I'm OBSESSED with their pesto!! The homemade noodles are great and the portions are huge!

Ordered takeout here last night. Delicious. Very efficient in this time of closed dining rooms. We had chicken parmigiana and ravioli. It came with both bread and pasta. Ordered and paid over the phone. ( ask to add your tip while on the phone) Drove up, opened window and told my name. Food was put in car without any contact. Home enjoying a great meal. Great food with a safe transfer. Let's hope we're back inside restaurants soon. read more

Sweet Basil is an Italian eatery in Needham, MA that serves traditional and inventive dishes made with hand-made pastas and ingredients from locally sourced, New England farms and purveyors. Chef and Owner Dave Becker even makes the restaurants plateware in a local studio. I have heard many great reviews of Sweet Basil from friends who live in the area. I was really excited to be doing an errand in Needham knowing that I would finally get a chance to try Sweet Basil for myself. While I went in for lunch, Sweet Basil is open for dinner as well and guests are welcome to bring their own bottle of wine or beer to drink with their meal for a $5 corkage fee. The restaurant does not take reservations, and the wait can be long, but stick it out because it is worth it. To start the meal we were served the freshest bread with a side of house made pesto. The pesto was such a nice twist from the usual butter or olive oil. For lunch I tried the Crispy chicken tossed with ziti, serrano ham, tomatoes and peas in a gruyere cream sauce. This beautiful and hearty dish was only $12 and I had plenty to take home as leftovers. The chicken was nice large chunks of white meat and nothing beats hand-made, fresh ziti. This was one of the best pasta dishes I have tried yet - and I try a lot of pasta! I am looking forward to visiting Sweet Basil again soon, bottle of wine in tow! read more

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Lingering hesitation about going there ( in normal times free if COVID-19) because they don't accept reservations. The food is great, but the uncertainty in getting a table is off-putting read more

Unassuming place, with a sign that's difficult to read (casually passing by). It's a very casual atmosphere, almost a hipster or employee owned vibe. The menu's on the smaller side. Prices are reasonable, portion sizes are average. Everything we ordered was different than what I was expecting based on the description. So, if you're looking for entrees that are non-traditional, this place probably suits you well. The fresh pesto with the bread was probably the highlight of the meal. read more

The yummiest food and friendly atmosphere.... Instantly comfortable and happy here!!!

Good Italian food. Dave, the master Chef and owner, is an awesome person. The ambiance is nice. I love that you can bring your own alcohol. Therefore, I have never had bad drink at this place. read more

As I consider myself a professional Italian eater (tough job really), I can honestly say that Sweet Basil is the best Italian I have had. No questions asked. There is no need to ever go anywhere else, and nothing else will ever compare. Thinking about my experience is emotional, seriously, because I never appreciated the art of perfecting a dining experience as much as everything at SB. Everything about my experience here was perfection, idyllic... I found my heaven, I just have to hope that I end up here. One thing to know, is its BYOB, and there will always be a line. Knowing this ahead, you can plan to go to a restaurant nearby to grab a drink while you wait, and they will call you when the table is ready. Be sure NOT to grab apps anywhere else as you will want to have maximal stomach capacity at SB. The vibe and ambiance is personally what sets this apart from all the other "very good" Italian places. It's cozy, small, but not cramped, with soft lighting, interesting art, eclectic and non matching dishes and flatware, and by far the best music I have heard at a resturaunt. If we hadn't run out of wine, I may have never left. The bread is a solid 10/10, served with an unbelievably fresh, homemade, delicious side of pesto. It took me a long time to trust that pesto was a good thing, and now I know it is a very good thing. At basil, the pesto completes the meal. It is the BEST. The servings for the apps are big, so even for a salad I would recommend splitting it. No matter what food dish, at least if its pasta, you can be sure it will be homemade, with the freshest ingredients, made to order, delicious, full of so many aromas, flavors that your sense are overwhelmed. I would highly recommend both dishes that we got, the bolognese and the rosemary chicken/ziti. I really am not sure if I will be able to have pasta elsewhere after being spoiled with the environment, BYOB, amazing bread and pesto, and freshest, most flavorful meal. Just thinking about the experience brings me to My happiest place. SB is my new favorite, there is no competition anymore. read more

We just ate here for the first time. Every single thing was fantastic. If you like what you see on the menu and are ok with the prices, this place is VERY easy to recommend. read more

I am a regular here! This place is phenomenal. Every time I go I try a new dish, and my friends different dishes - every single one is phenomenal. Not only the food is good the service is great too! It's too bad they don't have dessert.., but I guess the wait would be forever. I wonder if they will ever start taking reservations. They finally began accept credit cards! read more

Sweet Basil - Really great sirloin and fries!! - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Never disappoints! I try to get there every time I visit from NC! Also, ice cream next door!!

I moved to Needham in the early 90's and heard how good this place was. It took me a while to eat there as back then it was so hard to get a table and you couldn't make reservations. I love their BYOB policy, and am particularly fond of their steak entree as well as their bolognese. Great food and good portions. I only carry out now with COVID going on, but it is one of my go to's for dinner. read more

I am horrified at how inappropriate the staff was. The food was below average and it was a terrible meal. I wouldn't be surprised if they spit in our food. The waitress verbally assaulted my son. read more

This place does elevated staples well. Pesto is always fresh. The pasta is homemade. Whether going to dine in or takeout this place has never disappointed. In fact foodies love it when we have it for takeout at our house, and then I get credit for hosting even though I didn't cook read more

We hadn't been here in a long time and figured now with Covid it was the right time to support them. Unfortunately the food is not what it used to be at all! The attitude of the young woman at the door when I went to pick up was rude and condescending. From the start of telling me not to cross the orange cones, no kidding actually I was thinking of practicing my jump, to her rudeness that the food was still not ready. I will not be back. read more

This place has things going for it--nice atmosphere, friendly and down-to-earth servers, large portion sizes--but the food itself is poor quality. Nothing tastes fresh and it just feels like corners are cut wherever possible (low quality meat (you'd honestly ask a butcher for your money back), some cheap non-olive-oil used in sauces, canned vegetables, just plain crappy bread). [p.s., note that Yelp removed 85 negative reviews for this place (many from people with a long Yelp history who are clearly legitimate.] read more

I love this place!!! I crave this place almost every weekend. I do take out a lot but when I do get the chance to sit down there it's a great atmosphere. The people are nice the place is clean and the food is outstanding. My favorite part is the warm fresh bread right from the oven and the zesty pesto. I think one of the most unique features is the BYOB factor. Although some people may see it as a hassle i think it actually allows customers to make sure they bring there favorite bottle of wine to make there visit there that much more enjoyable. read more

This place is the. BEST!!!! The lemon saffron gnocchi is amazing and should be an entree!!! Will Definitely order two next time! Omg! The fried oyster with it is awesome! The rosemary chicken is the bomb! I LOVE this place and can't get enough of the homemade pesto and bread as well Beth, our server, was amazing, attentive and food came out fast Highly recommend! It's my favorite Italian restaurant! Bring your own wine, prepare for a wait, and enjoy the amazing meal! The staff is great and the food is the BEST!!! read more

Never had a bad experience until I found uncooked chicken in my takeout... uncooked pink center in the chicken parm. Unacceptable by any standard. read more

Sweet Basil - Uncooked chicken parm... need I say more. - Italian Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Ever since I tried this spot this year, I've been back 2 more times! I come here for 2 things: Pesto Sauce w/ Bread & Fresh Pasta! I always add some of the crushed red peppers into the pesto sauce and it's delicious! The bread comes out super fresh! Crispy crust with soft warm center. I've had a few pasta dishes so far, but my favorites are the shrimp scampi and the blogonese. What I really enjoy is that the pasta always comes out al dente and never ever overcooked/soft. I always end up taking some of my pasta home since the serving size is generous (but not overwhelming). read more

Sweet Basil only uses the freshest ingredients and the portions are HUGE (I recommend you share). The owner, Dave cares so much about his customers and the Needham community. We've been going there for all the years they have been in business and will continue to support Sweet Basil. read more

My husband and I have long considered Sweet Basil to be our favorite restaurant in Needham. Though it is a bit expensive, we usually can get two meals out of each dish, for the portions are generous. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the art on the wall is funky and playful, creating a relaxed, youthful ambiance. Yesterday, the music was off, which enabled us to converse with ease. Ordinarily, I go for the Shrimp Scampi, and my husband chooses the Bolognaise. However, yesterday, the chef outdid himself yesterday with a dish that included pan-seared scallops on a bed of pureed carrots, peppers, fennel and bits of bacon. It was absolutely delicious. I wanted to savor each morsel, as one does with wine-tasting. If I ever go to prison and am entitled to one last meal, this pan-seared scallops on a bed of pureed carrot would be it. But maybe it would be best to just obey the law, so I can enjoy this delectable meal on my birthday and anniversary. read more

Best restaurant ever! The food and service is absolutely outstanding. They don't take reservations and there usually is a line out the door but it is totally worth the wait! read more

The rosemary chicken is soooo flavorful. The penne pasta was delicious as well and cooked perfectly. I live in New York and I wish I could go back to try other things. Next time I'm in Mass I will be returning. read more

Got wiped out by food poisoning. Went with the family, ordered the pork bolognese - pork was undercooked/still frozen as was the pasta. As usual, place was mobbed at 6 PM - BYOB is the selling point. The Vinny Testa's of Needham. read more