If you like Italian food, this is arguably the best restaurant in Estes Park. I've only eaten here a few times since we only visit a few times a year. When you look at the menu, you're absolutely going to want one of everything. It's just that good. I had the lasagne bolonaise and a small Caesar salad. The lasagne noodles were perfect with layers of ricotta cheese and ground beef. The tomato sauce is perfect, not too tart or spicy, but absolutely rich in flavor. The staff is exceptional and goes above and beyond to make sure you have everything you need during your meal. We sat on the patio which is right next to a river, creating the perfect ambiance! If in town, check it out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Sweet Basilico - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

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Open late. Fresh. No sauce in their pasta. They charge you extra if you order. Good service read more

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We were told by the greeter that it would be a 20 minute wait for a table. After 55 minutes, I asked how much longer would the 20 minute wait be? Her answer about 20 minutes. We left and ate somewhere else! read more

I ordered Marco Polo on angel hair pasta. It was beyond amazing. The kids each got pizzas. The service was prompt, friendly and knowledgeable. Extra points... they have two car charging stations! read more

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I am an extremely picky eater however I felt that this restaurant 'My daughter has to eat gluten-free, and I'll admit--I'm just plain picky. But this place? Absolutely off the hook. If you're in Esther Park, do yourself a favor and stop by. Supporting this gem is a no-brainer. Whether you sit inside or out, the views are simply out of this world--breathtaking mountains, incredible ambiance, and just good vibes all around. Laurie, our server, has been here for 20 years and she was nothing short of amazing. Oh, and did I mention the prices are incredible too? Run, don't walk.' was amazing in it Service. It's food quality and also just being very customer focused. I just felt th read more

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So once a place that my family and I would never miss is a place we will most likely never go back to, especially where there are plenty of other good options in Estes. First of all, the NOISE on the inside was unbelievable, you literally couldn't talk to the person sitting next to you, so the ambiance is dismal. The price point for the quality of food is just insane. I used to think about the eggplant parm, and now it's something I hope to forget. The eggplant itself was fine, crispy and the ricotta cheese sandwiched in between is a nice touch but that's where it stops. It was served on top of cold pasta with very boring marinara sauce in which the pasta wasn't drained properly so around the entire dish was watery separated cold marinara. From the moment it was brought to the table it looked unappetizing and that proved to be correct. It also had large raw mushrooms in between the two slabs of eggplant. It just screamed lazy and I picked them all out, and I love mushrooms, but in this instance they just didn't make sense. Also, it had slices of square mozzarella cheese that was barely melted and it had almost a plastic-y texture, huge disappointment. We also had calamari that was flavorless and soggy, not deliciously crispy as calamari is intended to be served. Our waitress was nice enough but pretty much took our order and we never saw her again until the bill came. Like I said, with so many other amazing places in Estes I just can't justify coming back. read more

Nice patio seating right on the river. I had the eggplant parm and my husband had a calzone. They were both good. We also both had salads. Dressing tasted homemade. read more

Food is delicious and portions are reasonable. Tried the eggplant parm and chicken parm. Prices reflect closely the portion size. Menu has tons of choices. Great wine and cocktail menu as well. Love supporting this local business read more

Muscles are amazing!! My husband and I have had them 2 days in a row and it takes everything we have not to drink the sauce!! read more

We ordered a small pepperoni mushroom pizza to share. Pizza crust was hard, not fresh. Service was fine.

Delicious meals that taste homemade and fresh, you can see them cooking right from your seat! Hot tip, don't skip dessert, you don't want miss this deliciousness! read more

The food here was decent and prices were pretty reasonable. We were hoping for a bit more added spices on the cheesy garlic bread, but melted cheese on bread is never bad! My favorite things were the homemade rolls (fantastic!) and the meatballs. Service was very fast and friendly and the atmosphere was nice on a Saturday early-evening. read more

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This was such a delightful surprise to find in Estes Park. This is a family owned restaurant. It's a quiet, pretty little café on the inside. You can see the chef working on your meal. I ordered the sautéed mushroom marinara sauce on Angel hair pasta. It was absolutely exquisite! This is a definite must check out spot while you're visiting Estes Park! read more

Sweet Basilico - Outside - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

Our last dinner of our Colorado trip, glad we picked this one :) Caprese salad - I would rate it at 3.5, this one is highly rated online but I would say it wasn't something I haven't had before. The tomatoes were juicy and the mozzarella was good. Nothing mind-blowing but still worth ordering. Chicken parmigiana - 4 for sure. What we loved about this one was the bow tie pasta was less than the huge chunks of chicken. More protein less carbs!! Subtle sauce, nothing over powered the delicious chicken. Pizza! 5!!!!!! Oh boy! We customized small pizza with few veggies and no cheese ( yes I'm not a fan of cheese, ok stop rolling your eyes now !!!) the dough was Soooo soft, again the sauce did not over power the perfectly toasted veggies. Somehow pizza felt healthy hehe And the winner of the night TIRAMISU!!! 10 /10!!! It was just heavenly. Did not drink water for the next hour in order to keep the taste alive in my mouth haha. Wish I wasn't watching my calories, would have definitely ordered a second serving for sure! read more

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Food and service were great. My wife and I both had the gluten free pizza and a glass of Chianti. The crust was crispy and they did not skimp on the toppings. read more

This is the second visit to Estes Park where we have ordered pizza to go from Sweet Basílico, and it is so good. The veggie pizza is simple and perfect. The crust is great! read more

If I ever found a genie's lamp then my first 2 wishes would be for world peace and the ability to fold a fitted sheet. My 3rd wish would be the most important one. That everyone person on the planet would get the opportunity to eat at Sweet Basilico and be served by Laura. The food was incredible. The service immaculate. If by chance that genie would give me any bonus wishes then I would use them all to get reservations here. read more

I normally am not on this side of town, but we stopped in here to have a wonderful girls night out in Estes Park The ambience was wonderful, and the place was super crowded, which is the hallmark of a very good restaurant there was also awaiting line which also tells you this is very popular. The food was divine and there were a lot of options for different types of eating needs. I enjoyed an Alfredo and it was positively delicious. A friend of mine enjoyed the pizza and it was really good. We will definitely be back read more

This is my experience here... as we walked in the front door. The hostess immediately greeted us and said welcome and was just the sweetest thing there could ever be. The waitress came over and when I say she knew the menu, she absolutely knew the menu, I ordered the carbonara and my husband ordered the chicken Pomodoro. (I think I spelled that right.) both pastas were out of this world and absolutely tasted amazing. The inside of the restaurant and outdoor of the restaurant are decorated beautifully and had a great charm about it. Absolutely the best Italian restaurant in Estes Park. So, service 5 out of 5, food, 5 out of 5 and overall 5 out of 5. read more

Sweet Basilico - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

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Didn't have reservations but they squeezed us in for a large party. Food was perfect for a large party with different tastes. Pasta was al dente. Ade's service was courteous and professional. Flourless torta was a great way to finish it off. Awesome experience read more

We ran in 20min before closing hoping to grab a to go order. The owner seated us with menus and told us to take our time. The service was quick and our waitress was super friendly. We will definitely return on our next trip. The garlic cheese bread was amazing with great cheese pulls. The dough is made fresh daily. read more

The smell of garlic welcomes you when you enter the doors!!! The atmosphere is lively and the kitchen action is right in front to all to watch in awe. We didn't have reservations but the wait was less than 29 minutes on a Saturday night at 7:30... the place was packed! Service is so quick .. a bit too quick lol The caprese great; the cheesy garlic bread crisp & fragrant and the pasta was full of chicken & veggies!!! Honestly a perfect pick after a full day of hiking in snow & sun!! Plenty of parking as well which cannot be said for most of Estes. read more

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Only had the margherita pizza, so my review only covers up to that. It was beyond cheesy, and unfortunately the flavors from the tomato and basil really fell flat. I don't think they were very fresh because if they were, they would have actually tasted like tomato and basil. Not even the chili flakes could save the pizza because even that was bland. In end, it was basically like a normal cheese pizza because all the toppings tasted like nothing. The crust was more like bread than actual pizza crust. Service was very slow as well. It took a while for the pizza to come out, and also the beer which was from a can. I was tempted to get dessert because they looked tasty, but not being happy with the pizza and not wanting to wait much longer due to the slow service made me reconsider. read more

We went in on a weekday evening without a reservation around 7 pm and they mentioned it being a long wait. We waited since we didn't want to drive around to find another place. They did mention that due to the evening showers, guests that were seated on the outside tables had to be pulled in and hence caused a wait for others. We had to wait close to the expected amount told to us. On being seated our server came in shortly but didn't seem very friendly. She just wanted to get done with taking orders and getting us our things. We had the fried ravioli for our appetizers and it was good. We ordered the red and white sangria and both were great...hard to pick one over the other. For our dinner we had the chicken Marco Polo, lasagna bolognese and Fettuccine with mushroom marinara. The Marco Polo was a bit on the dry side, and the lasagna and fettuccine were just okay. Entrees and drinks came out in a timely manner fwiw. For dessert we ordered a Tiramisu and it was great though. Overall a decent Italian place close to the park read more

The dinner scene in Estes continued to be a puzzling one for me. It's either overpriced, underperforming steakhouses or pub fare. Sweet Basilico is an attempt at a happy middle ground, and while they do certain things well, there is room for improvement. Highlights are things like homemade baked garlic bread and rolls, and flavorful, bright sauces (Basilico pesto sauce, Alfredo and marinara were all delicious). Staff is friendly, and prices are reasonable by Estes Park standards. Not so great were the overcooked and gooey lasagna noodles (lots of positive feedback on the classic lasagna, so this was disappointing), and overdressed salad. Also, the building itself is falling into disrepair and in need of a facelift at a minimum... a nasty bathroom isn't a great first impression (pictured). read more

Sweet Basilico - Broken toilet, overflowing trash. Needs updating. - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

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This place was amazing! we went right around 5pm and it was perfect timing right before the rush! staff was so kind and friendly! had the loaded garlic bread, the house soup, chicken parm and the cavatappi with the basilico! and they were delicious the chicken was cooked perfectly melted in ur mouth and the pasta had perfect flavor! the place is super cute had calming music! great lighting and good selection on wine! 10/10 recommend!!! read more

Sweet Basilico - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

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After doing a moonlight snowshoe hike in Estes Park we went here for dinner. And to be honest the food is pretty generic and mezzo mezzo. My Cesar salad was one of my least favorite I have ever had. My spaghetti and meatballs were not as good as what I could make at home. On the other hand my wife loved her Lasagna. Maybe I chose incorrectly?? Chicken parm looked good as did some of the other entrees. Super friendly staff that did a great job. read more

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Being a born & raised New Yorker, I've been to more than my fair share of amazing Italian eateries back east. The best ones are often NOT fancy, family-owned, sometimes rag-tagged in environment, but the food!!! Mamma-mia, now that's real Italian! This is every bit the case in point here with Sweet Basilico. Yes, the lights are too bright, the interior is tired, and it gets too crowded inside where there's no place to stand while you wait for your table. BUT the servers are friendly, the food is rustic, stick-to-your-bones in the best way possible, fare that your little Italian grandmother would crave. I love the classic Lasagna Bolognese! It's the first dish on the menu, and my one favorite examples of the dish I've ever had in my 30+ years here living in Colorado. It's legit! Great red sauce, bright, rich & sweet. Soft, yet firm noodles surround the delicious savory fillings... it's what all great lasagnes should be, and with enough sauce around the edges to enjoy with your big dinner roll. read more

Horrible service food was cold server was rude will not be dining here again worst experience I've had in a very long time

I have been coming here since I was a little kid, back to 1997. They have continued to have quality food ever since and I still frequent going here. Their pasta is some of the best I've had. It is a little small, with not a lot of tables, so as Estes Park has increased with tourist, there is often a wait. Still amazing place! read more

Second time here! I've ordered the spaghetti carbonara both times because it's just that good! It's creamy, flavorful, and the prosciutto adds a nice saltiness. Some other items I've tried were the garlic bread (a bit hard but good flavor), lasagna (decent), and calamari (good flavor but heavily coated). Service is mediocre, not the best but not the worst either. It can get pretty packed here especially during tourist season or dinner times! The inside is very quaint and homey while the outside is scenic. read more

Sweet Basilico - Spaghetti carbonara - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

We ordered take out last year (2024) when we were up here and it was great. So this year (2025), we went in and ate with the family. They accommodated the seven of us very comfortably and everyone enjoyed the food. This is a hidden.gem for sure. It would definitely pass as a high end restaurant in the Denver area and cost much more so people up here are lucky to have it and very reasonable prices for the quality food. read more

After a morning hike we went for lunch. It was DELICIOUS! As a transplant from New England I can be picky about my Italian food. This place stood up well against others. Our seafood Frutti Di Mare was flavorful and had plenty of clams, shrimp, and scallops. The Antipasta had a nice mix of meats, greens, and pickled vegetables. To top it off the cannoli was fresh made us want to come back soon b read more

BEST GF PASTA!! seriously THE best gfp. Turns out they also have gf pizza crust! I've only had the pasta but it's wildly good. Do it. You won't regret it. read more

Sweet Basilico - Italian Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

The foods are freshly prepared, the minestrone soup, the fresh garlic bread, the freshly prepared Italian salad dressing, each of the dinner entrées, for starters. The servers friendly, helpful, Raul, the owner has trained his chefs to his same high standards, resulting in us sending friend and families to the best Italian restaurant we known since we were traveling in Italy. read more

Upon arrival we waited about 10 minutes before the server approached, ordered garlic cheese bread..no garlic. Ordered garlic and oil and pasta again.... no garlic I could see or taste. the lasagna had a nice flavor. Out of water no refills offered, saw server again to ask about dessert. In an Italian restaurant I'd expect garlic. server had a large party so we were ignored. Hardest working person was the Bus Person with long braids. The other server had long hair hanging down I saw it get in food when she carried a plate on her chest. read more

Called ahead to see what the wait time was and was told 30 minutes. We got there at around the 25 minute mark and only had about a 10 wait so it was pretty close to the time quoted. My daughter and I enjoyed dinner here on 8/22/2024. Service was quick, and the server answered any questions I had. She gave a recommendation of the Chicken Sorrento, and it was wonderful; however it was supposed to have breaded eggplant in the dish but didn't. I thought maybe I misunderstood and it was small pieces and they were just covered by the sauce but no. I checked the website later and the picture clearly showed 2 large pieces of eggplant on the side. Oh well. We ordered an appetizer (Burrata Caprese) that both my daughter and I thought would be on a crispy baguette but it was just tomatoes/cheese with balsamic drizzle. Exactly as written so that's on us. It was just sort of awkward on how to eat it. Food was delicious either way and would recommend to anyone. Place was a little noisy so it was hard to have a normal conversation. read more

We were staying at a VRBO nearby and Sweet Basilico was on our list to check out. And we are so glad we did...twice! The first night we had Tortellini Alla Panna and my sister tried the create your own with marinara and mushroom. Both were amazing! It was so great we went back our second night in Estes Park and tried the pizza, also delicious. The staff are all very friendly and the chefs were working like crazy to get the dishes out quickly. The owner is the sweetest gentlemen! Highly recommend Sweet Basilico, but recommend making reservations, they appear busy all the time. read more

We were so impressed that they found a table for 12 of us on that patio. The portions were large and the food was delightful! My hubby and I shared the Lasagna Florentine and throughly enjoyed it. My vegetarian daughter and her cousin liked their options too! Great service and fantastic desserts! Loved the lemon cake! Beautiful location along the River! read more

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Estes has a real gem for Italian food and pizza. The service is great and the staff are so friendly. It's moderately priced but worth it.