Basta Pizzeria Ristorante

"Basta is a delight! It's a great date or special occasion spot, excellent for happy hour, and often they have lunch specials too. The sausage and orrichette is really good and a tiny bit spicy. The lobster and corn pizza is my go to. Recently I had the blue crab pasta, which isn't always on the menu but it should be. The pasta is homemade, and it shows. Basically, they do carbs realllllllly well. The tiramisu is the best in town and the Nutella creme brulee is an excellent choice. The wine selection is decent, and there are options in different prices ranges. This place is a gem! You can watch the pizza maker throwing the dough and putting it in the oven. The atmosphere is quaint and warm. It's definitely one of my favorites, and you won't be disappointed."

"Visiting Iowa City for the first time and was delighted by the name—Basta. I recommend making reservations. I started with a French 75–the flavor was nice, the lemon twist was too short and the glass was sticky. The burrata was very good and the toast was perfect. We also had olives. We had two orders of the bolognese with a hunk of roll on top. Nothing to dip it in olive oil with parm, no butter. The sausage orecchiette had a great flavor, but the sausage was oddly crumbly. It also had the roll perched on top of the pasta. For dessert we had a limited selection to those from— tiramisu is a favorite—they didn’t have that :-(. We settled on the Nutella creme brulee and vanilla gelato with lattes which were a perfect end to the meal. I will come back. I want to try the pizza. Next time I come, I’d like a bigger table. We were three on a four top and our plates nearly touched each other. I like cozy not cramped."

"I have been here twice now and had an excellent experience both times. Prices are quite high, but I do find the food and experience to be worth the treat. I have celiac, and they do very well with accommodation. They do have a limited menu for gluten-free, but I found what I have tried to be top tier. My favorite is the gluten-free chicken alfredo. This is also the largest portion of gluten-free I have received from a restaurant. However, this dish was almost $30.00"

"Celebrated a birthday and post Iowa football game and this was a great post game dinner spot. Definitely recommend making a reservation during big event days. The food and service was great. Love the warm house made bread that also came with the pasta."

"Basta has been a favorite for many years. Delicious food. Fast friendly service. Plenty of seating options inside and outside. Great for groups. The Beet Salad seems to always be super fresh. Nice appetizers. A place you'll want to return to."