Sweet Basilico Cafe — Restaurant in Estes Park

(See updated review below-better this time) Was probably 3.5 stars, but disappointed! Have been coming here for years, was our favorite place to eat in Estes, has definitely gone down hill a notch! Used to be a 4.5 star but not anymore. Service was average, never refilled water and drinks including wine which would have sold us another couple glasses if came back to ask during meal. Waitress seemed less than efficient and sharp. Used to give you hot rolls when you sat down, asked about, now they only give you rolls (and not hot and fresh anymore) with your actual meal. Meatball sub was actually gross. Meatballs good but didn’t toast bread and no cheese. Was literally just a super soggy bun with 3 small meatballs. Scraped the meatballs out of the bread paste and just ate those. Chicken parm, my go to, was still good, but patty way thinner and used to be served over large portion of spaghetti, now on a sparse bed of like 10 bow tie noddles. Always had leftovers, now not even a big meal. The shrimp Diablo, good but just bowl of shrimp and veggies, no noodles? Had to ask for a side of pasta after meal came. Seafood Alfredo, good, but again pretty small portions. After years of being our favorite, have to say disappointed!

Update 7/22. They have definitely improved back to a 4 star. The service was excellent and food came out so fast it was almost too fast (wasn’t but that’s how quick it was). The portions have decreased slightly in size but still plenty. The cheese stick used to be the best ever - that they changed brands on and not quite as good. The dinner rolls are very good. All the entrees were very good. Glad to see they have upped...

Tucked away in a cozy corner of Estes Park, Sweet Basilico offers a welcoming Italian dining experience that’s both satisfying and memorable. On my recent visit, I ordered the angel hair pasta with house-made Alfredo sauce, asparagus, tomato, and bay shrimp—a recommendation from my young server—paired with a glass of red sangria (my personal favorite). It did not disappoint! The Alfredo sauce was rich and creamy without being overly heavy, perfectly coating the delicate angel hair. Fresh asparagus and sweet, ripe tomatoes added a vibrant contrast, while the bay shrimp brought a gentle brininess that tied everything together beautifully. The portion was generous without being overwhelming, and each element tasted freshly prepared. The vibe at Sweet Basilico is upbeat and cheerful. The staff was friendly and attentive, exchanging laughter and smiles as they worked. One highlight of the evening was chatting with the owner, who exuded genuine warmth and kindness. Seated at the mini bar, I also had the chance to interact with his son, Brendon, who was cooking alongside two seasoned and equally friendly chefs. Brendon clearly takes pride in ensuring guests enjoy their dining experience. What stood out most was the steady stream of satisfied customers stopping to personally thank the owners on their way out—a testament to the consistently positive experience this restaurant delivers. Sweet Basilico has quickly become my "mandatory stop" whenever I visit Estes Park. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for comforting Italian cuisine...

This place is mediocre at best and I was disappointed in such high reviews as my experience seemed much different.. I Went today and ordered lunch take out. Our group ordered a pizza, caprase appetizer, mozzarella sticks, and pasta side tortellini with meat sauce. The portions were large with lacking flavors. The basil in the caprase was sad. I don't know if it was freeze dried but it wasn't very good. It almost was like it was super old basil with no flavor. The whole salad was drenched in a basalmic that tasted like Kroger and the mozzarella was really dry. The tortellini was good but the meat sauce was bland. I also found it to be acidic and runny. Kinda tasted like ragu sauce from a jar. We had artichokes on the pizza that were oily and almost sour tasting..I know it was a topping we opted for but it just wasn't good. Even by themselves they tasted really processed. I wish I had somthing better to say but nothing here seemed fresh. Even the mozzarella sticks were bland and the marina tasted like spagehtti-o sauce. The restaurant messed up my order by giving us fried ravioli instead of the mozzarella sticks. They were kind enough to just give them to us, while we waited for the correction. However, even those were not very good. I feel like because of the mistake they rushed to prepare the mozzarella sticks so they were not as gooey inside as they were hot on the outside. Overall the experience as I stated was mediocre at best, for a Thursday lunch. As a result of this experience I will be going somewhere else next time I...