The menu and cutlery at Basta on Oct. 25, 2023. (Daniel Mattie/CU Independent)
Boulder-local restaurant Basta was recently recognized by the Michelin Guide, a culinary organization that seeks out the best options for food and drink across the world.
In August, the Michelin Guide released the first-ever Colorado restaurant guide. The Michelin Guide is the world’s most prestigious restaurant rating company. and restaurants that receive reviews from the guide are usually highly priced. The most well-known commendations offered by the guide to restaurants are its “stars” which indicate high-quality dining and prestige.
However, the Michelin Guide also offers the Bib Gourmand award in each region that it visits. The Bib Gourmand Award is given to restaurants that the Michelin Guide finds provide high-quality meals. Basta, a well-known restaurant in Boulder that opened in 2010, was one of only nine restaurants in the state to be awarded the Bib Gourmand distinction.
“What Basta offers to all our customers is a sustainable menu based on the relationship with our local farmers and ranchers who, throughout the year, contribute 90% to our menu using as much as possible with their crops,” said Jose Rodriguez, the chef de cuisine.
Intentional eating
The restaurant says it offers the best ingredients on the market from local producers and even uses local grain that is created in its sister bakery next door, the Dry Storage. The importance of local and sustainable ingredients is a priority for the restaurant, according to Alexander de Bernardis, the sous chef at Basta.
Chef Rodriguez said the restaurant deliberately chooses the grain that is used in its pizza and sourdough bread. The restaurant operates one wood-fired oven that allows its grain to shine and accents the pizzas, pasta and bread it offers.
“Knowing what can be done with different grains and knowing their final result is something very different that we take very seriously and with great pride,” Rodriguez said.
Basta’s seasonal pizza with mushroom, taleggio, olives, rosemary, and chives on Oct. 25, 2023. (Daniel Mattie/CU Independent)
The intentionality behind the experience and the hospitality of the staff is what separates Basta from other dining experiences. There is a high level of attention to detail that comes with a Michelin Guide award, and Chef Rodriguez likes to keep things simple. He said it is important to be humble and work together with his team.
The results of his efforts show in the quality of the service and the food. Each dish is bursting with flavor and uses simple ingredients that accent one another. The rosemary on the fall market pizza is grown just outside of the restaurant doors and the vegetables on the pizza are roasted in the same oven as the pizza when it gets prepared.
”A lot of the dining experience, in general, but especially true at Basta, relies on storytelling. Every plate, each ingredient has its own history,” Bernardis said. “From the varieties of flour that we use for our pizza, to the bitter greens we braise for our chicken dish. Each item having a purpose and a reason really helps be able to provide our guests with a vision of why we are cooking.”
The restaurant operates out of one simple oven. This is something that allows creativity and nuance to be displayed in the dishes. Rodriguez uses this tool to highlight featured ingredients and let them come to life through dishes the restaurant serves.
Sourdough piada loaf, served at Basta on Oct. 25, 2023. (Daniel Mattie/CU Independent)
An award with impact
Being awarded the Bib Gourmand distinction by the Michelin Guide “tasted like honey,” according to Rodriguez.
Bernardis said he sees the award as both an honor and an opportunity.
“The bar for us has not necessarily been set higher, but (it’s) where we’ve already been at. We will always keep pushing ourselves, and each other, to keep things interesting, fresh, and exciting,” Bernardis said. “Being awarded with the Bib Gourmand is such a great honor. It’s indescribable to be recognized at an international level … it felt like our tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant could be easily missed.”
This award is a testament to the restaurant being exceptionally priced for the quality of dining that it provides. One could casually dine at the restaurant for under $30 and order one of the restaurant’s incredible pizza options. Students could also dine to celebrate their graduation and have a multi-course meal fit for an important occasion, albeit at a higher price point.
For Rodriguez, the priority continues to be the customers as they are a fundamental part of the restaurant.
Roasted carrots with whipped feta, figs, and calabrian chili honey on Oct. 25, 2023. (Daniel Mattie/CU Independent)
The restaurant’s proximity to campus invites CU Boulder community members to dine for any occasion. Just a mile away from campus, Basta’s open kitchen and tables for walk-ins are available lend to the casual atmosphere.
Basta, a Michelin-recognized restaurant near CU Boulder, offers an inviting dining experience with food worth the price.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Daniel Mattie at [email protected].