Basil Leaf Cafe

Good italian food. A little expensive though. Not somewhere I can go in a regular basis. But it is a good place for date.

Outstanding. Simply outstanding.
Basil Leaf Café features a well thought out menu and its dishes are prepared with care. Each and every bite is perfection.
I have gone to Basil Leaf on five separate occasions and each time it was superb. The quality was always high. The only complaint is that the dining area is somewhat small and can get a little loud. However, the food and drink more than make up for this minor complaint.

Once I got a seat at table I realized what all the fuss is about. The food is amazing! The low lighting sets the mood just right for a celebratory meal. The tiramisu is the best in town.

When the hell is this place open? I have been by twice at 11:30, and once at 4:00, and no dice. And no, it was not Sunday. Did stop by once and was told there was an hour wait, but there was nowhere to park anyway.

Are you kidding? This is Kansas? Charming small restaurant with a semi– Italian theme. Great cocktails, creative menu and TEXAS sized portions!
Don’t miss the Brussels sprouts appetizer with pork belly! Portions are sharing sized, so plan accordingly and be sure to save room for dessert! This place is the real deal!

This place is excellent. We were visiting and just stumbled on this wonderful restaurant. For different dishes among the group and all tasted great and the visual presentation was special.
I got the Louisiana Penne and loved it. Another person in the group got the beef medallions and they loved it. Another got the burger and it received high praise.
The ambiance was wonderful. And the spot is sentimental to a guy like me that grew up on Joes donuts.
I highly recommend this place.

Italian food has grown into being one of the most popular types of food at todays restaurants. It can be simple and easy to make, or extravagant and unique. Restaurants tend to either nail the taste of Italian specialties, or overcook the dish to the point where it is uneatable. In a small town like Lawrence finding the perfect Italian restaurant was a challenge, until now.
Sitting on 9^th Street in Lawrence, Kansas, next to a flower shop and across from the Jayhawk Liquor store, the Basil Leaf Café is a hidden gem. From the outside you wouldn’t know what type of restaurant it is, but once inside the restaurant is styled beautifully with Italian décor. I was expecting cheesy, fake Italian decorations but that was not the case. At the entrance there is a stunning wine bottle chandelier that I noticed the second I walked in. I thought that was a creative way to reuse bottles and they helped add to the Italian style of the restaurant. The rest of the lights had wine bottles instead of bulbs as well and it looked very attractive. Due to this, the lighting was dim but it did not affect my ability to order. The tables were all wood and looked dazzling with the hardwood floors. They gave the restaurant an old Italian rustic feel.
The waiter at the front desk was very friendly and sat me at a table immediately. He was not wearing a uniform but due to his quickness it was not hard to figure out that he worked at the restaurant. There were not very many people at the Basil Leaf Café so there was ample seating. There was also a small bar with a TV for people who wanted to watch a game or catch up on the news. I did not think the bar fit with the rest of the restaurant at first but because it was small and styled the same as the rest of the restaurant, I suppose it was not too bad. The Italian music playing in the background also added to the feeling of being in Italy, but it wasn’t so loud that you couldn’t hear whomever you were dining with.
The service at the Basil Leaf Café was unbelievable. The waiter brought water right after he seated me, and consistently filled it up throughout my time there. I do not think there was one time where my water was completely empty. While sitting, I didn’t feel like the waiter was rushing me. He gave me a good amount of time to look over the menu, but he did not take too long so that I was wondering where he was. The kitchen was fast as well. I ordered an appetizer and main dish which were both brought to the table (separately) and cleared in the perfect amount of time. This was fabulous for me because I did not want the dishes to come at the same time.
After experiencing such incredible service at the Basil Leaf Café, I had high hopes for the food. The first dish I ordered was called ‘Arancini’, a deep-​fried meatball served with marinara sauce. The meatballs were enormous, at least as big as a babies’ fist and they tasted splendid with the marinara sauce. It was the perfect appetizer and the $ 9.00 price tag was very reasonable. For my entrée, I ordered ‘5 Layered Lasagna’. The piece was larger than my face and tasted immaculate. The lasagna came out searing hot and the waiter warned me not to touch the plate which I appreciated. It was served with marinara sauce and a fettuccini drizzle. The fettuccini drizzle really added to the flavor of the lasagna, and the meat was cooked perfectly in it. There was also a breadstick on the side which was warm and the perfect compliment to the lasagna. The price for this dish was $ 18.00 and it was worth every penny.
My experience at the Basil Leaf Café was spectacular. I was not expecting to walk in to such a beautiful restaurant with great service and even better food. I am awarding the Basil Leaf Café 3 ½ stars due to the near perfect experience I had. They are the best Italian restaurant I have been to in Lawrence and they truly deserve these stars.
The fabulous service at the Basil Leaf Café made my experience excellent off the bat. Add that with the delicious food, and unique décor and you have an amazing restaurant. The waiter and chef proved through their outstanding service and delicious cuisine that they are running a spectacular place for people to eat at. The menu had enough options for the pickiest of eaters, and the food will make you feel like you are really eating at a café in Italy. The beautiful décor also made the experience more real in a non-​cheesy way, which plenty of Italian restaurants struggle with. The Basil Leaf Café is a small, quiet, Italian restaurant hidden in Lawrence that more people should know about. I look forward to dinning here again soon.

Be sure to get reservation! We got the last table on a Thursday eve and watch group after group of disappointed diners wait or turn away. The fried mushroom dish was amazingly good. The lasagna was delicious. Good hand-​crafted cocktails. Great service. Best kept secret in Lawrence. We’ll be back again and again, with a reservation.

Everything about Basil Leaf Café is first class! Wonderful food, hot, fresh and flavorful. Friendly and more the accommodating staff. Only surprise was being told they do not allow orders for carry out… Other than that… certainly top 3 spot for me in Lawrence!

Basil Leaf Café is truly as good as it gets! If I could give it 6 stars I would. Let’s start with the portions: to call them gargantuan doesn’t do them justice. Me and my girl may be small, but our appetites can be fierce lol. That being said, just ONE spaghetti and meatball entrée fills the both of us up, and there are plenty of leftovers! Their calamari is a fantastic appetizer. It’s easy to undercook calamari, but I’ve never had that problem at basil leaf. My girl HATES seafood, and even she enjoys their calamari!
Next, the ambiance. Basil leaf is the perfect restaurant to go for a first date, a first anniversary, or any special occasion. The lighting and the music is low, and even when it’s packed you never have to shout across the table for your date to hear what you’re saying. This is not the case with most restaurants in Lawrence. The large glass windows look out over the street, and its fun to watch the world fly by while you slowly eat a fantastic meal. Their staff is fantastic! They are all very attentive and knowledgable about the menu. Even when they’re packed, they never make you feel rushed; if anything they encourage you to take your time: They know they serve large portions, and they want you to enjoy every bite that you dare to in their restaurant.
The price is just right! Actually if I’m being honest, the prices seem boarderline criminal! By criminal. I mean… I feel like I’m getting away with something every time I order! LOL! Truly, their food would be priced fairly if their portions were sliced in half! I’d like to go on record saying that I am SO-​SO-​SO-​SOOO glad that’s not the case! For twenty bucks, I can order a delicious meal for two with side salads (which are among the best salads I’ve ever had, mind you) and have leftover dinner for the next day! It’s the best bang for your buck in Lawrence, regardless of the restaurant you compare Basil Leaf to.
The kitchen staff is ethereal and exceeds expectations when it comes to getting out a delicious and well prepared meal in a short amount of time. You would think that with how fast the kitchen is that they have a small army of chefs preparing everything! Then, you look in through a window into the kitchen and are astounded to see just 2 chefs doing all of the work! Everything tastes so fresh, hot and delicious, I honestly don’t know how they do it! Hats off to the chefs!!!
Lastly, and I know that I’m repeating myself here, but the staff from the owner to the server is top-​notch. They go out of their way to deliver excellent customer service, and I just love their personalities. I imagine it would be a blast to work around such fun people every day. They truly take great pride in their work, and I for one am thankful.
Overall, The price, ambiance, and quality make Basil Leaf café, in my opinion, the very best restaurant in Lawrence, and one that I can’t wait to go back to again and again. 6 out of 5 stars. A++!

Fresh Pasta. Very good and very filling. I ordered the Lasagna. It was a different kind of excellent. Used ground chuck and very little cheese. I prefer mine w a little more cheese. My companion ordered the pesto chicken cavaletti. Nicely done. Huge portions. We could have split
This was our first visit. We didn’t understand you need to order first then sit down.
Come hungry. Then take a nap.

Great food and great service. Don’t assume that lasagna is boring. It likely will be the best you have ever had.

From Joe’s to Basil Leaf, still a warm bite of heaven: seafood dip, warm root vege salad, chicken Cordon Bleu tortilini, Baileys & Kahlua pie.

The hummus was the best I had and served with bread that was toasted, salted and sprinkled with parmesan, a nice start. Three of us went, my son is a pre med student and my husband and I drove to Lawrence from Lee’s Summit to have a nice dinner on the weekend. My son had the lasagna which was piled high, I had a chicken dish with a cream vodka sauce that came with delicious risotto and grilled veggies, my husband had the fettuccine alfredo with chicken instead of shrimp. It’s been about a week since I enjoyed the chef ‘s fabulous food and I am longing to dine at Basil Leaf again! It is also so affordable! I almost forgot about the unforgettable banana bread pudding, yum yum! The pudding was toasted perfectly with a taste of rich nutmeg and caramel taste through out.

Cute little Italian place in an off beat location. The food here is good and the wine selection is nice considering how small the restaurant and bar area are. I had the shrimp fettuccine in lobster sauce and it was very tasty. I would definitely come here again sometime when I’m in Lawrence to try another dish off the menu.

We went here because of the reviews on Unilocal and were not disappointed. We all love tiny, hole in the wall eateries and this is now one of my favorites. Full bar and several really great specialty drinks. It’s a small place and they don’t take reservations or call ahead seating so be prepared to wait for a table, but it’s well worth the wait.
We had Shrimp Fettuccine, Cordon Bleu Tortellini, Lafitte Pasta and Mini Shanks. ALL dishes were so good. Large portions, of course, but we were not disappointed in anything we ate. Too full for dessert, but I’m sure it would have been great.
We will be back!

Big disappointment for our first visit — based on personal recommendations and all the Internet reviews.
Felt the flavors/​spice were a bit over the top on everything. The first bite is amazing, the second bite is great, the third bite is good, and then it’s just managing to keep eating. Not a good trend.
Portion sizes are generous, but this is not necessarily a good thing. The salads are way too big for a pre-​entrée dish. The hot root salad was disappointing with everything being cut in the same shapes and and over-​abundance of french fries (yes, french fries) in as the potato representative.
We won’t be back. :(

The interior décor is pretty nice, and I can imagine how good it looks at night with their wine glass light shades on; alas we stopped in for lunch at around noon on a Friday. There was a KU basketball game on so I’m assuming everyone was at a bar instead, leaving no waiting time for seating.
I had the lobster sauce fettuccine from their lunch menu: TL;DR it was over-​seasoned to the point where all I could really taste was salt. To be frank, it’s like it came out of a can and then had salt added on top of it. The bread stick was delicious, but damn… I can only remember how salty my entrée was. The pasta itself was cooked alright, but it’s a shame that it was lathered in that irrecoverable sauce.
On a brighter note, my cousins that were with me all enjoyed their meals; and looking at the other reviews, maybe I was just unlucky? In any case, I recommend approaching anything with lobster sauce on it with caution. Order water, because you’ll probably need it.

I really love the Basil Leaf Café, and that is the first thing I will say to anyone looking for Italian in Lawrence.
Of course you have to mention the bad with the good. I absolutely despise the fact that you cannot dine-​in and order the chicken parm sandwich at dinner time. I understand wanting to get a higher cost per plate during the peak dining hours, but it’s just an annoyance especially when that was always my «go to» when they were in the gas station. It would really just be nice to dine-​in and not have to spend upwards of $ 20 on a meal, especially when they already offer a burger as a dine-​in option at dinner.
They do have amazing lasagna, which is what I ordered when I found out I couldn’t get the chicken parm sandwich. It was enough for two meals and came out steaming hot with a breadstick on the side. The breadsticks are also really good.
In summary, just remember that you may not be able to order your «go to» meal when dining in, but the food will still be crazy good like you’d expect.

I had been meaning to try this famous gas station pasta joint for awhile now. Basil Leaf has since relocated, but no worries, I told myself — I’ll just be able to more objectively enjoy the food now.
Unfortunately, this didn’t turn out to be such a good thing for Basil Leaf. The cajun penne was extremely heavy on seasoning and I found myself thirsty and reeking of garlic powder the rest of the night. The dish seemed pretty disparate to me; instead of extracting all the flavors from the sausage, chicken, and shrimp it felt like each component was cooked separately and tossed together at the end. The andouille sausage, by the way, is not your standard andouille and has a soft hot-​dog-​like consistency. Soft meat seems to be a theme here, because the meatballs in the spaghetti and meatballs were just too tender (too many bread crumbs?) so if you like your meatballs meat-​y, don’t go for this dish.
I know, I’m slamming Basil Leaf pretty hard. I admit that overall both dishes were okay; however, they reminded me more of quick weeknight crockpot dinners rather than restaurant food. When I dine out, I want an experience that I can’t get at home.
The up sides? For the price ($ 10-​$ 12 for pastas) you can get at least 2 meals (probably 3 if you have a smaller appetite) so it’s a bang for your buck. The breadsticks were my favorite part of the meal — soft, chewy, with just enough seasoning — mmm. I’d come back for these if nothing else!
I have a hunch that Basil Leaf Café became highly regarded because it used to be «that cool hole-​in-​the-​wall pasta joint in a gas station.» But now that it’s been stripped down to its essentials, I found it didn’t hold up that well. If I want home style cooking, I’ll make a trip to the farmer’s market and whip myself up a fresh pasta that’s not weighed down by heavy seasoning.
Oh — but I may be back for the breadsticks.