Orange County Restaurants

Since 1999, Basilico's Pasta e Vino has been serving traditional home-style Italian cooking, made from Nonna's own recipes with careful attention and love. The dishes are prepared with the best and freshest ingredients, sauces from scratch and our desserts are house-made. The food is rustic, very flavorful, and the portions are generous. Others have tried copying them, but there is only one original. Welcome to Basilico's pasta e vino.

A first-generation American, with both of her parents coming from Italy, Rosemarie or as many call her 'Rose', was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Surrounded by a large Italian family, she learned many rich cultural traditions, including how to cook the food from the old country. Many years later after moving to Huntington Beach, California, and so often being encouraged to open her own restaurant, so she could share her Italian specialties with everyone, she finally did. She opened Basilico's at its original location at Magnolia St. and Garfield Ave. In Huntington Beach. She named it in honor of her father Antonio Basilico, who emigrated to the United States from the Abruzzo region of Italy in the 1920's.

The name 'basilico' is also the Italian word for 'basil'. We have named the bar at Basilico's after Rose's mother's side of the family, 'Mezzanotte' which means 'midnight' in Italian. Rose takes great pleasure in opening her restaurant to her customers as if she was inviting them as her special guests into her own home, where they can enjoy a nice glass of Italian wine and a big dish of pasta. So when here, please get comfortable and choose your favorite table in the main dining room, or request a seat at 'Rose’s kitchen counter' where you can watch the home cooking. You can also sit at the 'Mezzanotte Bar', or if you're a couple, choose a secluded table in the special area we call 'lovers' lane'. If joining us with a group of friends and family of six or more, feel free to reserve in advance our family table near the kitchen. And if you enjoy the cool beach air, the heated outdoor patio is also available.

Whether you come alone or with a group, you will feel like you're among family and friends always.

Stay tuned, they'll have their full liquor license on board soon.

Basilico's is your neighborhood Italian restaurant.

'Tante salute'