Basilico Italian Restaurant in Dorchester

Basilico is an Italian Restaurant offering a genuine Neapolitan dining experience in Dorchester. Based on Trinity Street, Basilico has been serving delicious Italian ingredients to a loyal set of customers for the last two years.

Items on the Basilico menu range from homemade sourdough bread, nibbles and antipasti starters to authentic wood fired pizza and calzone. Vegetarian and vegan options are also catered for, with a large selection of the menu being adaptable to suit different tastes and dietary requirements. Look out for the specials menu for a mouth-watering selection of lasagne and pasta dishes.

We caught up with Chef Gennaro for a few questions about the business…

What is the history behind your business, and what made you want to open up here in Dorchester?

I am originally from Napoli in Italy, where my grandmother introduced me to the world of Italian cuisine at the age of nine. I decided to leave and travel the world to learn different cooking techniques. Going from town-to-town and city-to-city I saw all sorts of cultures. I applied for many roles and was just keen to learn. I did this for about 15 years and decided I was ready to go solo and develop my own technique. The wood fired pizza oven has been in the family for generations. The rest is history!

I’ve owned restaurants in the past, but then one day I was passing by Dorchester and I really fell in love with this town. I started my business in Dorchester with a small takeaway shop near here, opposite Convivial Rabbit. Although we were providing a takeaway menu there, I wanted to offer restaurant standard food. About a year later, I spotted an opportunity to move to our current restaurant location on Trinity Street Wood fired pizza has always been one of my dreams.

What can people expect from Basilico in Dorchester?

I think people expect good food at a reasonable price with extremely good ingredients – that’s exactly what I’m offering. You will not find a more genuine Neapolitan experience outside Napoli!

Can you describe your business in three words?

Passion. Flavour. Love.

What are the most popular items on your menu?

Everything sells well. I can’t say that one item sells better. It’s such a balanced menu that everything is equally popular. I try an do as much as I can to cater for Vegetarians and Vegans. 90% of the menu can be made as a vegan option. The menu is designed to be inclusive of all tastes.

Do you have a loyal customer base at Basilico?

Yes, very much so. We tend to see some of the same people returning which is great to see. We love welcoming new customers through the doors.

Whats makes Basilico different to other restaurants in Dorchester?

There is no similar restaurant in Dorchester. My wood fired pizza oven is what gives me a unique selling point. I don’t use electricity to cook, the only thing I need to power is the fridge to store food. My food represents 100 years of cooking techniques through family generations prepared for today’s world. It’s pure Italian simplicity at its best!

Have you got anything exciting planned for the future?

There are a lot of exciting future plans for our business. I can disclose that my partner has plans to open a lounge and tapas bar soon. There are always promotions at Basilico – it’s dinner with a view (Gennaro points to the large painted romantic scene on the wall). It’s already very reasonably priced and made with a lot of love. We have just released our Valentine’s Day menu – perfect for a romantic meal in Dorchester.

Have you got any advice for anyone setting up a business in Dorchester?

The secret nowadays is to be completely unique and keep going. If you want to open something new, fight for it. It’ll be a struggle at the beginning, but if you have a good clear direction and goals, in the end you will achieve it.

Visit the Basilico website to browse the full menu and to book a table!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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