Chandy's II Basilico Restaurante Italiano Nosara, Costa Rica

The menu may say that the place is named "II Basilico Restaurante Italiano," but everyone here calls it Chandy's. Everyone here in Nosara also calls it THE place to get any Italian food that you may be craving – especially the pizza. There are a bunch of pizza shops in the Nosara area, but Chandy’s is the stop all visitors have to make at least once for a delicious fresh-baked pie. Surfing Nosara says you can't go wrong with any of the pizza choices at Il Basilico, so whatever your mood just follow the delectable smell of good Italian food and try any of the menu offerings.

Alexander Cabalceta Lopez, a.k.a. Chandy, a Nosara local, started his cooking carrer at a ripe young age down the road from here in Garza. If you're like me, you're wondering how a Tico from a small pueblo becomes interested in Italian food, and then how does he learn how to cook it so well? Well, he used to work in the kitchen in the Italian owned, Il Billagio Hotel, which was a very popular spot in Garza about 20 years ago. He also worked there with his brother, "Fofo", who now runs Giardino Tropical. They both learned how to cook Italian food and pizza at Il Billagio. After their run there, Chandy went to San Jose and landed a job in the kitchen at a very popular Italian restaurant, Il Pomodoro. Chandy spent six years there running the kitchen. After that stint in San Jose, Chandy was ready to return to the beach, so he came back to Nosara and opened his own restaurant. The first version of Il Basilico Itailian Restaraunt started in the small town of Delicias, outside of Garza. He started the business there, and even had the help of Surfing Nosara's own, Alphonso Prado. The goal was always to be closer to Nosara and Guiones because there was so much potential clientele here with both locals and tourists. So, he moved the restaruant to Garza for a couple years. Then, just one year ago he achieved his goal, and now Il Basilico is located in Esperanza, right down the road from the Yoga Institute and Guiones.

Located right off the main road, Il Basilico/Chandy's is a comfortable place with great service. The restaurant is basically built into the side of someone's house (changing the channel on the restaurant TV is done by aiming the remote control into a bedroom) and this makes you feel like YOU are seated comfortably at home also – well, that is if you could cook pizzas and pastas really well. Alexander Cabalceta Lopez, a.k.a. Chandy,  takes pride in his food and the fresh ingredients and combined well with the intimate dining experience make a memorable stop on a trip to Nosara.

The prices are pretty good, with pizzas running from six to twelve dollars and pastas starting at a little over five dollars. The pizzas are eight solid slices of savory tomato sauce and fresh toppings, but most groups of three or more diners get a couple different pies to tide them over.  You may also order personal pizzas that are more than enough for the average hungry surfer. One of the most popular orders at Il Basilico is the Pizza Il Basilico, the house 'Za features ham, peporoni, salami, mushrooms, chili, onion, garlic & olives. The authentic menu also features a full range of traditional pastas, as well as seafood & meat specials, but the Surfing Nosara crew mainly feasts on pizzas at Chandy's. Other Surfing Nosara favorites are the ceviche and the tuna carpaccio. A dinner order of carpaccio followed by a Hawaiian pizza is a true Guiones special, as the fish is caught right nearby and the pineapple on the pizza is a local Costa Rican treat as well. Check out the photos below for a glimpse of the tuna and salmon carpaccio and the pizzas from our recent lunch feast. 

While the sign on the main Guiones road calls it Il Basilico, good service, good prices and good pizza are great options in Nosara, or anywhere in Costa Rica, no matter what name you choose to use. Drop by and you may see some Surfing Nosara friends enjoying a pizza any given day of the week – but hands off the Hawaiian, 'cause if we're there it means we've been craving some Chandy's pizza all day and could eat a whole pizza in about six minutes flat.

Call for Delivery or Pick Up - 2682-1472