Basso, the celebrated rathskeller restaurant that opened to wide acclaim at The Cheshire in 2012, will soon have a sibling location at Westport Plaza. The majority of the new restaurant is located in the space that previously housed Nino’s restaurant, which closed in 2009.
Blaise Pastoret, operations manager for Lodging Hospitality Management, which owns both Westport Plaza and The Cheshire, credits Basso’s enduring popularity to its consistency, reasonable price points, timeless atmosphere, and balanced 50/50 food-to-alcohol sales mix—a rarity in the restaurant industry.
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“We were lucky to create some magic at Basso,” he says, “so we decided to duplicate it at Westport, similar to what we did there with Three Sixty.”
After soft openings this week, the restaurant opens to the public on May 27, the day after Labor Day.
Unlike Cheshire, which does not take reservations and uses the Yelp platform to stage its waiting lists, the Westport location will take reservations via Yelp. Here’s what to expect.
The Atmosphere.
The new Basso occupies a 6,000-square-foot space at the north end of Westport Plaza, near World Wide Technology’s headquarters. It offers indoor seating for 150 guests and an L-shaped outdoor patio for an additional 50—a feature absent at the flagship.
“It’s prime seating even before you consider the great concert line up on the plaza this year,” Pastoret says. “Those nights will be especially special.”
The décor at Westport echoes the Cheshire location, with hand-finished leather couches, Roman-inspired art and sculptures, and an open kitchen overlooking two live-edge, communal farmhouse tables, which seat a dozen each.
While the signature spiral terrazzo staircase from the flagship couldn’t be recreated, the Westport location will feature a multi-arched passageway designed to evoke a similar sense of discovery. The dining area includes different sizes of raised booths—many accommodating six guests—as well as low and bar-height tables, mirroring the flagship’s layout.
Similar to the flagship, key design elements include natural gas-powered wall sconces, an exposed wine wall, a free-standing fireplace, and bespoke artwork —“think old-school prints with modern details,” says Pastoret.
The bar will feel familiar to regulars of Basso in terms of layout, but it features a white granite countertop rather than the hammered zinc found at The Cheshire location. Strategically positioned TVs are incorporated into the design. “TVs are important,” says Pastoret, “but the goal was never to create a wall of screens.”
A more understated yet impactful detail is the bar equipment layout. “Everything beneath the bar is stainless steel and completely hidden—even the trash cans,” Pastoret says. “It’s all mounted instead of resting on legs, which creates a cleaner, more streamlined look. I really loved designing that bar.”
Prime seating includes a row of low-top tables for two, each with chairs crafted from tree crown bases—an intentional and distinctive touch. Similarly, flame-torched butcher block tabletops in the dining room add a rustic, textured feel.
Two standout features exclusive to the Westport location include expansive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the courtyard plaza and a private dining area that can accommodate up to 48 guests, with the option to divide the space into two rooms of 24. The area is defined by three gas lantern chandeliers and a dedicated private entrance.
Locally-owned architecture firm Lawrence Group was responsible for the interior design. “Our challenge wasn’t to make the new location match the original; it was to make it matter,” says Senior Associate/Interior Designer Dana Peck, NCIDQ. That means recalibrating the finishes, the lighting temperature, the rhythm of the layout, all while preserving the DNA that made Basso feel authentic in the first place.”
“We lightened the tones and textures throughout the space to reflect the brighter space,” adds Pastoret. A metallic wallpaper above some booths changes hues depending on the viewing angle. As night falls, the gas lamps glow to create a shimmering, welcoming atmosphere—visible both inside and out. Pastoret sums it up simply as “pretty damned impressive.”
The Menu
The dishes at Westport closely resemble the flagship’s offerings, with the addition of a lunch menu catering to nearby office workers. The lunch selection will feature smaller portions of dinner items, paninis, and a “half-and-half” option—such as a smaller pasta and salad combo for less than $20.
Signature dishes include the flagship’s signature Wood Fire Burger: an 8-ounce patty topped with giardiniera, fontina, fried onion straws, and marrow butter on a potato bun, served with truffle fries, homemade ketchup, and aioli. “It’s one of the best burgers in town,” Pastoret says. “We sell those and pepperoni pizzas at Basso at a discount at happy hour like the world is ending.”
Dinner service will feature an expanded selection of steak and seafood, thanks to the addition of a new wood-burning grill. The menu highlights dishes such as sea bass with fresh herbs and lemon butter, grilled swordfish, redfish a la plancha, and a USDA prime strip steak finished with rich marrow butter.
“The new grill gives our chef more control over the coals,” explains Pastoret. “It allows for precision—searing a steak or gently cooking delicate fish—without letting the flames touch the proteins, unless you’re after a hard char, which can overpower the wood-smoke flavor.”
Also new to the kitchen is a striking, bright red Omas-brand flywheel slicer, which executive chef Dan Sammons is especially excited about. The vintage-style slicer, fully mobile, can be brought into the dining room to carve paper-thin slices of aged prosciutto or fresh reggiano directly in front of guests.
A signature dessert is Basso’s Spumoni Sundae, served in a chalice with house-made gelatos (pistachio, chocolate, and cherry gelato) topped with shards of dark chocolate and crushed pistachios, chopped Luxardo cherries, and fresh whipped cream.
A cornerstone of Basso’s success, according to Pastoret, is its scratch kitchen. “We make everything in house: bread, pasta, dressings, sauces—even ketchup. It’s something people don’t always notice but appreciate once they know.”
The Beverages
Much like the original Basso, the Westport location will lean heavily into cocktails and wine. “At Basso Cheshire, our top seller is the espresso martini,” says Pastoret. “And it’s not even on the menu—it doesn’t have to be.”
Beer, once a centerpiece, is now taking a lesser role. “When we launched the original Basso over a decade ago, we had 60 taps,” Pastoret recalls. “At the new spot, we’ll have just six. Beer demand has dropped, while interest in cocktails and wine—both alcoholic and nonalcoholic—has grown.”
Interestingly, that shift isn’t universal. “Westport Social has 20 taps, and draft beer makes up 70 percent of beverage sales there,” he notes. “At Three Sixty, it’s only 8 percent. Different concepts bring different expectations.”
📍545 Westport Plaza
📞 314-683-2338
⏰ Tue – Sat: 4 – 11 p.m. Opens for lunch in mid-June
