ABOUT

 

Sweet Basil Bistro is Big Bear Lake’s newest and most intimate restaurant
featuring Fresh, Country Italian cuisine in a quaint and cozy atmosphere. Family owned and operated by Culinary School Graduates, Deborah Cardinalli and Chef Sally Hill, Sweet Basil Bistro’s varied and delectable Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch menus include delicious meals made with pride and integrity sure to please every guest including vegetarians and the little bambinos!

 

A local favorite in just a short time, the menu includes fresh and healthy salads, zesty House Made Pasta Sauces and Hot Pressed Panini Sandwiches. Specials for dinner include Lobster Lasagna, Ricotta and Pesto Stuffed Chicken Breast along with House Made Italian Meatloaf, Grilled Salmon and Steaks. Sunday Brunch features specialty items such as Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict on Toast Ciabatta Bread topped with sautéed Arugula, Poached Eggs and a Creamy Parmesan Sauce. A full Bar is available along with a Boutique Wine Selection selected to complement Sweet Basil Bistro’s menu. Located at 40629 Lakeview Drive, adjacent to the Bowling Barn and within walking distance to the Village and Lake. Tuesday - Saturday 11am to 4pm, Cocktails and Appetizers 4 to 5pm and Dinner from 5pm to 9pm. Sunday Brunch 11am to 3pm. Closed Sunday Eves and Mondays except Holidays. Reservations are welcome.

 

 

 

Sally Hill - Chef Chef Sally Hill has been in the restaurant business since she was 16. She has years of restaurant experience including working the front of the house, busing, serving, bartending, floor manager and bar manager. She received Bartender of the Year in 1995 for all of the Coachella Valley. After realizing her passion was the kitchen, she went back to school and received her Culinary Management Degree. This is where she met her Business Partner, Deborah Cardinalli. After graduating, Sally went to work as a Sous-Chef for Jennifer Johnson at Jennifer’s Kitchen and Catering in Rancho Mirage, California. She has also worked at the Spring Creek Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as a Banquet Chef and the Crescent H Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as a Sous-Chef. She is now fulfilling her dream of having her own restaurant in Big Bear Lake with her family and business partner.

 

Deborah Cardinalli - Marketing & Business Deborah Cardinalli grew up in a large family of Sicilian Fisherman from Monterey, California. She was the Co-Founder and Vice-President of Merchandise and Marketing for Storybook Heirlooms, Inc, an upscale Children’s Apparel Catalogue with worldwide sales out of Foster City, California. The business sold in 1998 and she moved to La Quinta, California. While earning her Culinary Management Degree, she met Sally Hill. Deborah acquired a second home in Big Bear Lake in September of 2001 to escape the summer heat. After six years of inviting Sally to the mountains, she and her family came up in August 2006 and fell in love with Big Bear Lake also. The two combined their talents and the rest is Sweet Basil history!

 

 

 

The Full Bar selection includes the Bistro’s Specialty Cocktail Menu created by Bartender Extraordinaire, Savannah Hill, who brought her top-rated concoctions from New York City. Favorite cocktails include Blushing Martinis, Sweet Basil Mojitos and Blackberry Gimlets. In addition, Sweet Basil’s Boutique Wines are selected to complement Sweet Basil Bistro’s menus.