Basilwood Kitchen Is the Family-Friendly Italian Spot We’ve Been Looking For

Finding a restaurant where the food is actually good and you can bring your kids without feeling like you need to keep them perfectly quiet the entire meal can be a challenge.

That’s exactly what Basilwood Kitchen is trying to solve.

The new Edgewater restaurant is a locally owned, fast-casual Italian spot created by Anne Arundel County native Ginna Maznick. After 25 years in corporate America, Ginna set out to create the kind of restaurant she wished she had when her own kids were younger: somewhere families could relax, kids could be kids, and parents could still enjoy thoughtfully prepared food.

Now, she works alongside her own kids at Basilwood, making the family-friendly concept feel especially fitting.

Located on Solomons Island Road in Edgewater, Basilwood makes much of its menu from scratch. Pasta is made fresh daily, breads are baked in-house, and sauces are made from scratch. There’s even a window into the kitchen where you can get a peek at the pasta-making process.

I stopped in hungry and tried a little bit of everything.

Start With the Bread and Salad

First up was the focaccia, served with a side of marinara. The bread is made fresh every morning, and this was easily one of the highlights of my meal.

It was soft, fresh, and hard not to eat every piece. This is one I’d order for the table every time.

I also tried the house-made chips, seasoned with Italian seasoning. They’re a simple, crunchy option to share or add alongside a sandwich.

The House Green comes with romaine, cucumber, tomato, peppers, croutons, parmesan and a creamy buttermilk parmesan Italian dressing.

The dressing is made in-house, and it was another standout for me.

Ginna told me that salads are one of her favorite meals, so it’s probably no surprise that she does this one right. The salad itself is fresh and simple, but the creamy Italian dressing is what makes it memorable. Definitely will be making pit stops in the future to snag some dressing to store in my fridge.

Meatballs, Pizza, and Plenty of Parm

The house-made meatballs came tucked into plenty of marinara and finished with parmesan and fresh herbs. A perfect final warm-up before the main dishes arrive.

For pizza, I tried the Peppered Ham and Ricotta, topped with peppered ham, ricotta, mozzarella, and Alfredo sauce. They make their pizza neo-Neapolitan style which made the dough both soft and crispy. The Alfredo sauce was rich and creamy, and a nice change if you usually gravitate toward traditional red-sauce pizza.

Then came the Spaghetti Chicken Parm: a crispy, house-breaded chicken cutlet served over spaghetti with marinara and melted mozzarella. The pasta clung to the marinara and had a nice bite that tasted noticeably fresher than typical dried pasta. Luckily, they have fresh pasta available for purchase so you can take some home with you on your way out.

The chicken cutlet was massive, crispy, and browned around the edges. I’m very picky about my chicken cutlets, and this one was delicious. The breading stayed crisp underneath the cheese, which is exactly what I want from chicken parm.

Save Room for Cannoli

I finished with the cannoli, and the presentation was almost too pretty to mess up. The crisp shells were filled with sweet ricotta, dotted with chocolate chips, and finished with powdered sugar.

After focaccia, meatballs, pizza and chicken parm, did I need dessert? Absolutely not.

Did I still eat it? Of course.

A Place Designed With Families in Mind

What stood out to me about Basilwood wasn’t just the food. It was also the casual, relaxed vibe the space provided. You can order fresh pasta and chicken parm without committing to a formal sit-down dinner, the atmosphere is casual and welcoming, and no one is expecting your kids to act like tiny adults.

Basilwood is also part Italian market, with fresh pasta, house-made sauces, and other Italian goods available to take home. So on nights when sitting down for dinner feels like too much, you can still pick up something that is fresher than your typical takeout.

For local parents looking for a place where the kids are welcome, the food is made with care, and everyone can settle in without stressing over every little noise or wiggle, Basilwood Kitchen is a welcome addition to Edgewater.