Making the move from Austin, Texas to Boise, Idaho many years ago, one of the big changes was adjusting from a region rich in food culture to a region that is very pragmatic in its approach to food. As Boise continues to grow and add a mix of people from various cultures and regions, the food scene is quickly evolving though so I thought a list of some of my favorite restaurants or plates might be helpful for those on the hunt. I encourage you to frequent these establishments as we need those elevating the food scene in Boise to succeed!
The lists or reviews are in no particular order. I’ve added asterisks to standouts and more asterisks are all the better. I’m not into bad reviews, so if a place is missing from this list, it’s not because I haven’t been.
On Deck (Review TBD)
- Pig Latin
- Hemlock
Breakfast
- Goldy’s *** (sweet hash, blueberry pancakes, maple sausage)
- Certified *** (english muffins; pastries)
- Blue Bench Brunchette
- Bacon ** (great breakfast or brunch option; unique chicken friend steak plate; best cinnamon rolls in town)
- Goldstein’s Bagels & Bialys *
- Wyld Child
Coffee
Note: Idaho coffee shops oddly ask for wet or dry when you order a latte or cappuccino, neither of which makes for a traditional cappuccino. If cappuccinos are what you’re after, the asterisked shops know how to make them and proudly skip the unnecessary wet or dry question.
- The District *
- Slow by Slow ***
- Alchemist
- Caffeina
- Form and Function **
- Dawson Taylor Roasters coffee shop
- Bikes and Beans ***
- Push & Pour **
- Broadcast Coffee
Donuts
- Pastry Perfection (fritters)
- Guru (unique flavors; open late)
- DK Donuts (maple crumble bacon bar*)
Bakeries
- Blue Feather Bakery (fruit pies* at farmers market)
- Janjou * (Kouign-amann)
- Granny C’s on Overland (granny roll)
- Gaston’s * (croissants, Kouign-amann**)
- Certified (english muffins**, cookies)
Brunch
- Owyhee Tavern (huevos rancheros)
- Bacon ** (great patio; unique chicken friend steak plate; best cinnamon rolls in town)
- Tupelo Honey (sweet potato pancakes, fried chicken basil biscuit)
- Blue Bench Brunchette
- Coa De Jima *
- Madre’s
Dinner
AMERICAN
- Fork * (farm to table, braised short ribs, warm butter cake*)
- Percy ** (biscuits** and short rib)
- Owyhee Tavern (roomy; good bar)
- Red Feather (quaint)
- Coynes (spacious but a bit loud; great patio and easy parking)
- Barbacoa (very loud; they put on a show w/ their dishes and decorations; good rooftop deck and back deck)
OTHER
- White Rabbit *** (comfort french; hours vary; intimate)
- Tiner’s Alley * (english pub sharing kitchen with Avery; fried chicken plate or sandwich ** and sticky toffee pudding*)
BREWPUB
- 10 Barrel (burgers, fish/chips, nachos, great for kids)
- The Shed (burgers/fries)
FINE DINING
- The Avery * (tight space and loud for fine dining)
- Kin ** (first James Beard award winning restaurant in Idaho; recommend a group of at least 4 given communal seating)
- The Lively ** (best combination of excellent food, service and atmosphere for special dinner or date)
ITALIAN
- Alavita (intimate)
- Tavolata (loud)
STEAKHOUSE
- Brickyard (peanut butter mashed potatoes)
- Lock, Stock & Barrel (small town feel; prime rib)
- Corso Italian Steakhouse
- Ruth’s Chris (national chain obviously, but here in town they compare well)
Pizza
- Guido’s (NY style)
- Flying Pie (original or sourdough crust)
- North End Pizza (good bar too)
- Front Door (NY style)
- Wylder * (honey badger)
Sandwiches
- The Trevor * at Fat Guys (get peanut butter potato salad)
- Ansots Basque Chorizo *
- Schnitzel at Das Alpenhaus
- Tri Tip and Boss Hog at Matlacks
- Brisket and pork sandwiches at Smoke & Thyme attached to White Dog Brewing
Hot Dogs or Brats (not the ballpark variety, but the good craft ones)
- Kielbasa Dog at Matlacks
Burger and Fries
- Boise Fry Company (burger, fries from potato varieties of your choosing)
- Bittercreek Ale House (cheese curds*)
- The Shed * (excellent burger and fries without any fuss; recommend grateful shed)
- Smoke & Thyme attached to White Dog Brewing
- Sid’s Garage ** (great fries**, creative burgers, over the top shakes)
- Wyld Child * (smash burger; sweet potato waffle fries*)
Fried Chicken
- Fried chicken plate * * at Tiner’s Alley (not always on the menu)
- Honey dusted fried chicken at Tupelo Honey (inconsistent though)
- Nashville chicken sandwich at Grit in Caldwell
- Nashville chicken sandwich at Sid’s Garage *
- Nashville chicken tacos at Madre *
- Fried chicken from Hon’s on Broadway * (you’re at the right place if you’re thinking this can’t be it)
- Fried chicken sandwich at Wyld Child **
- Spicy fried chicken sandwich at Top Golf
Southern
- Hmmm…
- Biscuits** at The Percy
- Grit in Caldwell (Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich)
- Tupelo Honey (Honey dusted fried chicken family dinner, biscuits; chicken can be inconsistent though)
- Chicken fried steak at Blue Bench Brunchette (closest thing you’ll find to what you’re looking for)
Sushi & Seafood
- Fujiyama or Sakana (sushi)
- Little Pearl or Waterbear (oysters)
- There are so many short flights from the NW coast to Boise everyday there’s actually some good seafood dishes around town, but not great seafood restaurants in my opinion as those require access to fresh seafood to support an entire menu of it… For select seafood dishes: Barbacoa, Land Ocean, Coa De Jima, Lucky Fins, Coa De Mar.
Thai
- Pad Thai on Overland
- Thai Basil
- Chaing Mai Thai on Orchard
- Bangkok Thai on Milwaukee
Chinese
- Yen Ching downtown Boise
Indian
- Red Fort
- Bombay Grill
BBQ
Note: BBQ, painstakingly prepared over 12-18 hrs on wood fired (not gas) pits, is in general not a thing in Idaho. There are a couple places, but they are few and far between.
- Rib Shack (smashed potatoes)
- R&R in Meridian and Boise (lunch is best – everything is dried out by dinner time)
- Pulled pork sandwich and fries @ Smoke & Thyme connected to White Dog Brewing
- Grubbin’ BBQ catering in Middleton * (only place in Idaho I’ve found that can make brisket)
- Smokin’ Iron (jalapeño cheddar sausage)
Tacos
- Tin Roof Tacos (breakfast tacos – order ahead so the cheese melts, street corn, queso, house made flour tortillas)
- Madres ** (fondito queso; spud taco; barria tacos)
- Calle 75 (fresh corn tortillas)
- Cafe Rio (best flour tortillas; lemonades)
- El Chavo on Overland (al pastor; cheap street tacos)
- Spitfire in Eagle * (good drinks/patio too)
- Rosa (street tacos; good hybrid butter, corn, flour tortilla)
Mexican
Note: There are some Cali or Baha style Mexican restaurants in Idaho, but few offering anything close to authentic interior Mexican or Tex-Mex. The missing piece at nearly all the Mexican restaurants is a failure to make salsa, pico, tortillas and similar fresh, in-house everyday. Also, spicy is not a thing in Idaho unless it’s Asian cuisine.
- Purposefully blank (Campos for supplies though)
- Amano’s *** in Caldwell (only truly spicy Mexican I have had in Idaho; interior Mexican; very good bar)
- Central Texas style queso at Tin Roof Tacos, Albertsons Meridian/Broadway, Top Golf
- Fondito queso at Madre * (excellent tacos)
- Fresh flour tortillas at Albertsons Meridian/Broadway, Tin Roof Tacos, Cafe Rio
- Frozen margaritas at Matador at the Village (crazy that this is one of the only places to get one)
Italian
- Lucianos
- Alavita *
- Tavolata (loud)
Desserts (see ice cream list below)
- City Peanut Shop * (hazelnuts, salted dark chocolate popcorn, peanut butter)
- The Chocolate Bar **
- Butter Cake ** at Fork (best dessert in town)
- Crumbl Cookies *
- Boise Pie Company (cakes)
- Coffee & Donuts * (beignets) at The Lively
- Sticky Toffee Pudding at Tiner’s Alley
- Cookies * at Certified Bakery
Ice Cream
- Love Joy**
- The Stil **
- Goody’s (old fashioned ice cream parlor)
- Stella’s (ice cream sandwiches)
Breweries
- Barbarian (sours; dark aged)
- Payette (nice tap room)
- White Dog (good food/beer combo)
- Clairvoyant
- Lost Grove
- 10 Barrel (best food/beer combo)
- Mad Swede
Bars
- Waterbear (good oysters; expensive)
- Gas Lantern (never crowded)
- Press and Pony (very small)
- Diablo & Sons (ample sidewalk seating)
- Modern (creative drinks; patio when weather is good)
- The James * (good patio when weather is good; good food including calamari)
- Tiner’s Alley * (dimly lit english pub)
- 8 Horses (lots of space)
- The Highlander (rooftop patio, but don’t go late afternoons/early evening in the summer)
Best Patios
Note: Spacious and scenic patios are rarities in Idaho. Most are sidewalks or small patios facing streets or parking lots. The asterisks here are for the patio itself, not the food.
- Sid’s Garage Bown Crossing ** (next to pond along greenbelt)
- Highlander at Hotel Renegade * (too sunny though late afternoons/early evenings in summer; good bar)
- Ram downtown * (large patio near greeenbelt with good kids deals)
- Cottonwood *
- Tin Roof Tacos Boise
- Bardenay Chinden **
- Bardenay Eagle *
- Crave (on Eagle) **
- Barbacoa rooftop * (limited shade; gets very busy)
- Sandbar (recommend drinks/apps only)
- Yard House at the Village *
- Cafe Lucianos Garden City (small deck)
- Deck Bar at Residence Inn downtown* (limited beer/wine/apps. Lots of good space though)
- Bacon (shaded, limited seating) **
- 13th st Pub in Hyde park (indoor/outdoor space) **
- PF Changs (sidewalk)
- Tavern at Bown Crossing (sidewalk)
- Modern (small, limited menu)
- Salmon River Brewery on Fairview
- Anderson Reserve (spring or fall only)
- Coyne’s **
- Madre *
Best food items to grab in the area
- Bovine & Swine sausage
- Ruby Jewel ice cream sandwiches
- City Peanut shop honey peanut butter, pecan peanut brittle and Wild nut mix
- Central Texas style queso made in house at Albertsons (freeze for at least one month to develop heat)
- Boise Berry Co Freezer Jam (Boise Co-Op)
- English muffins at Certified (easy to freeze for later)
- Sir Ranos Salsa (recommend medium; available at Alchemist Coffee and Boise Co-Op)