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City Cast Boise

The latest on the hottest places to eat, drink, socialize, and talk about in Boise.

Every month, we're rounding up restaurant openings in this section, with a focus on local joints. Here’s what’s new, and what’s closed.

The 8th Street coffee shop has temporarily closed its previous location while it undergoes renovations, but its new spot right next door is open. It’s a totally new design concept, as the old spot will be when it opens as an express option.

Meridian has a new locally owned sandwich shop in Fratelli Deli on Eagle Road, in front of the Meridian Trader Joe’s. The restaurant opened quietly last week, and it offers classic Italian deli sandwiches with some American influences like Ranch Chicken sandwich and Buffalo Salad. If anyone tries it, let me know what you think!

Other than Fratelli and Slow by Slow, it’s been less than brotherly love in the restaurant space this month. Here’s a few places that have closed:.

After 63 years and multiple generational hand-downs, a downtown Nampa Chinese restaurant unexpectedly closed over the weekend. 

After taking over a wine bar on 8th Street across from the Warehouse Food Hall, Kichii Sushi and Spirits is closing tomorrow. The restaurant said on Instagram that life is “taking us in a new direction,” though its owners still have Bodovino at the Village.

The downtown lunchtime classic (and one of precious few rooftop restaurants in the city) is closing at the end of the month. Zee’s has been open for 12 years, and has a bit of a cult following. Its team hasn’t said what — if anything — is next in the food space.

While that’s an uncomfortable number of closures, luckily the rest of the year is already looking up with some promising and fun new openings on the way! I’ll let you know more at the end of October.

A downtown community staple is closing, ending an era of coffee and bagels. Its staff has been struggling with health issues, and their last day will be Sunday. The 

Alia’s crew is asking folks to come say “hi” one last time

Breakfast burrito lovers, there’s a new spot to try! Lost Grove Brewing opened the 

 at its Lusk District location, and it serves delicious-looking burritos, parfaits, and drip coffee (which is free if you bring your own mug). The window’s open from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. everyday. Just a note, it’s a walk-up window, not the drive-thru.

Great Wall was Idaho’s first Chinese buffet when it opened in 1980. After four and a half decades, 

Great Wall’s landlord didn’t renew its lease

, and the longtime Overland Road buffet is serving its last meals on Sunday. Kenneth Chan, the son of original owner Kin San Chan, said they were surprised by the move and had planned to stay open.

Boise Airport food options are getting a local refresh

. Treefort is opening a new airport-specific restaurant called the Treefort Outpost Food + Drink, The Stil is moving in, and so are Waffle Me Up and a handful more vendors. And this is just the first phase of additions!

Some of the City Cast Boise crew are already fans

, and I’m excited to check out this new Meridian spot.

A Vista Avenue pizza shop that brought Detroit-style pizza to Boise is closed after seven years in business. 

Spitfire Craft Pizza & Pints’ owner attributed

 the shift to both his personal health and finances. Note: This is a different Spitfire endeavor than Spitfire Tacos.

Just Chicken Brings Its Simple Menu to Warehouse Food Hall

For folks who just want chicken, there’s 

. It’s a small chain that is coming to Boise for the first time in the Warehouse Food Hall.

Every month, we're rounding up restaurant openings and closures in this section, with a focus on local joints. The summer heat seems to have slowed restaurant development (if not construction more generally), but here are a few big moves.

Hydeaway Deli, Boise Boba Open in Hyde Park Spot

A new deli and boba shop combo is the latest operation to open in the bright yellow house on 13th Street in Hyde Park. Most recently, the location was the home of Apericena, which became the 

site of a wage and eviction battle with its owner

. The deli, Hydeaway Deli, is serving just a few sandwiches for now while Boise Boba is up and running fully.

Level Up Lounge is a new kind of bar for Meridian. The new locally owned lounge serves canned cocktails and beer, but is primarily a wine bar, which its owner says has been lacking in the downtown Meridian area.

A local burger and fry chain is taking on its seventh location, but its first in Caldwell. It’s also the first with a drive-thru, and its owner aims to open it in late August.

Garden City’s Wepa Cafe, which served primarily Puerto Rican cuisine and was the only Puerto Rican restaurant in the state, closed after just under four years in business.

The Original Sunrise Cafe on Fairview Avenue closed this month. The 

 Original Sunrise Cafe is still open on Main Street in Meridian, but the Fairview location is just the latest of five closures in the last decade for the locally owned breakfast joint.

AMANO’s Big Win (and the 1,000th Reason to Go)

AMANO did the dang thing! Chef Salvador Alamilla won a James Beard award for “Best Chef” in the Mountain category, beating out chefs in much larger cities. I visited the Caldwell restaurant’s new location last week, and the space is absolutely stunning. As Alamilla was preparing to travel to Chicago for the award ceremony, he and his wife and restaurant co-owner Becca Alamilla took the time to 

join the City Cast Boise podcast to talk about their vision

 is now serving food at 3508 West State Street, which is right across State Street from Veterans Memorial Park (which means it’s accessible from the Greenbelt!). The lot conveniently shows the trucks at the park and when they’ll be there online.

Waffle Love is out of the Warehouse Food Hall and is 

, a chain that makes two things: chicken fingers and fries.

Sushi Restaurant Closing, Ends Run by Couple

The last in a series of Japanese restaurants by 

Chef Sige and Debbie Matsuzawa will close today as the couple retires

. Shige’s Sushi Express Meridian has operated since 2011 after the couple ran several downtown Boise businesses since the early 1990s, BoiseDev reported.

SoCal acai bowl chain Everbowl has its grand opening

 at 4752 North Linder Street today. The company is in its ninth year and is nearing its 100th restaurant. Speaking of chains from southern California, I’m still unabashedly waiting for a Sweet Greens.

8th Street Zeppole Shuttered, The STIL to Take Over

Sandwich and bakery mainstay Zeppole is still alive and well on Apple Street in Southeast Boise — but the same can’t be said for the 

baking company’s small location on 8th Street

. However, local favorite ice cream makers at The Stil are taking over the space.

Laissez Faire Wine Co. Pours on the Greenbelt

Greenbelters have a new place to hop off for a wine glass in Garden City, this time through a wine window by Laissez Faire. 

 is already open, and you can try a variety of other new restaurants on the ground floor of the Boardwalk Apartments (the new building that looks like a cruise ship on the river).

This hybrid of grocery store, bar, and lunch destination is 

 after 20 years in Boise. If you’re looking for wines and specialty groceries on sale and want to try one of their sandwiches for the first time, head to BoEx at 4846 West Emerald Street, which is next to the Emerald Lanes bowling alley at the intersection of Emerald and Orchard Streets.

La Catracha Serves Dishes From Around Central America

, expanding its menu beyond tacos to Honduran dishes like pollo con tajadas, Central American breakfasts, and Salvadoran pupusas. Maybe Boise finally has pupusas to rival those Caldwell’s 

Three generations of women run the kitchen of La Catracha

, so it’s bound to be delicious — give it a try at 7330 West State Street, near the intersection of Glenwood.

Green’s Deli (next to Broadcast Coffee in Cherie Buckner-Webb Park) is closing, but its owners are passing the torch to Black Moon Pastries and Pizza. Black Moon, under the same owners as Broadcast, is planning to 

Bad Boy Expands, Taking Over Chain Location

, this time taking over a space formerly used by the chain Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Bad Boy’s new location at 2845 East Overland Road in Meridian opened earlier this month.

Here’s what’s new, and what's taken a final bow.

New & Closed Restaurants in October 2025

Boise's Best New Restaurants and Bars

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Boise. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Boise Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Just in time for Boise State football season, our City Cast Boise podcast sat down with contributor Matthew Melton to ask the hard questions: bone-in or boneless wings? Dry rub or sauce heavy? Blue cheese or ranch? Regardless of your preferences, the 

Treasure Valley has no shortage of chicken wing spots

. Here are three spots we’re loving right now:

 in downtown Boise is Melton’s go-to spot when he’s looking for a place to post up and watch a game with great food. Try their habanero honey chipotle wings for that perfect balance of spice and sweetness. They’re serving up breaded traditional bone-in wings and boneless chicken breast strips.

 is a cozy Korean restaurant on Broadway where the wings are just full of “delicious goodness,” according to our host Lindsay Van Allen. Their large bone-in and boneless wings come in various sauces, such as their signature sweet and spicy yangnyum sauce, and Melton’s favorite, the sour and spicy buffalo. We especially love that their wings are perfectly fried and crispy to handle all that sauce, and hold up incredibly well for leftovers the next day.

Sandwiched between BSU and Ann Morrison Park you’ll find 

, an unassuming bar that’s home to the general sauce that Melton says is “incredible.” With a tangy ginger sauce reminiscent of Asian takeout, this is a great option for wing lovers looking for a change from spicy wings. The Shed also serves bone-in or boneless wings alongside celery, carrots, and your choice of dipping sauce.

😋 But which spot is our favorite?!

Best Chicken Wings in Boise

Soups can be as complex or as simple as you want, but few other foods convey comfort as willingly. It’s always soup season, but the rainy chill of fall is peak time for soups. Earlier this year, Minerva Jayne came on the City Cast Boise podcast to 

 with executive producer Frankie Barnhill.

They had a lot to say about their own soup practices, so check out the episode for some home inspiration, but they ladled out plenty of recommendations for those who want to pay a professional.

Lobster bisque with sherry and crème fraîche at 

Minerva Jayne recently came on the City Cast Boise podcast to break down some local favorites with executive producer Frankie Barnhill.

Insider’s Guide to Boise’s Best Soups

The huckleberry is Idaho’s official state fruit, and it’s at its peak right now, though you’re not likely to stumble across it in popular areas. For the most part, they can’t be sold commercially, the closest garden dupe is actually a nightshade, and they’ve been collected in these lands for millennia. It’s so well beloved that there’s even a festival in their honor happening this weekend!

Everyone who knows a good huckleberry spot is likely to keep that secret like a family heirloom, and for good reason. Huckleberries can be difficult to grow, but they thrive in partially sunny, hilly conditions. Luckily, that’s a lot of Idaho!

Part of the secrecy around huckleberries is because they require a level of responsibility in harvesting that needs to be taught. Animals like bears love huckleberries, and overharvesting, mechanical harvesting, and propagation can cause damage with long recovery times.

Sadly (although it’s a good thing), you can’t buy a carton of huckleberries at the farmers market tomorrow morning. But you can get some huckleberry-infused menu items around town.

 has a refreshing huckleberry chilled tea.

 has a couple huckleberry drinks, the best being a huckleberry oat matcha.

Send in your favorites, I know I’ve missed some!

The McCall, Donnelly, and Cascade areas are prominent huckleberry territory, and Donnelly throws an annual 

 that starts today and rolls through Sunday. The pancakes, huckleberry products (like syrups and mixes), fun run, parade, and park concert will all be quintessential summer. Small Idaho towns know how to throw a festival!

Idahoans guard their huckleberry patches for good reason. You can still find some, though — including at a festival this weekend.

Huckleberries: Where to Get a Taste of the State’s Official Fruit

Tony Eiguren and his wife “fell into” owning the Basque Market 19 years ago, and their twice-weekly paella cooks on the market patio have become a mainstay in Boise. With 

 starting tomorrow, the Basque Market will be front and center.

Your paella operation has become iconic to Boise — do you see your work as cultural preservation?

A big goal of ours is to keep the culture alive and to pass it along just like it was passed to me … I don’t know that I feel like I’m a cultural icon or the market is. I’m hoping we’re another cog in the wheel of keeping the whole group together between the market and the [Basque] Museum and the Basque Center and all of these entities. On our own, we’re only so big.

What have you learned about the art and ritual of street cooking?

People come up and want to ask questions, or they want to compare … and so I feel like talking is an easy way to break the ice and get everyone talking and on the same page. Instantly, you’re part of the community and you’re sitting next to someone you don’t know and then you’ve got a new friend.

What does Jaialdi mean to you, both as a local kid who grew up dancing on the block and as a visible ambassador today?

Jaialdi is a great way to get together … Of course as we’re getting older, we all have lives and don’t talk to each other as often as we want or maybe should, and this is a great way to reconnect even if it’s just for one day. It also means teaching and keeping your culture alive with people that are not familiar with it.

Inside the Basque Market’s Iconic Paella Ritual

Is there any better food than a dumpling? Almost every cuisine has wrapped meats, herbs, and vegetables in dough and steamed it. Food historians generally agree that dumplings originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), but as with any good food everyone wants to claim, it gets complicated very quickly.

Dumplings are versatile and delicious, and we’re lucky to have a diverse range of takes on the dish here in Boise. And like most foods outside non-European and American cuisines, you’ll find the most variety outside of downtown.

 is controversial among those who’ve been fortunate enough to eat Eastern Chinese food in other cities and in China, but it’s stood the test of time for a reason. Their dim sum has shrimp steamed dumplings that hit the spot when you have a craving for a classic Chinese dumpling.

 considered dumplings (the difference is in the dough). Also the chilled lychee for dessert.

One downtown restaurant serving exemplary dumplings is Ginza, which opened this summer on 10th Street. They have shumai (a steamed shrimp version), a yasai gyoza (featuring miso and veggies), a kids box, and the above dumpling soup. The dumpling soup is very simple, with a flavor profile akin to matzo ball soup or a clear-broth chicken noodle soup.

 Ginza’s sushi is all creatively plated, and their sashimi is terrific.

Dumplings didn’t make their way to Japan until the 1800s, where gyoza formed into the primary Japanese take on the Chinese dish. However, 

they only became widespread on the island nation after World War II

In Nepal, Tibet, and North India, the dumpling gets a little more complicated. These cultures originated 

their own kind of dumpling called the momo

, which always has a filling. Dumplings, on the other hand, do not — for example, Italian gnocchi are technically dumplings!

Mount Everest Momo Cafe brings momos to Boise, and is one of the 

. Momos are most traditionally filled with yak, a bovine well adapted to the high elevation of the region, but have evolved to include chicken as well as vegetable versions thanks to its influences by vegetarian-heavy Indian cuisines.

 I’ll never be done singing Everest Momo’s praises, especially for their chana masala.

Chinese and Siberian cuisines have blended for millenia

, and it’s the passes of the Ural Mountains that Eastern Europe has to thank for its dumplings. Boise’s best European dumplings are the Russian pelmeni at Alyonka, served with sour cream and savory in a different way than most Asian versions. The vereniki (a variety of pelmeni with a potato and mushroom filling), are incredible.

 Anything and everything, but don’t sleep on the pastry case. Alyonka is a top notch bakery, a fact that’s unfortunately overshadowed by their dinner menu.

While dumplings became popular for their ease both to make and to eat, in Afghanistan they evolved into more of a delicacy with aushak and mantu. Sunshine Spice Cafe serves an incredible mantu (it’s the only one I’ve had, but I’m sure it measures up), which is a dumpling filled with beef and onion and covered with a sour cream and garlic sauce 

 a tomato sauce. Aushak are covered with a meat sauce and filled with an Asian variety of leek that’s hard to get in the U.S.

 The cardamom latte perfectly straddles summer and fall.

I hope to try every dumpling in town at some point, but Hey Boise readers sent in too many recommendations to try them all. It’s a good problem to have! Here are a few more:

The steamed dumplings at Rice Contemporary Asian Cuisine in Eagle. Elisa D. loves the Bangkok shrimp version.

Seoul Street Cafe’s fried dumplings are reportedly delicious!

Nara Ramen’s gyoza are highly recommended.

A final note: It seems that despite the dumplings’ origin in East China, that's the geographic area that might be most lacking in Boise's dumpling scene. Many folks seem to rely on the frozen section from Capital Asian Market which, as reader Mandy wrote in, “is not something to complain about because they’re yummy and convenient.”

Dumplings are versatile and delicious, and we’re lucky to have a diverse range of takes on the dish here in Boise.

Let Boise’s Dumplings Take You Around the World

Let Boise’s Dumplings Take You Around Asia

Shortly before meeting in Illinois, Emma and Tony each started food businesses: Just BEE Açaì and the Tony Cannoli Cart, respectively. On their first date, Emma made a tray of tiramisu, which they ate (in its entirety) with two spoons and a bottle of wine in a park.

Now Emma and Tony Curcuru, accompanied by their six-month-old daughter, the couple has turned their two mobile businesses into brick and mortars worthy of rave reviews and long lines out the front door of their new Italian bakery Caffé Sorrento.

Six Months After Opening, Caffé Sorrento is Moving

Caffé Sorrento opened in December 2024 and quickly Boiseans embraced an uncommon ritual in our city: standing in line for a restaurant. The location on an Overland Road strip mall has a few stools, but it’s primarily standing room for about eight or ten customers in front of the pastry case.

“When we’ve dreamed of a shop together, we’ve always envisioned something intimate like this,” Emma said.

This week, the Curcurus announced that Emma’s business Just BEE Açaí and Caffé Sorrento will be swapping locations, with Sorrento moving to 5624 West State Street, which is in the same plaza as The Local, near the eastern edge of the River Club golf course.

“We felt like we needed to move now or move in three years when our next lease is up. We’ve felt the growth in the past six months since we opened, and we hope that’ll continue. So we thought if we were going to make a little bit of an upgrade, now would be the time to do it,” Emma said.

In Caffé Sorrento’s new location, they’ll get to design the counter to their own taste, which they didn’t get to do on Overland. It’ll be slightly bigger in front and in the back of house, but with the same design elements and bright, Sicilian-yellow paint in the lobby.

“The difference is going to be the flow,” Tony said. They also have a gelato cart with an umbrella that’s currently in hiding, but will be on display now. The move is in early stages, and they don’t have an opening date to share yet, but Caffé Sorrento on Overland will stay open for the time being.

‘Surreal’ Praise and Gathering Community

City Cast Boise podcast host Lindsay Van Allen and I have, at times, 

sounded like we’re competing to give the most glowing reviews

 of Caffé Sorrento. The Curcurus are grateful for the attention from Boise, but haven’t settled into their new status yet.

“It’s still so surreal. A lot of times we don’t realize how much people are talking about our concept until we hear a podcast …” Emma said. “To know people are chitter chattering with their friends and family outside of here, it’s still a very interesting feeling, one I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.”

I asked how the Curcurus want Caffé Sorrento to feel a year from now, and Tony starts: “Hopefully we stay there at least for a while.” Emma shakes her head and laughs, which makes their daughter, sitting on her lap — and usually greeting customers in a carrier — laugh with her.

“I want regulars, that’s the kind of business I want,” Tony said. “It’s nice to have the hype and everything, don’t get me wrong, but it’s even better to have a community.”

For Tony, Caffé Sorrento is a way to continue his family’s tradition of bringing the romance and nostalgia of Italian food to an American community where it can be appreciated anew. His family ran a pizzeria named Sorrento’s in Illinois beginning in the 1970s.

“Us doing something like my grandparents did — like in 1969, at the time, pizza was new in this country so people were raving about pizza. We wanted to channel that energy of bringing something new to people and carry on the legacy in a different way.”

Inside Caffé Sorrento, Boise’s Favorite New Italian Bakery and Sandwich Shop

I know, it’s still spring, but with the hot weather this weekend — it’s not too early to start planning the food you’ll enjoy this summer. Food festivals aren’t a hard sell, but they can sneak up on you. Take your pick of these, send them to your group chat, and make a plan to go with pals! Personally, I will 

 let the long lines at the Greek Food Festival deter me this year.

With 42 of these festivals under their belt, the community at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church know how to throw this party. There’s dancing and church tours, and so much beautiful food. See you there, baklava fans.

The Idaho Botanical Gardens transforms into a dizzying vino lover’s paradise. General admission is $80, but if you can keep your wits about you, the whole day can be packed with wine and cheese.

Boise is surrounded by communities with fairs and festivals that capture their individual characters, but Emmett’s has to make this list because of the cherries. They’re indescribable!

For Father’s Day weekend, head to Expo Idaho for this self-explanatory festival. There will be music to go along with the bacon and brews at this festival run by Sockeye Brewing. Tickets are $45 and limited!

Circle this one a few times! Jaialdi (pronounced “hi-yal-dee”) is one of the biggest Basque festivals in the world. 

 and has followed a five-year schedule since. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this six-day festival will be the first since 2015. Expect it to be accordingly festive!

One of Boise’s best summer events because the food is that good and the community is that loving. There aren’t many Black-focused events in Boise, so this one is a joy to support. It has a long history, and 

returned to its home at Julia Davis Park in 2022

Boise’s Can’t-Miss Summer Food Festivals

This Sunday is Easter, so you might be readying for church and/or brunch (

). But it’s also an unofficial holiday for a side of Boise that doesn’t get talked about a lot because … well, even though so many Boiseans enjoy marijuana, it is illegal in Idaho.

Whether you’re one of the Treasure Valley residents contributing a majority of 

Ontario, Oregon’s marijuana sales — which amounted to almost $100 million in 2023

 — or if you’re just wanting to indulge your cravings, we rounded up some munchies.

And for everyone who celebrates both Easter 

 420, congrats on your big double holiday.

Save yourself from Del Taco or Taco Bell and go with Fiesta Chicken instead. Its grilled chicken, Mexican fast food mains, and BBQ-adjacent sides make a pretty incomparable roster when the cravings hit. Plus, they’ve got a drive through!

For other options that you can hit on your way home or get delivered, some of the 

City Cast Boise crew broke down our favorite takeout options

 a couple months ago. We love Golden Palace and Canton Cafe in Caldwell, Red Fort and Be Thai in Meridian, and Nahm Thai and Burmese and Mount Everest Momo Cafe in Boise. That’s a lot of options, but they’re sure to not disappoint!

Sometimes a round robin-style snack platter is the way to go, and it’s extra fun to bring in special new snacks to supplement your staples. The Boise Co-Op might have something new for you to try, especially in the pickles and sodas department.

Whether you’re one of the Treasure Valley residents contributing a majority of Ontario, Oregon’s marijuana sales — which amounted to almost $100 million in 2023 — or if you’re just wanting to indulge your cravings, we rounded up some munchies.

Food & Drink

Boise's Best New Restaurants and Bars

Best Chicken Wings in Boise

Insider’s Guide to Boise’s Best Soups

Latest articles

Huckleberries: Where to Get a Taste of the State’s Official Fruit

Inside the Basque Market’s Iconic Paella Ritual

Let Boise’s Dumplings Take You Around Asia

Inside Caffé Sorrento, Boise’s Favorite New Italian Bakery and Sandwich Shop

Boise’s Can’t-Miss Summer Food Festivals

A Foodie's Guide for 420 Munchies

Food & Drink: Takeout Spots With Variety