By sheer quantity, downtown Boise is the restaurant core of the city. We know the Bench is vying for quality, but are we sleeping on other parts of the city?
Broadway Avenue, for example, isn’t just home to Sud’s Tavern, a steadfast 24/7 Taco Bell, and more car washes than a single road could possibly necessitate. It actually has a diverse strip of restaurants serving some of the best food in town. If you don’t buy it, start with these five places.
☕ Hideout Coffee
Start your tour with a beverage at this relatively new coffee shop that doubles as a shop of locally handmade goods.
The many products and plants at Hideout. (Blake Hunter / City Cast Boise)
What to get: The specialty coconut latte, made with housemade syrup, cinnamon, and sesame milk is mild and not-too-sweet, and the texture when iced almost reminds me of a Thai iced coffee. Alternatively, they make a delicious coconut matcha.
🍜 Pho Le
The first page of their menu proclaims “We love pho!” and the love shows. Pho Le has the clearest pho broth I’ve found in town, which is a hallmark of Vietnam’s unofficial national dish. Pro tip: Put this on your solo date list!
What to get: While pho tastes like medicine in this cold, they also have vermicelli dishes and rolls for the broth-agnostic.
🍗 Hans Chimaek
Don’t sleep on the best fried chicken in town. Korean fried chicken derives its delectable crispiness by rendering fat out of the skin instead of frying a thick layer of batter on top of the skin, as is common in American versions. Hans Chimaek (Chi- meaning chicken, -maek coming from the Korean word for beer, maekju) only sells chicken, tofu, sauces, rice, and beer, which is the definition of doing very few things very well.
What to get: I’m not sure you can miss, but the new honey buffalo sauce is great.
🥟 Mount Everest Momo Cafe
Nepalese food is at the intersection of Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese cuisines, and we’re all lucky that Mount Everest Momo Cafe has brought those complex flavors to Boise.
What to get: Everest Momo’s chana masala is my favorite in town because it’s creamier and richer than most. You also need to try their momos, which are a Nepalese dumpling.
🍕 Pizza Twist
What’s a food list without pizza? Broadway Avenue actually has a few contenders with the Idaho Pizza Company, Flying Pie Pizzeria, and more, but Pizza Twist takes my recommendation despite being a chain. The reason they take the pie is their abundance of variations, with Indian-inspired pizzas and more importantly, great options for gluten-free crusts and dairy-free cheeses.
What to get: The lamb kabob pizza is great, if you're new to Indian pizzas!
