After spending two weeks in beautiful Downtown Boise, we couldn’t stop raving about the food scene and great eats we had in during our stop in Boise, Idaho.
Downtown Boise had TONS of local shops and eateries sprawling over several blocks which can keep you coming back for many nights out. We’ve been making an effort during COVID-19 while traveling to shop small and shop local when we can to support the economies of the places we are visiting. So whether you’re looking for brunch, a good cup of coffee or a date night spot – we have you covered in Downtown Boise.
Taking you through some of our favorite spots if you ever get a chance to visit Boise, ID in our first DIY Food Tour. During our time here, we did a mix of eating outside or takeout to ensure social distancing. Enjoy!
This post is part of our DIY Food Tour series where we highlight some of our favorite eats during our travels. Please remember if you plan to dine-in at any of these locations to wear a mask when asked and abide by COVID-19 health guidelines. Takeout and delivery are usually options at local restaurants if needed and/or preferred.
Breakfast: Janjou Patisserie
What to order: If you’re headed to Janjou Patisserie for breakfast, you can’t go wrong with a chocolate croissant or kouign-amann. A MUST-TRY is the cheesecake! Just get one and save it for later.
Lunch: Basque Market
What to order: If you’re headed to Basque Market, try to go on a Wednesday or Friday for paella at lunchtime. They sell out pretty quickly so I suggest heading there about 15 minutes early to order ahead. They have a vegetarian and original (meat + seafood paella) and other yummy tapas if interested!
BONUS – Lunch: Bardenay
What to order: We went to Bardenay off a recommendation from a local, and thoroughly enjoyed our lunch – we definitely recommend the pork plate. Reasonably priced, and big portions. Plenty of outdoor seating and a good vibe for a quick bite to eat near the Basque Market street.
Afternoon Coffee: Form and Function
What to order: Love a good aesthetically pleasing coffee shop. Form and Function has great beans, good coffee. We always opt for an Americano but I hear their lattes are terrific.
Happy Hour: Funky Taco
What to order: We randomly stopped at the Funky Taco because we were waiting for our dinner reservation and had the best VEGAN nachos of all time. If you are a mushroom fan, highly recommend. They have plenty of other non-vegan items as well.
Dinner: Fork
What to order: We loved Fork so much I think we went back three times! The lamb chops were amazing for an appetizer and a must-try is the trout dinner plate. We shared those two dishes which was plenty.
Dessert: The STIL
What to order: Okay. THIS is probably our favorite place in all of Boise. The STIL had the most unique ice cream flavors, including vegan option, dairy-free options, and alcohol infused. We loved the seasonal pumpkin and chocolate options that were dairy-free and gluten-free.
Drinks: Payette Brewing
What to order: Payette Brewing is great place with cheap beer if you want a good vibe! Plenty of outdoor and indoor socially distanced seating. Food trucks outside for a quick bite.
Late Night Cheap Eats (Salty Edition): Tin Roof Tacos
What to order: The fried chicken taco is what Tin Roof Tacos are known for! Great cheap eats place that will keep you coming back. We opted for tacos during dinner, but they also serve breakfast tacos all-day.
Late Night Eats (Sweet Edition): Chip Cookies
What to order: This was an impulse buy, but I’m so glad we did! Went with a dozen small chocolate chip cookies and they were so good. If you like milk chocolate – you would for sure enjoy this. The cookies at Chip Cookies were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
We were so impressed with the food scene in Downtown Boise and hope you enjoyed our DIY Food Tour series. What did we miss and where should we go eat the next time we are in Boise?!