Oh hey there, Megan here.

If you received a link to this page… you must either be new to Boise or you’re in town visiting.

I started this list when I first moved here in 2020… then I started sharing this list when I was asked for local recommendations from friends…

At some point, driven by my own selfish desire to stop spending so much time customizing every list of recommendations for dear friends… that I started to keep it all here, for everyone. So here we are :)

This page is always evolving & changing. Sometimes the list sits stale for months and sometimes I am in here constantly making updates.

If you have any local favorites that you think I’ve missed and need to try… PLEASE send me a text (or a DM @meganmcable).

I like to keep my lists fresh but I’m getting old :)

Go-To Favorites:

• The Wylder (a standout local favorite, usually pretty busy, doesn’t take resi)

• Madre (american boutique taqueria - love the tacos)

• Bittercreek Ale House (great all around, something for everyone)

• Diablo & Sons (great all around, something for everyone)

• Matlacks (check out the tri-tip salad or sandwich)

• A'tavola (fresh salads + sandwiches)

• Eureka (great burger or fried chicken sandwich)

• Wepa Cafe (Puerto Rican restaurant with rooftop patio)

• Saint Lawrence Grid (craft cocktails and smoked meat)

• Andrades (go-to mexican restaurant on the bench)

• Barrigas (solid mexican restaurant, garden city)

• North End Pizza (a neighborhood favorite)

• Percy (when you want to class it up a little bit)

• Kin (five-course prix fixe meal, reservations required)

Breakfast:

• Certified Kitchen 

• Goldy's Bistro (this is THE place for breakfast, be prepared to wait)

• Capri Diner 

• The griddle

• Good Time bagels

• Goldstein bagels

• A‘Tavola (weekends) 

Lunch / On the Go

• Roosevelt Market 

• A'tavola 

• Certified Kitchen

• Wyld Child 

Take Out

• Sushi Joy

• Mai Tai 

• Happy Teriyaki 

• Mazzah Mediterranean Grill 

Want to Try:

• Avery Restaurant: https://theaveryboise.com/avery/

• Alavita: https://alavitaboise.com/

• Saltbrush: https://saltbrush.com/menu/

• Acero: https://www.aceroidaho.com/

• The Lively: https://www.thelivelyboise.com/

• Trillium: https://www.trilliumboise.com/

• Black Moon 

• Alyonka Russian Cuisine

Food Trucks

Date Night Vibes

• Percy

• The Wylder

• Kin

You want a side of burger with your Milkshake

• Fanci Freeze

• Hawkins Pac-Out

The perfect stop post-MTB or after Bogus stop

• Lulu's

• Lost Grove (Hyde Park)

• Hawkins Pac-Out (fast food burger + Milkshake or bomb breakfast burrito) 

Pizza

• Casanova

• North End Pizza

• Flying Pie 

• Black Moon 

• Idaho Pizza Company 

• Spitfire 

Coffee

• Push & Pour (for a coffee + greenbelt walk)

• Flying M (a local staple)

• Dawson Taylor 

• Slow by Slow 

• Alchemist Coffee 27th St (when I want to take my laptop or meet a friend)

• Caffeina (when I want to take my laptop or meet a friend)

• Hideout (coffee + shop local)

Beer

• Barbarian Brewing

• Payette Brewing

• Mother Earth 

• Lost Grove (Hyde Park) *

• Woodland Empire *

• Clairvoyant

• Cloud 9* 

• Bert's Brewing

• Western Collective 

• Yardarm 

• Matlacks* (but really I go for the tri-tip salad/sandwich) 

• 10 Barrel Brewing*

• Boise Brewing

Wine

• Telaya 

• Split Rail 

• Proletariat

• Ochos Cocktail & Wine Bar

• Boise Co-Op Wine Shop 

• Parcero Wine Bar

Cocktails

• Hap Hap Lounge (rooftop)

• Tiner's Alley 

• The Modern Bar *

• Red Feather Lounge *

• The Royal 

• Thick as Thieves (speakeasy, make reservations)

• Ochos Cocktail & Wine Bar

• Press and Pony

• The Mode

• The Atlas 

• Water Bear Bar

Patio Sitting

• Mother Earth (downtown)

• Payette Brewing (greenbelt)

• Barbarian (Garden City)

• Telaya (Garden City)

• Lost Grove (Hyde Park)

• Yardarm (container bar with beach vibes and misters with a surf shop next door)

• Green Acres - Outdoor food truck park (seasonal, also host lots of live music)

Something for Everyone:

• Hops & Bottles 

• Pengilly Saloon: A historic Boise downtown go to for all occasions. Usually has live music. 

Take your dog to:

• Hops & Bottles 

• Mother Earth Brewing

• White Dog Brewing

• Payette Brewing

Want to Try:

• Dude DeWalt: https://www.dudedewalt.com/

• Ochos Friday Night Salsa Dancing

*you want food with your drinks

• Check out the river wave

• Walk/run/bike the greenbelt

• Float the River (seasonal)

• Story Story Night: https://storystorynight.org/

• Shakespeare Festival (~May - Sept): https://idahoshakespeare.org/

• Neighborhood Summer Concert Series 

• Outlaw Field Summer Concert Series 

• Treefort Music Festival (March)

• Bogus Basin - Summer on the Mountain - Yoga + Concerts

• Hot Air Balloons (August)

• Hike Ridge to Rivers Trail System: https://www.ridgetorivers.org/trails/interactive-map/

• Bike Bogus Basin Around the Mountain

• Hike/Bike Hawkins Reserve Trail

Shop Handmade & Local Goods:

• Sagebrush Collaborative: https://www.sagebrushcollaborative.com/

• Idaho Made (brick and mortar downtown boise) 

Local Markets & Street Fairs

• Wintery Market

• Summery Market 

• Farmers Market / Capital City Market 

• Hyde Park Street Fair

• Handmade Idaho 

• Boise Flea Market