Restaurants

 

Aubergine - a remotely known bakery located in the Park Center Mall - yes, there's a few businesses there - serves breakfast and lunch and yummy bakery items.  It's next on my "to eat at" list.  I plan to eat lunch there then head up to Bob's Trail in the Boise Foothills, off of Braemere Drive, for an afternoon hike!  Try both!

 

Ali Baba --  Iraqi / Arabian cuisine -- great food, wonderful lentil soup.  At 111 Broadway shopping area just behind the Avon store.  Excellent humus and a wonderful selection of other delicacies.  Lunch and Dinner.

 

Bardenay --  on the Basque block -- For those of us who understand that the dessert is often more important than the meal, Bardenay has the best Molten Chocolate in town. Order it early, before they run out. All their food is great, but this truly is to-die-for.

 

Bungalow - on 13th street, Bungalow is cheaper than it's predecessor which was called Richards. Bungalow has moderately priced delicious foods, and it's own vegetarian menu. Try the butternut squash ravioli! 1520 N 13th St, (208) 331-9855‎

 

Brick Oven Beanery

801 Main Street

Boise, Idaho

 

Great food, and a wonderful location, especially in the summer months since you can sit outside.  My favorite is their BBQ sandwich.  The carrot cake is great too.

 

Donny Mac's Trailer Park Cuisine

In the newly dubbed Linen District, this garage converted into a restaurant has the best oatmeal pancakes, served up with some beautiful finger style guitar on Sunday mornings!

 

Dickey's Barbecue--home of the big yellow cup

Great food at a good price. 

2845 E. Overland Road

Meridian, ID 83642

Phone: (208) 888-6117

http://www.dickeys.com/

 

Leku Ona, 117 South 6th St, in the Basque Block.  Excellent Basque food! Opened in 2005, specializes in authentic Basque cuisine and wines.  Also houses the Leku Ona Boutique Hotel, which has rooms decorated in the style of "the Old Country." Rates are reasonable.  See link for menu and hotel information.

http://www.iparagon.com/lekuona/index.html

 

Lulu's Pizza, at the bottom of Bogus Basin Rd. --  Great pizza and huge yummy salads. Nice patio in the spring, summer, and fall. Electic wine menu, always changing. Don't hurry away, this is a great place to stop and watch the world go by.

 

The Melting Pot-downtown Boise.  Great when you want a leisurely treat!  Fondue of all types, the dessert is especially terrific.  

 

Music of the Vine-

Technically, this restaurant is in Caldwell, but it is one of my absolutely favorite places to eat. Food is mostly "light fair"--sandwiches, salads, and soups, but they serve killer artichoke dip and hummus appetizers. The main focus is on wine and music. Live music Fridays and Saturdays with other events weekly, the wine selection rocks (both by the bottle and by the glass). The patio and outdoor stage are the best place to spend a summer evening.  www.musicofthevine.com

 

Ono's Hawaiian Cafe, 2170 Broadway Avenue, is a Hawaiian-themed cafe hidden in one of the strip malls on Broadway Avenue. Features appetizers, entrees, drinks, and even catering. Wednesdays are ladies buy one drink, get one free. See link for menus and more information. http://www.onocafe.net/

 

RedLetter Books & Cafe:

1 Auto Dr. Book store/Cafe. Relaxing place to eat and relax with live music 7-9:00 p.m. Friday evenings. They even have free wireless interent.

 

Rotella's Trattoria - new, family owned, Italian restaurant in Glenwood Shopping Center.  Homemade pasta, fabulous service, excellent prices. Best meal I've had in a Boise restaurant for a long, long time. They are open for dinner Monday-Saturday.  6882 W State St, Boise 83714   208-853-0109

http://www.rotellastrattoria.com   Check it out!

 

Table Rock Brewpub and Grill, 705 Fulton (just across Capital Blvd. from the Museums and Park) Great food, great beer, great people.

 

Vietnamese Restaurant: At the corner of Curtis Road and Franklin, this small restaurant serves great food, with great service, at a reasonable price.  IT appears to be authentic from the number of Vietnamese who frequent it.

 

Willowcreek Grill - at 2273 S. Vista Ave.  Willowcreek is a fun, eclectic place to eat with plenty of variety on the menu.  They put their own special touch on those "regular" menu items.  Everything I have eaten there was wonderful!  You have to try the Sweet Potato Fries! 

It is actually two restaurants in one. The other side is called Raw, with a great looking sushi menu if that's what you're craving!

 

Cool Places to Go

 

Capitol City (Farmer's) Market

A wonderful way to start your weekend, this Saturday market begins its 2009 season on April 18, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In the booths lining 8th Street and the Grove, you can pick up local flowers, produce, honey, wines, meats, crafts, arts, and jewelry and sample some delicious fares. You can also take a break from shopping to get coffee at Dawson's or maybe breakfast at Cazba, and people-watch from the outside cafe tables.  Check out the vendors at: www.capitalcitypublicmarket.com/

 

Discovery Park - a large, wonderful park to have a picnic in or just relax in the shade of the large trees and view the Boise River.  There's a small beach area where kids can play, when the summer heat compels one to get wet!   It is located about 7 miles east of town, off Highway 21. You can also get there by biking on the Greenbelt, and by doing so you will avoid the car entrance fee! 

 

MK Nature Center - great place to take kids to see nature.  Also fun for a relaxing stroll or a sidetrip from the Greenbelt.

600 South Walnut

Boise, ID  83712

Phone: (208) 334-2225

 

 http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/education/mknc/

 

 

Table Rock -  Park in the lot behind the Bishop's House, 2420 E. Old Penitentiary Road (across from the Old Penitentiary), and hike up the Table Rock trail to the cross at the top.  There are breathtaking views of the city, and it's great exercise.

 

Foothill Trails & Greenbelt

The gems of the Treasure Valley are the foothills it sits nestled in and the Boise River that runs through it.  Take a walk on the trails or the greenbelt and enjoy Boise's Best!

 

Idaho Shakespeare Festival

Enjoy theater under the stars at ISF's gorgeous outdoor amphitheater just east of the city along the Boise River. The season runs early June through late September, and includes Shakespeare (of course!), modern dramas and comedies, and musicals. During the off-season, visit the amphitheater site for a quiet nature walk through the wildlife and nature preserve.

 

 

Stage Coach Theatre

     This community theatre is located  "in the breezeway of the Hillcrest Shopping Center at Overland and Orchard." 

     "Stage Coach Theatre is a quality-driven performance organization dedicated to producing contemporary live theatre that reflects and celebrates the human spirit for, by and accessible to the community."

     Boise theatre goers are treated to excellently crafted performances by those who theatre and love to share their talents with the community.

 

The Discovery Center of Idaho

A hands-on science, math and technology museum for all ages! Did you know that your Discovery Center annual membership card will get you into other museums across the country, such as OMSI?

 

Parks

 

Kathryn Albertson Park on Americana Blvd. is great for a winter walk. A paved foot path meanders through a natural Idaho landscape with a pond. There are few or no dogs to jump on you! It is a peaceful and meditative park to wander through and watch birds.

 

Check out the new addition to the Boise Zoo. The lion and giraffe exhibits are nice. A few other types of exhibits you will find between the animals.

 

Libraries

 

Hillside Library 

The Hillside Library serves over 500 faculty, staff, and students at Hillside Junior High School, nestled in the foothills of Boise, Idaho. Located on Hill Road at the end of 36th Street, the Hillside Library is open on school days from 7:15 to 3:15, and welcomes parents and community visitors. 

 

Idaho Commission for Libraries 

The Commission is not a library in the traditional sense of the word, but it strives to be the nexus for library staff and lovers to share information about libraries in Idaho and elsewhere. Check out the services.

 

Boise State University Special Collections

Open to the general public as well as faculty, staff, and students, BSU Special Collections houses books, manuscripts, maps, photos, and other research materials that are unique, rare, or fragile. Most relate to Idaho and adjacent areas of the West, but the department also holds the university's general rare book collection. Special Collections recently launched its digital collections that contain two photograph collections (Historic Boise State and the Len Jordan Collection), as well as the Western Writers Series Digital Editions of literary criticism of writers of the west.

 

Albertsons Library

As Boise State University strives to become one of the premiere Metropolitan Research Universities of Distinction, Albertsons Library continues to expand resources and support research for all students, faculty, and staff.

 

Meridian Silverstone Branch

We are brand new and cute (by which I mean tiny and sunny)! It would be super awesome if y'all wanted to stop by and visit us.