Ah, patio season. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a great meal, a tasty beverage and good company in the open air. It’s where quick meetings meld into long evenings, where solo diners turn into meeting new friends, and where dogs can tag along. One of the best parts about patio dining in Boise is that it’s a three-season experience. Just grab a puffy jacket and a table by a fire pit, and enjoy Boise’s outdoor dining and patios through the spring, summer and fall. Here’s where to go.
The Basque Block
A hub of Basque history, food and culture, The Basque Block is also a prime patio dining neighborhood. There’s little car traffic and some of the most delicious restaurants in downtown Boise, Idaho. Bardenay is a restaurant and distillery (the first in the nation!) with a top-notch menu and a spacious patio. Hot locals tip: Bardenay has awesome food and drink happy hour specials. Next door to Bardenay is The Basque Market, which is known for its Spanish-style pintxos and weekly “paella on the patio” lunch, served Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. Bar Gernika is a snug little Basque pub serving to-die-for traditional food and drink. At the end of the block is Leku Ona, a Basque fine dining restaurant and boutique hotel with a great corner patio.
Reef
On the other side of the Basque Block is Reef, which has one of the only rooftop bars in downtown Boise. Go to the tropical-themed bar and restaurant to enjoy the views, booze and tasty foods. Fishbowl cocktails, a big beer list and a huge menu with everything from burgers and sammies to tacos and pupu platters are just a few of the things that locals love about Reef. On summer evenings, you can usually catch a live DJ spinning at the rooftop bar.
8th Street in Downtown Boise
In the heart of downtown Boise is 8th Street—home to a dozen local restaurants and bars, the summer Saturday Farmer’s Market, and Freak Alley. You’ll find some of Boise’s finest restaurant patios on this pedestrian-only street, including Fork, Bittercreek Alehouse and Red Feather Lounge, The Funky Taco, Little Pearl Oyster Bar, Ruth’s Chris, Tupelo Honey, Diablo & Sons, Eureka, Matador, Prost! and Pie Hole Pizza. One of the best parts of patio dining on 8th Street restaurants is a great view of the Boise foothills to the North and taking a post-meal stroll through Freak Alley, the largest outdoor art gallery in the Northwest.
Hyde Park Neighborhood
At the base of the Boise foothills in the North End, you’ll find Boise’s Hyde Park restaurants. It’s a darling neighborhood for dining al fresco, and options are aplenty. There’s Java, a cute coffee shop with handcrafted drinks, like the infamous Bowl of Soul, a made-to-order breakfast and lunch menu, and two patios. Across the street in a bright yellow 1890s historic house is Apericena restaurant. Casual European dining focuses on small plates to share with an intimate Italian-style patio. And there’s 13th Street Pub & Grill, a local pub with a great corner patio, plus open-air and fireside indoor seating. Also, check out Lost Grove’s newest location complete with a great patio! Check out our blog on eating in Hyde Park for more.
Telaya Wine Co.
One of Boise’s renowned wineries, Telaya Wine Co. has a beautiful taproom and patio located right on the Boise Greenbelt in Garden City. With the river just a few feet away, you can kick back on the patio or on a blanket on the grassy lawn, sipping some of the finest Idaho wine and watching the buzz of Boise life pass by. On cooler days, bundle up and sip by the firepits. Telaya has partnered with Terroir food truck to provide some tasty cuisine to pair with your wine.
Ochos
Ochos is an upscale wine and cocktail bar inside a historic Queen Anne-style carriage house in downtown Boise. The main level has a cozy bar indoors and wavy, multi-level patio out back, complete with a fire bar and multiple fire pits. Upstairs on the second level, Ochos hosts salsa, swing and tango dance nights several times a month. Get there early for a free dance lesson!
More options:
Here are additional great places to eat with outdoor seating. Bon appetite!
- Matlack’s
- Barbacoa Grill
- The Wylder
- Cottonwood Grille
- Saint Lawrence Gridiron
- The Sandbar
- The Modern
- Bacon
- A’tavola
- Acero
Boise Beer Guide
Explore Boise’s Food Trucks
Spring and Summer Activities for Couples & Friends
