South Idaho Food Guide: What and Where to Eat

If you’re looking for the best eateries in South Idaho, I’ve got you covered. In this blog post, I’ll share 10 restaurants I tried during my South Idaho road trip, a mix of local specialties and popular cuisines.

Some we discovered by accident; others came from our pre-trip research. But each brought a unique taste of Idaho, from classic potatoes and fresh trout to its booming craft beer and wine scenes. 

Food always plays a vital role in our journeys, helping us understand a region’s history, culture, and native specialties better than anything else. If you love exploring local cuisines like we do, check out my other food guides on the blog. 

Now, let’s dive into Idaho’s food scene and discover what this state offers beyond potatoes! 

Pie Hole, Boise

This was the first restaurant we dined at on our Idaho trip! Located on Main Street, just steps from Freak Alley Gallery, the setup is laid-back with neon lighting and walls covered in stickers. They serve New York-style thin-crust pizza by the slice or whole pie; this hole-in-the-wall spot offers both indoor and outdoor seating and is a great late-night hangout in downtown. 

Cost: $10 per person | Website
Popular dishes: Potato bacon slice, chili cheese dog slice, basil & roasted pepper, deep pepperoni
Location: 205 N 8th St, Boise 

Boise Fry Company, Boise

This spot was recommended by a friend who discovered it during her Boise trip. Boise Fry Company is famous for its Idaho potato fries, with multiple locations across the city. The vibe is fun and casual with a touch of nature, celebrating local organics. We ordered three unique fry varieties you won’t find anywhere else and paired them with all their creative sauces. It was a blast, but just a warning, it’s a lot of potatoes! We ended up skipping dinner, totally stuffed from our fry feast.  

Cost: $10-20 per person | Website
Popular dishes: Frychos, truffle parmesan, poutine and the unlimited dips like blueberry ketchup, garlic aioli.
Location: 204 N Capitol Blvd, Boise 

Bruneau One Stop, Bruneau 

Bruneau One Stop is a popular diner near Bruneau Dunes State Park that also has a convenience store where you can buy supplies for your road trip. We stopped here to grab sandwiches. However, don’t confuse it with those small gas station store restaurants, the quality and taste were amazing, and we wish we had time to sit and dine. We were totally drawn to that small town, warm vibe with friendly service. 

Cost: $10-15 per person | Website
Popular dishes: Bruneau burger & fries is their top seller, and they also have Basque-style chorizo
Location: 45251 ID-51, Bruneau 

Telaya Wine Co., Garden City

On the last day of our trip, we stopped by the Telaya Wine Co. tasting room in Garden City near the Greenbelt to try some Idaho specialty wines. This riverside winery offers Idaho-grown tasting flights with four 3-ounce pours for just $24. The menu changes seasonally, but they also have reliable all-season wines available. We asked them to customize our flight with wines from different lists, and they were kind enough to accommodate us. The cozy outdoor patio seating came with stunning river views; we had the best time sipping delicious wines. Highly recommended if you love discovering new kinds of wine! You can read my full review here.  

Cost: $25-30 for wine flights (sharing allowed)
Popular wines: Turas and Syrahs
Location: 240 E 32nd St, Garden City 

Barbarian Brewing, Garden City 

Another booming industry in Idaho is craft beer, offering some truly unique local brews. We stopped by Barbarian Brewing, one of the area’s popular and largest craft brewery taprooms (near the Boise River). They specialize in sours, barrel-aged beers, and IPAs, with a BYOF (bring-your-own-food) policy and options for tap pours or tasting flights. The taproom gets livelier in the evenings with fire pits, food trucks, and live music. Plus, they offer pet-friendly seating, making it even better! 

Cost: $10-15 beer flight (sharing allowed)
Popular beers: Little Wolf IPA, Tropic Plunder, West Coast Pilsner and Irish Stout on Nitro
Location: 114 E 32nd St, Garden City 

Locking Horns Riverside Restaurant, Horseshoe Bend 

If you drive slightly north of Boise, you reach the largest rural city in Boise, Horseshoe Bend. This city is carved along the Payette River and is popularly known for its riverside restaurant, Locking Horns Riverside Restaurant. Like the name suggests, the view is absolutely stunning, especially on a summer evening during the sunset hour. They offer all classic American fares including, chowder, salads, burgers and pizzas. However, don’t keep too high hopes when it comes to the taste, what they are mainly known for is their friendly service and view. 

Cost: $20-30 per person | Website
Popular dishes: Pesto grilled chicken sandwich, French dip, BLT with avocado, blueberry cobbler, and clam chowder
Location: 101 Payette River Ave, Horseshoe Bend 

The Sandbar, Garden City 

We stumbled upon this restaurant while strolling down the River Greenbelt trail, it looked like the perfect spot to grab finger food before heading to Barbarian Brewing. The place was buzzing with a nice view of the trail. The Sandbar is known for its grilled fish and specialty cocktails. We ordered Fish Tacos and Pulled-pork Nachos and relished it with Barbarian Brewing Company’s beers. This restaurant is located within the Riverside Hotel, that also has a few other restaurants including a popular Asian restaurant called Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill. 

Cost: $15-20 per person | Website
Popular dishes: Grilled cheese, Brisket and Sweet potato fries
Location: 2288 N Garden St, Garden City | Opens Seasonal (Apr-Oct)

Los Potrillos Mexican Restaurant, Bliss

On our way to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, we stopped in Bliss, a town along the famous Oregon Trail. Right next to the historic marker was this Mexican restaurant with stellar Google ratings, so we decided to give it a try. It turned out to be one of the best Mexican spots we’ve found in the Pacific Northwest! We ordered two tacos and a plate of Chile Relleno, plus complimentary chips with two kinds of salsa. Everything was delicious, especially the Chile Relleno served with freshly made tortillas. Truly some of the best Mexican food we’ve had in the PNW. 

Cost: $10-20 per person
Popular dishes: Classic tacos, and enchiladas plates (comes with fresh tortillas)
Location: 199 US-30, Bliss 

Elevation 486, Twin Falls

Elevation 486 is an upscale brick-oven bistro offering Southern American fare alongside classic dishes, a full bar, and scenic views of the valley and Snake River from their patio. This was one of my top choices near Shoshone Falls, but it was closed on the day of our visit. 

Cost: $30-50 per person | Website
Popular dishes: New Orleans Style Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya and seafood linguine
Location: 195 River Vista Pl, Twin Falls 

Jakers Bar and Grill, Idaho Falls

This was our dinner spot in Idaho Falls, located just minutes from our hotel, Shilo Inn. Jakers Bar and Grill is a top-rated restaurant with locations in both Idaho and Montana, known for its upscale dining experience. They’re famous for prime rib and steaks from the Northwest’s Double R Ranch, fresh Idaho trout, and signature homemade soups and salads. We ordered the creamy chowder and their signature Idaho trout with a side of baked potatoes. Plus, we were treated to complimentary bread with honey butter that was absolutely delicious. Highly recommended if you ever come across this restaurant! 

Cost: $30-50 per person | Website
Popular dishes: Prime rib (8-16oz), bacon cheeseburger, avocado burger, cedar plank salmon, crab stuffed mushrooms. 
Location: 851 Lindsay Blvd, Idaho Falls 

Let me know your favorite restaurant in Idaho from this list, or suggest a new one you’d like to add! You can also check out my other Idaho blog posts, from my camping experience at Bruneau Dunes State Park to Top Things to Do in Boise, honest review about my stay at Shilo Inn to Complete South Idaho Itinerary.