5 of the best Basque restaurants in Boise – Dear Boise, Idaho

The Basque culture is an important landscape of the city of Boise. With one of the largest populations of Basque heritage outside of the Basque Country itself, Boise has hundreds of years of culture and history that has helped Boise grow into what it is today. There are a number of restaurants in Boise, both in the Boise Basque Block and elsewhere. Here are our favorite Basque restaurants in Boise.

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Leku Ona
The Basque Market
Bar Gernika
Txikiteo
Epi’s A Basque Restaurant

Leku Ona

Leku Ona is a unique restaurant that is also attached to a hotel/boarding house in downtown Boise. Located in the Basque Block, Leku Ona is a family-owned restaurant that was started by Jose Maria Artiach, a man born and raised in the Basque Country.

Leku Ona has authentic Basque dishes, as well as wines from the region. Their menu items include lamb stew, fried chorizo, and paella. For the less adventurous, they also have food like hamburgers and sandwiches.

The Boise Basque restaurant also has one of the best rooftop decks in town, and is an authentic Basque experience in the heart of downtown Boise.

Visit the Leku Ona website here.

Address:

117 S 6th Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 345-6665

The Basque Market

The Basque Market is in fact a market, but they also have plenty of food options and deserve to be on this list. Their menu items include Basque favorites like croquetas (a delicious fried cheesy, potato ball), Basque meatballs, chorizo sandwiches, and calamari.

One of the best things about the Basque Market in Boise is they make fresh paella every Wednesday out on the sidewalk in the Basque Block. They mix up the version and flavors each week though.

If you are interested in learning more about cooking Basque food, the Basque Market offers cooking classes on a regular basis — for groups and private parties.

Visit The Basque Market website here.

Address:

608 W Grove Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 433-1208

Bar Gernika

Bar Gernika is another Boise Basque restaurant located within the Basque Block in Boise. The building was built as a Chinese laundry and then Chinese restaurant, before being turned into a restaurant in the late 1940s and finally being saved by the Basque Museum.

A local Basque business owner, Dan Ansotegui, turned the restaurant as Bar Gernika into its current version in 1990 (Dan is currently the owner of the Basque Market).

Bar Gernika offers up authentic Basque cuisine in a very kitschy building. Their menu also includes lamb stew, chorizo, and croquetas, as well as lamb grinders, tuna melts, and a pork tenderloin.

Bar Gernika in Boise was previously featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives.

Visit the Bar Gernika website here.

Address:

608 W Grove St #5926
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 344-2175

Txikiteo

Txikiteo (pronounced chee-kee-tay-o) is one of the newest Basque restaurants in Boise. They are also one of the only Basque restaurants not located on the Boise Basque Block, even though they located in a different area of downtown Boise.

Txikiteo’s menu include meat and cheese trays, a Spanish Serrano ham sandwich, and a number of Tapas. Like the other Basque restaurants in Boise, Txikiteo also has a number of regional Basque wines, as well as wines from all over the world. Their atmosphere is very unique, with an outdoor area that includes a firepit and other beautiful scenery.

Txikiteo is a more modern take on Basque fare, and we would suggest it as a place to start with Tapas and a glass of wine before a night out.

Visit the Txikiteo website here.

Address:

175 N 14th Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 813-6178

Epi’s A Basque Restaurant

Epi’s is another quality (and delicious) Basque restaurant, even though it is located outside of Boise in Meridian (it is included on this list because it has become a staple). The restaurant is named after the owners’ grandma Epi, assumedly a Basque emigrant.

Epi’s meny includes items like fresh seafood, lamb, steak, and red bean soup. They also offer a number of Basque appetizers like ham croquetas, calamari, sauteed mushrooms, and chorizos.

Visit the Epi’s A Basque Restaurant website here.

Address:

1115 N Main Street
Meridian, ID 83642
(208) 884-0142