5 Boise Restaurants That Closed in 2017 That We’ll Miss the Most
With all the construction going on in Downtown Boise, it's hard to keep track of what opened and what closed in 2017!
Unless of course one of your favorite stops to grab a bite to eat made this list. If that's the case, you're undoubtedly bummed as we are about these restaurants closing their doors!
Pollo Rey
It's not like I was wishing the end of the road for this restaurant, but there had been rumors floating around that Pollo Rey was closing since late 2016. Every time we walked past the restaurant on our way to grab a beer and catch a game at Old Chicago, I wondered out loud "when is this place closing?" Well, Pollo Rey's official last day was October 21, 2017.
Walk by the location at 8th and Idaho now and you'll see paper on the windows as renovation crews get ready for its next tenant, Diablo and Sons. Michael Deeds at the Idaho Statesman got some inside info that Diablo & Sons, a restaurant focusing on tacos, beer and mescal, is preparing to open there in early 2018.
Angell's Bar and Grille Renato
Our company Christmas party was supposed to be at Angell's this year, but the week after the venue was announced we found out we wouldn't be having the party there after all. The upscale Downtown Boise restaurant closed its doors on October 24, 2017.
It's the second time in less than a decade that the restaurant on Main closed its doors to diners. The original Angell's closed in early 2013, only to reopen by the end of the year under the Renato brand.
We haven't heard anything about what's next for the vacant restaurant.
Berryhill
This one hit me the hardest. Why? Because it's where my fiancé and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day together. Berryhill closed its doors for good in July 2017.
Luckily, this didn't mean that long time Boise restauranteur John Berryhill was getting out of the game all together. Berryhill had been sharing space with sister restaurant Bacon. Bacon operated in the morning and then the sign/restaurant interior would flip to allow Berryhill to operate in the evening.
Bacon's popularity in Downtown Boise exploded, leading Berryhill to make the decision to make that project the full time restaurant in that storefront.
Mongolian Grill and Bar
Mongolian Grill and Bar at 8th and Bannock announced the location was closing with a sign saying "We will be permanently closing our doors on July 22, 2017." The sign went on to explain that the restaurant did not receive an offer to renew their lease and that decision to close the doors came quickly.
So what's next for the location that's been surrounded by construction gates the last few weeks? Local taco truck favorite "The Funky Taco" has reportedly been renovating the spot into its first brick and mortar location. We've seen renderings of what the final project is supposed to look like, but don't have a date on expected completion.
Downtown Pita Pit
July wasn't a great month for Downtown Boise restaurants. The late night munchie destination closed up shop at the beginning of the month. If you wandered past the building, you'd find butcher paper covering the windows and a sign reading "we still deliver from our Broadway location" on the door.
What's next for the space? We're not sure if there's a new restaurant planned or if that space will become part of the indoor farmers market project that's being considered during the remodel of the Capitol Terrace building and parking garage.