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Rustica

3.5 (45 reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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RUSTICA ATMOSPHERE

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Pasta Blanco with steak

We loved the atmosphere and food. Our server was so attentive and sweet, i even got a free cocktail and dessert for my birthday! We will definitely be back

Steak Frites
Kaitlin G.

So so good! Amazing food and prices you can't beat, everything was under $25! Steak frites and truffle fries were delicious. Drinks were yummy! And I love the option to sit indoors or outdoors on the patio. Service was friendly and fast. Great addition to 8th street!

Menu
Jeffrey O.

The table bread and sauces were the highlight. The chicken Parmesan and the Bolognese both tastes a bit on the bland side. The service was less than attentive. It is a nice location with ok food

Menu on opening week
Sergio A.

First week opened. Replaces the former Juniper. We counted at least 25 waitstaff on a Saturday afternoon. HH 4-6 30% off small plates and all alcohol drinks. We tried two small plates. The bread is divine. The garlic baguette was loaded with delectable garlic and the tomato based sauce really helped. The chorizo toast with stracciatella cheese was excellent. Both small plates could easily feed 2 or more people, making them a real deal during HH. Carbonara is made with guanciale and you don't see that too often. It also uses bucatini. The dish was unimpressive and lacked flavor. Perhaps a shallot, some parsley, black pepper and sharper parmesan would up the flavor. There was water below the pasta, so a longer draining time would help. As is, not recommended. Overall, the new place deserves a visit so more folks can test out the menu items.

Burrata appetizer
Luanne A.

Great experience at Rustica! We sat outside and enjoyed some beautiful HH cocktails and the buratta appetizer. It was beautifully done and tasty. Did not order any main food entrees but our appetizer and drinks were amazing along with warm and friendly service.

Pasta Blanco
Andres G.

Food Ordered the table bread and Burrata as an appetizer. The apps were good, I would say above average, but I wouldn't say a home run. I ordered the Pasta Blanco with chicken. I had imagined more of a "wet" Sauce but it was like a sticky/clumpy sauce. Not what I envisioned, but still tasted good. The chicken came as an entire piece (I would have liked it sliced and it was hard to cut in a bowl). Service Was great, waitress was on point, food came (to my prescription) a little too quickly though, but that's not fault of the waitress. Ambiance I had been to this physical location before when it was Juniper (I was told there is no relation from Juniper to Rustica). When it was juniper it (the music) was loud to the point it wasn't comfortable to speak to your friends. This IS NOT the same issue here, granted we ate at 5pm.

Fries
Kelsy P.

Was so excited to try this Juniper replacement but honestly, I was a little let down. Our carbonara was way over cooked and the dishes were definitely overpriced for the quality. The verde wasn't bad, lots of greenery and rich. The patio is nice on 8th street of course, and there is lots of space inside and out. If you really want great pasta, there are other spots to try in Boise.

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5 months ago

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8 months ago

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8 months ago

The food was not good. Especially for the price. There are way too many good Italian restaurants in Boise. Skip this one.

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2 years ago

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11 months ago

Sophia was fabulous! We had a great meal... the Bolognese was exceptional & good wine - we chose the Cabernet!

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Best Italian food in Boise with authentic presentation and great cocktails for a fun evening out!

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Las Calaveras - Surf and turf tacos with elk sliders

Las Calaveras

(178 reviews)

Came in for happy hour and it honestly exceeded expectations. The drink deals are legit, not…read morewatered down or skimpy, just solid cocktails at a really good price. It's one of those places where you don't feel like you're sacrificing quality just because it's discounted. The happy hour menu itself is a win too. Great variety, everything came out quick, and the portions were better than most places offering "deals." You can actually make a full meal out of it without spending much. Service was on point, attentive without hovering, and the overall vibe made it easy to relax and stay a while. If you're looking for a spot with real value during happy hour, this is it. Definitely coming back.

Yes! Finally a Mexican place in the Boise area that I can rate 5-stars. This is no "Sysco…read moreMexican" place where sitting down means you get a basket of chips and saucers of jar salsa and pinto-lard puree. You can taste the Oaxacan and Tex-Mex origins of the food. I prefer Oaxacan over Tex-Mex. Flavorful, with depth, and leaves you wanting to come back. Service was decent as it was busy. The ambiance is more of a modern restaurant than a tacky Tijuana vomit vest. The dia de los meurtos vibe is pretty cool. Ceviche was fresh and flavorful. While I like a little white fish in it as well, their ceviche was the best I've had since spending time down in the Yucatan. The freshly prepared tortilla chips are crisp and built to scoop. Their regular salsa is very good as well. Personal taste, but I would like a little more roast on the peppers for a deeper flavor. You know, like you get when peppers are directly placed on hot coals to roast. The birria flautas were crispy and the meat was spot on in terms of flavor and perfectly cooked pork. I had a couple bites of the surf and turf tacos - bam! So good. Their home cooked churros with the churro fried ice cream were absolutely perfect. The ice cream coating, I would give 4-stars as the exterior was a bit chewy in texture for me. It was almost as if there oats used to hold it together. Yeah, we'll be back.

Bodovino

Bodovino

(138 reviews)

$$

I have to mention that Bodovino is located in an outdoor mall near a beautiful fountain and stage…read morearea (in summer). My experience with restaurants in this type of setting is that the location is the feature, not the offerings, but it was gorgeous outside... That said, my experience began as I was walking toward the restaurant to meet my friend for a light lunch and a glass of rosé, when a smiling young woman complimented my style. I appreciated that - it made me feel good. It's not often at 63 that I receive notice. I also ran into some friends and stopped to chat, so it was a few minutes before I reached the restaurant and met up with my lunch mate, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the same smiling face behind the counter. I knew we'd have a good time, regardless. We chose to be seated outside. It was "quiet" in the restaurant and we had the attention of both servers. They didn't hover, just paid attention to our needs and answered our questions about their wine, (1/2 price bottles!!), and food. We ordered a bottle of sparkling rose and a Bodo Board to share. The wine arrived, was expertly opened, poured, and settled on ice. We enjoyed a couple of sips before our beautiful and generous board arrived - it had several samplings of meats and cheeses, fruit, and perfectly cooked French Fries!!! My favorite snack with champagne. I was so happy . We sat and visited and nibbled for almost 2 hours. Our glasses were refreshed as needed and that sweet girl, Jordan checked on us often enough that I knew she was paying attention. When it was time to go, there was still quite a bit of food left, and Jordan offered us boxes to tote it home, (which we did). My friend commented about our nice time and that we must repeat it, as we walked to the car. Thank you Jordan! While the offerings were great, you and your teammate were the stars! (I wish we had taken pics, but neither of us touched our phones the whole time we were there)

I heard Bodovino was closing, so wanted to give it one last visit before it does. I don't know if…read moreit's because they're closing is the reason everything was a disappointment or what's going on. We ordered two drinks , the Mojito and the French. They were absolutely terrible and we are not picky. I don't know what is going on, but it was crazy. The server was pretty short. The door was open to their patio and I walked out and he quickly said I'm actually not serving outside. It wasn't pleasant. I have your door open then. The sun was out. The charcuterie board was crazy. We got the small one. It was like an entire cup of dried cranberries, it was weird. I was sad to see them go, but I guess I'm excited for a new business.

Tavolàta - Pappardelle with Beef & Pork Ragu

Tavolàta

(157 reviews)

$$

We had a great date night at Tavolata this evening. Matt C was our server and gave us the BEST…read morerecommendations on cocktails and wine. He gave us the perfect recommendations for food as well. The ambiance is great inside this restaurant. It has a busy happy feel, cute decor for the holidays, and the staff is all extremely friendly. The food was delicious, although we are leaving in a food coma. We ordered one appetizer and two pastas, all 10/10. We will be returning!

I really wanted to like Tavolàta, especially given the reputation for handmade pasta, but the…read moreexperience fell short of expectations. We walked in around 7 pm and it seems like a slow night. So I expect everything should be good but it wasn't. We ordered food and drinks and start right off with food even came earlier than drink. Obviously server doesn't care. The food came , salad and pasta all together and the ravioli was not even warm. The pasta itself was decent, but nothing memorable. Flavors felt a bit flat, and for the price point, I was expecting something more refined or at least more balanced. Service was also inconsistent. Our server seemed friendly but stretched thin, It didn't feel like anyone was really paying attention to the table. They seems to be paying attention on the phone than the table. And they seem really rush us out when they were only 8.30 pm when they close at 10 pm not sure why they keep asking if we need a box and put down the check right after we got our food. Overall, not a terrible experience, but definitely not one I'd rush back for, especially with other great dining options in Boise.

ÀLAVITA

ÀLAVITA

(451 reviews)

$$

Rigatoni Braised local beef + black garlic-truffle butter + roasted local mushrooms + spinach +…read morepickled red onion + lemon crema. That is the description of what I ordered for their handmade fresh pasta rigatoni that I got. Let me just say that all these flavors that they put into one dish were absolutely amazing. I really did not think they needed to have the spinach and mushrooms. Because the lemon crema and the Gorgonzola cheese were absolute phenomenal the braze beef was just to die for. This is a very small restaurant and there's only so many tables to get. I was able to sit at the bar which Aisha was the bartender. He did an amazing job and really helped lead me to my order of ordering the rigatoni. I had a beer with dinner and I did not order dessert. If you need to go to the bathroom, there is a door that leads outside the restaurant to the bathroom the weight was a little bit long for it, and luckily a neighboring coworker was able to lead me to their bathroom. I highly recommend checking out this place just because of the handmade pasta, which was something of a unique taste because it was well worth the price

Alavita is one of the more reliable Italian spots in downtown Boise, and overall it delivers a…read morereally enjoyable dining experience. The highlight here is definitely the fresh, house-made pasta--it's clear they put a lot of care into it. Dishes are generally well-executed with good flavor, and you can taste the quality of the ingredients. The menu is fairly focused, which helps keep things consistent, though a few dishes can feel slightly hot or miss The atmosphere is cozy and lively, making it a great spot for date night or a nice dinner out. Service is usually friendly and knowledgeable, with staff who can guide you through the menu and wine list. Timing can slow down during peak hours, but nothing too frustrating. Prices are on the higher side for Boise, but the overall quality and experience mostly justify it--it feels like a place you go to enjoy a proper sit-down meal rather than a quick bite. Overall, Great pasta, solid atmosphere, and definitely worth visiting if you're craving Italian in Boise.

Rustica - tapasmallplates - Updated May 2026

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