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    Rustica

    3.5 (46 reviews)
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    RUSTICA ATMOSPHERE

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    Melinda P.

    Great happy hour visit! The steak main was shareable as a light dinner to go with happy hour beverages which were a great deal. No happy hour foods offered and tricky to navigate GF/DF. Service was friendly but waited over 20 minutes for server to check on beverage, which didn't taste as described in menu (w/dill). Just tasted like a nice lemon martini. Summary- great deal on beverages for happy hour. Great vibe, great staff but not the most attentive, but it was getting busy. We will def give it another go!

    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.

    Porchetta

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I've been here a few times and loved everything on the menu. The Porchetta was my favorite. Service and food is excellent.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food was bland and dry, and our gross server Tyler reeked of alcohol. Bad food, bad service, but the restaurant interior is cute!

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    Luciano's Italian Restaurant - Manicotti

    Luciano's Italian Restaurant

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    I took my friend out to lunch today for his birthday. He wanted to come to Luciano's so of course I…read moresaid yes. The last time I ate here, I really enjoyed our meal so I knew I was in store for a good lunch. I arrived first. I hung out for a bit. Raylyn (sp) greeted me and asked me if I wanted anything to drink. I had a flavored water so I content for the moment. My friend finally showed up shortly after. We got started on the foccacia bread and olive oil/balsamic dip. The bread was good but it wasn't warm like the previous time. It was nicely seasoned and buttery on top. The olive oil/balsamic dip is so good with it! We breezed over the menu while we were enjoying the bread. Raylyn came and took our order. We ordered some fried mozzarella to share. For lunch I got a side of meatballs and my friend got the chicken parm on pasta with a side salad. The fried mozzarella was so good! The piece of mozzarella that was fried was so thick! I had a fourth of one of the cheesesticks. I didn't want to get too full when I still had meatballs coming. My meatballs were so good! It was generously covered in their marinara sauce. It was rich in tomato with a slight heat to it, so good! My friend's chicken parm pasta was a generous portion! I probably could have made 3 meals off of his plate. He enjoyed the chicken of course and had some of the pasta. We couldn't end lunch without some birthday dessert so my friend got some cannolis started. This is my first time trying a cannoli and woooooow! It was so good! The cream in the middle had a orange flavor to it with some chocolate chips. The exterior of the cannoli was crunchy and sweet. The ends were dipped in semi sweet chocolate and was so good! I probably could have polished 2 more but I was so full from lunch. Next time I'm going to just have the bread and cannolis. That dessert was perfection. Lunch was fabulous today. Our food and dessert were divine. Raylyn did a marvelous job taking care of us! She was kind, attentive and is great at customer service. I can't stop thinking of those cannolis and I look forward to coming back soon to have some more!

    Man.. I wish I had better things to say. We came here with no reservations (no biggie) and waited…read more45 mins (cool) but when we got seated we waited 15 mins before anybody even recognized we were there. We understand it was busy but at some point you have to manage your tables better.... We got to order our within 15 mins for our appetizers but had to wait another 30 minutes to order our main meal. an Hour later we were able to order our entree and that is unacceptable. We waited so long, we asked for our boxes and meals to go before it was even served to us. I really wanted to get this place more stars but at this point it's probably a three star if not a 2 1/2. I can't judge the food or anything else based on the lack of consideration or Manning in the place since we came..

    Photos
    Luciano's Italian Restaurant - Stuffed mushrooms and moscato

    Stuffed mushrooms and moscato

    Luciano's Italian Restaurant - Fried Mozzarella

    Fried Mozzarella

    Luciano's Italian Restaurant - Bread and huckleberry Italian soda

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    Bread and huckleberry Italian soda

    Tavolàta - Pappardelle with Beef & Pork Ragu

    Tavolàta

    4.2(157 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Tavolàta
    Tavolàta
    Tavolàta - Bruschetta with Smoked Fish

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    Bruschetta with Smoked Fish

    ÀLAVITA

    ÀLAVITA

    4.2(452 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    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

    My friend, who graduated from BSU with her MSW, and whose graduation we obviously attended, found…read morethis location. She was drawn to this location not only due the reviews but that they had the option of accommodating those with dietary restrictions. We were all excited to be there for the food but to also celebrate her. Booking the tables was quite an ordeal, but we managed. Unfortunately, at last minute, she learned that two members of her family that were supposed to attend, elected not to. As she did not find out until later in the day, she would not have been able to provide adequate time to contact them to let them now of the changes. I do want to share that overall, the experience was fantastic. Justin was a great server and the food and drinks were delicious. We did not get pictures of everything, but we ordered the following: Bucatini alle Vongole, Rigatoni, Blood Orange Bellini, (non-alcoholic) Limoncello Spritz, Lemon-Raspberry Tiramisu, and Pistachio Florentine Cannoli. I checked in with the others in our party, and they also indicated that the food was fantastic and the service wonderful. The concern we had was how some of our party was treated. This occurred on the evening on Friday, May 8, 2026. As mentioned, two members of her family elected not to join at the last minute. My friend and her wife relayed this to the hostess. My friend offered to try to squeeze into the booth with her other family members. The hostess then looked her and her family members up and down (with her face distorted in judgement), and said "you can try." My friend and her wife elected to sit at another table with two of her friends leaving the other table that had been reserved available (which was filled within 20 minutes by another party). This hostess then went over to the table where my friend is sitting and places her hand on the table, but I could not discern what was said. I find that type of behavior abhorrent. It is not only distasteful, but also makes patrons wonder if that is how this restaurant, this business, is run. If she is the first person you encounter, the face of this restaurant, the first impression - it does not bode well. There are some that may read this and think I am exaggerating, but I did note earlier, that the rest of our service was wonderful and the food divine. I do hope that whoever at the restaurant does monitor these reviews, really takes this feedback into consideration as I am sure that they do not want to be known as a space that shames patrons.

    Photos
    ÀLAVITA
    ÀLAVITA
    ÀLAVITA - Beer

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    Beer

    Vincenzo Trattoria

    Vincenzo Trattoria

    4.0(250 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$

    Great food and better people. Food is authentic priced great and the service is better.read more

    The name remains but owner chef Vincenzo and his wife who managed (I use the verb loosely) front of…read morehouse and who could be abrasive to staff and customers have left the building. That is a good thing for the new young owners who bought this business. Whether the former owners are still involved in any way, I do not know except to say they were seen dining in there on at least one occasion since the change happened. Since there are enough of us who had all around miserable experiences with the previous owners and said "never again", this comment is for others know that now is the time to come back. The ownership transition seems to have happened sometime after November of last year. If you check the website you'll see the "about" part of it is still about Vincenzo. I recommend the new owners change that to indicate this young couple is now at the helm. The menu, largely pasta, is about the same and with price points running from roughly $23 to $27 for them. Antipasti (cold and hot) start at about $13 for a salad to $23 for fried calamari and shrimp. The owner mentions that they plan to put the pizza oven in the space (see my long ago taken photo) to work as a pizza oven. (To now in the old ownership days it was used to finish bread.) Additions are also planned for for the menu. You will still need a reservation. The access problems from before are the same now. But the entire vibe of the place under the new ownership clearly including a skilled chef, will refresh your appetite to eat at this trattoria if it was ruined by the previous owners.

    Photos
    Vincenzo Trattoria
    Vincenzo Trattoria - Homemade tiramisu

    Homemade tiramisu

    Vincenzo Trattoria

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    Corso Italian Steak - Pistachio Crème Brûlée

    Corso Italian Steak

    4.2(92 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    Just love this place. The whole vibe inside is amazing with all the black and red. Reminds me of a…read moreclassic dinner club. Just needs a band with a crooner in the corner ;-) Service is always on point sitting at the bar, in a booth or at a table. Menu has a lot of choices and not just meat. I particularly enjoy the Wedge salad and seafood dishes. Love the open kitchen in the main dinning area. They have an excellent Happy Hour as well. Check them out!

    The food was quite good and several things on the menu you don't see in Boise. I started with the…read moreshrimp and calamari Fritto Misto. It's fried seafood with some deep fried onions and red peppers. It was good, but not really much for $18. (Come during happy hour when it's 12.). Then I had a steak sandwich with Parmesan fries. It says it's hanger steak. Was very tender meat with pesto sauce on the ciabatta bread. Not much else on the sandwich and not enough sauce. Thin, shoestring type fries covered with garlic parsley, and lots of shredded Parmesan cheese. The service was outstanding. Even though Emma was busy, she helped me and explained the menu to me. This has got to be at least the fifth or sixth time this building has changed. It's quite fancy looking yet dark inside. And prices seem to go up every time. But it's a very good food and happy hour deals look good. I was there at the wrong time though.

    Photos
    Corso Italian Steak - The incedible bar

    The incedible bar

    Corso Italian Steak - Ribeye with Gorganzola sauce, mushrooms, asparagus and drinks

    Ribeye with Gorganzola sauce, mushrooms, asparagus and drinks

    Corso Italian Steak - Entry to bar

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    Entry to bar

    Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant and Bar - Salad with Italian dressing

    Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant and Bar

    3.4(235 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    We came in for my nephew's birthday tonight. We were all just here a week ago. The chicken…read moreparmesan and pizza really impressed them so they wanted another round of everything. We were sat in the little banquet room on the side. It's very nice and big so it comfortably sat the 9 of us. Our server got our drinks started and we looked over the menu. I was rather confused why she checked up on us a handful of times and never took our orders. After the 6th "check up" I asked her if she could take our orders. Honestly, we were tired of waiting. My husband and I decided to share a couple things. I really just wanted the clam chowder and salad, that's what I had last time and I really enjoyed it. But he convinced me to split a pizza and a chicken parmesan sammy. We did get a side of clam chowder with our chicken parmesan sammy so I was happy. Soups and salad seemed like forever to be served. I don't know what was taking so long. Salads are usually prepped and soup is already made for the day. It wasn't really busy so it annoying to wait a long as we did. But when it did finally come out, it so looked great. My soup was just as amazing as the first time I had it. I enjoyed the clams, muscles, and potatoes. It was rich and creamy. It was an excellent cup of soup. Our food started to trickle out slowly. I didn't get a chance to see my husband's chicken parmesan sandwich last time we were there so I can see why he wanted to order it again. The bread was fresh. The piece of chicken was generous and had a good amount of sauce on it. It was hot and savory. I enjoyed the couple bites that I took. The pizza we ordered was half cheese half pineapple. It was deep dish and the cheese was nicely melted all over the pie. After taking my first bite, I had to ask for extra marinara sauce. The pizza was all crust and no sauce. It was dry and needed the extra marinara on the side. I only had one slice, it was just too dense for me. We finished dinner and got our left overs boxed up. I thought our server was going to bring a birthday dessert for my nephew. He was told about the dessert and we hung out till we were over it. My nephew said he didn't need it so we decided it was time to head out. I'm happy we came and supported this local joint for my nephew's birthday. It's important that we support local owners. But overall service was ok for me. The large gaps in time waiting wasn't appealing. The pizza is something I wouldn't order again. The chicken parmesan sammy was decent. The clam chowder was killer and would be something I'd order again. Since we were basically here a week apart, I don't see us coming back anytime soon. But if we do, I'll just stick to what I had originally wanted.

    The restaurant was right next to our hotel so we came here for lunch. Right when we walked in, I…read moreliked how it was a nice, cozy atmosphere compared to the frigid weather outside. As for the food, it wasn't anything too special. It definitely wasn't bad, just not something I'd get again. The staff were very nice though. They checked up on us often, and were overall very friendly.

    Photos
    Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant and Bar - The bar, not bad for a small place!

    The bar, not bad for a small place!

    Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant and Bar - Lighter portion Spaghetti and meatball

    Lighter portion Spaghetti and meatball

    Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant and Bar - Clam chowder

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    Clam chowder

    Rustica - tapasmallplates - Updated May 2026

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