‘We’re back!’ Closed during COVID, a dozen Boise restaurants are reopening: Who, when
Crushed by coronavirus setbacks, many Boise restaurants closed in 2020. But not all of the shutdowns were permanent. Like an early spring flower, some are returning — filled with promise.
Here’s a list of previously shuttered eateries reopened now or planning to open soon.
MOON’S KITCHEN
The “best-kept secret in Boise” returned to action in late February at 712 W. Idaho St. after shuttering for several weeks. (Note: This popular brunch spot will be closed on Easter Sunday.)
SUN RAY CAFE
Now that patio season is returning, so are slices of pizza and pints of beer in Hyde Park. Sun Ray Cafe, 1602 N. 13th St., recently reopened. The popular North End hangout had shut down in December.
MATLACK’S
A public house and “beergarten,” Matlack’s returned to action last month after pulling the plug for the winter. It opened in February 2020 in the former PreFunk beer bar space at 1100 W. Front St.
KIN
Kin wasn’t exactly closed during the pandemic. It never opened — at least inside. Instead, three-time James Beard Award-nominated chef Kris Komori and co-owner Remi McManus launched the new restaurant with outdoor “PiKINic” dining and home delivery meals. Starting April 1, Kin, 999 W. Main St., finally welcomes customers indoors with craft cocktails and a menu of a la carte food in the bar. (The tasting room, which will feature a prix-fixe menu, remains closed for now.) Kin’s patio offers walk-up service, but the bar is reservations-only.
PETITE 4
After closing at the end of 2020, Petite 4 will reopen April 1 at 4 N. Latah St. Reservations are required for indoor dining. Walk-up service is available on the extended patio.
TXIKITEO
Txikiteo, 175 N. 14th St., pulled the plug Nov. 1 after patio season cooled off. But its return is imminent. ”We’re back!” Txikiteo proclaimed on its website. “We will reopen April 7 ... when our staff is fully vaccinated! Our patio and takeout hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday with breakfast, lunch, and tapas menus featuring familiar selections plus a few new ones, and a fresh approach. We will have measures in place to protect the health and safety of staff and guests and will be expanding days and hours as the weather warms and days get longer.”
RED FEATHER LOUNGE
Open since 2002, this downtown Boise hangout was shuttered during the pandemic and used as overflow seating for Bittercreek Alehouse. But Red Feather Lounge, 246 N. 8th St., will be revived for weekend brunch soon. Tentative date? April 17, owner Dave Krick said.
THE MODERN BAR
Although the Modern Hotel is open at 1314 W. Grove St., the bar and restaurant has been shuttered since June. “Our kitchen, bar and dining room facilities are very small, enclosed spaces and do not allow for safe social distancing for our bar/restaurant staff members or guests,” owner Elizabeth Tullis explained then. But The Modern Bar is scheduled to reopen for patio service May 1 with a limited menu of light-fare food, Tullis says. The hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
JUNIPER
Juniper, 211 N. 8th St., said goodbye last summer. But the downtown restaurant and bar plans to reopen by the third week of April at the latest — with the majority of its staff returning. Juniper will have a new look inside and some menu tweaks. During the hiatus, “the outpouring of support and amount of people asking when we’ll be back has been humbling and reminded us we really are all in this together,” owner and operator Kacey Montgomery said in an email.
TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE
Days before the pandemic arrived in March, Taziki’s opened a location at 505 W. Idaho St. But in November, franchise owner Shawn Tierney closed it temporarily while the Eagle store remained open. (“This is not a goodbye, just a see ya later!” Taziki’s wrote on Facebook.) The current projection is that the Boise restaurant will reopen in May, Tierney said.
CAFFE LUCIANO’S
Nestled next to the Boise River in Garden City, Caffe Luciano’s, 3588 N. Pospect Way, shuttered in mid-December because of the cold weather and COVID-19. It plans to reopen — with an updated menu, no less. But that’s probably still at least several weeks away. The small restaurant needs to operate somewhere close to full capacity for it to be financially viable, general manager Cody Craig said in a Facebook message. “So fingers crossed that everyone continues to be vaccinated and the spread rate diminishes so we can get back to normal, or as close to normal as possible!” he added. Check the restaurant’s social media for updates.
UNCORKED WINE BAR
The Boise Co-op’s Uncorked Wine Bar has been missing in action at 804 W. Fort St. since the pandemic began. There is no reopening date yet, Boise Co-op marketing manager Mo Valko said via email, “but you can expect to see an announcement in the next few weeks.”
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 4:00 AM.