One of the Boise area’s former ‘top new restaurants’ has closed. Here’s what’s next.

When Grit American Cuisine hit its five-year anniversary during the pandemic last November, the ambitious Eagle restaurant limited festivities to a Facebook post thanking customers.

“... We look forward to the next five years,” Grit told diners in the Boise area, “and being able to throw a giant six-year anniversary party.”

Sadly, that won’t happen.

Grit, 360 S. Eagle Road, has permanently closed.

“Thank you to all of you for supporting us through our change of ownership,” a handwritten sign on the door says. “Watch for our new Greek-inspired adventure coming soon.”

No other information — including a name for the planned Greek eatery — was immediately available.

However, the Grit that shuttered was not the same Grit originally launched.

Including it in a year-end roundup of “The top new Valley restaurants of 2015,” an Idaho Statesman food critic applauded Grit’s all-day menu of “America’s regional cuisines, ranging from New York City to Nashville to the French Quarter of New Orleans.”

“Rounding up all these cuisines on one menu may seem like a tall order,” the Statesman wrote in a review, “but that’s exactly what Grit American Cuisine (next to Albertsons at the corner of Eagle Road and State Street) does with its clever American fusion menu.”

That culinary journey took a detour in 2021. Grit recently changed ownership, according to Yelp reviewers, and pivoted to a more traditional burger-sandwich-pizza philosophy. The old Grit menu still exists online at gritcuisine.com, while a newer one lives at offthegrit360.com.

Yelpers expressed mixed feelings about the retooled menu. While some reviews called Grit a “little gem” and “our new favorite burger place,” others were significantly less enthused — even “disappointed.”

Either way, the restaurant’s voice mail sounds optimistic about future plans. “Keep an eye out for our fresh new Greek-inspired dining experience coming your way very soon,” it says.

For the Grit faithful, it’s worth noting that Caldwell Grit continues to operate in Canyon County. It serves “regional American cuisine” at 212 S. Kimball Ave. Check out the menu at grit2c.com.

This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 3:17 PM.