No more pizza, beer, wagging tails: Iconic Boise restaurant closes in Hyde Park

When the words “FOR LEASE!” suddenly appeared on the sign outside Sun Ray Cafe in Boise on Thursday, owner Dave Martin was ready for the repercussions.

“I put that up this morning,” he said, “and I knew I would get a big response from people. Everybody that walks by, they’re like, ‘What’s the deal? What’s the deal?’ Everybody wants to know. It is newsworthy.”

Since 2007, cyclists, Hyde Park shoppers, neighborhood residents and their tail-wagging pals have dropped by Sun Ray to relax on the patio, feast on pizza and drink beer. But the iconic North End eatery’s history goes back for decades. Martin’s mom purchased the site in 1980, then started a similar restaurant called Lucky 13 with aid from a partner. (Under different ownership, Lucky 13 relocated to Harris Ranch when Sun Ray Cafe took over.)

But on Sunday, Martin officially closed Sun Ray Cafe, 1602 N. 13th St.

“I’m tired,” he said. “Just worn out. I can’t do it any longer.

“It’s time to go hunting and skiing and fishing. I’m turning 62 next week. I’m signed up for Social Security. I’d like to get one check out of them before I go — or before they cancel Social Security altogether.”

The good news? Prospective takers are lining up. Martin says he expects a new restaurant to open in the space next spring. “I’m in negotiations with about three different parties that want to take the place,” he said. “It’s not concrete, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be signed by the first of the week.”

“If some rich guy from California walked in with a checkbook, he could probably lease it today,” Martin quipped.

The chances of the business remaining Sun Ray Cafe appear to be slim.

But, as Martin points out, “the patio is what this place is all about. We got the good sun.”

So expect any future restaurant to keep exploiting those rays.

“One of the guys that wants to purchase is planning on a whole new concept, put it here in Hyde Park,” Martin said. “Whatever they want to do, whoever takes over. They’re going to give me some money down, and they’re going to pay me rent for years.”

This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 3:21 PM with the headline "No more pizza, beer, wagging tails: Iconic Boise restaurant closes in Hyde Park."