This local restaurant was ‘the place to eat’ in Boise. Now it’s closed

A familiar family-dining destination has shuttered after an eight-year run on a major Boise thoroughfare.

The locally owned Original Sunrise Cafe, 6767 W. Fairview Ave., recently closed.

The situation is permanent, according to a handwritten note in the window, which apologizes for the inconvenience and asks customers to frequent the Meridian location. A message to owner Boomer Godsill asking why the Boise restaurant closed was not returned.

Opened in 2017, the Sunrise Cafe on Fairview beckoned with a prominent outdoor sign calling it “The place to eat” and “Home of good food and friendly service.” Although breakfast food was the focus — with tempting omelettes such as the Spicy Idahoan — the Sunrise also offered comfort foods ranging from club and chicken sandwiches to burgers. The restaurant had an indoor capacity of 208 customers. Another 20 or so could be seated on a rear outdoor patio.

When the Fairview Sunrise Cafe opened, it was the fifth Treasure Valley location, with a sixth in the works. Now there’s just one left — at 805 N. Main St. in Meridian. Opened in 1988, it was the first Original Sunrise Cafe.

This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 11:56 AM.

Michael Deeds

Idaho Statesman

208-377-6407

Michael Deeds is a long-serving entertainment reporter and opinion columnist at the Idaho Statesman, where he chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. He started as a summer intern after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a news-editorial journalism degree. Deeds’ prior Statesman roles have included sportswriter, music critic and features editor. His other writing has ranged from freelancing album reviews for The Washington Post to bragging about Boise in that inflight magazine you left on the plane.