Outdoor party zone, Boise? 4 new bars, restaurants open in tandem on Greenbelt soon
The Greenbelt along the south side of the Boise River will get a fresh shot of entertainment energy this spring and summer.
Two new restaurants, an outdoor plaza bar and a rooftop bar will open — all at The Boardwalk Apartment Homes, 521 E. 42nd St., located just east of Veterans Memorial Parkway in Garden City.
The towering complex is taking another swing at luring Idahoans to what it envisions as an outdoor-driven food-and-drink zone — with potential to draw return customers in the colder months, too. Generating consistent buzz at The Boardwalk should add adrenaline to the Waterfront District, a dynamic mixed-use community along the Boise River.
After two of The Boardwalk’s debut food concepts fizzled out in 2025, a restaurant ownership company with a proven resume was enlisted to exploit the area’s promise. Apex Brand Collection, operator of Spitfire Tacos + Tequila in Eagle and McCall, and Hemlock in downtown Boise, will manage The Boardwalk’s transformation.
“It’s a cool property,” Apex co-owner Scott Slater said. “It’s in an iconic portion of the Greenbelt.”
One sure-to-be popular policy change? The Boardwalk won’t charge for parking anymore unless it’s overnight, Slater said.
Four new concepts
All four of the new concepts will include full bars with liquor, in addition to beer and wine.
Launching first: Descanso on the Greenbelt, an outdoor walk-up bar just feet from the Greenbelt. It will kick things off formally May 22. Patrons will pull up a stool and enjoy a cocktail in the open air.
Next up? Spitfire Tacos + Tequila will celebrate its grand opening June 2, aka Taco Tuesday. With a menu of creative, “inauthentic” food, it will take over the former Bao Boi space and likely soft open in late May, Slater said.
Ground Rules, a sports bar and restaurant, will celebrate its grand opening June 10-13 in the former Neighbor Tim’s BBQ space — just in time to show the FIFA World Cup on its TV screens. Serving burgers, wings and other pub fare, it’s also slated to soft open in late May.
Finally, in July, Peregrine, a fifth-floor rooftop bar, will debut. It also will feature an event center on the fourth floor below it.
The four concepts join a handful of businesses already open at the Boardwalk: Laissez Faire Wine Co., Chicken in a Barrel and Negranti Creamery.
Live music, special events
To create momentum, special events are planned this spring and summer.
Live music will be featured on the plaza throughout Memorial Day Weekend. Then the Experience Garden City Festival will take place May 30 with 18 beer and wine vendors, food trucks, and live entertainment from a DJ and band. And a Greenbelt Night Market will debut June 5 before running weekly through Labor Day.
“We’re not just opening restaurants here, we’re building an ecosystem,” Slater said. “From the ground-level energy to the rooftop and event space, the goal is to create a place people can spend real time in, not just pass through.
“It’s all designed to connect, so you can move through the plaza, up to the rooftop, and experience it as one cohesive environment. That’s what makes people stay longer, come back, and ultimately transforms the district into a year-round destination.”
