Restaurant News

A new restaurant and ‘gathering place' is coming to this booming Boise neighborhood

A new bakery and cafe is being built in Southeast Boise — and it’s a brand that Idahoans know well.

Great Harvest Bread Co. will be the anchor tenant at a new building at 3206 E. Barber Valley Drive. The 6,125-square-foot structure is slated to have four commercial spaces, according to documents filed with the city.

It’s now officially under construction, project manager Christian Bachik of Boise-based BRS Architects said in a message, adding that “we may be on pace to open at the end of this year, if not first thing 2027.”

A full-service fitness center also is slated for the building, according to the documents. The name of the gym was not immediately available.

Great Harvest is a franchise chain founded in Great Falls, Montana, in 1976. It specializes in freshly baked bread but also has a restaurant component. The Barber Valley location will be Great Harvest’s fourth in the Treasure Valley. Great Harvest’s marketing coordinator did not respond to messages.

“A trusted and community-oriented national brand with strong local appeal, Great Harvest Bakery will occupy a prominent suite within the building,” the project description says. “The bakery will offer hand-crafted, whole grain breads, sandwiches, soups, and other baked goods in a warm, inviting café setting with dine-in and takeout options. This location will serve as a neighborhood gathering place, appealing to both residents and professionals in the area.”

The development “represents an exciting addition to the rapidly growing Barber Valley area of Boise,” the description says. “This thoughtfully designed, multi-use commercial building will deliver a blend of high-quality retail, service, and wellness spaces, contributing to the vibrancy and convenience of this unique community.”

Sandwiches and soups are served at the Great Harvest location in Boise.
Sandwiches and soups are served at the Great Harvest location in Boise. @greatharvestboise/Instagram

Based on Great Harvest’s nods to health-oriented cuisine, it seems likely that gym members at the new Southeast Boise building also will visit the cafe to fuel up.

“If you like tasty real food made by real people, with ingredients you recognize, you will love eating at Great Harvest,” the chain’s website says. “With hot and cold sandwiches in tempting flavor combinations, fresh salads, and grain bowls, we’re out to prove mealtime can be delicious and healthy.”

Michael Deeds
Idaho Statesman
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. 
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