Restaurants are opening or being planned in Boise, Meridian. Here’s the latest

The past few weeks have seen multiple new restaurants debuting or being announced in Boise and the Treasure Valley, from a German deli that has opened downtown to a long-awaited Mexican chicken chain that’s coming to Meridian. Here’s a look at recent dining-scene stories published by the Idaho Statesman.

• Schnitzel Fritz, a German deli that’s an offshoot of Schnitzel Garten in Eagle, recently opened at 1023 W. Main St. in downtown Boise. It lowered sandwich prices and added free sides as part of a new lunch special after early customer feedback.
• Great Harvest Bread Co. will be the anchor tenant at a new 6,125-square-foot building at 3206 E. Barber Valley Drive in Southeast Boise, with the project manager saying it could open by the end of 2026 or early 2027. It will be the chain’s fourth Treasure Valley location.
• El Pollo Loco is expected to open its first Idaho store on Monday, June 29, at 3471 W. Chinden Blvd. in Meridian, with daily hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to general manager Rosie Mota. Founded in 1974, El Pollo Loco is known for chicken cooked over a low, open flame for nearly an hour.
• The Foundry, a new restaurant, is on its way to the 2,200-square-foot space at 1511 W. McMillan Road in Meridian that was vacated by Loose Screw Beer Co. last year. Plans call for new food service equipment, an exhaust hood and dishwashing equipment. Loose Screw said it closed its McMillan taproom not from lack of business, but because of how Idaho laws govern breweries and their taprooms.
• The Crowded Table is planned at 1220 W. Hays St. in Boise’s North End, converting a 1,516-square-foot former bungalow-style home into a neighborhood cafe at an estimated cost of $262,000. The project includes an outdoor dining patio.
• Amanda’s European Cafe, owned by Amanda and Mike Turner, opened May 9 at 217 S. Roosevelt St. on the Boise Bench with weekend-only hours, and sold out of food both opening days. The family, which was open on social media about how much it was learning on the go, hopes to secure a beer and wine license by mid- to late June and expand to evening hours.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.