18 Best Italian Restaurants in Boise

“Had trouble with this section. Would have raved more.“

“Dine in | $30–50 We hadn’t been to Vincenzo’s in several years and decided to give it another try last night. With the new ownership, the level of hospitality has truly stepped up. We ran about 10 minutes late for our reservation, and when I called, they assured me it was no problem — even though there were people waiting for tables when we arrived. I really appreciated that they still honored our reservation and welcomed us warmly. Our server was attentive, checking in often to make sure everything was just right. The owner, Colton, was engaged with guests, serving, chatting, offering suggestions, and making everyone feel at home. Chef Heidi’s dishes were outstanding. My friend ordered the meatballs (something I usually avoid), but they were absolutely delicious. We also had the fritto misto, zucchini fritters, fettuccine and veal, all fantastic dishes. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate — perfect for a date night. Between the warm hospitality, excellent food, and inviting setting, Vincenzo’s has become a spot we will happily return to.“

“Had a fabulous dinner starting with the calamari and a charcuterie board. Our main dishes included the cacciuco (seafood stew), tagliatelle with bolognese and tortioli pasta with hazelnut pesto, carmelized pearl onions and local roasted assorted mushrooms. For dessert we shared the chocolate tiramisu. Everything was outstanding and the service was excellent. Definitely would recommend!“

“A happy burble greeted me in this haven of comfort pasta on a chilly Boise evening. Thank you Shawn w Uber for sharing your favorite spot! Nonna’s papperdelle paired with Placido chianti shook off my chill. I am SO grateful to Tim at the bar for navigating the many tempting menu choices. Come visit and share the pasta love!“

“This was a really good spot. If you want some quality Italian with a little bit of it's own flair, this is a good choice. This is part of the restaurant group that has all the Coa brands, but it is one of only two I hadn't yet visited. As much as I love Coa del Mar, I wasn't surprised to enjoy this as much as I did.

I had two cocktails All' Aperto and the La Colomba. Both were outstanding, light, refreshing, and complex but didn't feel like they were trying too hard.

Ceasar salad is likely same recipe as other Coa offering, so it was predictably great.

Then there is the carbonara, I didn't add a protein as I wasn't feeling like I could probably even finish it to begin with (I couldn't). When the description mentions egg in the ingredients I was optimistic it would be legit and it was. One thing of note was the pancetta had a really good above average aged flavor when I tried a bigger piece on it's own. Perhaps my favorite aspect of this is that it was creamy and rich but not too heavy or greasy as some carbonara's I have had. Since it is one of my more favorite pasta dishes I have tried it at a lot of places.

The atmosphere is notably more relaxes than say Barbacoa, and more of a nicer cafe feel. Cole, my server was extremely polite, attentive, and has useful notes on the menu.

One final note, pricing was on the more affordable side in my opinion for a quality italian spot and the happy hour is 50% off of cocktails including those I mentioned. Making this a spot I am likely to come back to more frequently as it doesn't break the bank but is still elevated.

UPDATE: Second visit was also awesome, great service and don't sleep on the vodka penne the sauce is delightful and actually has the notes it should (unlike to many that it barely distinguishable from plain marinara)“

“Outstanding pizza and great service! We will certainly be returning.“

“Came to this location today after having a bad experience at the Meridian location yesterday. Service here was way better (Meridian location didn't even acknowledge us and had us sit at the table for 20 minutes with no service before we left). Not only was the service better, it was way better. Food was great too.“

“Visited for the first time today and loved their pizza. Waitresses were so attentive and service was stellar. Such great vibes! Will be back for lasagna night!“

“Home made ravioli’s were awesome! Tiramisu was huge!“

“Excellent pizza and family owned service I highly recommend this restaurant“

“I was craving an eat coast style Stromboli and man I love the way they make them here. 😎👍🏼great team there too.“

“We order from these guys A lot. Best pizza in town by far! highly recommend!“

“Had a fantastic dinner at Rustica in downtown Boise. The arancini were great, but the ravioli was the standout. Probably the best ravioli I’ve had. It wasn’t exactly traditional, but it was incredible, and the crispy kale on top was a great touch.
My wife had the baked pasta blanco, which was like an elevated baked mac and cheese. The texture was perfect. We were disappointed they had run out of tiramisu, but the olive oil cake ended up being one of the best desserts I’ve had in Boise. The lemon and honey from the pollen were fantastic, and I don’t even like desserts!

A special shoutout to our server, Jenna, who really made the experience. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and wines, took the time to explain everything in detail, and gave us excellent wine pairing recommendations. What stood out most was how genuinely enthusiastic she was about the food. Her recommendations felt personal rather than scripted. She even shared the history of the building, which was such a nice touch.

Our whole table loved the meal, and the service made the experience that much better. I usually don’t feel like eating out is worth the price, but this absolutely was. We’ll definitely be back, and hopefully we get Jenna again!“

“Best pizza in the Treasure Valley. How have I never eaten here before? We stopped in for dinner before a sporting event and I am so glad we did. The pizza was so, so good. Very much a true Italian pizza made by the owner who is from Italy. The Caprese salad was fresh and delicious. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. The small dining room had a charming atmosphere and pleasant vibe. Strong recommend. We will be back.“

“Great sandwiches. Some of the best I have ever had in Boise. Can’t recommend it enough!“

“My mom and I went here for lunch today and I had their gluten free Mediterranean pizza and side salad. The crust was delicious , thin and crispy. Our server Brooke told me she preferred it with the pesto sauce so I got it that way and I loved it !
Their house salad dressing is so good too.
Thank You! Brooke for the wonderful service and kind personality.“

“Delicious food and friendly service! On recommendation from Spencer, I tried the stromboli. Glad I did. 😁😋“

“Can’t remember the name of our server but my sister had her wedding rehearsal here last night and the waiter was phenomenal, my family is big and we can be a lot but this guy handled it like a pro! We felt very happy and taken care of even while they were understaffed. This guy went above and beyond to provide excellent service!
Thank you for being so great to my family before my sisters wedding! It truly meant a lot!!“