Finding a place to eat that also serves great drinks can be a hit-and-miss exercise, especially if you love wine.
The annual Wine Spectator Restaurant Award is therefore required reading if the goal is to dine at a great restaurant and drink amazing wine.
In 2019, 10 Idaho restaurants, including six right here in Boise, made the authoritative list. This year, 11 restaurants made the list, including Basque bar and Txikiteo, a newbie to the restaurant scene.
The list includes more than 3,700 food and drink destinations from all 50 states and 78 countries.
The tiered awards include Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award.
Here’s a quick list of Boise’s honorees.
Award of Excellence
Capitol Cellars, on 110 S. Fifth St. in Boise, opened in 2015 with a goal of serving high-quality, local food with a world-class wine list.
Fork, on 199 N. Eighth St. in Boise, makes a “loyal to local” pledge and sources many of its key ingredients from local Boise farmers, ranchers, bakers, cheese makers and other food leaders.
Richard’s, on 500 S. Capitol Blvd. in Boise, puts a focus on comfort food that’s made with care and great attention to detail.
Txikiteo, on 175 N. 14th St. in Boise, is known for great tapas and an exquisite wine program that includes traditional wines from Spain, France and Italy.
Bella Aquila, on 775 S. Rivershore Lane in Eagle, invites guests to enjoy a unique dining experience as they take in the views of the Boise River Greenbelt.
Best of Award of Excellence
Chandlers Steakhouse, on 981 W. Grove St. in Boise, serves up delectable steaks and seafood. This upscale dinner house specializes in corn-fed steaks and Kobe-style beef.
Check out the 2020 list on the Wine Spectator website.