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In Boise, Idaho, potatoes aren't just a side dish. They're the star of an entire food trail, with participating restaurants, bakeries, breweries, and other local businesses finding creative ways to celebrate the state's most famous crop.
“Idaho is widely known for potatoes, and Boise’s chefs, brewers, and bakers are incredibly creative in how they use the state’s iconic vegetable,” says Carrie Hughes, executive director of Visit Boise. The organization launched the Boise Potato Trail in September 2023 to celebrate Idaho’s agricultural heritage and give visitors an easy way to discover the many ways they can indulge in potatoes while visiting the city.
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The Boise Idaho Potato Trail invites visitors to sample potato-inspired dishes around the city, from a cinnamon-sugar donut made with Idaho potatoes to fries, pizza, and even an ice cream dessert that looks like a baked potato. Visitors can follow the trail with the Boise Potato Trail Pass and check in at participating stops along the way.
With more than 20 stops to choose from, you don't have to visit every business to get a taste of the trail. “The trail is self-guided, so visitors can build their own route based on their taste buds,” Hughes says. Visit Boise recommends picking a neighborhood, exploring on foot, and enjoying a couple of stops at a time. With that in mind, here's how to plan a day around a handful of stops that take you from breakfast through dessert, with a few unexpected potato creations along the way.
Start your morning with an Idaho potato donut at Guru Donuts
A potato trail calls for an unconventional breakfast, and Guru Donuts delivers. The Boise donut shop serves a cinnamon-sugar donut made with Idaho potatoes, offering a sweet introduction to the day's potato-themed eats.
It's a fitting first stop before exploring the city's other takes on the humble potato. Grab a donut and coffee to start your morning, then save your appetite for the savory dishes ahead.
Make fries the main event at Boise Fry Company
At Boise Fry Company, fries aren't an afterthought. They're the main attraction. Diners can customize their order from start to finish, starting with a choice of red, russet, gold, sweet, or purple potatoes. Next, pick your cut: regular, homestyle, curly, shoestring, or po’ball fries. You can even choose your seasoning, from Cajun to garlic rosemary, and pair your fries with a dipping sauce like garlic aioli or blueberry ketchup. For something a little different, the menu also features specialty fries, including seasonal options like poutine.
With so many combinations to try, it's a chance to see just how many ways the classic French fry can be served beyond the standard fast-food fry.
Try potato pizza at Pie Hole
Potatoes and pizza might not be the first combination that comes to mind, but Pie Hole puts the Idaho staple on one of America's favorite comfort foods. Its potato bacon pizza features Alfredo sauce, roasted potatoes, and bacon for a hearty, savory combination that's an unexpected but delicious twist on a classic slice.
Order a tableside baked potato for two at Hemlock
For a more substantial potato experience, head to Hemlock, where the tableside baked potato for two turns a familiar comfort food into a meal worth lingering over.
The presentation makes this stop feel different from the earlier grab-and-go bites. Instead of simply ordering another potato dish, visitors can make the baked potato part of the dining experience. A server brings out a cart with your giant spud, and visitors can choose toppings ranging from different butters and cheeses to proteins and more.
Save room for the Idaho ice cream potato at Westside Drive-In
The final stop is perhaps the most unexpected. At Westside Drive-In, the famous Idaho Ice Cream Potato looks like a baked potato but is actually a dessert.
The creation puts a playful spin on Idaho's most recognizable food, making it an appropriate finale for a trail that encourages visitors to think beyond ordinary potato dishes. After a day of sampling fries, pizza, and baked potatoes, you can end on a sweet note with a dish that fits right into a potato-themed itinerary.
The ice cream is shaped like a potato, coated in cocoa powder to resemble potato skin, and loaded with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and chocolate syrup.
It also reminds you that the trail isn't just about eating potatoes in their traditional forms. It's about seeing how local businesses reinterpret an ingredient so closely associated with Idaho.
Other notable stops along the Boise Potato Trail
If you have extra time or want to spread the trail over a couple of days, consider these two additional stops.
Try Peanut Butter Mashed Potatoes at The Brickyard
The Brickyard gives mashed potatoes an unexpected twist by pairing Yukon Gold potatoes with peanut butter, roasted red peppers, and chipotle. The combination brings together creamy potatoes, nutty flavor, and a smoky kick, making this a particularly memorable dish for adventurous eaters.
Sample Idaho potato ale at Bear Island Brewing
Potatoes aren't limited to the plate. At Bear Island Brewing, visitors can find the Idaho Potato Ale, an IPA-style beer.
Where to stay: Boise’s Potato-Themed Hotel Room
After a day eating your way through Boise’s Potato Trail, keep the theme going at the Inn at 500 Capitol, a downtown boutique hotel. The hotel even has a potato-themed room, complete with artwork of Marilyn Monroe wearing a burlap Idaho potato sack and a large abstract painting of fries. Many of the hotel's other rooms also feature locally inspired themes, making it a fun home base for exploring the city. The hotel also features Hemlock, one of the trail's stops, where you can order the tableside baked potato for two.
With potato-themed accommodations, tableside spud service, and complimentary cruiser bikes for exploring downtown, the Inn at 500 Capitol is the perfect home base for a Boise Potato Trail getaway.