Want a cheap but tasty night out? Here are 20 Boise restaurants with meals for $10 or less

Eating out has slowly become more expensive than how much it costs to eat at home over the past decade, but it’s begun to even out again in 2022.

The impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put pressure on grocery store prices, while other factors such as African Swine Fever in China and Avian Influenza in the United States have driven up meat prices and have turned eating out into a more attractive option for many people.

And yet, eating out doesn’t have to be expensive. The Idaho Statesman has compiled a list of delicious meals around Boise for less than $10, including pizza, Basque, Mexican, American and breakfast food.

American

Boise Fry Company | 204 N. Capitol Blvd., 3083 S. Brown Way, 6944 W. State St.

Are you truly in Idaho if you don’t go to a restaurant that advertises fries as the main meal and burger as the side? Boise Fry Company is exactly that, letting you choose from six types of potatoes, five styles of fries and three types of salt garnishes.

Small fries - $3.45

Large fries - $5.25

Bourgeois fries - ($6) small, ($9) large - Homestyle russet fries, fried in duck fat and garnished with Italian truffle salt

Beef burger - $6.35

Bison burger - $8.70

Quinoa salad - $3.25

KIN | 999 W. Main St. Suite P101

KIN is known for its craft cocktails and tasting menu, as well as a monthly rotation of food and beverage pairings, but the downtown restaurant also has a couple of cheaper options that’ll please your taste buds and your wallet.

Grilled zuke salad - ($7) Grilled zucchini, quinoa, picked smoked blueberry and basil-pepita pesto

Buttermilk panna cotta - ($8) Nasturtium, strawberry, pepita and Tajín

House potato chips - $4

Double Tap Pub | 409 S. 8th St.

Double Tap is a cozy American pub tucked away in the center of the Foster Building at 8th and Broad Streets. Doubling up as a soccer bar, Double Tap gives you the option to create your own burgers, wraps and breakfast burritos and has 28 beers on tap.

Buffalo chicken wrap - $9

Pulled pork sandwich - $8

Fire bombs - ($7) Jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese filling and covered with a crispy batter

Salad and fries - $8

Big Jud’s | 1289 S. Protest Road

Big Jud’s is located close to Boise State’s campus , specializing in cheap yet tasty hamburgers and chicken sandwiches for nearby college students.

Bacon cheeseburger - ($7.99) single, ($9.99) double

Jalapeno burger - ($7.99) single, ($9.99) double - Jalapenos, sour cream, onion, tomato, lettuce and pepperjack cheese

Hot Buff chicken sandwich - ($7.99) single, ($9.99) double - Frank’s RedHot sauce, bacon, tomato, lettuce and pepper jack cheese

Mushroom chicken sandwich - ($7.99) single, ($9.99) double - mayo, tomato, lettuce, sauteed mushrooms and onion, and Swiss cheese

Fresh Off the Hook | 507 N. Milwaukee St.

A Boise staple since 1994 — previously known as Reed Foods — Fresh Off the Hook brings a Pacific Northwest seafood feel to the Treasure Valley with entreés like smoky Yukon-style Salmon, seafood fettuccine and halibut bruschetta along with its cheaper options.

Coconut shrimp - $8.99

Calamari Strips - ($5.99) small, ($9.99) large

New England clam chowder - $4.99 with oyster crackers, $7.99 in a bowl, $9.99 in a bread bowl

The Front Door | 105 S. 6th St.

Hidden underneath tropical island bar restaurant Reef, The Front Door is a hidden gem that offers pizza, wraps and a rotating selection of microbrews.

B.L.T - $8.95

Chicken Caesar wrap - $9.45

Personal 10-inch pizzas - ($7.95 - $8.95) A dozen different types of pizzas, featuring names such as The Boss, Enforcer and Bootlegger

Basque

Txikiteo | 175 N. 14th St.

Txikiteo enhances Boise’s rich Basque culture, bringing Basque-style breakfast, tapas and wines to the Treasure Valley in a cozy location despite being based outside the typical Basque Block neighborhood.

Crab stuffed piquillo pepper tapas - $4

Jamon Sandwich - ($9) Spanish Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, aioli and mostarda and a baguette

Chickpea Sandwich - ($9) Chickpea, cucumber, tomato, sprouts and black pepper on a baguette

Green salad - ($5) Radish, cucumber, greens and black pepper

Ansots | 560 W. Main St.

Ansots is one of many Basque restaurants in downtown Boise and specializes in chorizos, selling specialty meats for $8.50 per pound, but they also offer several in-house dishes.

Pan con tomate with Manchego cheese - ($7) Toasted baguette rubbed with garlic and fresh tomato. Add Jamon Serrano for $2 more

Mila’s chorizo and Manchego bread - ($5) Traditional chorizo and Manchego cheese stuffed inside Wiseguy’s pizza dough

Piquillo peppers with anchovy filets ($7.50) Piquillo peppers with Basque anchovies, olive oil and chives

Basque meatballs - ($10) Five lamb and chorizo meatballs in Española sauce

Bar Gernika | 202 S. Capitol Blvd.

Located right in the middle of the Basque Block, Bar Gernika has a patio that looks out onto the picturesque and often bustling block.

Solomo - ($10) Marinated pork loin with pimientos served on a French baguette

Chorizo - ($7.75) Basque sausage served on a French roll. Add grilled onions and pimientos for an extra dollar

Lamb kabob - $10

House burger - ($9.50) Beef burger served with lettuce, tomato, pickled onions and a pickle spear

The Basque Market | 608 W. Grove St.

Another option right in the middle of the Basque Block, The Basque Market is owned and run by Basque natives and is famous for serving paella out in front of the restaurant at noon on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Tortilla espeziala - ($7.99) Potato and egg omelet topped with cheese and crowned with a second, seasonal omelet

Patatas bravas - ($7.99) Spiced fried potatoes tossed in homemade salsa brava and topped with roasted garlic aioli

Jamon serrano and Manchego cheese - ($7.99) Dry-cured Spanish ham sliced with creamy Manchego cheese and Spanish olive oil

Chorizo with piquillo pepper cheese - ($8.99) Semi-cursed Basque chorizo with creamy piquillo pepper cheese spread

Mexican

Madre - Boutique Taqueria | 1034 S. La Pointe St.

Located right next to Boise State’s campus, Madre is the perfect spot for college students to grab cheap tacos going to and from class.

Idaho spud and chorizo taco - ($7) Served with mojo sauce and jalapeno pesto

Wild mushroom taco - ($6.50) Served with mojo sauce, smoked bacon, jalapeno and radish

Blackened salmon taco - ($7) Served with shave cabbage, hot sauce and cream sauce

Korean short rib taco - ($8) Served with kimchi, picked relish and peanut sauce

Andrade’s Restaurante Mexicano | 4620 W. Overland Road

Voted as runner-up in the Statesman’s taco bracket, Andrade’s is not only incredibly popular but also has incredibly cheap tacos. Many of Andrade’s most popular dishes drop below $10 during lunch hours from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tacos - ($2.95 each) There are 20 different flavors of tacos, including carne asada, barbacoa and lengua

Combo meal - ($7.50) Pick one of enchilada, taco, quesadilla, tostada, taquito, flauta or burrito and two of Mexican rice, whole or refried beans, Mexican potatoes or salad

Sopa de pollo - ($5 cup, $8 bowl) Chicken soup topped with tortilla strips, cotija and avocado

Asian

Pad Thai House | 10038 W. Overland Rd.

Pad Thai House is a Thai-themed restaurant that serves spiced-to-order noodles, curries and stir-fries. The restaurant’s lunch special from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. features many favorites that usually cost over $10 drop to $7.99

Deep-fried tofu - $8.95

Thai egg rolls - $8.95

Som tum salad - $8.95

Dharma Sushi & Thai | 122 N. 5th St.

Dharma Sushi & Thai is open late and offers sushi, Asian bowls, sandwiches, salads and vegan and gluten-free options.

Thai peanut rolls - ($9.50) Spicy salmon, tempura shrimp, cream cheese and avocado

Bangkok rolls - ($9.75) Tempura Shrimp, premium crab mixture, avocado, cucumber, mint and cilantro

Vegan swagger roll - ($8) Deep-fried tofu, avocado, carrots, cucumber and cilantro

Vegan mushroom miso soup - ($5) Shiitake mushroom broth with soft tofu, wakame seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, daikon radish, red miso paste and green onion

Pizza

Mod Pizza | 390 S. Capitol Blvd, 600 N. Milwaukee St.

Mod Pizza is the Subway of pizza — create your own pizza from a wide selection of sauces, meats and vegetables, or pick from one of over a dozen pre-designed pizzas.

Mini-sized pizza (6 inches) - $7.23

Mod-sized pizza (11 inches) - $9.23

Mini salad - $7.23

Mod salad - $9.23

Cheesy garlic bread - $6.53

Guido’s Original NY Style Pizzeria | 235 N. 5th St.

If you’re looking for authentic New York-style pizza despite being on the wrong side of the country, look no farther than Guido’s. Fashioned like an old-school NY diner with pizza-eating instructions plastered on the wall, it’s like stepping straight from Boise to the Bronx.

Pizza by the slice - ($3) Slices include basil, vegetarian, pepperoni or the special of the day

Stromboli - $10

Sausage roll - $9

Garlic bread ($3.50) half loaf, ($5) full loaf

Breakfast

Bacon Boise | 121 N. 9th St.

Not every food option at Bacon Boise includes bacon, but it comes close. Primarily a brunch location, BACON is only open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, so be sure to get there early for your daily intake of protein.

Turkey and bacon - ($10) Turkey, bacon, provolone, wild lettuce and tomato on focaccia bread with basil pesto mayo, fries and hush puppies.

Bacon LT - ($10) - Bacon, lettuce tomato on toasted sourdough with basil pesto mayo, red pepper aioli, fries and hush puppies

Bacon and brie panini - ($10) Bacon, Brie cheese, red onion and tomato on sourdough with basil pesto mayo, fries and hush puppies

Grill’d cheese - ($10) Feta cheese, white cheddar and chipotle fried onions on sourdough with bacon jam, fries and hush puppies

Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro | 108 S. Capitol Blvd.

Open until 2 p.m. daily, Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro has sat in the heart of downtown Boise since 1999. The small diner only seats 56 people and is immensely popular, so be sure to get there early or bring along your phone to reserve a table and take a walk around downtown while you wait.

Pancakes - $7.50

Sourdough french toast - $7.50

Biscuits and gravy - $5.50 single, $9.50 double

Malted waffle - $9.50

Even Stevens Sandwiches | 815 W. Bannock St.

Even Stevens serves breakfast all day, which is fortunate because all five breakfast options are arguably some of the best options on the menu.

Graduate burrito - ($9.75) Choice of bacon, ham, sausage or avocado, served with two eggs either scrambled or medium, cheddar, tots, house sauce, sriracha, tomatoes, onions and spinach

Undergraduate burrito - ($9.25) Choice of bacon, ham, sausage or avocado, served with two eggs scrambled or medium, cheddar, tots, house sauce and sriracha

The New Morrissey burrito - ($9.75) Soyrizo, tots, roasted red pepper and red onion mix, spinach and house vinaigrette

Stuffed french toast - ($9.25) Sweet cream cheese filling, strawberries, warm berry compote and powdered sugar

Breakfast sandwich - ($9.75) Choice of bacon, ham, sausage or avocado, served with two eggs scrambled or medium, house maple glaze and cheddar on a Hawaiian bun with a side of tots

African

Kibrom’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant | 3506 W. State St.

The owners of Kibrom’s moved to Boise from an Ethiopian refugee camp in 2013 and opened their restaurant in 2016. Their restaurant gives Boiseans the opportunity to eat authentic East African cuisine.

Salad beh denich - ($8.99) Lettuce, tomatoes and onion tossed with avocado and potatoes in a house-made vinegar dressing

Enqulal silsi - ($9.99) Scrambled eggs with berbere sauce

Veggie firfir - ($9.99) Strips of injera mixed with berbere sauce

Veggie soup - ($8.50) Vegan soup with potatoes, carrots, spinach and lentils