Coffee is an important thing, to so many people (including myself). When visiting or moving to a new city, finding your favorite coffee shop should be a priority. Coffee in Boise has grown over the year, and there are plenty of coffee shops around the city. Here are our tips for finding the best coffee in Boise.
Click the links below to skip to any of the following sections:
Big City
Java
Flying M
Mocha Moose
The District
Alia’s
Moxie Java
Dawson Taylor
Caffe D’arte
Form & Function
Thomas Hammer
Slow by Slow
Hyde Perk
Neckar Coffee
Big City Coffee & Cafe
When Big City Coffee opened in downtown Boise, it quickly became a favorite of locals and visitors alike. Big City Coffee has great coffee, offers bottomless cups of black coffee, and makes some of the best fresh-made pastries in town. They also have kitschy interior decorations and a friendly staff.
The only downside of Big City is it is usually packed, and it’s pretty hard to find a place to sit. However, they are a downtown coffee shop with a parking lot, so that negates their lack of space. If you are looking for a place to plant yourself with your computer to work, Big City may not be it.
Big City Coffee & Cafe Boise location:
1416 W Grove St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Big City Coffee & Cafe Website
Java Coffee
Java has two locations in Boise, one downtown and one in Hyde Park. The downtown Java Coffee location is one of the best places to work downtown or hold a meeting, because there are usually open tables during any time of the day.
They also have a pretty vibrant menu, full of healthy options like eggs, avocado toast, salads, and sandwiches. Java also has a great staff, although all of the coffee shops on this list do.
Java Coffee Downtown Boise location:
223 N 6th Suite 110
Boise, Idaho 83702
Java Coffee Boise Hyde Park location:
1612 N 13th St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Flying M Coffeehouse
Flying M is often compared to Java, but that is likely because it is only a block away. The coffee shop is a favorite among locals, and it’s pretty obvious by how busy it is every day. The coffee at Flying M is great, and they offer a great environment.
However, Flying M is also not the best place to get work done because you can very rarely find a place to sit. If you do, it’s still going to be pretty loud all day.
Flying M has light pastries but they do not have a full kitchen. They also have locations in Nampa and Caldwell.
Flying M Coffeehouse Downtown Boise Location:
500 W Idaho St #100
Boise, Idaho 83702
Mocha Moose
Mocha Moose is one of the newest coffee shops in Boise — although their coffee has been around for a few years. Until summer of 2019, the coffee shop was actually located in a coffee hut only a block from their current location.
Their coffee is amazing, and it is a great place to work because it hasn’t been discovered by many locals yet. Their seating layout is a little awkward, but since they are so new, I am confident they will figure it out.
Overall, Mocha Moose is a great option for a cup of coffee or for a day of working.
Mocha Moose Boise location:
2596 N Bogus Basin Rd
Boise, Idaho 83702
The District Coffee
The District Coffee is another great addition to downtown Boise. It has plenty of space so you are likely going to get a seat any time you are there. It is in a great location too. Even though it is one of the many coffee shops in downtown Boise, it is a little further west and therefore it is slightly easier to find parking around the area.
The District is on a corner, so there are windows with sunlight coming in from two different sides of the building, which make it a nice bright way to spend a day.
The District Coffee Boise location:
219 N 10th St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Alia’s Coffee Shop
Alia’s is different than so many other coffee shops in Boise. It has a good atmosphere, like most of the coffee shops on this list, but it is also connected to a bookstore. Although you can spend the entire day at most of these coffee shops, Alia’s seems to encourage it.
Grab a book, grab some coffee, and just spend the day.
The downside of Alia’s is it is right in the middle of downtown — so if you are walking, great! But if you want to park nearby, it becomes more tricky. You can pay for a garage or meter, but if you’re spending the day, that can get spendy.
Alia’s Coffee Boise location:
908 W Main St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Moxie Java
Moxie Java is one of the largest coffee companies in Boise. They have fewer locations than they used to, but still have a large coffee shop at the same property as their headquarters. This coffee shop is great for a few reasons — it has tables and couches, their food is substantial enough for a full meal (and delicious), and their coffee is some of the best coffee in Boise.
Moxie Java is located off Chinden Boulevard, technically in Garden City. And although there are other coffee shops nearby, most of them are drive thru only — there are not many where you can go in and sit down.
Moxie Java Bistro Boise location:
4990 W Chinden Blvd
Garden City, Idaho 83714
Dawson Taylor
Dawson Taylor is another one of the older coffee brands in Boise. Started in 1995, Dawson Taylor Coffee prides themselves in being more of a coffee roaster than coffee shop. They have a downtown location, within the 8th Street Alley, but they also have a roastery (and world headquarters) as well where you can take a tour and see how the coffee is made.
Their downtown location invites large crowds, and it’s also a great place for people watching.
Dawson Taylor Boise location:
219 N 8th St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Caffe D’arte
Caffe Capri is nothing special — they are in the old space of local coffee chain Tully’s, and located in a great location. But they are reliable. Think of any popular coffee chain, and that is what you will get with Caffe Capri. It could be changed out for a Starbucks and not miss a beat.
That being said, Caffe Capri in Boise has great coffee, a hospitable staff, and their outdoor deck offers amazing people watching.
Caffe D’arte Boise location:
794 W Broad St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Form & Function
Form & Function is one of the newest additions to the Boise coffee scene. They are located near downtown and near BoDo, next to Boise Brewing. Form & Function’s coffee is great, and they have plenty of space for meetings or just to spend the day. Their downstairs layout is a little awkward, but they have plenty of tables upstairs if that bothers you.
One of the best parts about Form & Function’s location is the bright open windows across the entire front of the building. If you are looking for sun, Form & Function Coffee in Boise may be your best option.
Form & Function Boise location:
511 W Broad St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Thomas Hammer
Thomas Hammer has quickly become one of my favorite coffee shops in Boise. Their coffee is great, their staff is friendly, and they are right in the middle of downtown Boise. They are never too busy to not find a place to sit, and it has some of the best eavesdropping in town (they are only a few blocks from the Idaho State Capitol building).
Like many of the other coffee shops on this list, the location is great if you are walking, but it’s not as easy to find parking near Thomas Hammer because are located in the center of downtown Boise.
Thomas Hammer Boise location:
298 N 8th St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Slow by Slow
Slow by Slow is probably the most “hipster” of all the coffee shops in Boise, and that is saying something. They are the type of coffee shop with unique drinks (and unique names for those drinks) and a design on the top of your coffee most of the time. The coffee shop itself was built into an old building in BoDo, and is really unique and cool. Visiting their space is enough reason to go to Slow by Slow Coffee in Boise, because it’s beautifully built.
The coffee is good and the staff is friendly. The only potential downside is that it does tend to be slightly dark within the coffee shop. But if you like to work in a darker environment, then it could be perfect for you.
Slow by Slow Boise location:
403 S 8th St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Hyde Perk
Hyde Park Coffee is one of the coffee shops located in Hyde Park. The location is great if you are looking for plenty of free parking (depending on the day and time of day, of course). The downside of this is every time I have been to Hyde Perk, it has been completely packed, with nowhere, or almost nowhere, to sit.
They do have a lot of seating though, with dozens of tables and a bar. But it is pretty popular. Their coffee is great and the atmosphere is even better.
Hyde Perk Boise location:
1507 N 13th St
Boise, Idaho 83702
Neckar Coffee
Neckar Coffee is one of the newest coffee shops in Boise. The location is perfect, the interior is beautiful, and it’s the hangout for all the hipsters in Boise.
Located near many of the downtown bars and the Owyhee Plaza, this Boise coffee shop was remodeled beautifully. If you are looking to spend a day with your computer, Neckar Coffee is a great one.
The downside? The counter barstools have no backs — so you better hope there is room for you to grab a table or you may be uncomfortable all day.
Neckar Coffee Boise location:
117 S 10th Street
Boise, ID 83702
Thanks for the great review on Moxie Java. My husband and I purchased the business in September 2018 and have been working hard on getting the name back out there.
We appreciate you! Julie Stewart
p.s., we are Wyoming transplants too!
You are welcome! Moxie Java is great coffee and such a great locally-owned business.
Thank you for doing what you do!
This needs to be updated now that Push and Pour has officially opened in Boise on Latah.