WHERE TO FIND THE BEST DESSERT IN BOISE, IDAHO

Post Summary: A guide to the best dessert in Boise, Idaho

I’m a bonafide sugar addict. I admit it. I often have dreams about eating layers and layers of decadent pastry puffs filled with chocolate and gooey dough. Sigh. WHHHHY does it have to be so bad for you?

During our four-month stint in Boise, I scoped out every dessert shop, restaurant, and bakery looking for where I could get that sweet sugar fix. Boise did not disappoint. It’s a city known for its craft beer scene and extraordinary nature, but the local food scene is heating up and improving as Boise’s popularity continues to rise.

Here’s our round-up of what we sampled, what we loved, and where to find the best desserts in Boise. This is by no means an exhaustive list. While there are many big chain places that offer delectable treats, we focused on places that are unique to Boise, locally owned, and to the best of their ability, locally sourced.

PSST: In addition to dessert, I love a good craft beer. Read here to learn about 14 of the best breweries in Boise.

Where to Find The Best Dessert In Boise

1. Guru Donuts

two donuts from guru donuts in boise — Photo From Allie Smith

Hip donut shops are popping up all over the US. You’ll usually find an array of young hipsters hanging out there, talking about the coolest new indie band named something like “Lazy Rainbow” or “Sensitive Brian.” These donut shops will have donuts with a smorgasbord of flavors like cinnamon toast crunch- rhubarb-pineapple-coconut-laffy taffy with bacon. Sounds awesome (I guess) but so often they are utterly disappointing. All flash, no substance. Guru Donuts is not one of those places. Yes, you will be served by an uber-hip employee, but the donuts are AWESOME!!

Guru Donuts is a locally owned handmade donut shop that is a proud mainstay of the rising food scene in Boise. The donuts are made daily and they offer everything from gluten-free, dairy-free, to classic style donuts. Their most famous donut is the hipsterberry donut, a vegan donut topped with their signature blackberry, blueberry, and lavender glaze. My personal favorite is the Grasshopper, a chocolate cake donut dipped in a peppermint glaze topped with a chocolate crumb. If you’re in Boise, you need to go there. You need to go right now.

Tip: Get there early in the day to get the best selection.

Want to drive yourself crazy? Check out their menu here.

2. The STIL

Double ice cream cone — Photo from Mark Grafton

Craving some ice cream? The STIL is where it’s at. The STIL, an acronym for “the sweetest things in life” is a locally sourced and locally owned artisan ice cream shop. On any given night you’ll find a line out the door with everyone from families to the university students waiting to get in on what the fresh flavors are for that day like honey bourbon or blackberry with salted dark chocolate. But The STIL doesn’t stop at inventive ice cream flavors. What makes this place so awesome is its pairing of craft beer and ice cream. Yup, you read that right. The STIL is famous for selling flights of local craft beer and ice cream, a la carte. The flights are four 2-ounce servings of ice cream, each matched with a 5-ounce glass of beer. If you’re a beer lover and an ice cream lover, you’ve just found heaven on earth.

Find hours and directions here.

3. Certified Kitchen + Bakery

Brownies in bakery shop — Photo from NordWood Themes

Certified Kitchen + Bakery is the newest sister restaurant to the ever-popular pizza joint, The Wylder. Located in Hyde Park, Certified, is a counter service breakfast and lunch spot that offers a scrumptious selection of baked goods. Everything from their all-white interior to their top-notch service makes the place inviting and a great place to grab a coffee and pastries. When I have a chocolate chip cookie hankering, Certified is where I want to go. Other top picks are their butterscotch budino and the banana cream pie cups.

Find their hours and directions here.

4. Alavita

Alavita is a locally owned Italian inspired trattoria located in the center of Downtown Boise that should be on anyone’s list of where to eat in Boise. Just as good as their handmade pasta… their desserts. All their desserts are made in-house, including their vanilla budino topped with a salted caramel sauce and a toffee chocolate pretzel bark. If you’re having a chocolate fix, you have to try their chocolate olive cake that comes with black pepper marshmallows and salted caramel gelato.

Find their hours and directions here.

5. Janjou Patisserie

If you’re looking to have classic French desserts and pastries, there’s nowhere better to go than Janjou Patisserie. It’s one of the only places in Boise to be nominated for the highly prestigious James Beard award. It’s like getting an Oscar nomination for food. Does it live up to the hype? Yes! Owned and operated by a wife and husband team, Moshit (the artist-baker) gets to work at 4 am to create quintessential French pastries like lemon meringue, chocolate croissants, and palmiers. While it’s not a dessert, be sure to try out her amazing challah bread.

Find their hours and directions here.

Happy desserting! Do you have a favorite dessert spot in Boise? Tell us what you think is the best dessert in Boise in the comments below.

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