Do you love penne, spaghetti and macaroni? Will you do almost anything for a dinner made primarily with rich and creamy tomato sauces and cheeses?
Boise is your passport to amazing Italian food dining experiences that you’ll want to visit more than once. So, the next time you crave some real-deal pasta dishes that are made with authentic recipes and quality ingredients, here are some special places you should consider. Buon appetite!
Alavita
If you want to try a restaurant that is committed to local ingredients, this is the place.
Alavita uses foods from local Boise and Northwest farmers, ranchers, bakers and other producers so you’ll know every dish is fresh.
For starters, try the burrata with basil-infused sea salt, apricot-cherry mostarda, olive oil and local crostini. Other appetizers to consider are the calamari fritti, grilled artichoke hearts and meatballs.
Some of the pasta items you’ll find irresistible are the short rib gnudi, black ravioli, tagliatelle, pappardelle, Roman carbonara and the market risotto.
As for secondary dishes, Alavita makes the red wine braised short ribs with potato puree, spiced honey carrots, black truffle demi and carrot top gremolata. Other main entrées to choose from are the roasted half chicken, pan-seared Chilean sea bass, porterhouse steak for two and family meals to go.
The take and bake tagliatelle and meatballs is created with house-made pasta and the restaurant’s signature bolognese. It comes with two house salads, locally baked bread and vanilla budino with warm salted caramel for dessert.
Luciano’s
There’s a reason why it’s been voted as Boise’s best local Italian restaurant. Luciano’s is legendary for its crowd-pleasing entrees, which are made using authentic recipes from scratch and the freshest ingredients. That commitment to Italian food greatness is evident in every dish. And when you sit down, you’ll also feel the warmth and hospitality you’d come to expect.
One featured meal is the chicken marsala served with wild and domestic mushrooms and over Gorgonzola polenta. The three-cheese lasagna is generously filled with house-made lasagna and layered with ricotta, provolone, mozzarella and a rich sauce with beef and Italian sausage.
Pasta dishes are served with garlic bread and house or Caesar salad. Some of the pasta dishes include pasta Athena, chicken scaloppini, spaghetti and various penne dishes made with cheeses and chicken.
The specialty pizzas are put together with red or white sauces and various classic toppings.
Asiago’s
Asiago’s prides itself for its fresh approach to Italian cuisine. It creates traditional foods everyone knows and also throws in a twist to create something new from scratch.
Asiago’s has been at it for more than 20 years, delivering traditional and exciting new dishes with its consistent imaginative knack. Foods are approachable and always delicious. The menu is filled with intriguing and familiar dishes that are made with homemade pasta that’s prepared with semolina flour in-house each day.
The gnocchi alla vodka combines house-made pasta with super creamy tomato-vodka sauce. As a finishing touch, the dish is topped with fresh herbs, aged asiago and just a pinch of red chile. The chicken asiago is herb brined and tossed in an asiago-lemon crust for the perfect crispy finish.
Some of the other pasta dishes that will grab your attention are the Toscana ragu, lasagne Bolognese, cinque formaggi (creamy blend sauce), cacio e pepper, fettuccine alla salmon, genoa, carbonara asiago and many more. There’s also a specialty menu with the bistro filet, a house-smoked dry rub Kobe beef dish with roasted garlic-sun dried tomato with red wine reduction, ginger-sage sweet potato and vegetables.
Cucina Di Paolo
Cucina Di Paolo is reaching back to its roots and focusing on some flagship products: lasagnas, pies, freshly cut salads and baguettes to take home.
Beyond these incredible staples, there’s a whole lot more to the menu that you’ll love, including dessert.
The lasagnas are made with the restaurant’s own tomato sauce using a slow-roast method that takes hours to complete. Everything is made in small batches to ensure freshness and great taste.
Lasagna types include traditional with ground beef and Italian sausage, Italian sausage with mushroom, chicken and spinach, vegetarian with spinach, mushrooms and squash and veggie cheese.
The fresh-cut salads are made with romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots, olives, red onion and parmesan.
The many places to eat in Boise are just one of a variety reasons people like to call the area home. If you are interested in Boise real estate, contact us today!