Restaurant Shake-Up: What’s Opening, What’s Closing This Week

If January's any indication, 2018 is going to be a very interesting year for dining in the Treasure Valley! 

Take this week for example.  We've been looking forward to the grand opening of a new place to cool down with a smoothie or place to warm-up with a just spicy enough taco, but we never saw the end coming for some of these other Treasure Valley staples. Here's your guide to what's opening and closing this week.

Opening: Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Coming to the Clearwater Building on the Grove Plaza, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has already won me over! Not only does this franchise restaurant have a huge menu of amazing smoothies, they also serve up just what you need for lunch: bowls, wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads and breakfast choices.  They celebrate their grand opening on Tuesday, January 23 at 7 a.m.  The first 77 people in line receive free smoothies for a year! If you don't want to wake up early, there's some chances to win that prize late in the day.  For those details click HERE. They stopped by the station on Monday with some samples and I LOVED the Peanut Paradise smoothie and Chicken Pesto flatbread.  If you haven't made it to their Overland location, check out the Downtown one during the grand opening.

Opening: Longhorn Steakhouse

I remember having some of the best chicken tenders in the world at Longhorn when I was younger. (Yes, I know they're a steakhouse but when I was a kid, chicken fingers were the only meal I'd eat.) Opening where the old Chili's used to be on Franklin Road, you can eat at this Darden restaurant staring Tuesday, January 23 at 3 p.m.  The Darden family of restaurants also includes Olive Garden and Yard House.

Opening: Calle 75 Street Tacos

Can you believe that I never tried a true street taco until the Calle 75 at The Village at Meridian? Street tacos were love at first bite and Calle 75's still one of my favorite places to chow down on them! That's why I was so excited when I saw their second location under construction on 11th Street when I went to buy my wedding dress just down the street.  They'll open that downtown location at 110 N. 11th on Friday, January 26. Because it has a bigger kitchen, you can expect more menu options as well as beer, wine and Mexican inspired cocktails.

Closing: Bluebird Cafe

A popular lunchtime, sandwich destination in Downtown Boise, the Bluebird Cafe flies away this week. If you love their rueben or over the top grilled cheese sandwiches, don't be too sad.  There's a chance that they may make the menu at the owner's new venture, Petite 4, coming to N Latah on the Bench later this year.  Bluebird's last day is Friday, January 26.

Closing: Marie Callender's Restaurant & Bakery

The Fairview restaurant has long been the place to go to grab a killer holiday pie, but according to BoiseDev, you'll have to find a new place to grab pie for the holidays in 2018. After losing it's lease, the only Idaho Marie Callender's will close for good at the conclusion of dinner hours on Friday, January 26.

Closed: Burger Time

BoiseDev hasn't been able to track down Burger Time's owner to confirm future plans for the drive-in on Orchard St., but signs of life vanished from Burger Time last week.  That's all we know!

On the Bubble: The Piper Pub & Grill

There's been quite a few shake ups in the Capitol Terrace building in the last couple of months. The Heirloom Dance Studio, Jamba Juice and nail salon all called it quits. Robert Comstock has already relocated from the Village into the former dance studio's space and Donut Daze will open in the nail salon space soon.  Is another one of the building's tenants on the way out? According to BoiseDev, the Piper Pub space is listed for lease by the Capitol Terrace's owners and negotiations with the family who runs Piper Pub are not going well. They are looking to relocate if the lease falls through and they find the right spot.