Idaho has a lot of great qualities that make it a fantastic place to live. Beautiful areas for outdoor recreation, long summer nights, safety and relatively short commute times usually top the list, but there’s one thing about Idaho that constantly gets overlooked. 

It’s something that you may not even realize until you leave the state for vacation. When it comes to Idaho’s culinary scene, we seem to have considerably less chain restaurants than other parts of the region. We think that’s pretty special and it’s the reason that restaurants and cities across the state are starting to get the attention of some big time foodies! 

READ MORE: 15 Incredible Idaho Restaurants That Were on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Food & Wine included Idaho’s capital city on a list called “These Are America’s Next Great Food Cities” and paid us a big compliment. They said “This new culinary capital can hold its own against northwest food hubs like Seattle and Portland.” 

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Conde Naste Traveler put together a list of “7 Small Towns in the U.S. That are Secret Food Destinations.” Ketchum landed itself on that list. 

The state’s culinary scene also landed it on several foodie television shows! Between Man v. Food’s two hosts, the show went to six different Idaho restaurants. There was an almost 15 year gap between Guy Fieri’s first Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives trip to Idaho, but he came back in 2023 and has now put almost 15 of our restaurants in the spotlight! 

Celebrities Love Idaho’s Food Scene

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The secret’s out about Idaho’s food scene and what we think is pretty cool is the fact that when celebrities are in the Gem State for an appearance or leisure, they’re often showing up at locally owned restaurants! If you want to dine like the stars, here are nine Idaho restaurants that get a thumbs up from A-Listers! 

9 Tremendous Idaho Restaurants That Hollywood Celebs Love

When it comes to choosing where to eat in Idaho, there are dozens of guides on the internet. This one comes with a seal of approval from some very, very big stars!

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

KEEP READING: 15 Incredible Idaho Restaurants That Appeared on Popular Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

There was an almost 15-year gap between Guy Fieri's visits to the Gem State, but when he visited in 2023, he wasted no time trying some of the best cuisines our little neck of the woods has to offer! Here are the restaurants, past and present, that Fieri visited while in Idaho.

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

7 Five Star Boise Area Restaurants That No One is Talking About

These seven restaurants have perfect 5-star reviews on Yelp, but yet very few people actually know about them!

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

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