David Lynch famously told Time Magazine in 1990 that “[...] even a bad cup of coffee is better than no coffee at all.” And while we couldn’t agree more with his sentiment and with his love for the almighty-bean-water, we at Totally Boise figured that highlighting the good coffee spots around town might make for an article that’s a little bit more enticing. With all of the new developments happening in our city (and the almost-overwhelming growth of our city’s population), it can seem like a daunting task to venture out from your go-to café to discover something new. Luckily for you, we’re coffee-fiends and have gone ahead to try and help narrow it down.

So, without further ado - here’s our recommendations for eight local coffee shops that provide outstanding coffee with great atmosphere. For Boise. From Boise.

Slow by Slow Coffee Bar

403 S 8th St, Boise, ID 83702

Slow by Slow is a remarkable coffee bar. Their selection of beans are constantly in rotation and are hand-picked by the staff from their personal-favorite roasters from all around the country. They specialize in pour over coffees and their baristas are trained to learn how to bring out the most flavor possible using this technique. Not only do they offer superb coffee but they also get baked goods from not one but three local bakeries in town - Gaston’s Bakery, Sugar Whipped, and Amaru Confections. The quaint space, mid-century design and excellent choice of background music (played via an actual turntable and vinyl records, because why not!) make Slow by Slow a near-perfect coffee spot for downtown Boise.

Frog’s Fix Coffee Parlor

701 S Latah St, Boise, ID 83705

Frog’s Fix is the escapists coffee parlor. Tucked away in the Bench community on Latah St. between Cassia and Rose Hill, Frog’s Fix is an old-fashioned, picturesque and low-key coffee joint that offers unique drink specials and a rotating assortment of (locally-sourced) pastries, snacks and donuts. My favorite part of this wonderful little cafe is how quiet it is - whether you’re on the inside, possibly making small-talk with one of the baristas, or passing time on their dog-friendly patio; the atmosphere at Frog’s Fix Coffee Parlor feels solemn. There’s something special about sitting on a patio, drinking coffee, looking up at the surrounding trees and listening to the sounds of a creek flow nearby. And Frog’s Fix continually feels special every time we visit.

JanJou Pâtisserie

1754 W State St., Boise, ID 83702

You can’t talk about JanJou Patisserie without first acknowledging the brilliance of owner-and-founder Moshit Mizrachi-Gabbitas. Moshit graduated from Estella kitat Oman, a leading baking school in Israel, and completed her internship at Mazzarrine (a high-end French Pâtisserie in the Tel-Aviv area). She then went on to study under numerous renowned French pastry chefs. Having finally gathered all the skills and knowledge necessary, Moshit and her husband opened JanJou Patisserie. Let’s get one thing straight about the pastries at JanJou; they are remarkable both in taste and presentation. This is food as art. And the coffee? Delicious. The beans used at this shop are roasted weekly by Lizzy's Fresh Coffee in Ketchum. We can’t recommend this business enough.

Cup O’ Jo

12274 W Overland Rd., Boise, ID 83709

If you’ve driven down Overland Road, there is a good chance that you’ve seen this little coffee shack. Unfortunately, you were on Overland Road - So you were probably stuck in in traffic, stressed, and just trying to get home. The next time you find yourself near the intersection of Overland and Cloverdale, we suggest stopping by Cup O’ Jo. Reason being that the owner of this shack, Jo, is one of the nicest people you will surely ever meet. Always greeting her customers with a massive smile and occasionally working with one of her children, Cup O’ Jo is the antithesis of the ostentatious “hipster-cafes” that try to be too showy or exclusionary with their customer-base - it’s an unpretentious spot that is driven by someone who genuinely loves coffee and making connections with her customers. Oh, and she makes her own special drinks… And, yes, they’re delicious.

Dawson Taylor (Downtown)

219 N. 8th St., Boise, ID 83702

Dawson Taylor has been sourcing, buying, roasting and blending specialty coffees for over 15 years. While they do sell their beans in grocery stores all around the Treasure Valley area, we want to focus in on this specific location. Located directly in the heart of downtown Boise on 8th St., Dawson’s Downtown is a perfect spot to sit down and enjoy a delicious cup of hot coffee all while taking in the downtown scene and culture - Which is one of the main reasons why you’ll find so many writers hanging out at this spot: it offers the excellent coffee to get your creativity going and the ideal location to take in the hustle-and-bustle of passers-by for inspiration.

Flying M Coffee House

500 W Idaho St., Boise, ID, 83702

If you’ve spent a notable amount of time in downtown Boise, you’ve at least heard of Flying M. They’ve made a name for themselves and have become one of the most popular coffee spots in town, all while providing their own brand of roasted coffee beans - as well as pastries and desserts that are made in house. If you’re a college-student, Flying M offers plenty of room to sit down and get to work on your assignments. And this leads me to my next point about what makes Flying M so enjoyable to visit; you’re almost always going to run into a friend or classmate. If you have a little extra cash to spend, they also have a gift shop! Our personal recommendation: Get their cold brew on nitro. Trust us.

Guru Donuts

928 W Main St., Boise, ID 83702

Watching Guru Donuts grow into the established business that it is now was a wonderful thing. I remember when the only time I could get a Guru Donut was when I was stopping in to grab a coffee at The Crux (R.I.P - I’m still upset about that shop closing...) and there would be a glass case of Guru Donuts for purchase. Over the years, Guru made a name for themselves by offering extremely original donut creations and by staying hyperfocused on being community-driven. And now look at them! They’ve found a home in the historic Idanha building, for pete’s sake! Guru gets their coffee from Evan’s Brothers Roasters in Sandpoint, Idaho - and they make a very solid product. If you’re looking for a delicious, original, sugary snack and a good cup of locally sourced coffee on-the-go; Guru Donuts should be your destination.

The District Coffeehouse

219 N 10th St, Boise, ID 83702

There’s a lot of great stuff about The District, so let’s get started: 1) They are a non-profit coffeehouse that sends proceeds to an orphanage network called Send Hope. 2) They offer internships for refugees in Boise. 3) They have a system of “Pending Coffee” where those with extra income can pay in advance so someone less fortunate can still enjoy a wonderful cup of joe. If you’re the type who likes to be conscientious with your dollar, it’s hard to find a place better suited to spend it than at The District. Ethics aside, they roast their coffee locally, exclusively for their business, in micro-batches twice a week; even more impressive is the amount of unique flavor they get out of their beans.