About
Not only has Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery made history, but it is a Boise favorite for creative cuisine and craft cocktails centered around the distillery.
First, let’s discuss how a restaurant can make history. The visionaries of this esteemed establishment are Kevin Settles and his wife, Lisa Fraser. They took their love and experience making hard cider and dreamed of opening a restaurant-distillery, which would be the first of its kind in America.
Kevin worked feverishly with Idaho lawmakers to create legislation allowing a "distillery pub" license. His hard work paid off in December 1999 when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) issued Bardenay the first federal distillery permit.
More history was made on April 25, 2000, when Bardenay served the first cocktail made with spirits distilled on-site. This feat made it nationally recognized as America's first restaurant-distillery.
Adding to its stellar reputation is its location in a former warehouse on the Historic Basque Block. But what keeps folks coming back for more is the locally sourced cuisine with vegetarian and gluten-free options.
As the restaurant grew, it expanded to Eagle and Coeur d'Alene.
Next, the couple opened Coyne’s Restaurant and Bar in 2020 just minutes from Boise in Eagle, Idaho. The upscale eatery serves lunch and dinner, showcases prime steaks, and is named after Kevin's grandmother, whose love of cooking and hospitality greatly influenced him.
On your Idaho vacation, experience history, craft cocktails, and delicious meals at Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery.
Vibe
The one-story brick building in the Basque Block blends into the historic streetscape, while its curbside tables set the tone for an authentic, urban-rooted culinary adventure.
Step inside and the industrial theme continues, with vaulted wood ceilings with beams, exposed brick walls, and touches of polished aluminum.
Seating options include various-sized tables dotted across the concrete floor and plenty of stools lining the impressive bar. When the weather warms up, head to the covered outdoor patio for al fresco dining.
While the room gets loud when crowded and because of the hard surfaces, the mood stays fun, family-friendly, and relaxed.
Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery: Menu & Drinks
With a lunch-dinner, brunch, and happy hour menu, we can’t possibly discuss all the standouts. Instead, we’ll focus on the lunch and dinner offerings.
A regional starter that is sure to jumpstart your dining adventure is the Smoked Trout Spread. This starter features cream cheese mixed with smoked trout, with warm pita triangles, capers, pickled red onion, cucumbers, and slivered almonds.
The skewered satays are ideal for lunch or dinner, with a variety of flavors to appeal to any palate. A prime example is the Gochujang beef showcasing Korean chili-marinated sirloin with wasabi sour cream.
The assorted tacos and burgers add variety, while the soups and salads are perfect for lighter meals or diet-conscious eaters.
Moving on to the entrees, the 14-oz ribeye and 8-oz bacon-wrapped filet will delight steak lovers. Both entrees come in one of three ways:
- Madeira demi-glace with fried shallots and garlic smashed potatoes with chef’s vegetables.
- Blue cheese butter atop veal demi-glace, with garlic-smashed potatoes and chef’s vegetables.
- Peppercorn-crusted and topped with cherry tomato jam; served on arugula salad with balsamic reduction and garlic smashed potatoes.
Fans of seafood will delight in the trout, salmon, and sea bass gnocchi, but it’s the Flash-Fried Pacific Cod & Chips that is most popular. The cod is bathed in Panko-herb seasoning, beer-battered, then fried to a golden, crispy finish. Add the chili-spiked tartar, lemon, and French fries with coleslaw garnish, and you’ll quickly understand why it’s a hit!
When it comes to cocktails, having its very own on-site distillery makes things creatively interesting. The Crop Top is ideal on a hot afternoon, with Bardenay Gin, grapefruit liqueur, amaro, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and grapefruit peel garnish.
The Bardenay Rum Rita offers the best of two warm-weather drinks with
Bardenay Rum, orange liqueur, and house-made margarita mix.
All these attributes make Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery a must on your Boise getaway.
Local Tips
- Happy Hour is Monday-Friday, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
- The kids’ menu makes Bardenay family-friendly.
- The on-site liquor store offers bottles of your favorite spirits.
- Book your special event at Bardenay.
