Sunshine Spice Cafe

I absolutely adore both of the Sunshine Spice locations. But this location in downtown Boise is utterly charming! We fell in love with the sweet nook in the window. The atmosphere of the cafe is calm and is the perfect spot if you're on you're own and want to treat yourself or if you want a fun first date. It would be wonderful for a good time with friends and family as well, though I probably wouldn't take super young children there, but I will let you use your own judgement on that. The baked goods and especially the cardamom coffee are divine. I have never had a single thing at Sunshine Spice that I didn't love. Their items are made with loving care and attention to detail. You don't have to take just my word for it either, they are James Beard Award nominees. I adore their baklava, Turkish coffee, raspberry tart, and their chocolate/hazelnut choux with craquelin. (If you want a fuller review you can check out what I wrote about their other location on Fairview Avenue.)

I met a friend of mine here who has been to the other location. He wanted me to try the dumplings. They are not at the downtown location. We tried a few different things and enjoyed them all. We liked the cheddar spinach but thought it would've benefited from a stronger cheese like feta. Everything was served at the perfect temperatures. The lemon cake was perfectly warmed and not too hot. Baklava was the correct consistency to cut with a fork and not sickingly sweet, very well balanced. The pudding was good, we like a bit more pistachio flavor, but it was still really good. He had the Cardamon Coffee, and I had cinnamon. Both were perfect.

I recently visited this Turkish café that came highly recommended by a popular YouTuber, and I was particularly excited to try their pistachio latte. I ordered both the pistachio latte and the Ube latte, and at first glance, they looked fantastic—beautifully presented with vibrant colors and a wonderful aroma that made my mouth water. However, upon tasting them, I was a bit disappointed. The flavors didn’t live up to my expectations. The pistachio latte lacked the rich, nutty taste I was hoping for, and the Ube latte didn’t have the distinct sweetness and earthiness of purple yam. It made me wonder if the colors were just from food coloring rather than actual ingredients, or if they simply didn’t add enough pistachio and Ube. On a positive note, the café itself is beautifully decorated, with a bright and elegant interior that makes it a lovely place to relax and unwind. It’s definitely a spot where you could spend some time daydreaming or catching up with friends. As for the desserts, the fruit tart was quite good, but the other sweets didn’t really stand out for me—unfortunately, they were a bit underwhelming. Overall, while the café has a lot of potential and a great atmosphere, the coffee and desserts didn’t quite meet my expectations, leaving me a bit disappointed. I hope they can improve on the flavors to match the quality of their presentation.

I’m so thrilled that Sunshine Spice has opened in downtown Boise! Unfortunately, the timing was awful and there is a large roadwork project right on their street. Please don’t let that stop you from seeking them out! The sidewalk is open. You can enter at Idaho and 10th. Try a cardamom or saffron latte. The hazelnut and passion fruit tarts are divine and they have an entire rainbow of gluten free cookies that are delicious!!

New downtown location opened up & it's so cozy & chic. Get there early or you might miss out on favorites like chocolate choux. I don't think they have a kitchen like in the original Fairview location, so, unfortunately, no Afghani dumplings but they have so much dessert, from spiced saffron cookies & lemon cakes to chocolate & elegantly paired fruit tarts. Everything here is great.