FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
VISITING & HOURS
What are The Basque Market's hours?
The Basque Market is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00am–5:00pm, with Pintxo Hour extending service until 6:00pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. We're closed Sunday and Monday.
Where is The Basque Market located?
We're at 608 W Grove Street in downtown Boise, Idaho, in the heart of the historic Basque Block — one block of Grove Street with the largest concentration of Basque culture outside the Basque Country itself.
Do you take reservations?
We don't take reservations for the dining room — seating is first-come, first-served. For paella days, we recommend calling ahead at (208) 433-1208 to reserve your portion, especially on weekends and during festival weeks. Private events and catering are by appointment.
Where can I park on the Basque Block?
Street parking is available along Grove Street and surrounding downtown Boise blocks. The Capital City Public Market parking garage and several pay lots are within a two-minute walk. Download our recommended parking guide for the best free and paid options closest to 608 W Grove St.
FOOD & DRINK
What is a pintxo?
A pintxo (PEEN-cho) is a small Basque snack, often served on a skewer or atop a slice of bread. Pintxos are the Basque Country's answer to tapas — bite-sized, bold-flavored, and built for sharing. Ours rotate throughout the day and start at three for $10.
When is paella served at The Basque Market?
We cook paella outside on the patio every Wednesday and Friday at 12:00pm, rain or shine. On the first Friday of each month we offer a vegetarian (also vegan, always gluten-free) paella, and on the first Thursday of each month we serve an evening paella at 6:00pm. No reservation required — walk up, order, and eat in or take it home.
What's the difference between paella, tapas, and pintxos?
Paella is a saffron-rice dish from Valencia, cooked in a wide shallow pan with seafood, meat, and vegetables. Tapas are small Spanish plates meant for sharing. Pintxos are the Basque Country's version of tapas — typically smaller, often skewered, and historically eaten standing at the bar. We serve all three.
Do you have vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free options?
Yes. Many of our pintxos and plates are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free — including patatas bravas, olives, pimientos verdes, Marcona almonds, and our vegetarian/vegan paella on first Fridays. Our paella is always made gluten-free. Ask any staff member for current options.
What Basque and Spanish wines do you carry?
We stock wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, plus Albariño from Rías Baixas, Txakolina from the Basque coast, Tempranillo, Cava, Spanish Vermouth, Basque cider, and lesser-known bottles from small producers we know by first name. We taste everything we sell.
Can I buy a paella pan or paella kit to take home?
Yes — our paella kits include rice, saffron, chorizo, and a printed family recipe, sized from two-person up to party portions. We'll customize a kit for you, year-round. They make a popular gift. Visit the Market to inquire.
CATERING
Do you cater weddings and private events in Boise?
Yes. We're one of Boise's most-booked wedding caterers and have been catering weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate dinners, and milestone parties across Boise and the Treasure Valley for twenty years. We specialize in mobile paella, pintxos platters, and full-service Basque catering for twenty to two hundred guests.
How much does paella catering cost in Boise?
Mobile paella and private-event catering minimums start at $1,200, with the final cost depending on the day of the week, time of year, headcount, and menu selections. Party platters and pickup catering have no minimum. Fill out our catering request form and we'll send a custom quote within a few business days.
How far in advance should I book catering?
For mobile paella and full-service events, we recommend booking at least 4–6 weeks ahead, and longer for peak wedding season (May–October). For party platter pickups, we ask for a minimum of 48 hours notice.
Can you host a private event at The Basque Market itself?
Yes — our space on the Basque Block doubles as a private venue for rehearsal dinners, milestone birthdays, holiday parties, and corporate gatherings of roughly twenty to fifty guests. Minimums start at $1,200. Call (208) 433-1208 or email Tara@thebasquemarket.com.
WINE CLUB
What is Taldea, your wine club?
Taldea (tahl-DAY-ah, the Basque word for 'group') is our quarterly Basque and Spanish wine club. Members receive three hand-selected bottles every three months for $125, plus 10% off everything in the shop, $1 off wine by the glass for two, early access to ticketed events, and invitations to members-only tastings.
Can I gift a Taldea wine club membership?
Yes — Taldea memberships make a popular gift. Sign up online and enter the recipient's contact information, or stop into the Market and we'll help you set it up in person.
COOKING CLASSES
Do you offer Basque cooking classes in Boise?
Yes. We host paella cooking classes and seasonal Basque cooking demonstrations throughout the year, led by our family in our Market kitchen. Call (208) 433-1208 to inquire about the next class. Taldea wine club members get early access and 10% off tickets — classes sell out fast.
BASQUE BLOCK
What is the Basque Block in Boise?
The Basque Block is a single stretch of Grove Street in downtown Boise officially designated by the city in 2000. It holds more Basque culture per square foot than anywhere in the United States — including the Basque Museum & Cultural Center (the only one in the country), the Basque Center, a fronton handball court, and several Basque restaurants and bars.
Why are there so many Basques in Boise, Idaho?
Beginning in the late 1800s, young Basques left northern Spain and southern France for the high desert of southern Idaho, drawn first by mining and then by sheepherding contracts. They built boarding houses on Grove Street, sent for family, and laid down roots. Today, Boise is home to one of the largest Basque populations outside the Basque Country itself.
What is Jaialdi?
Jaialdi is the international Basque festival held in Boise every five years — the largest Basque cultural celebration in the world outside the Basque Country, drawing 30,000–40,000 attendees over six days. The next Jaialdi is scheduled for 2030. In between, Boise hosts the annual San Inazio Festival each summer and the Basque Christmas Market in December.
Where can I learn about Basque culture in Boise besides The Basque Market?
Three doors down is the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the only Basque museum in the United States, with exhibits on migration, language, and dance. The Basque Center hosts dances, mus tournaments, and one of the largest Basque libraries outside Europe. The Basque Block website (thebasqueblock.com) is the umbrella resource for events and tours.
What language do Basques speak?
Basques speak Euskara, the Basque language — believed to be one of the oldest living languages in Europe and unrelated to any other known language family. You'll see Euskara on our menu (Platerrak, Goxokiak, Entsalada, Taldea) and on signs throughout the Basque Block.
What does 'Ongi etorri' mean?
Ongi etorri (ohn-ghee eh-TOH-rree) is Basque for 'welcome.' You'll hear it at our door and read it on our website — it's the first phrase most visitors to the Basque Country learn, and the spirit we try to bring to every guest at The Basque Market.
Is The Basque Market kid-friendly?
Yes. We're a family-run business and welcome guests of all ages. Many of our pintxos and plates work well for sharing with kids, and our patio during paella days is especially family-friendly.