What Can You Eat at The Basque Market’s Pintxos Bar and Lunch Specials?

Updated

The Basque Market serves rotating pintxos and daily lunch specials inspired by Basque and Spanish home kitchens, with a full menu of tapas and plates available at all times. It works well for a quick downtown Boise lunch or a longer sit-down meal on the Basque Block. The pintxos change throughout the day, so what you see at noon may differ from what is offered at four.

What the Pintxos Bar Offers

The pintxos bar is the fast, counter-service side of the restaurant. Small bites are arranged behind the counter and rotated all day, every day. The selection is inspired by Basque and Spanish home cooking rather than a fixed, printed list.

Because the lineup changes, the most reliable approach is to look at what is displayed when you arrive and ask staff what is freshest. The Market describes the pintxos as “fast enough for a downtown break, hearty enough to fuel your day,” which fits a lunch stop where you order quickly and eat without a long wait.

Lunch Specials and the Full Menu

Lunch specials are posted on the chalkboard each day. These are separate from the pintxos and give you a plated option that changes daily.

If the specials or the current pintxos do not appeal to you, the full menu of tapas and plates is always available. That means you are not limited to whatever happens to be behind the counter at that moment.

Option How it works Best for
Pintxos bar Rotating small bites, changing throughout the day A quick bite or mixing several small items
Daily lunch specials Posted on the chalkboard, changing daily A plated lunch with a daily change
Full tapas and plates menu Always available Ordering a known favorite or a larger meal

Practical Tips for Your Visit

  • Go early for the widest pintxos choice. The selection rotates, so arriving earlier in the lunch period generally gives you more options before items are sold or swapped out.
  • Check the chalkboard first. The daily lunch specials are the part of the menu that changes most often.
  • Ask about the current rotation. Staff can tell you which pintxos are newest or most popular that day.
  • Plan around opening days. The Basque Market is open Tuesday through Saturday, so a Monday lunch visit will not work.

For a downtown Boise lunch, the pintxos bar and lunch specials give you two fast options, while the standing tapas menu covers you if you want something specific.