Restaurant closures can make a state feel smaller, and Idaho diners have already said goodbye to other familiar spots, including two Meridian restaurants that closed earlier this year. This fall brought three more endings, each for a place with its own faithful crowd.
One was a mountain-town pizza institution, one an inventive sandwich shop, and one a Pocatello source for Hawaiian plate lunches. Their menus were different, but all three became woven into customers’ routines.
Toll Station Pizza in McCall
After 45 years in downtown McCall, Toll Station Pizza closed for good in October. Owners Dave Petty and Karlene Gyllenberg had hoped to reopen October 1 after a short break, but said too many employees had moved on. The restaurant had served locals and visitors since 1981, just steps from Payette Lake.
Its calling card was big, shareable pizza. The loaded McCall Special combined salami, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage, beef, mushrooms, olives, onions and peppers. Families stopped in after days on the lake or ski hill, while the lake-view patio and welcoming bar-and-grill feel made it a dependable gathering place.
Tasso in Eagle
Tasso served its final customers on October 25. The locally owned deli began in downtown Boise in 2018, closed that location during the pandemic, and found a new home in Eagle in May 2021. Its five years there gave the shop time to become a favorite lunch stop.
Tasso built its reputation on creative combinations, including ham with manchego and smoked steelhead with cream cheese. Soups, salads, chili and scratch-made ice cream rounded out the menu. Customers also treasured the relaxed setting inside a converted house and its tree-shaded patio. In his goodbye, owner Dan Carruthers thanked everyone who made the little place part of their routine.
A Taste of Hawaii in Pocatello
A Taste of Hawaii permanently closed on October 30, ending a run that began in late 2017. The Station Square restaurant brought Hawaiian-style plate lunches to downtown Pocatello and earned statewide recognition as an Idaho’s Best fast-casual winner.
The restaurant’s story began with founder Mark Cruse, who grew up on Kauai and learned to cook from his grandmother. Kalua pork, chicken katsu and poke bowls became menu anchors, often served with macaroni salad that included an Idaho touch: potato. Guava cheesecake gave regulars a sweet finish. The restaurant’s final announcement thanked the community for its love and support.
Idaho still has a rich collection of local restaurants, but these closures leave three unmistakable gaps: a familiar pizza stop in the mountains, a thoughtful sandwich shop in Eagle and a taste of the islands in Pocatello.
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