REXBURG – Customers are addicted to the lighter, healthier menu at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

At least, that’s what restaurant manager Alex Plummer says after eight months in business at 113 South 2nd West in Rexburg.

The Rexburg eatery offers a variety of smoothies, bowls, sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads, salads and more. Plummer tells EastIdahoNews.com the most popular item is the Bahama Mama, a smoothie with strawberry, pineapple, coconut and white chocolate. EastIdahoNews.com sampled this and other items, which you can watch in the video above.

Plummer’s parents, Kelly and Nepal, are the restaurant’s owners and it’s rewarding for him to be a part of the family business.

“Having something that I can call my own and take ownership of (is fulfilling),” he says. “It’s something I take a lot of pride in.”

RELATED | National franchise opening first restaurant in eastern Idaho

Tropical Smoothie Cafe first launched in Destin, Florida in 1999. It started spreading across the United States several years ago. The Rexburg store is the sixth location in Idaho.

Alex first heard about the franchise while serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arkansas years ago and he grew to love it.

He and his family moved to Rexburg from California in 2016 so he could attend Brigham Young University-Idaho. Kelly and Nepal were eager to open a business together and Alex’s experience at Tropical Smoothie Cafe inspired them to bring it to Rexburg.

“They sent a letter (to the company) saying they were interested in franchising. An opening came up and so they snagged it,” says Alex.

The Plummers are looking to open another location in Idaho Falls in the near future. They hope to eventually have four or five locations in the area.

“We’re poking around everywhere. They’re developing new places out by Costco on that side of town. We’d love to get our foot in the door over there somewhere,” Alex says.

Until then, he’s encouraging people to stop by the Rexburg location and give the food a try.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday with an 8 a.m. opening on Saturday. Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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RIGBY – A drink stop in Rigby is serving delicious beverages year-round to quench your thirst and your sweet tooth, no matter the temperature.

Cup O’Bliss, owned and operated by Jessica Carson, is offering tasty coffee, tea, smoothies, hot chocolate and more.

“I started actually in 2017, on the weekend of the eclipse,” says Carson. “It was absolutely amazing, and I think it was good luck.”

EastIdahoNews.com was lucky enough to try some of the business’s most popular drinks, starting with the French Bliss coffee, the first custom beverage at Cup O’Bliss.

The French Bliss tastes of warm vanilla and possibly a bit of cinnamon. Carson puts it perfectly – it tastes like French toast.

Next, I tried a colder, maybe more summery drink for the hotter days, the iced spiced vanilla chai with oat milk.

For those who prefer milk alternatives, Cup O’Bliss is a great option to stop by for a drink, as there are many possibilities and variations that taste great across the menu.

“We base everything on organic espresso, all-natural syrups, and quality Ghirardelli chocolates,” Carson says. “We’ve broken into teas a little bit, too, chai teas and things like that.”

Lastly, I tried the Lacoco Berry Frappuccino, a coffee-based drink with white chocolate lavender, coconut and blackberry.

This one is truly a masterpiece. The flavors work so well together, and I can already see myself ordering this blended drink even when it’s snowing outside.

“It’s a really good way to break people into unfamiliar flavors that might be a little scary,” says Carson. “It’s not overpowering and they’re always surprised that they love it.”

Make sure to stop by Cup O’Bliss right next to U.S. Highway 20, off exit 325, the Menan/Robert’s exit. It’s address is 659 North Yellowstone Highway in Rigby.

Also, make sure to try their beverages soon inside Teton Bagel Co. in Rexburg.

Don’t forget to follow Cup O’Bliss on Facebook and Instagram.

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IDAHO FALLS — French fries and the ’50s! Stop by Dixie’s Diner on Channing Way in Idaho Falls and it feels like you’ve gone back in time a few decades.

We first visited back in July and found a jukebox, colorful wall decor and friendly service that creates an inviting atmosphere. But it’s the delicious food that brings people back.

Dixie Murphy and Tom Hersh opened the diner in 2005. Hersh manages the day-to-day operations and makes sure customers are happy (and full!) when they leave. Everything on the menu – from sandwiches to pancakes to burgers and milkshakes – is served all day, every day.

“You can get meatloaf in the morning or eggs Benedict at 8 o’clock at night,” Hersh says.

One popular item is the Southwestern Skillet, which is packed full of homemade chorizo, country potatoes, eggs, Monterey jack cheese, chili verde, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. The dish is served with two pieces of toast, and your taste buds will love the mix of flavors.

Another item that customers crave, especially in the summer months, is fish and chips. Dixie’s Diner uses its own beer batter, coleslaw and tarter sauce to make sure each bite melts in your mouth. You can get french fries, onion rings or a variety of other sides that compliment the entree.

If sandwiches are more your style, the Reuben will fill you up. Chow down on slices of fresh corned beef topped with a heap of sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on thick sliced grilled marbled rye. Your belly will be full – especially as you enjoy another large side.

Top off your meal with an Oreo, chocolate, vanilla or another kind of milkshake.

Dixie’s Diner is at 2150 Channing Way in Idaho Falls. The restaurant is open seven days a week. You can find its menu here and its Facebook page here.

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MALAD CITY — For nearly 20 years, The Pizza Stop has been a fixture in Malad City — offering wings, pastas, salads and what many locals believe to be the best pizza around.

RELATED | Small Town Spotlight: Pizza Stop shines in Malad with ‘best pizza around’

Husband-wife ownership team Clint and Leslie Brackin met in front of a pizza oven, at The Pizza Stop in Preston. That was where the business was launched more than 30 years ago by Clint’s parents.

RELATED | East Idaho Eats: Pizza Stop in Preston serves delicious pies with promise of happiness

The business was then expanded to Malad City, which has embraced and allowed it to be one of the few businesses that have succeeded in the small town.

What sets Pizza Stop pizza apart from other pizza is the crust. Asked what it is that makes their crust stand out, Leslie and Clint offered different perspectives.

Leslie said quickly, it is the love that goes into the dough. Clint, on the other hand, offered a bit more information — though he was careful not to give away any of the recipe secrets.

“It’s probably what’s actually in the crust (that sets it apart from others). Most (crust recipes) are pretty basic, but there’s a lot of other stuff in (our crust) — it goes a lot deeper.”

The Brackin’s take the same ingredient-forward approach to everything else they serve, like the pasta.

As Clint explained, many pizza places that offer pasta use a cheese-based sauce — after all, that’s what they have in bulk. Pizza Stop, he added, uses real cream making their Alfredo.

For our visit, EastIdahoNews.com was offered the chicken and mushroom Alfredo, and a signature pizza.

The pasta was creamy, with the perfect ratio of mushroom and chicken to noodle. As someone who does not often choose pasta from a pizza menu — why, when there’s pizza? — this Alfredo made me reconsider life choices.

The pizza was a half-and-half. One side was the Hot Hog and Honey — topped with bacon, sausage, red chili flakes and hot honey sauce.

As someone who always puts chili flakes on his pizza, the idea of it seemed perfect. The execution was as good. The combination of the pork-centric pie with a touch of spice was fantastic.

The other half was, what is called, the “Clint Pizza.”

This is a creation thought up by the co-owner, who explained, he often finds himself hungry while working through the night make fresh dough. His pizza is a quick, creative and unique pie.

There is no mozzarella. Instead, a double-helping of pepperoni is stacked directly on top of a barbecue sauce drizzle. On top of that, there is several helpings of parmesan cheese and, finally, a hot sauce drizzle.

“If you’re around, maybe give this one a try — it’s definitely full of flavor,” Clint said of his creation.

Full of flavor it is. The almost strange combination of pepperoni, hot sauce and barbecue sauce is something I would never have thought to make, but I am glad Clint did.

Clint and Leslie said they have been approached by people from both Pocatello and Logan, Utah, about expanding their restaurant, but they have declined. Clint’s brother Collin, who purchased the Preston location from their parents, is currently in the process of expanding to Smithfield, Utah, but expansion is not currently in Clint and Leslie’s plans.

“We’re comfortable with just keeping this one our baby,” Clint said.

The Pizza Stop in Malad is located at 99 North Main Street. They are open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

You can find them on Facebook — here.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the next destination to be included on East Idaho Eats, email Kalama@EastIdahoNews.com and include “EATS” in the subject line.

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POCATELLO — Sitting across from Idaho State University — Goody’s Deli & Pub is a popular hangout for college students and locals alike.

Regular patrons of the bar enjoy snacking on pretzel bites and drinking beers as they watch football games. College students type on their laptops as they work on homework with half-finished sandwiches and drinks next to them. Back in the kitchen, its common to hear staff members singing along to music and offering each other advice on their personal lives.

This is what it looks like on a typical day at Goody’s.

“We definitely have a mixture of (people) and it’s fun to see,” said Jessica Allen, co-owner of the restaurant.

That’s the environment that Jessica and Carlos Allen have worked to maintain after taking ownership of the deli just over a year ago. As Goody’s has been a pizza and deli shop in Pocatello for over forty years, it’s a long legacy to uphold.

Goody’s is a restaurant that’s split in half, the side closest to Idaho State University is a deli, and the other half is a bar. Having the sandwich shop and pub be separated creates an environment that caters to single adults and families alike.

Goody’s is best known for their sandwich line, which gets filled up with college students and professors every afternoon during the school year.

“We have a lot of the college kids that come in almost every day or three, four times a week and a lot of the staff gets to see them on those days and get to know them,” Allen said.

But it’s not just sandwiches that Goody’s offers. They also carry pretzel bites and chicken wings with at least eight different kinds of sauces.

Goody’s pretzel bites, served with a side of beer cheese, are typically ordered by patrons of the bar in between drinks.

As is the key with any good soft pretzel, they use butter to get the salt “nice and stuck” to the pretzels, said Chase Haage, the general manager.

“I don’t know if you’ve had pretzels from the fair versus pretzels out of the bag, but that butter really makes a difference,” Haage said.

When first introduced, Goody’s only served wings during football season. It now serves wings seven days a week because they’ve been so popular since they’ve been put on the menu. People can find a variety of sauces ranging from mild to hot.

Goody’s, found at 905 South 5th Avenue, is a restaurant that’s maintained importance in the university community and the Gate City at-large.

“We would just like to thank our community for supporting us as a local business, our employees for all of their hard work and our customers that come in on a regular basis,” Allen said.

Hagee said he was happy Goody’s provides people with a place to eat and drink where they are comfortable.

“I really like being the hosts to somebody’s hangout spot, and that’s what this place feels like,” Haage said.

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IDAHO FALLS — A restaurant right by the Snake River is serving up delicious fresh fish, pasta and beer.

Snow Eagle Brewing & Grill is at 455 River Parkway in Idaho Falls. It has great views and a welcoming atmosphere. Being in a tourist location, people from all over the world have visited the restaurant.

It’s owned by husband-and-wife duo Jerry and Sumiko Mitchell. Sumiko is from Tokyo and has brought wonderful flavors to the different dishes they serve.

“She has been the creator of so many of the dishes we have,” Jerry said of his wife.

One of the most popular dishes EastIdahoNews.com got to try was the fish and chips.

“We get people in from Europe, from England, and we have fresh cod for our fish and chips. The fresh cod really cooks beautifully. Of course, being able to cook it in a tempura-style batter really makes it nice, light and fluffy,” Mitchell said.

Served on the side is a jalapeño sauce that the fish can be dipped in.

“We make that ourselves. You don’t taste the jalapeño necessarily as hot, but it’s very tasty, and the fish and chips go really well with that,” Jerry said.

Idaho trout is also offered. It comes with asparagus and potatoes on the side.

“It’s raised in Buhl, Idaho. It’s really tasty. There’s a delightful sauce that goes on top that’s very popular, and it’s my wife’s favorite,” Jerry said. “Those who come from out of the area, they apparently have a hard time finding good fresh trout.”

If you don’t want fish, there’s steak pasta.

“It’s quite an unusual dish — it’s a steak pasta, and it’s got spinach, cranberries, cheese-stuffed ravioli, and a nice big steak cooked to order. I like cranberries on anything,” Mitchell said.

There’s a shrimp scampi that is made with angel hair pasta, tomatoes and a flavorful sauce.

“My wife, being who she is, she likes shrimp scampi, and she wasn’t satisfied with what she had locally, so she went out and created our own,” Mitchell said.

A variety of sushi is served, too. Click here to view the menu.

“For those who like to drink beer, we do brew our own beer. We have a master brewer who does a really great job, and he’s never brewed a bad batch. People love his beer,” Mitchell added.

If you’d like to check out Snow Eagle Brewing & Grill, click here.

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IDAHO FALLS – TCHE Brazilian Grill at 2394 East Sunnyside Road in Idaho Falls opened with a lot of fanfare in September and the owner says customer turnout has far surpassed his expectations.

The buffet-style restaurant includes a menu of about 40 items with “traditional rustic flavors of the open ranges of southern Brazil,” according to its website. There’s a variety of steak, chicken and pork with rice, pasta and beans, chili, mac & cheese, coconut fish, cheese bread, along with salad and dessert options.

EastIdahoNews.com sampled about the half the menu, which you can watch in the video above.

RELATED | A look inside the new TCHE Brazilian Grill in Idaho Falls and when it’s opening

After about two months of operation, owner Dean Leavitt says the response to the restaurant has been “truly amazing.”

“People have been so kind and have come in large numbers. It’s exceeded everybody’s expectations what we’ve been able to do so far. We’re super hopeful everyone is having a great experience and that they’ll tell their friends and keep coming back,” Leavitt says.

RELATED | Much anticipated Idaho Falls restaurant officially opening Wednesday

The restaurant now has extended hours for lunch on Friday and Saturday. Hours of operation are noon to 9 p.m. It’s open 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

To make a reservation, call (208) 529-3997 or click here.

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REXBURG — Graze Cafe is here in eastern Idaho to bring you fresh ingredients prepared into delicious dishes inspired by Italian flavors.

Victoria Ramirez, owner of the Graze Cafe food truck, says it’s important to her to bring good food with good ingredients to Rexburg and the surrounding areas.

“We just wanted to bring healthy options to Rexburg,” says Ramirez. “We have sandwiches, salads, avocado toast and fresh pressed juices.”

We were lucky enough to try some of the delicious offerings at Graze Cafe, starting with a green juice consisting of fresh-pressed ginger, turmeric, celery and cucumber.

The drink is amazingly refreshing and an easy, delicious way to get tons of vitamins and nutrients.

“This is probably our most popular juice; we also have one with fresh beats in it, so that’s our second most popular,” says Ramirez. “But it’s great because you get your vitamins in, and it tastes amazing.”

Next, we tried the ultimate avocado sandwich, with fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula and prosciutto on sourdough with freshly-grated asiago.

If you’re looking to try something new, this is the way to go. It’s cheesy and warm, the avocado is creamy, and the sun-dried tomatoes add the perfect amount of acidity to a salty, delicious sandwich.

“It’s so good,” says Ramirez. “We top all of our sandwiches with fresh asiago, too, so you get that little sprinkle.”

Third, we tried the peach burrata sandwich, with fresh peaches, chili oil, burrata cheese – which is imported from Italy -, arugula and balsamic glaze.

“This sandwich is inspired by a trip my husband and I took to Italy,” said Ramirez. “It is the perfect combination of flavors.”

This was my favorite of all of the delicious foods we tried because Ramirez is so right – the sweetness of the peach and the mild spiciness of the chili oil mix so well with the creaminess of the burrata.

Next, we tried the build-your-own avocado toast with all of Ramirez’s favorites – fresh avocado, everything bagel seasoning, sprouts, tomato, feta and balsamic glaze.

“We don’t use anything packaged,” says Ramirez. “This is my favorite way to do it, but there is like, endless amounts of ways to do it.”

Next, we tried the freshly-filled mini Italian cannolis, which is my personal favorite dessert. It’s almost like she knew I was coming!

“(Graze Cafe) is very Italian-inspired,” says Ramirez. “I feel like I, in a different life, was born in Italy or something. I just love Italy, and I’m so inspired by their flavors.”

Lastly, we tried the red-velvet white chocolate cheesecake, which is locally purchased by the Graze Cafe and only available for winter.

“It has red velvet cake in it; it is so good.” says Ramirez.

Make sure to stop and check out the Graze Cafe food truck on 250 West Main Street in Rexburg.

Their winter hours are Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Make sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook!

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IDAHO FALLS — Carstens’ Bakery is an iconic part of eastern Idaho history. It’s been on Cliff Street since 1968 and, until last year, was run by Willi Carstens. Carstens died in January 2022 and now his grandson, Ben Borsik, is the chief baker and owner of the business.

Borsik was raised in the bakery and knows how to make a delicious treat. He’s up every morning at 3 a.m. mixing, baking and glazing dozens of glazed, huckleberry or chocolate covered donuts.

If you’re looking for fresh bread, Carstens’ has you covered and is serving up just-out-of-the-oven pumpkin chocolate chip bread this time of year.

RELATED | The owner of the iconic Carstens’ Bakery answers 7 Questions with Emmy

“We took Grandpa’s old banana bread recipe, subtracted the bananas, added pumpkin and it comes out pretty good,” Borsik explains.

Another seasonal speciality is huckleberry danishes filled with huckleberry syrup. And if you’re looking for a new treat, you have to try miniature versions of Carstens’ ‘beehive cake.’

“For many years, my grandpa always made the beehive cake. It’s basically a white cake baked like a sticky bun with almonds and walnuts encrusted in the honey glaze. There’s custard in the middle and you can’t beat them,” Borsik says.

He’s right. The mini beehives have a crunchy, honey-glazed shell covering a fluffy cake and gooey custard center. We dare you to eat just one.

Raisin-filled and chocolate chip cookies are also a hit but lately Borsik has been gearing up for Thanksgiving as he plans to bake hundreds of pies. From apple to cherry to peach and dutch apple, you can order your pies until Monday.

Carstens’ Bakery is located at 243 Cliff Street and is open Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. You can follow their Facebook page here and place orders by calling (208) 529-3629.

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POCATELLO — Jana Herron grew up helping tend to her family’s dozens of apple trees. She recalls afternoons spent going back and forth between bouncing on a trampoline and moving the sprinkler to the next set of trees.

“You can only make so much applesauce,” she joked, adding that she helped press more cider than she could possibly remember.

She also recalls making her fair share of caramel apples.

When a serious injury left her in a hospital and in need of additional income to pay mounting medical bills, she started selling those caramel apples. That was how Woodland Orchards was born.

“It just snowballed, and snowballed, and just kept going. We love what we do, so we’re doing it full-time — and then some,” Herron said. “It’s, kinda, fun how it’s evolved and how it’s come to be.”

RELATED | She started selling caramel apples following a traumatic brain injury and now owns a thriving business

While Woodland Orchards was started using apples grown in the Herron family’s orchard, it has grown to the point that she has to supplant her own products by purchasing additional apples from other local growers. And those apples can be purchased in one of more than a dozen permanent flavor options or others that rotate on and off the menu.

As Herron explained, Woodland Orchards hosts annual taste tests where 20 to 25 customer and social media followers are invited to the orchard to taste test new concoctions. The winner of these taste tests find a short-term, often seasonal, home on the menu.

Seeking out judges to taste the latest concoctions from the test kitchen is one of the ways Herron tries to give back to her loyal supporters.

“Our customers are the greatest,” she said. “We wouldn’t be doing this without the people that support us — we are a small family business.”

Some of their most popular flavors, she added, have come from these competitions — Apple Crisp, Blueberry Cheesecake, Lunch Lady Bar, Root Beer Caramel and others.

For our visit, Herron had EastIdahoNews.com sample the Apple Crisp — a Gala apple, covered in caramel then dipped in white chocolate and topped with almond oatmeal.

The combination perfectly mimicked an apple crisp or Dutch apple pie — with the signature crunch of a fresh apple on a stick, of course.

In addition to the array of signature caramel apples, Woodland Orchards offers candies and other treats — like the salted caramel and chocolate-dipped pretzel stick Herron had EastIdahoNews.com try.

The salty-sweet balance is perfect, with the added touch of chewy caramel waiting below the chocolate.

But the treat options go well beyond apples and pretzels.

Woodland Orchards also makes cinnamon gummy bears — which Herron said is a huge seller.

The Woodland Orchard Little Cottage is located at 1580 Yellowstone Avenue, in the Pawn 1 parking lot — across the street from Costco. It is open Saturdays, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. — or until they sell out.

But Herron takes the Little Cottage to events, both public — like the Pocatello Food Truck Roundup, fairs and events — and private events — like weddings. Herron is also able to fill larger orders sent to her through Facebook — here — or the company website — here.

“Message me, let me know (what you need),” she said. “If we have it, we’ll help you out — we’ll get it ready for you.”

If you would like to make a recommendation for the next destination to be included on East Idaho Eats, email Kalama@EastIdahoNews.com and include “EATS” in the subject line.

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