Blackboard gets national attention

WALLACE — The Blackboard Cafe has been a favorite of locals since they opened their doors, but now they are getting some national attention too.

The combination sandwich shop/Italian restaurant was recently listed on MSN’s “The most adorable small-town restaurant in every state” list and owners Rob and Luanne Wuerfel are not only proud of their restaurant, but flattered by the company they’re keeping.

The restaurant, formerly located on Bank Street, was moved to its new home on the corner of Sixth and Cedar streets earlier this year, which expanded their dining room significantly.

Luanne was informed of the restaurant making the online list when she received a phone call from her in-laws, who had stumbled across the accolade.

“We had no idea,” Luanne said. “We don’t know how they came up with us, but I was so happy because out of all of the restaurants in Idaho, they picked us, which is pretty cool.”

For Rob, the restaurant’s Head Chef and a culinary artist who spends his free time either skiing or studying food, it was an honor to be included with the other restaurants that were selected.

“I was pretty happy,” Rob said. “It felt pretty good to see us on that list. I scrolled through and looked at the other states and the places they chose. I know some of those other restaurants and the people who run them and for me it was honestly jaw-dropping to be on a list with them.”

Among the accompanying eateries were heavyweights like Chimayo in Park City, Utah, which has a connecting dot to Rob from his early days in the industry.

“The guy that owns that restaurant came from the same town as me — we grew up together,” Rob said. “We actually worked together for awhile, and then he went off to Park City to do his thing and we came here. But it’s just cool that we both came from a small town and now we have this inadvertent connection.”

The criteria for selection still remains a bit of a mystery, but the article found in MSN’s Food News section has this description for how they gauged the places they chose:

"Worlds away from the hustle and bustle of America’s biggest cities and their buzzy food joints, small-town restaurants typically offer cozy digs and a more relaxed vibe. Here we've chosen our favorite in every state, from country pubs to riverside bistros — perfect for when you need to get away from it all."

Blackboard’s complete vibe, from the menu to the full aesthetic of the environment, certainly falls in line with that.

The Wuerfels are extremely thankful for the support that they have received from the Wallace, and extended Silver Valley, community.

“The community is the backbone of our success,” Luanne said. “Since the day that we opened, we have focused on our locals, it wasn’t festivals or summertime, it’s always been year-round making sure our locals were happy and taken care of. Word of mouth is how you grow a business like this and our locals have been very kind and generous with their words.”

Blackboard Cafe is located in Wallace at 600 Cedar St. For more information or to make a dinner reservation, call them at 208-556-5648.