It takes a lot to open a new restaurant—finding the perfect location, picking out the right menu items, purchasing supplies, décor…the list goes on. But for Chef Julie and her husband, Travis Berger, this entire process happened in about a week.
“We had no intention of opening this year, but an opportunity presented itself that we couldn't resist. Ed Bird (of Ed’s 50’s Café) decided to sell his Meridian location to us,” shared Julie. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a restaurant open as quickly as ours did!”
A Michelin trained chef, Julie studied in France for more than seven years and brings her renowned expertise to the Tipsy Chef Café tables in a classic café style. Combined with her husband’s front of house knowledge and passion for beer and wine, the pair decided to take a step toward making their dreams come true.
“We pride ourselves in making all of our dishes in-house fresh daily. We use local purveyors whenever we can, and ultimately it would be our goal to be as close to 100% locally sourced as possible,” Julie explained. “We truly value the amount of satisfaction and memorable moments food can create, and that's why we are so passionate about bringing good food and good times to the Treasure Valley, starting with Meridian.” Their mouth-watering menu—featuring timeless favorites like house-made Corned Beef Hash and Cinnamon Roll French Toast—has something for everyone.
The namesake, Tipsy Chef, was inspired by Julie’s time spent working at a wine bar. The owner preferred that his employees work with an open glass of wine nearby, a tactic that worked wonders for both employee morale and customer engagement.
Newlyweds and new business owners, Travis and Julie are grateful to be in the Treasure Valley and look forward to what comes next. “We would like to give thanks for the outpouring of support from the residents of Treasure Valley. We hope that in some small way, we can enhance the lives of our neighbors through dining and fellowship.”
Located at 979 South Progress Avenue in Meridian, Tipsy Chef Café is open Tuesday through Sunday until 2 PM. For more information, visit tipsychefcafe.com.