ROGUE Restaurant in Lava featured by America’s Best Restaurants Roadshow
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LAVA HOT SPRINGS — ROGUE Restaurant in Lava Hot Springs was closed on Thursday afternoon, but the staff was still cooking up a storm and buzzing with activity for a very special occasion.
The popular Lava Hot Springs eatery hosted a film crew from America’s Best Restaurants as part of the company’s nationwide “ABR Roadshow,” which spotlights locally owned restaurants making an impact in their communities.
While cameras rolled inside the Main Street restaurant, owner and chef Carol Cove shared the story behind ROGUE and how the business came together after she and her life partner, Eric Partridge, relocated to Idaho from the East Coast three years ago.
The couple saw an opportunity to bring something different to Lava Hot Springs’ dining scene and eventually partnered with Chef Pete Villalobos, whose culinary vision helped shape ROGUE’s menu and identity. Villalobos spent 14 years working in kitchens before earning his culinary degree from the prestigious Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.
Villalobos describes ROGUE’s style as an American bistro built on a European culinary foundation. Supporting him in the kitchen is sous chef Jeff Lennon, whom the team describes as one of the top culinary talents in southeast Idaho.
Cove brought more than two decades of restaurant experience to the project, while Partridge spent months transforming the downtown location into the polished space guests see today.
Since opening nearly one year ago, ROGUE has built a reputation for upscale comfort food and a lively atmosphere that appeals to both locals and visitors passing through the tourist town.
Among the restaurant’s most talked-about menu items are the Cowboy Ribeye, the spicy Diavlo Chicken and the Lennon Burger — dishes the team says have helped distinguish ROGUE from other regional dining spots.
“We have excellent appetizers. Our Brussels sprout & honey sriracha appetizers were voted the best in the state,” Partridge added.
While ROGUE does not offer a full bar, it serves beer, wine and ready-to-drink beverages with its own signature twists, creating a menu of unique “crafty cocktails.”
Cove said being selected by America’s Best Restaurants was an exciting moment for the entire staff.
“We all work so hard to provide the total experience for our guests, and this opportunity is such an honor to happen in such a short period of time,” she said.
Beyond the food, the restaurant has also become involved in community events and local fundraisers, including efforts connected to Idaho State University.
The show’s host, Sean Kelly, said it was the first time the Kentucky-based show had ever visited Idaho and that they found the area inviting and beautiful.
The completed America’s Best Restaurants feature will air at a later date on the company’s social media channels, website and YouTube page.
