If you were to ask residents of downtown Boise what the top 10 popular hang out places are, Flying M would make all of their lists.
Flying M has been around since 1992, and brewing their own coffee since ’95. They have two locations: the Flying M Coffeehouse located on West Idaho St. downtown, and the Flying M Coffee Garage located on 2nd Street South in Nampa. I can’t vouch for their Nampa site, as I haven’t made the trek out there yet, but reviews speak for themselves.
This review is based primarily on what I’ve experienced at their downtown location.
When I was but a wee lad I remember Flying M being the “cool place” for my older sister and her friends to hang out. Not much has changed – Flying M remains one of Boise’s most centralized meeting places. The chances of you running into someone you know at Flying M are pretty dang good. Not to mention pre-scheduled meetings: many people spend a couple hours just chatting it up with friends they haven’t seen in a while, or grabbing a quick business meeting with colleagues.
Flying M’s coffee, self described:
Flying M Coffee produces one espresso blend – a full-bodied, medium roasted blend rich with crema. Flying M Espresso Blend has been served since 1995 at the Boise location and several other locally owned coffee shops and restaurants. Flying M also roasts a House Blend, consisting of a French roast paired with a medium roast Indonesian producing a powerful, bittersweet cup.
In more descriptive terms, their coffee-art laden brew is smooth and light on the acidity. The mocha I grabbed on my last visit was great; just remember that they’re not big on their shots. While some coffee shops, such as Dawson’s and Dutch Bros. boast as many as three shots to a 16oz – with four if you’re in for the extra kick – Flying M seems to focus more on taste. Their 
menu is interesting if not a little unusual, their sizes being 8oz, 12oz, 16oz (with one, one, and two shots included, respectively.) Most coffee shops these days have a 12oz, 16oz, 20oz menu while still others go higher. I’m inclined to think, however, that Flying M is inherently not a follower of trends. Rather, they seem to be home to the very people who start trends.
Besides coffee, Flying M hosts a gift shop, an art gallery (see pics), free wi-fi, music events, their own bakery, and an atmosphere that makes your extrovert come out.
If you haven’t tried Flying M yet, come see what you’re missing. It’s 100% Boise, and 100% worth it.
The Coffee Guy
I love the Flying M. The Nampa one is better in my opinion only because it has more room. 🙂