TV Restaurants

Is Caffe Boa Still Open? Mystery Diners Update (Tempe, AZ)

Open verified

As of September 2026, Caffe Boa is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed September 8, 2026.

Primary source
cafeboa.com ·
Secondary source
Google ·

Last verified

What the source shows: Caffe Boa's own website, checked 2026-09-08, lists current weekly hours and an active online-ordering option.

  • Season / episode Season 1, Episode 5
  • Original air date
  • Address 398 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281

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Note on this show: Described as staged/scripted by Wikipedia's article, citing a 2012 realityblurred.com report. Surface this note on every record.

What happened after Mystery Diners?

In 'F for Effort' (aired 2012-06-08), Mystery Diners investigators looked into Caffe Boa in Tempe after the owner raised concerns about staff conduct affecting service quality. Hidden cameras recorded an employee drinking while on shift and behaving rudely toward customers, among other staffing problems the episode singled out during dinner service. Investigators reviewed the footage with the owner, pointing out the specific service lapses and the drinking on the clock across more than one shift, and the episode showed the owner addressing the employee directly with the recordings. According to Wikipedia's article on the series, citing its sources, later episodes carried an on-screen disclaimer noting that certain depicted events may have been staged or re-enacted for dramatic purposes.

The restaurant continues operating at 398 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, under the name Caffe Boa TEMPE. Checked on 2026-09-08, the business's own website listed current weekly hours running Wednesday through Sunday and an active online-ordering option, along with catering and private-event booking pages. Google Places separately listed the business as operational as of the same check, corroborating the website. Between the two independent, contemporaneous sources, the restaurant is treated as currently open, though the hours text captured in this pass appeared to show only part of the full weekly schedule.

Featured on Mystery Diners

Season / episode
Season 1, Episode 5
Original air date
Episode title
F for Effort
What was featured
Staff drinking on shift and rude to customers
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Caffe Boa

Frequently asked questions

Is Caffe Boa still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Caffe Boa is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed September 8, 2026.

What happened to Caffe Boa after Mystery Diners?

In 'F for Effort' (aired 2012-06-08), Mystery Diners investigators looked into Caffe Boa in Tempe after the owner raised concerns about staff conduct affecting service quality. As of September 2026, Caffe Boa is open — confirmed via the restaurant's current website/social account, accessed September 8, 2026.

Where is Caffe Boa located?

398 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Mystery Diners featured Caffe Boa?

Season 1, Episode 5 of Mystery Diners, first aired June 8, 2012. The episode is titled “F for Effort”.

What do reviews say since Mystery Diners?

Investigators reviewed the footage with the owner, pointing out the specific service lapses and the drinking on the clock across more than one shift, and the episode showed the owner addressing the employee directly with the recordings. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
398 S Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
cafeboa.com

Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources

  • cafeboa.com — http://www.cafeboa.com/#about
  • Google — https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Caffe+Boa%2C+398+S+Mill+Ave%2C+Tempe%2C+AZ+85281
  • Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Diners

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Record md-005 · last verified .