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

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 appeared to show only part of the full weekly schedule.