CONTINENTAL
The
Arlington House
3532 Route 43, West Sand Lake, 674-1880. Once the Arlington
Hotel, this is a gorgeous-looking destination where seafood
is especially well done and the menu is changed to fit each
season. Good homemade desserts, too. Full bar. Serving Tue-Sat
4:30-9. Sun 3-8. Call for summer hours in July and August.
AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Aubergine
Routes 22 and 23, Hillsdale, 325-3412, www.aubergine.com.
The approach to food at this fine-dining establishment draws
as much from New American ideas as it does from the classical
models. Specializing in seasonal items with an extensive
wine list. Four overnight guest rooms. High casual dress
appreciated. Reservations recommended. Serving dinner 5:30-close
Wed-Sun. AE, MC, V, checks. $$$$
Bookmaker’s at the Holiday Inn
South Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 587-8944. Steaks, chicken,
shrimp and other continental favorites. Banquet facilities,
on/off-premises catering. Light-fare menu available. Serving
6:30 AM-10 PM daily; breakfast buffet 8-noon Sun. Reservations
suggested. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $$
Brindisi’s
390 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 587-6262. Innovative continental
fare with a tendency toward northern Italy, served in a
handsome setting with a picture window on Saratoga’s main
street. The bar is friendly and desserts are another specialty.
Serving lunch 11-3 Mon-Sat, dinner 5-10 Mon-Thu, 5-11 Fri-Sat,
1-10 Sun. AE, D, MC, V. $$$
Capitol House
614 Route 9W, Glenmont, 463-5130. A chef-owned restaurant
where the chef does all the cooking. Featuring nightly seafood
specials, duck and veal preparations and homemade desserts.
Full bar, catering and banquet facilities. Private rooms
for 15 to 40 people. Serving dinner 5-10 Mon-Sat. Closed
Sun (except holidays). Reservations suggested on weekends.
AE, MC, V, personal checks. $$$
Conway’s on Yates Street
492 Yates St., Albany, 489-9999. This establishment has
plenty of history: It opened as a bar in 1867 and was a
speakeasy in the 1920s. Conway’s has preserved the original
décor and created a contemporary restaurant with style and
ambience. The menu features inventive preparations of steak,
seafood, fresh fish and the like, and for dessert, the passion
fruit soufflé is a recommended house specialty. Nightly
specials. Full bar, off-premises catering. Serving dinner
5-10 Wed-Thu, 5-11 Fri-Sat. Closed Sun-Tue. Reservations
suggested. AE, DC, MC, V. $$$$
Eartha’s Restaurant
60 Court St., Saratoga Springs, 583-0602. Elegant neighborhood
bistro specializing in prime meats and fresh fish. Full
bar. Serving dinner 5:30-9:30 Tue-Sun. Closed Mon. D, MC,
V. $$$$
Elm Court Restaurant
Route 71, North Egremont, Mass., (413) 528-0325. A beautiful
old building (it dates from 1790) with small, elegant dining
rooms. The menu, which changes daily, features fresh ingredients
and includes great takes on old classics like French onion
soup and escargot, as well as more recently devised American
fare. Full bar, on-premises catering. Serving dinner 5-9
Wed-Sun. AE, MC, V. $$$$
43 Phila Bistro
43 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, 584-2720. Thoughtfully prepared
creative cuisine is available at this award- winning American
bistro. Menu changes seasonally. Full bar. Serving dinner
5-10 Mon-Sat. Open Sun in season, call for hours. AE, D,
MC, V. $$$$
Gideon Putnam Hotel
Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs, 584-3000. Elegant
dining, featuring continental fare, pasta and more, in any
of several attractive rooms. Open to the public year-round.
Full bar, catering and banquet facilities. Serving lunch
11:30-2 daily; dinner 6-9 Sun-Thu, 6-10 Fri-Sat; brunch
10:30-2 Sun. Reservations suggested. AE, CB, D, DC, MC,
V. $$$$
The Ginger Man Wine Bar & Restaurant
234 Western Ave., Albany, 427-5963. Try the fruit-and-cheese
board with a glass of wine; other menu items include sesame
tuna with ginger and soy, house-made ravioli, and plenty
of other entrées. Salads and daily fish and pasta specials,
too. Popular for an extensive wine and beer list—and winner
of The Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence—the Ginger
Man offers wine- and beer-tasting events, and visitors can
even join a wine club. Full bar, on-premises catering, takeout
available. Serving 11:30-11:30 Mon-Thu, 11:30 AM-12:30 AM
Fri. Bar open 4:30 PM until 1 AM Mon-Thu, 4-12:30 Sat. Closed
Sun. Reservations recommended. AE, D, MC, V. $$$
Glen Sanders Mansion
1 Glen Ave., Scotia, 374-7262. Featuring gourmet cuisine
and seasonal specials. Full bar and banquet facilities,
on/off-premises catering. Overnight accommodations available.
Serving lunch 11:30-2 Mon-Fri; dinner 5-10 Mon-Sat, 4-9
Sun; brunch 10:30-1:30 Sun; pub menu 2 PM-10 PM Mon-Fri,
5-10 Sat, 4-10 Sun. Reservations recommended. AE, D, DC,
MC, V. $$$$
Good Times Lakeview Restaurant
175 Lake Road, Ballston Lake, 399-9976. A varied menu with
light fare to hearty dining, cheerful service and a view
of Ballston Lake combine to help those good times along.
Homestyle country cooking featuring homemade pastas, fresh
seafood and chops. Early-bird specials, children’s menu.
Year-round murder-mystery dinner theater. Full bar, takeout,
catering and banquet facilities. Private lakeview banquet
room; also an open fireplace with a panoramic view of the
lake. Serving 11:30-9 daily. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. $$
Graham’s Restaurant & Bar
63 Putnam St., Saratoga Springs, 580-0500. Dine in elegant
surroundings in a converted brewery where the menu features
continental fare with a Mediterranean flair. Look for fancy
appetizers like roasted quail with garlic stuffing and entrées
that include tasty lamb preparations, a double-cut rosemary-roasted
pork chop and seared pink-peppercorn tuna with garlic spinach.
And there’s always risotto du jour. Full bar, on-premises
catering, lunch delivery available in town. Serving lunch
11:30-3 Thu-Sat; dinner 5:30-10 Sun-Mon, Wed-Thu; 5:30-11
Fri-Sat; brunch noon-3:30 Sun. Closed Tue. AE, CB, D, DC,
MC, V. $$$
Great American Grill
Albany Airport Hilton, 800 Albany Shaker Road, Colonie,
464-6666. Dine in view of the Hilton lobby and watch the
passersby as you sample the breakfast buffet, dig into a
sandwich or try one of the exotic dinner specials; the 16-ounce
porterhouse pork chop is another favorite. Full bar, banquet
facilities, on-premises catering. Serving breakfast 6-10
Mon-Fri, 7-noon Sat-Sun and holidays; lunch 11-1 Mon-Fri,
noon-1 Sat-Sun and holidays; dinner 5-10 nightly. AE, D,
MC, V. $$$
The Greenfield Village Inn
3234 Route 9N, Greenfield Center, 893-2885. Serving Northern
Italian, Mediterranean and American fare featuring seafood,
steaks and poultry—including fresh turkey cooked off the
bone. Full bar. Takeout available, on/off-premises catering.
Serving lunch and dinner 11:30-close Tue-Sun. Closed Mon.
Reservations recommended. AE, D, MC, V. $$$
La Perla at the Gregory House
Route 43, Averill Park, 674-3774. Specializing in Italian
and Continental foods including chicken, seafood and wild-game
specials, all served in a relaxed atmosphere. Full bar,
on-premises catering and banquet facilities for small groups.
Serving lunch 11:30-3 Mon, Wed-Fri; dinner 3-10 Mon, Wed-Thu,
3-11 Fri-Sat, 2-10 Sun. Reservations suggested. AE, CB,
D, MC, V. $$$
Lanzi’s on the Lake
Route 30, Mayfield, 661-7711. Owned and operated by the
Lanzi family. Fine dining for three generations, specializing
in steaks, seafood and Italian dishes. Full bar, on/off-premises
catering. Serving lunch 11-3 daily, dinner 4-close daily.
Reservations suggested. AE, D, MC, V. $$
La Serre
14 Green St., Albany, 463-6056. This is the place for fresh
pasta, grilled fish or veal chanterelle. Full bar
and banquet facilities. Serving lunch 11:30-2:30 Mon-Fri,
dinner 5-9 Mon-Thu, 5-9:30 Fri-Sat. Closed most Sundays.
Reservations suggested. AE, CB, DC, MC, V. $$$
Lenox House Restaurant
55 Pittsfield-Lenox Road (Routes 7 and 20), Lenox, Mass.,
(413) 637-1341. Serving continental cuisine, chef-owner
Alan Carr offers old favorites like chicken amandine, chicken
pot pie and lobster pot pie, and fresh-baked popovers—but
you’ll also find health-conscious items and an imaginative
use of fruits and vegetables. Full bar, banquet facilities,
on-premises catering. Serving 11:30-9 Sun-Thu, 11:30-10
Fri-Sat. AE, D, MC, V. $$$
Mansion Hill Inn
115 Philip St., Albany, 465-2038. This American-regional
restaurant changes its menu two or three times a year. Enjoy
homemade desserts; in fact, virtually everything is made
from scratch. Albany County’s only three-diamond-approved
B&B. Catering, banquet and private parties available.
Courtyard dining in season. Reservations suggested. Serving
dinner 5-close. Mon-Sat. Closed Sun. Call for lunch hours.
AE, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Monument Square Cafe
254 Broadway, Troy, 274-0167. A new establishment serving
continental cuisine with Mediterranean influences, using
fresh ingredients with a strong focus on presentation. Appetizers,
salads, pastas, small plates and entrées such as Italian
seafood stew and pork shank; desserts include bananas Foster
crepes. Full bar, on-premises catering. Serving lunch 11:30-2:30
Mon-Fri; dinner 5-10 Mon-Sat. AE, D, MC, V. $$
My Way Café
Routes 9 and 67E, Malta, 899-4196. Make a meal of fresh
skillet pasta or try the seafood, beef or veal specials,
all served amid Sinatra memorabilia. Full bar, catering
for private parties, and takeout available. No smoking.
Serving 4-close Tue-Sun. Reservations suggested. AE, D,
MC, V, personal checks. All entrees $15.95.
Nicole’s Bistro at the Quackenbush House
25 Quackenbush Square, Albany, 465-1111. Dinner is served
with a decidedly French flair in Albany’s oldest historic
building. The menu is noted for traditional dishes including
rack of lamb, roast duckling and steak au poivre. Also features
contemporary menu items. In addition to the regular menu
a fixed-price $25 dinner menu and $34 dinner (including
two glasses of wine) are available. Summer dining in the
fabulous garden. Full bar, banquet facilities. Serving lunch
11:30-2:30 Mon-Fri, dinner 5-10 Mon-Sat. Reservations suggested.
AE, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Olde Shaker Inn
1171 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, 783-6460. The usual
meats and fishes are transformed with imaginative ingredients
on a menu offering New American cuisine. Full bar, facilities
for small parties and off-premises catering available. Serving
lunch 11:30-3 Mon-Fri; dinner 5-9:30 Mon-Thu, 5-10 Fri-Sat,
2-9 Sun. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Palmer House Café
1462 Main St., Rensselaerville, 797-3449. A country village
restaurant with a menu that changes weekly and highlights
fresh vegetables and herbs, as well as elegant pastries.
Full bar, on/off-premises catering. Dinner from 5 PM Wed-Sun,
brunch 11-3 Sun. Closed Mon-Tue. Reservations suggested.
AE, CB, DC, MC, V. $$$
The Pillars
Route 20, New Lebanon, 794-8007. European and regional American
cuisine meet in this period cottage on seven acres of rolling
lawn. Specialties include veal Lafayette and sole Mantua
served in a lobster reduction sauce. Full bar, on-premises
catering. Serving 5-10 Wed-Sat, 4-9 Sun. Reservations suggested.
AE, CB, DC, MC, V. $$$
Provence
Stuyvesant Plaza, Guilderland, 689-7777. Serving traditional
and contemporary Southern French and Mediterranean cuisine.
Experience fine dining in true French-bistro style with
such classic dishes as bouillabaisse, roasted duck and steak
frites. Enjoy professional and friendly service,
an open kitchen featuring daily specials, a full custom-made
zinc bar and extensive wine list in our beautiful, casually
elegant French setting. Patio dining May-October. Serving
lunch 11-3 Mon-Sat, dinner nightly 5PM-close. Reservations
accepted. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Red Dot
321 Warren St., Hudson, 828-3657. A casual, friendly, European-style
bistro in the heart of Hudson’s art and antiques district.
The Belgian-inspired menu features authentic Belgian frites,
mussels, fish and chips, burgers and daily specials. Full
bar. Serving 5-10 Wed-Sat, Sun brunch 11-3, dinner 5-9.
Closed Mon-Tue. MC, V. $$$
The Red Lion Inn
Main Street, Stockbridge, Mass., (413) 298-5545. Three dining
rooms—which can seat 275—give you plenty of seating choices
in a business that dates from 1773. Fresh salmon and traditional
turkey dinner are favorite items on a menu that mixes classic
continental with more adventurous fare. And don’t forget
a post-prandial rock on the porch. Full bar, banquet facilities,
on/off-premises catering. Serving breakfast 7:30-10:30 Mon-Sat,
8-10:30 Sun; lunch noon-2:30 Mon-Sat (until 4 in the tavern),
noon-4 Sun; dinner 5:30-9 Mon-Thu, 5:30-9:45 Fri-Sat, 5-8
Sun. Summer hours start June 1, serving dinner 5-9. AE,
D, DC, MC, V. $$$$
Rene’s Restaurant
White Schoolhouse Road, Chestertown, 494-2904. Chef Rene
Plattner oversees the excellent dinners and extraordinary
desserts in an elegant but still somewhat rustic setting
overlooking Loon Lake. Catering service. Serving dinner
Wed-Sun 5-9. Closed Mon-Tue; Open 7 days a week starting
July 4. AE, D, MC, V. $$$
The Restaurant at Mill Road
30 Mill Road, Latham, 783-7244, fax 783-7255. From light
fare to full dinners. Steaks, seafood, homemade soups, children’s
menu, daily lunch and dinner specials. Situated on an “executive”
18-hole golf course. Full bar, banquet facilities and large
enclosed deck. Serving 11:30-close daily. Reservations suggested.
D, MC, V. $$.
River Street Café
429 River St., Troy, 273-2740. The chef and chef-owner give
personal attention to each item on the seasonally changing
menu of fresh, New American fare. Beer and wine. Serving
5:30 PM-close Tue-Sat. Closed Sun-Mon. Reservations suggested.
MC, V, personal checks. $$$
The Shipyard
95 Everett Road, Colonie, 438-4428; fax 438-2331. An elegant
1800s brick house with two fireplaces is the atmospheric
setting for specials of grilled fowl, lamb, beef and seafood,
complemented by an award-winning wine list. Full bar. On-premises
catering. Banquet facilities and takeout available. Serving
lunch 11:45-2 Tue-Fri, dinner 5-9 Mon-Sat, 4-8 Sun. Reservations
suggested. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Smith’s
171 Remsen St., Cohoes, 237-9809. Built in 1873, this historic
restaurant boasts one of the longest fully stocked bars
north of New York City. The menu offers fresh seafood, veal,
calf’s liver, pastas, chicken, various prime beef dishes
and daily specials. All desserts made on premises. Homemade
soups. Full bar, banquet facilities. Serving lunch 11:30-2:30
Tue-Fri; dinner 5-9 Tue-Sat. Closed Sun-Mon (open for private
parties). Reservations suggested. AE, MC, V. $$
Sperry’s
30 1/2 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs, 584-9618. Casual
upscale dining on a side street, with an all-season patio
area. Noted for soft-shell crab (in season), seafood, Maryland
crab cakes, sirloin and fresh fish specials, handmade desserts.
Full bar. Takeout available. Serving lunch 11:30-3 Mon-Sat;
dinner 5:30-10 Mon-Sat, 5-9 Sun. AE, DC, MC, V. $$$
Stephanie’s on the Park
462 Madison Ave., Albany, 449-2492. Chef-owner Stephanie
Martin has developed a “melting pot” menu that ranges from
veal to pasta, with preparations taken from all over the
globe. Full bar. Serving 5:30-10 Tue-Thu, 5:30-11 Fri-Sat,
5-9 Sun, brunch 10-2 Sun. Bar open till 2 AM Thu-Sat. Closed
Mon. Reservations recommended. AE, DC, MC, V. $$$
Webster’s Corner
Crowne Plaza Hotel, State and Lodge streets, Albany, 462-6611.
An upscale American menu featuring steaks, pork chops, lamb
and a variety of fresh fish. Full bar with an upscale martini
lounge. On-premises catering and banquet facilities. Light
dinner menu, too. Serving breakfast 6:30-11 Mon-Fri, 7-noon
on Sat, (buffet 7-10 Mon-Fri); lunch 11:30-2 Mon-Fri; brunch
11:00-2 Sun; dinner 5-10 Mon-Sat. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $$$
Wishing Well
Route 9, Wilton, 584-7640. Triple-thick loin lamb chops
are featured, along with fresh seafood and prime rib. Live
Maine lobsters available nightly. Full bar and banquet facilities.
Fri-Sun piano bar. Serving 5-10 Tue-Fri, 5-11 Sat, noon-9
Sun. Closed Mon, except during racing season. Reservations
suggested. AE, DC, MC, V. $$$