COFFEE
BARS
Barnes
& Noble Café
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 20 Wolf Road, Colonie, 459-8183.
A sunny browsing café that features Starbucks coffee, as
well as espresso and cappuccino, chai and other teas. Also,
a variety of cold beverages including Italian sodas, and
a selection of sweet baked treats, as well as soup and panini.
Featuring four cheesecakes from The Cheesecake Factory.
Everyone’s welcome to bring books into the café. Serving
9 AM-10:45 PM Mon-Sat, 9-8:45 Sun. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $
Borders
Café Espresso
Borders Books & Music, 59 Wolf Road, Colonie, 482-5800.
There are plenty of tables in this upstairs café, which
features pastries, desserts and a selection of coffees,
teas, cold beverages and sandwiches. Bring books along;
browsing is welcome. Poetry readings, live music and other
entertainments are frequently scheduled. Serving 9 AM-10:30
PM daily. AE, D, DC, MC, V, personal checks. $
Café
Nora
Peter Harris Plaza, Route 7, Latham, 783-6880. Scores of
different coffees, flavored and regular, as well as granitas
(frozen flavored drinks), and espresso and cappuccino. Also
featuring soups, sandwiches, bagels, croissants, muffins
and desserts, including gelato. Serving 6:30-6 Mon-Fri,
6:30-3 Sat, 8-3 Sun. AE, MC, V, personal checks. $
Capital
Grounds
Shaker Pine Plaza, Watervliet Shaker Road, Colonie, 869-3277.
Fresh-roasted coffee. Espresso bar. Light fare including
breakfast sandwiches, fresh-baked pastries and muffins.
Coffee available by the pound. All coffee roasted on premises.
Takeout available. 6:30 AM-4:30 PM Mon-Fri, 9-2:30 PM Sat.
AE, D, MC, V. $
The
Coffee Beanery Ltd.
Crossgates Mall, 869-3039; Colonie Center, 438-1637; Rensselaer
Amtrak Station, 463-8770; Albany International Airport,
242-4303 and 242-4302. The Coffee Beanery’s emphasis is
on creating the “right roast,” roasting each different gourmet
bean to ensure the perfect roast for optimum flavor. New
flavors are served along with traditional favorites, specialty
coffee drinks and gourmet pastries. Try the Italian-style
cappuccino, made with the “espresso perfecto” roast. At
the new Rensselaer Amtrak Station, there are also hot and
cold sandwiches, soups, and chili available. Crossgates
and Colonie locations open during mall hours. Amtrak: 5:30
AM-9 PM daily; Airport: 5 AM-9 PM daily; Airport kiosk:
5:30 AM-8 PM Mon-Fri, 5:30-5 Sat, 6:30 AM-8 PM Sun. AE,
D, MC, V. $
Coffee
Planet
100 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa, 884-9913. Classic and colorful
coffeehouse offering traditional drip selection with brews
changing daily as well as flavors, decafs, Fair Trade and
organics. Full espresso menu including lattes, cappuccinos
and mochas. Chillers, coffee coolers, fruit smoothies and
don’t forget mulled cider. Also bagels and cream cheese,
sweet and savory scones, cookies, shortbread, biscotti,
sandwiches, soups and dessert. Takeout available. Serving
7-7 Sat, 8-3 Sun. AE, D, MC, V, local personal checks. $
The
Daily Grind
204 Lark St., Albany, 427-0464; 258 Broadway, Troy, 272-8658.
At the Troy location, a true coffee bar with several tables,
offering coffee of the day, espresso, cappuccino, latte
and such munchies as biscotti and muffins. Select teas,
too. Serving 8-5:30 Mon-Fri, 9-4 Sat. At the Lark Street
location, you’ll find more than coffee: Upstairs there’s
a retail store specializing in fresh-roasted coffee beans,
and downstairs there’s a European-style café offering an
eclectic variety of light fare. Serving 7 AM-10 PM Mon-Sat,
7 AM-8 PM Sun. AE, MC, V. $
Everybody’s
Café
674 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, 479-2233. Featuring
a full espresso menu including latte and cappuccino mocha
and a large assortment of loose teas. Homemade desserts
and soups, and light fare served all day. Saturday brunch.
Off-premises catering and takeout available. Serving 7 AM-4
PM Mon-Tue, 7-7 Wed-Thu, 7 AM-9 PM Friday, 8 AM-4 PM Saturday.
Francesca’s
See listing under “Light
Fare.”
Java
Jazz Café and Bakery
Main Square Shoppes, 318 Delaware Ave., Delmar, 439-1727.
(Shares space with Seattle Sub & Pita Co.). Substantial
line of gourmet coffees available, as well as espresso drinks.
Special coffee flavors served daily, along with fresh muffins,
scones and cookies. Newly expanded bakery features gourmet
pastries and fresh pies. Serving 7-7 Mon-Fri, 8 AM-3 PM
Sat. Closed Sun. AE, D, MC, V. $
Professor
Java’s Coffee Sanctuary
217 Wolf Road, Colonie, 435-0843. A light menu features
sandwiches, salads, quiches, stuffed breads, croissants,
bagels, pastries. Large selection of coffees, teas, fruit
frappes, etc. Coffee is roasted on the premises. It’s all
served in an eclectic, comfy atmosphere. Part of the Gift
Basket Company program. Open patio. Serving 6 AM-midnight
Everyday. AE, MC, V. $
Rock
Hill Bakehouse & Café
Diamond Plaza Mall, Glens Falls, 743-1660. Rock Hill’s bread-based
café menu makes for uniquely satisfying breakfast and lunch
fare. Try the paisano, cinnamon-raisin or jalapeño-cheddar
bread. Also featuring organic coffee, scones, biscotti and
freshly baked bread. Mon-Fri 7:30-6, Sat-Sun 8:30-4. MC,
V, personal checks. $
Stagecoach
Coffee
90 State St., Albany, 436-7233; 54 James St., Albany, 434-6255.
An extensive beverage list, including latte, cappuccino,
chai, Italian sodas, specialty drinks, frappucino, fresh-fruit
smoothies and 35 different types of whole-bean coffees.
Fresh baked goods—including bagels, scones, croissants and
danishes—plus soups, sandwiches and salads. State Street
shop serving 6-5 Mon-Fri; James Street shop serving 6-4
Mon-Fri. AE, D, MC, V. $
Starbucks
Stuyvesant Plaza, 489-1064; Broadway, Saratoga Springs,
581-9498; St. James Square, Niskayuna, 381-9340; Newton
Plaza, Loudonville, 783-4544; Wolf Road, Colonie, 435-9280;
9 Clifton County Road, Clifton Park, 373-5794. Contemporary
Seattle-based coffee chain specializing in gourmet coffee
drinks including cappuccino, latte, frappuccino and espresso,
plus pastries, cookies and bagels. Call individual stores
for hours. AE, MC, V. $
Uncommon
Grounds
1225 Western Ave., Albany, 453-5649; 402 Broadway, Saratoga
Springs, 581-0656. Wide selection of aromatic, freshly roasted
and freshly brewed coffees, teas of all kinds and a variety
of desserts. Great bagels and muffins, too (scones in Saratoga).
Albany store: serving 6 AM-11 PM Sun-Thu, 6 AM-midnight
Fri-Sat. Western Avenue store: Sun-Thu 6 AM- 11 PM, Fri-Sat
6 AM- 12 midnight. Saratoga store: 6:30 AM-11 PM Mon-Thu,
6:30 AM-midnight Fri, 7 AM-midnight Sat, 7 AM-11 PM Sun.
Cash and local personal checks only in Albany; MC, V accepted
in Saratoga. $
Columns
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