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-11 PM Mon-Sat, 9-9 Sun. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $
Borders Café
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. Serving 9 AM-10:30 PM daily. AE, D,
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, éclairs, croissants,
muffins and desserts, including seasonal gelato and sorbet.
Please call for hours of operation. AE, MC, V, personal
checks. $
Capital Grounds
145 Rye 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
PM Mon-Fri. 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 Rensselaer Amtrak Station, there are also hot and cold
sandwiches, soups, and chili available. Crossgates and Colonie
locations open during mall hours. Amtrak: 5 AM-8:30 PM daily;
Airport: 4:30 AM-9 PM daily; Airport kiosk: 4:30 AM-8:30
PM Sun-Fri, 4:30-8 Sat. D, MC, V. $
Coffee Planet
100 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa, 884-9913. www.thecoffeeplanet.net.
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. Wines and microbrew
beers now available. Takeout available. Serving 7-7 Mon-Sat,
8-3 Sun. AE, D, MC, V, personal checks. $
The Daily Grind
204 Lark St., Albany, 427-0464; 46 Third St., Troy, 272-8658.
www.dailygrind.com. The Troy location features a true coffee
bar with plenty of tables and couches, offering coffee of
the day, espresso, cappuccino, and latte, as well as gourmet
soups, sandwiches and desserts. Select teas, too. Beer and
wine now available. Serving 8-6 Mon-Wed, 8-11 Thu, 8-6 Fri-Sat,
9-6 Sun. At the Lark Street location, you’ll find more than
coffee: Upstairs there’s a retail store where all the beans
are roasted, 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, D, MC, V. $
Eugenio’s Cafe Gelato
419 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 691-6000. Featuring gelato
made on premises with imported Italian ingredients, and
Italian pastries made from Eugene’s family recipes. Italian
espresso, cappuccino and the house specialty, café gelato
(espresso with gelato topped with whipped cream and caramel).
Also, homemade lasagne, pizza, soups, sandwiches and more.
Off-premises catering, takeout available. Serving noon-8
Wed-Thu, noon-10 Fri-Sat, noon-8 Sun. MC, V. $
Everybody’s Café
674 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, 479-2233. www.everybodyscafe.com.
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. Now serving breakfast,
along with Saturday brunch. Off-premises catering and takeout
available. Serving 7 AM-4 PM Mon-Fri, 8 AM-2 PM Saturday.
AE, D, MC, V. $
Flavour Café and Lounge
228 4th St., Troy, 266-9253. www.flavour cafe.com. Over
30 flavors of fresh-brewed coffee; also plenty of teas and
Torani syrups. Menu features soups, salads, wraps and panini
sandwiches. Wi-fi and in-house computer available, and a
new patio. On- and off-premises catering, takeout and delivery
available. Plus, get a free small coffee 7-8 AM. Open 7
AM-11 PM Mon-Fri, 9 AM-11 PM Sat, 9 AM-7 PM Sun. D, MC,
V. ATM on premises. $
Francesca’s
See listing under “Light Fare.”
Ilium Café
9 Broadway on Monument Square, Troy, 629-0004. Soups, salads,
sandwiches and paninis in an old-world, European-style coffeehouse
in historic downtown Troy. Featuring fair-trade coffees.
Serving 7 AM-5:30 PM Mon-Fri, 8 AM-5 PM Sat, 8-2 Sun; call
to see if open for Troy Music Hall events. MC, V. $
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. Bakery features gourmet pastries and
fresh pies. Serving 7-7 Mon-Fri, 8 AM-3 PM Sat. Closed Sun.
AE, D, MC, V. $
Muddy Cup Coffee House
1038 Madison Ave., Albany, 458-6120; 742 Warren St., Hudson,
828-0958. Neighborhood coffeehouse with an artist-friendly
vibe. Serving their own coffee blends, plus fresh pastries,
and more. Albany: 7 AM-midnight Mon-Thu, Sun; 7 AM-2 AM
Fri-Sat. Hudson: 7 AM-10 PM Mon-Thu, 7 AM-11 PM Fri-Sat,
8 AM-9 PM Sun. D, MC, V. $
Perfect Blend
376 Delaware Ave., Delmar, 439-6537. www.perfectblendcafe.com.
Southwestern-themed independent coffeehouse offering a selection
of coffees, teas, espresso drinks, chai, all-natural fruit
smoothies and the original Brooklyn egg cream. Offering
breakfast sandwiched as well as fresh-baked pastries include
scones, muffins, bagels, cookies, biscotti, cannoli, lemon
bars and chocolate cake. Lunch includes homemade fruit salad,
quiche, soups and sandwiches. Daily specials. Private room
for meetings and events, open patio. Open 7 AM-10 PM Mon-Thu,
7 AM-11 PM Fri, 8 AM-11 PM Sat, 8 AM-9 PM Sun. AE, MC, V,
personal checks. $
Professor Java’s Coffee Sanctuary
217 Wolf Road, Colonie, 435-0843. A light menu features
sandwiches, salads, wraps, quesadillas, 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 6:30
AM-11 PM Mon-Thu, 6:30 AM-midnight Fri-Sat, 6:30 AM-10 PM
Sun. AE, MC, V. $
Rendezvous Bistro/Coffee Beanery
1900 Central Ave., Albany, 452-1231. A cozy, relaxed atmosphere
in which to enjoy a gourmet coffee, cappuccino or espresso.
Unwind in front of the three-sided fireplace and sample
some of their desserts or tap into the free wi-fi access.
Serving breakfast sandwiches all day, as well as gourmet
salads, wraps and panini sandwiches. Drive-through available.
Open 5:30 AM-7 PM Mon-Thur and Sat, 5:30 AM-8 PM Fri, 8-5
Sun. AE, D, MC, V. $
Rock Hill Bakehouse Café
19 Exchange St., Glens Falls, 615-0777. Rock Hill’s bread-based
café menu makes for uniquely satisfying breakfast and lunch
fare. Try the naturally leavened, hearth-baked breads. Also
featuring organic coffee, scones, biscotti and freshly baked
bread. Mon-Fri 7 AM-10 PM, Sat 8-8, Sun 9-6. AE, 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, specialty drinks, fresh-fruit smoothies and 35 different
types of whole-bean coffees roasted fresh daily. Fresh baked
goods—including bagels, scones, croissants and danishes.
State Street shop has soups and sandwiches, too. State Street
shop serving 7-5 Mon-Fri; James Street shop serving 7:15-2:15
Mon-Fri. Cash or personal checks only at James Street; MC,
V accepted at State Street. $
Starbucks
Stuyvesant Plaza, 489-1064; Citizens Bank Building, 10 N.
Pearl St., Albany, 463-6990; 329 Glenmont Road, Glenmont,
433-4700; 1244 Western Ave., Albany, 591-0372; 399 Troy
Road, Greenbush, 286-3153; 2441 Watt St., Schenectady, 347-1716;
Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 581-9498; St. James Square,
Niskayuna, 381-9340; Newton Plaza, Loudonville, 783-4544;
Wolf Road, Colonie, 435-9280; 9 Clifton Country Road, Clifton
Park, 373-5794; 555 Hubbard Ave., Pittsfield, Mass., (413)
442-5862; 607 Aviation Road, Queensbury, 761-1284. Contemporary
Seattle-based coffee chain specializing in gourmet coffee
drinks including cappuccino, latte, frappuccino and espresso,
plus pastries and cookies. Call individual stores for hours.
AE, D, MC, V. $
Ultraviolet Cafe
290 Delaware Ave., Albany, 434-0333. Serving fair-trade
gourmet coffee and espresso drinks, whole-leaf teas, bagels,
scones, desserts, panini sandwiches and more. Serving 8
AM-10 PM Mon-Thu; 8-midnight Fri, 11:30 AM-midnight Sat,
11:30 AM-10 PM Sun. 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 location also offers a salad bar. Albany store: serving
6 AM-10 PM Sun-Thu, 6 AM-11 PM Fri-Sat. Saratoga store:
serving 6:30 AM-11 PM Mon-Thu, 6:30 AM-midnight Fri, 7 AM-midnight
Sat, 7 AM-11 PM Sun. AE, D, MC, V. Skidmore cards accepted
at Saratoga location. $