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 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, éclairs, croissants, muffins
and desserts. Serving 6:30-5:30 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. Lunch sandwiches
now available. 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: 6 AM-8 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. 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 Mon-Sat, 8-3 Sun. AE, D, MC, V, personal checks. $
The
Daily Grind
204
Lark St., Albany, 427-0464; 258 Broadway, Troy, 272-8658.
www.dail ygrind.com. 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 where all their 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, 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,
try the homemade lasagne, soups and sandwiches. Off-premises
catering, takeout available. Serving 11-10 Sun-Thu, 11-11
Fri-Sat. Extended hours during track season. MV, 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. Saturday brunch.
Off-premises catering and takeout available. Serving 7 AM-4
PM Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri, 7 AM-9 PM Wed, 8 AM-4 PM Saturday.
AE, D, MC, V. $
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. 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, 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 AM-midnight
daily. AE, 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 paisano, cinnamon-raisin or jalapeño-cheddar
bread. Also featuring organic coffee, scones, biscotti and
freshly baked bread. Mon-Sat 7-7, Sun 9-4. 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, frappuccino, 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. Cash or personal checks. $
Starbucks
Stuyvesant
Plaza, 489-1064; Charter One Building, 10 N. Pearl St.,
463-6990; 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,
D, 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-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. Cash and local personal
checks only in Albany; MC, V accepted in Saratoga. $
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