LIGHT
FARE
Ambition
154
Jay St., Schenectady, 382-9277. Offering light fare with
a gourmet flair. Specialty sandwiches, cappuccino, lattes,
espresso, full bar, and homemade desserts. Serving 8-6 Mon-Wed,
Fri; 8-9 Thu, 10-5 Sat. Closed Sun. AE, MC, V. $
Bailey’s
Phila
and Putnam streets, Saratoga Springs, 583-6060. This is
two places in one, with the full menu available at both
the inside café and the outside patio bar and grill. Relax
in an Adirondack chair while toasting s’mores at your table.
Full bar, on-premises catering, banquet facilities and takeout
available. Serving 11 AM-midnight daily. AE, D, DC, MC,
V. $$
Betty’s
Pizza Shack
26
Housatonic St., Lenox, Mass., (413) 637-8171. This brightly
colored, high-energy restaurant serves an amazing array
of pizzas, salads, burritos, quesadillas, and hot oven grinders.
Buckets of beer and a nice selection of wine provide the
mostly local clientele with a fun getaway right in the heart
of Lenox. Beer and wine; takeout available. Serving 11:30-9
Sun-Thu, 11:30-10 Fri-Sat. Checks, cash. $$
Bread
Basket
65
Spring St., Saratoga Springs, 587-4233. Great homemade breads,
quiche, soups, scones, pastries, specialty cakes and other
luscious treats are available at this small eatery. Open
7-6 Tue-Fri, 7-4 Sat-Sun. Closed Mon. Personal checks, cash.
$
Café
1795
35
N. Ferry St., Schenectady, 372-4141. Variety of gourmet
sandwiches, salads and paninis. CIA grad Rob Gavel creates
a café feel in the Old Arthur’s Market in Schenectady’s
Historic Stockade District. Serving 8-4 daily. AE, D, MC,
V. $
D’Andrea’s
33
Caroline St., Saratoga Springs, 584-3632. Pizza, focaccia
sandwiches, fried foods, “grubs” (grinder-subs), stuffed
breads. Dine in, take out; free local delivery. Serving
11-10 Sun-Thu, 11 AM-4 AM Fri-Sat. D, MC, V. $
Debbie’s
Kitchen
456
Madison Ave., Albany, 463-3829. The downtown Albany hot
spot for soups, creatively constructed sandwiches and totally
killer desserts. Chef Debbie Klauber and company weave a
touch of color and crunch into the ordinary, as in their
smoked-turkey-breast sandwich with garlic mayo, sliced pears,
sunflower seeds, roasted onions and cheddar cheese. Vegetarian
combos are always available, as are fresh salads and a wide
variety of ever-changing baked goods. Don’t leave without
tasting one of Debbie’s brownies. Serving 10-9 Mon-Fri,
11-6 Sat. Closed Sun. MC, V. $
Francesca’s
Broadway
and Fifth Avenue, Troy, 272-3726. Serving soups, salads
and gourmet sandwiches. Daily specials and desserts. On/off-premises
catering; takeout available. Serving 7:30-4 Mon-Thu, 7:30-3
Fri. Cash only. $
Hungry
Spot Café
Collamer
Building, 480 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 584-9060. Boasting
great homemade soups, fresh rotisserie turkey and daily
lunch specials. Also featuring a vegetarian menu. Takeout,
free delivery and off-premises catering available. Serving
7-3 Mon-Fri. AE, MC, V, personal checks. $
It’s
a Wrap
242
Quaker Road, Queensbury, 743-0920. Offering a selection
of bagels, cream cheese and coffee, as well as homemade
fresh wraps, soups, and salads. Light catering available.
Serving 6-6 Mon-Sat, 8-4 Sun. Personal checks, cash. $
Kelsey’s
State
and Lodge streets (at the Crowne Plaza), Albany, 462-6611.
The light fare/pub menu features sandwiches, burgers, chicken
tenders and other munchies in a comfortable atmosphere.
Full bar. Serving 11:30 AM-1 AM Mon-Fri, noon-1 AM Sat-Sun.
Bar open till 2 AM every night. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. $$
Manhattan
Bagel
133
Saratoga Road, Scotia, 399-3887. Twenty-two varieties of
bagels, plus soups, sandwiches and a grill menu. Also serving
gourmet coffee. Serving 6-5 Mon-Fri, 6-4 Sat, 7-2:30 Sun.
AE, MC, V. $
Martel’s
at the New Course at Albany
65
O’Neill Road, Albany, 489-0466. Nightly specials and pizzas
augment a light dinner menu featuring burgers, finger foods,
salads and sandwiches. Full bar, catering. Takeout available.
Serving 10-10 Mon-Tue, 9 AM-10 PM Wed-Fri, 8 AM-10 PM Sat-Sun.
AE, MC, V. $
Mezzo
Marketplace & Eatery
340
Hamilton St., Albany, 463-6240. European-style specialty
market with an eat-in or takeout menu that highlights what
is fresh in season. Artisan bakery, hand-cut cheeses, cured
meats, produce, specialty pantry products. Daily specials.
On- and off-premises catering, takeout, daytime delivery.
Open 8-8 Mon, Wed-Fri; 8-6 Tue; 9-6 Sat; 20-5 Sun. AE, D,
MC, V, personal checks. $
Mild
Wally’s
189A
Quail St., Albany, 433-1898. A wide array of appetizers,
hot and cold subs, wings, pizza, pasta dinners and Ben &
Jerry’s ice cream. Wally’s has pickup or delivery into the
wee hours. Catering available. Serving 4-midnight Mon, 11
AM-1 AM Tue-Wed, 11 AM-2 AM Thu, 11 AM-3 AM Fri-Sat, noon-1
AM Sun. Phone orders (delivery) available until half-hour
before close. AE, D, MC, V. $
Mrs.
London’s
464
Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 581-1834. Featuring exquisite
homemade pastries, desserts, sandwiches, soups and salads,
espresso and other hot drinks. Takeout available. Serving
7-6 Tue-Thu and Sun, 7 AM-9 PM Fri and Sat. Closed Mon.
AE, MC, V, personal checks. $
Panera
Bread Co.
Crossgates
Commons, 161 Washington Ave. Ext., Albany, 862-9281. Grab
a quick lunch or a breakfast muffin or take advantage of
the comfortable surroundings and dally for a snack or extended
meal. Just-baked bread and pastries, soups, salads and free
refills on iced tea. Serving Mon-Thu 6:30 AM-9 PM, Fri-Sat
6:30-10, Sun 7:30-7:30. AE, D, DC, MC, V. $
Peaches
Café
Stuyvesant
Plaza, Guilderland, 482-3677. Full lunch and dinner menu
includes new appetizers and pastas. Breakfast all day, every
day, with fare such as Belgian waffles and specialty omelettes.
Takeout available. Serving 8 AM-9:30 PM Mon-Thu, 8-9 with
dessert until 11 Fri-Sat, 8-7:30 Sun. AE, CB, D, DC, MC,
V. $
Pie
in the Sky
314
Central Ave., Albany, 463-7355. Enjoy deli sandwiches, daily
lunch specials, homemade soups and baked goods. Salad bar
and breakfast. Cakes made to order. On/off-premises catering.
Takeout available. Serving 7:30-3 Mon-Fri. Cash and checks
only. $
Pizza
Baron
160
Delaware Ave, Delmar, 439-2222. Pizzas any way you like,
but if you’re into something different, try the Baron Babies,
soft garlic-butter breadsticks, or the jumbo baked (not
deep-fried) wings. Eat in or take out; free delivery available
($8 minimum). Serving 11-10 Mon-Tue, 11-11 Wed-Thu, 11 AM-midnight
Fri-Sat, noon-10 Sun. Cash or checks only. $
Putnam
Market
435
Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 587-3663. A gourmet marketplace
with a deli and bakery, serving sandwiches, prepared foods,
soups and salads to eat in or take out. Some of the sandwich
specials include the High Rock (in-house roasted turkey
with cheddar and cranberry mayo), the Putnam Street (smoked
turkey with Brie and honey mustard) and the Karista (homemade
fresh mozzarella with roasted red peppers and pesto mayo).
Catering available. Serving 9-7 Mon-Sat, 10-6 Sun. AE, MC,
V. $
Slick’s
Restaurant
127
S. Ferry St., Schenectady, 370-0026. Roast beef, turkey,
corned beef, tuna, and ham and cheese sandwiches are featured,
along with a soup of the day. Full bar. Takeout available.
Serving 11-11 daily. MC, V. $
Smith’s
Tavern
112
Maple Ave. (Route 85A), Voorheesville, 765-4163. Open since
1945. Serving sandwiches, salads, homemade soups and award-winning
pizza with homemade dough and sauce. More than 40 types
of beer and microbrews. Serving 3-9 Sun and Tue, 11-10 Wed-Thu,
11-11 Fri-Sat. Closed Mon. Extended hours after Memorial
day. Cash and checks only. $
The
Toll Gate
1569
New Scotland Road, Slingerlands, 439-9824. Locally famous
for the wide selection of homemade ice creams, they also
serve up burgers, sandwiches, onion rings and the like,
as well as daily lunch and dinner specials. No alcohol.
Takeout available. Serving 11-9 Sun-Thu, 11-10 Fri-Sat.
Cash only. $
The
Whistling Kettle
24
Front St., Ballston Spa, 884-2664, www.thewhistlingkettle.com.
Upscale tea lounge with more than 85 varieties of premium
loose-leaf tea. Light fare including cakes, scones, muffins,
finger sandwiches, soups and salads. Also offering beer,
wine and fondue. Internet access, fireplace and a comfortable
atmosphere. No reservations necessary. Serving 11-6 Tue-Fri,
11-7 Sat, 11-5 Sun.
Columns
& Opinions
