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    Ambition Coffee & Eatery

    4.3 (218 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Ambition Coffee & Eatery Photos

    AMBITION COFFEE & EATERY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ambition Coffee & Eatery

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    Tsz-Cheong C.

    A Cute and whimsical eatery. The Ambition Cafe is a small hidden Gem in Schenectady. Tucked away on a small paver laden street. Ambition is the kind of place that feels like a cool bar restaurant. The ambiance, paired with the rustic decor is entertaining. The friendly staff, creates an inviting atmosphere that makes you want to stay a while. The menu is simple offering a delightful mix of comfort food, coffees and freshly baked "Boozy muffins" which they are famous for, unfortunately, we passed on those muffins but will be back to try them in the future. The prices are extremely reasonable. It was a Sunday morning and we ordered off the brunch menu and had the Novel waffle with sausage and Jeremy's package. The waffle and sandwich was fresh and tasty. They use fresh local ingredients which always elevates even the simplest of meals. Ambition Cafe is more than just a place to grab a bite. The locals gather here to catch up, relax, and enjoy great food in a warm setting. The restaurant is located in a a busy area where a street fair and farmers market was happening that day. Whether you're there for a quick coffee or a leisurely lunch, Ambition delivers a delightful experience that will leave you coming back for more.

    Interior chandelier
    Elizabeth H.

    The most amazing little place! Found it on a random walk looking for breakfast. So much art inside, server was very sweet, the coffee was HOT and delicious. Literally told everyone about it when I got back.

    Welcome to Ambition...
    Andrea F.

    From the moment you step in the casual, cool, welcoming vibe can be felt. The retro decor and background music exude chill & fun. And that is exactly what we were looking for before we got back on the road to head home. We didn't want anything fancy just chill. We were greeted by the super friendly and accommodating staff. They offered up their suggestions followed up by personal reasons. The menu is fun and the food is freshly prepared and satisfying. Their prices are reasonable too! You honestly can't go wrong here. To start, I had cinnamon hazelnut coffee. I was so excited to hear that there were free refills. In addition to our yummy sandwich choices (the chipotle pretzel and the Jeremy package), we took some fresh out of the oven boozy muffins to go. While we were waiting for our sandwiches, we were told to check out the boozy muffins for our car ride home. In doing so, I lamented that the one flavor (raspberry mimosa) I really wanted was already sold out. By coincidence or design, I'll never know but I have my suspicions since they knew we leaving town right after our lunch -- a batch of muffins magically appeared prior to our departure!!! Needless to say, we took them for the road. If I'm ever in the area again, I'll be stopping back.

    Avocado Toast
    Rory M.

    What an adorably kitschy place. The wall decor is so eclectic and fun to look at. The staff was very friendly. The food was absolutely delicious. We loved the fun menu names for some items. My husband ordered the Bluffin' With my Muffin sandwich (not pictured) and man, the pretzel bun was so amazing, soft and not too breadE as some can be. My daughter ordered the Avocado Toast and declared it to be the best she has ever had (she lives in Long Island and has A.T. often) I had the eggs Benedict special and it was clear that it was made with love. The ham was delicious the hollandaise was not gloopy and the home fries were well seasoned and actually crispy. I also had the hot chocolate and it was chocolatey deliciousness. The only negative about the place, my husband said the bathroom was um.....a dive bar bathroom but I am not deducting any points because everything else was perfect.

    Jeremy's Package with a side salad.
    George L.

    It had been a while since I swung by ambition cafe, but I wanted to show my friend this cute Schenectady staple. They do pandemic seating, but we found a spot near the back of the cafe. The staff was incredibly friendly, and very accommodating. The restaurant designed is very old school, with fun celebrity murals, photos and news articles about the cafe, bottle cap poles, and a fun mishmash of everything the owner collects. As I remember from the last time I was there, the menu is eclectic and has some nice vegan options. Most orders come with a bag of chips or a side salad, which was a pretty decent size. We were also thrilled to see that they had fountain sodas, so we could order our Diet Cokes. We both ordered Jeremy's Package, which is made with grilled turkey, apples, bacon, tomato, cheddar, cranberry pesto, and balsamic reduction on pretzel bread. Boy did this sandwich live up to the hype. It was scrumptious, with a sweet little edge, and the acid of the crisp apple tartness balanced out the fattiness of the bacon and turkey. The pretzel bun tasted just like a pretzel, and it was warm and soft inside. Very happy! The salad is also very good. It was mixed greens, and I got the honey mustard vinaigrette. He worked really well, and was a perfect compliment to the dish. I'm so glad we hit this place up for lunch. I forgot how great Ambition Cafe has always been, and I'm really glad to see they're keeping it up.

    Entrance to Jay St

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    3 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Marc R.

    Marc R.

    Happy you found us. I waited 25 years to meet you!

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    7 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

    The food is delicious and reasonable prices. The people who work there are are always polite with good service

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Marc R.

    This is amazing. Thank you

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Very respectful good food wasn't rushed !very unique atmosphere relaxing very nice wait staff very comfortable

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great little coffee and sandwich shop with a terrific sandwich menu. Solid choice. Can't go wrong with Ambition.

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    2 years ago

    Maddie our waitress was wonderful , attentive and efficient , raspberry mimosas delicious !!! Wonderful place

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    Marc R.

    I will pass this along to Maddie. Thank you for visiting us

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    2 years ago

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    Marc R.

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    3 years ago

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    Marc R.

    Thank you. Very happy you found us.

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    4 years ago

    Our service was fantastic at this awesome eatery! Try the boozy muffins for sure! Loved the ambiance.

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    3 years ago

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    Marc R.

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    2 years ago

    One of my favorite places to go. I enjoy the atmosphere and different sandwiches! So tasty!

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    4 years ago

    Great coffee, great breakfast and lunch menu, good service. Ambience and charm for everyone! We love Marc.

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    Ask the Community - Ambition Coffee & Eatery

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    I've always wanted to visit More Perreca's on Jay St. I've heard so much about the restaurant and…read moreespecially the bakery, Perreca's, located right next door. The businesses are located a couple of blocks from the gateway marking the entrance to Schenectady's Little Italy. So much history, food and romance in this neighborhood. We had Sunday brunch at More Perreca's. The bakery is closed on Sunday but I got a Sausage Lettuce Tomato sandwich served on toasted Perreca's bread. It was so delish. The Italian sausage was served with lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic puree, mayo and side salad. Everything was so fresh. My $11 meal was reasonably priced. The garlic purée was amazing. They need to bottle it. I'd buy some. My friend had the Mac and cheese and an espresso martini. He loved both. Rachelle was our server. She was wonderful. Very helpful. She explained some of the menu to me because there were a number of Italian sausage dishes. The food was prepared quickly which was great because we were hungry. Rachelle came back later to check on us. I gave her a thumbs up and a smile while busily chewing a bite of sandwich. The restaurant is charming with nice tin ceilings and big windows to let the light in. There are many booths which makes it cozy. When we arrived most of the tables were full. Based on the chatter in the room it sounded as though a lot of friends had gathered at the restaurant to literally break bread over brunch. The menu offers a nice variety: from egg breakfasts, assorted salads to Italian classics. It was an all around yummy and enjoyable experience. I let Rachelle know that we'll be coming back.

    My family, party of six, had lunch here Thursday 2/26/26. It was Downtown Schenectady Resturant…read moreWeek. Three course lunch $20-choice of 3 apps, 3 entrees, & 2 desserts. A great value! Our server, Rachelle M. was great! My app was garlic parm wings that were tasty & crispy-perfect. Three of us had the eggs in purgatory- 3 eggs cooked in a spicy marinara sauce w/ 4 pieces of toasted Perreca's famous Italian bread. Highly recommend this dish that's always on their menu. Others had the very good eggplant rollatini over spaghetti. The original coal-fired bakery is next door offering their signature crusty bread, red tomato pie, cheeses, meatballs, salamis, soppersottas, olives, giant cupcakes, & cannolli. Located in Schenectady's Little Italy. Restaurant hours: Sun, Wed, Thursday 11am-7pm, Fri & Sat 10am-8pm, closed Mon & Tue. More's Perreca's never disappoints. Beer, wine, & cocktails served so try here for brunch too. Thank you, Rachelle & staff. We had a great time. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA

    Photos
    More Perreca's - Inside More Perreca's.

    Inside More Perreca's.

    More Perreca's - My Italian Sausage Lettuce Sandwich.

    My Italian Sausage Lettuce Sandwich.

    More Perreca's

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    Great deli with a wonderful restaurant. So many soup offerings and specials. My fiancé' had the…read morecorned beef/pastrami sandwich and said it was fabulous. The tuna wrap was delicious and we bought a quart of their macaroni salad because we loved it so much. The place is decorated with vintage cookie jars and trays and it's quite cute. Our server was so friendly and we can't wait to go back and try some of the specials. This is definitely a great place for lunch. Once a week they have a buffet. Next week is a BBQ buffet. They had a breakfast buffet o e week also! Going to make sure we hit one of those also!

    This is a local favorite. Look at the reviews. Yes, there is a deli counter where you can grab and…read morego but there's also a sit down section. This is where one can "spy" on the clientele. From what I saw, they're mostly my age or older, looking to eat something familiar, comforting, and within budget. It's everyday fare prepared with decent ingredients and care; a tier above the local diner. Here's my sleeper recommendation on the menu: The Sidewinder. There's no description. I'd never heard of it before so I asked. Forgive my memory if I don't have it exact but it is a roast beef sandwich on marble rye, a little coleslaw, Swiss cheese, some horseradish mayo served with either chips or a side salad. It also comes with a spear of those good deli pickles. The sandwich is served hot/warm from the flat top, the temp hot enough to get the cheese melty gooey. I now consider it my go to "meat sammich". You know when you're nearly finished with a meal but are already thinking about when to get it again? Is that just me? Go try it.

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    Blake 925 Deli - Street view

    Street view

    Blake 925 Deli - Corned Beef & Pastrami combo - served with slaw & Russian dressing, chips or deli salad

    Corned Beef & Pastrami combo - served with slaw & Russian dressing, chips or deli salad

    Blake 925 Deli - French Dip sandwich - roast beef and Swiss with "au jus". I think the au jus is onion soup mix fortified with beef bullion.

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    French Dip sandwich - roast beef and Swiss with "au jus". I think the au jus is onion soup mix fortified with beef bullion.

    Ambition Coffee & Eatery - sandwiches - Updated May 2026

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