My family and I have been loyal customers of Krause's Homemade Candy for many years. We've bought…read morechocolates for ourselves, holidays, and gifts, and visiting Krause's has always been a tradition whenever I returned to New York after living in Florida. In fact, it was the very first stop my husband and I made because I couldn't wait to enjoy my favorite chocolates again. Unfortunately, this visit was incredibly disappointing. The first thing I noticed was the new logo and packaging. While I know businesses evolve, the new design loses the classic, elegant feel that made Krause's so special and instead looks much more generic. More importantly, the chocolates themselves are not the same. Many of the pieces are noticeably smaller than they used to be, and the chocolate tastes different. Several pieces even had bloom, which affected both their appearance and texture. I purchased a variety of chocolates, including individual pieces from the display case, chocolate bars, and peppermint patties, and every product seemed to reflect a decline in quality. To make matters worse, many of my longtime favorite pieces were no longer available. I've happily recommended Krause's for years because it consistently offered some of the best homemade chocolates in the Capital Region. This time, however, I left feeling disappointed and honestly saddened. I truly hope the owners will consider returning to the quality, recipes, and traditions that built Krause's outstanding reputation, because many longtime customers remember how exceptional their chocolates used to be.

Still one of my favorite candy stores to visit when I am out in albany... even though they have…read morediscontinued by favorite watermelon slice hard candy. So disappointing but that is life. They have a great selection of unique Holiday molded chocolate candy and some of the best caramel apples around. This is also a great place to stop and shop for treats and gifts.

Uncle Sam's Candy is ALWAYS on Point!…read more I have to give credit where credit is due. Uncle Sam's Candy stays on point when it comes to their products, quality, selection, and most importantly, their customer service. Their customer service is impeccable, and that means a lot to me. You can have a great product, but when you combine that with people who genuinely take care of their customers, that's what keeps folks coming back. Whenever I need some good treats for Valentine's Day, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, or really any holiday or special occasion, Uncle Sam's Candy is one of those places where I already know I'm going to go in and spend some money. From the chocolates and candies to all the different specialty treats, there's always something that catches your eye. And being a chef, I appreciate businesses that take pride in what they put out. Presentation matters. Quality matters. Consistency matters. And the experience you give your customers matters just as much as the product itself. I also believe in supporting businesses that continue to provide great products and great service. When people treat you right and consistently deliver, you show that appreciation by continuing to support them. So when it's time for me to grab something sweet for the family, put together a gift, celebrate a holiday, or just satisfy that sweet tooth, Uncle Sam's Candy gets some of my money every time. Great candy. Great selection. Impeccable customer service. That's how you keep customers coming back. Keep doing what y'all do! ‍

What is not to love about Candy.... Stopped here on way home on my quest for hard candy water melon…read moreslices. While I did not find my hard candy watermelon slices. I did leave with a bunch of Penny Candy (not a penny anymore but brought back childhood memories) and two boxes of chocolates. The chocolate Truffles did not last a day and to be honest haven't tried their signature candy but am looking forward to cracking that box open.

After reading many reviews for Villa Italia, I decided to call in an order for a tiramisu cake…read more Wowza, everything that I have heard about this historic family owned bakery is spot on! I cannot rave enough about the quaint establishment and how friendly and helpful they are. My tiramisu birthday cake order was amazing and they nailed it. It was beyond delicious and very nice looking as well. On this trip, I also went a little overboard with pastries as it is all so irresistible. No regrets and I will be back soon! Check out my pictures that I took. Honestly you have to stop in and taste for yourself!! !!

A friend turned us on to italian pastries from this shop. Took my son out to Albany to catch a…read moreflight and had time to kill before heading home and decided some pastries would be a nice little treat after a stressful day of flight cancellations and delays. The pastries did not disappoint as they were as good as the ones we had several months ago that my friend brought back. This is a quaint quintessential Italian bakery with cases filled with goodies. Staff were helpful and kind and provided some great recommendations.

I have been a recipient of the candy from this store for the past 25th years! My parents have…read morealways given me chocolate from here for every holiday since I was a baby. The quality has not changed and everything continues to the taste the same. My favorite chocolates are the dark chocolate covered pretzels. Candy Kraft has a great selection of candies and reasonable priced. The quality is untouchable and well worth the money.

My family has purchased chocolates and candy from Candy Kraft since the 1940s. And the tradition…read morecontinues. Their peanut butter ribbon candy is a MUST for my family at Christmas. I purchased six boxes this year! And we only kept one box for ourselves. If you have never tried it, you are missing out. It melts in your mouth, packed with peanut butter goodness and is a Christmas treat you'll savor. All of their chocolates are homemade and you can taste the extraordinary quality in every piece. I also like their large selection of old fashioned candies from childhood. Candy Kraft is a warm and welcoming candy shop. Their candy is arranged beautifully with a great layout. The staff are always very friendly and helpful, too. An absolutely WONDERFUL family business!

Loved the food, the unique and tasty cocktails, and the semi private room. Great experience!read more

This spot is straight outta my Pinterest board: specialty cocktails, fire pits, couches, dim…read morelighting, charcuterie, s'mores dip, a novelty wine wall experience. Fair warning, everything was good, but for the price tag it's really the experience you are paying for. Attended a party in one of their private rooms. Furniture is a little too big for the room, making it a little tight. Also wished they had a server solely dedicated to us because I didn't feel like our server came around enough. Overall, worth the trip at least once!

Huge selection of chocolate candies and confections. In all different shapes and sizes. There…read moreis the chocolate counter but also packaged chocolates throughout the store. It seems like there is a lollipop or candy for any occasion or holiday. It's been fun to come here with my kids and have them help pick out their favorites chocolates at the counter and create your own box. Very perfect spot to shop during the holidays - but it's also a good spot year round for treats as well. Smells great, tastes great

My favorite candy store! Great selection clean tempting and fresh! The staff is excellent they go…read moreout of their way to make me happy! Must try

Civitello's reopened under its new owner Mark Novak on July 31, 2025 after renovations which…read moreincluded new plumbing and wiring. The new owner promised to keep the shop looking the same, and it appears he succeeded. Very nice! Booths were reupholstered in the same dark green color. Photos of Civitello family lined the wall. The ceiling was replaced with an embossed metal one that looks appropriate and like the original ceiling. I went to Civitello's at 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 5. The Co-Manager (owner's son) was pleasant and welcoming. I ordered a small Lemon Ice and bought a quart to drop off to my grandchildren. I have been enjoying the Lemon Ice regularly at Civitello's since my childhood. I have even eaten Lemon Ice in Italy. I sat in my car eating the Lemon Ice I had just bought; I ate slowly and with no distractions. The Lemon Ice definitely did not taste the like it did in the past. The texture was the same, but the pure lemon flavor was much less noticeable. Also, there were more tiny pieces of lemon zest in it. This zest did not taste fresh; it tasted prepackaged. I heard many of the family recipes were included in the purchase of the shop. However, I think the Lemon Ice recipe was not given to the new owner. Food-- Pizza (Tomato Pie) was not out yet, and I am eager to return soon see if it is as amazing as I remember it.. After looking at the menu, I asked if Eggplant Sandwiches were going to be available everyday, and he responded yes because the Fryer is now located in the kitchen. Previously, they were served only on Wed. and Fridays because the fryer was outside. Looking forward to having an Eggplant Sandwich, a favorite of mine as well as of many customers. Will it taste the same? Will it be on homemade bread sliced thin? Bakery-- Eclairs looked great. Guy ahead of me bought six. However, I noticed the Butter Cookies did not look as nicely cut out/shaped as before. I did not taste or buy any on this visit. I did not see any almond paste cookies; maybe I overlooked them. The shop was closed on Sunday because they were sold out after the grand reopening, so they may need to restock more of the classic cookies Civitello's is famous for. I plan on updating this review after I taste the Eggplant Sandwich and the Pizza/Tomato Pie.

Walked over here on my lunch break to try. Large cases of freshly cooked bread, cookies and…read morecupcakes. Prices were reasonable, $6 each cupcake. Delicious I might add, perfectly cooked. It was hard to read their hanging menu but they do have printed ones near the counter. The service was excellent, fast and pleasant girls who were knowledgeable about the items and menu. The sandwiches were on regular Italian bread no choice, no sub rolls either. The sandwich traveled well in the Togo box, it was served with a bag of chips, no pickle though. I would definitely recommend for anyone to try if you like a good old fashioned bakery.

I'm appalled at the current 3.4 review rating. THIS PLACE IS THE BEST BAKERY IN THE CAPITAL REGION…read moreNO DOUBT. I've been coming here for years after being gifted a cookie platter where my D&B cookie addiction began. Now, I get them for every occasion I possibly can and everyone else I get them for who has never had them LOVESSSSS them as well. They deserve nothing less than

Very tasty little treats can be found here....all sorts of lovely pastries and desserts and some…read moreyummy breakfast items as well. I actually prefer the Italian desserts sold here over those sold at Italian bakeries....so there is that too :) Only thing to note is cookies here are not sold by the pound, but sold by the piece, regardless of size. Staff is friendly.