Albany is the 338th largest city in the US. Jacob Alejandro would be right at home in some of the…read morelargest cities! The vibe is impeccable, truly comfortable and well designed! The staff were professional, pleasant, and coffee/tea focused! My wife enjoyed a black tea chai latte and I loved the reserve pour over coffee experience! I order pour over pretty much every time it's available at a coffee shop. Jacob Alejandro's pour over service is pretty much ceremonial! They serve it on a tray. The tray has the "pitcher", a glass for service, and a glass of palate cleansing jade tea in the middle. (I did have to ask what the jade tea was) The palate cleanse was the perfect start. The Costa Rican coffee was heavenly, one of those drinking experiences where even my amateur palate was engaged. It was truly nice to sit for a while and enjoy a great cup of coffee at Jacob Alejandro! Yes, they would fit in a larger city but smaller cities deserve great coffee also!

After going on a lovely walk through Albany's Washington Park on Easter Sunday, I noticed some…read moreactivity across the street at Jacob Alejandro. I was so surprised. Could they really be open on Easter Sunday? It seemed too good to be true. A great cup of caffeine was just what I needed at that very moment. So my friend and I crossed Madison Avenue and peeked into the tinted windows. Not only were they open, but the place was bustling. The inside of Jacob Alejandro is elegant and beautifully decorated. Furniture, plants, music and wall art are arranged to set moods. It feels more like a club than a coffee house. The baristas are super friendly, helpful and patient. As I tried to make up my mind on what to order, they offered suggestions. I wound up with matcha. I think my friend had some kind of latte. I remember both beverages were delicious. They were made to be savored slowly. We took in our surroundings and it was very relaxing. We'll visit again. Thanks Jacob Alejandro for a nice experience.

Love their seasonal/rotating coffee options! Coconut brews for the summer. Everyone is always so…read morefriendly and orders come up quickly!

Tried this spot and the staff was super friendly. There was quite a line so if it's a Saturday get…read moreready for a wait. Most the pastries were sold out by 10, we tried a chocolate croissant and it was cold in the middle when warmed. It was still ok. I tried a latte as well it was good, nothing crazy. There's searing areas and really pretty views of the city.

This was extremely delicious & the cafe was cozy & cute on a rainy day. I liked the window seatings…read morewith comfy chairs.

Nice coffee shop in what felt like a former retail store front…read more One employee was taking orders, answering questions and pumping out the drinks!! And people were coming in at a pretty good pace. It was impressive! My final verdict on the iced mocha was that it tasted so good it was a solid special treat, but I was a bit disappointed at how small it was for the price. My husband had a cortado and he thought it was good. Would go back if in the area again.

I needed a cold brew fix while I stayed in downtown Albany. With no Starbucks to be found, I found…read morea spot around the corner from the Renaissance where I was staying. The cold brew was alright but the food menu for breakfast sandwiches didn't look to interesting nor the baked goods so I opted against that. The interior was clean with plenty of tables to sit and enjoy your joe. It works well if you are working nearby at the state capital or one of the surrounding businesses and need something fast for caffeine.

I walked in and the place was both sterile and quiet. I ordered a large iced matcha with oatmilk…read moreand the barista seemed to be unhappy with that. As she prepared my drink, she kept mumbling under her breath. She then handed back a not filled to the top matcha and said that she was out of her regular larges, whatever that means. Although I hadn't asked for sugar, she added some anyway. After walking in the city on a hot day for a couple of hours, I didn't complain, especially since she was acting strange. Then lo and behold, I realized I was alone. There were three other patrons who had left. So did the barista. I found the "closed" sign at the counter. Thankfully, for some reason, the front door had been left open. I searched for a napkin before I departed but couldn't find one anywhere. Weird experience and the matcha was only "okay."

Great service, great ambience, next to a church building, keeping an older building alive in 518…read morearea. It was not very easy to find, but we kept going into the centre and found signs. Great customer service, they take your order and make it right away. I had wished they would have small snacks(not sweet) to go with coffee or tea. They probably added that by now. I went when they had just opened. The best way to set themselves apart from main coffee shops, would be introducing natural stuff as compared to flavors etc. Overall great vibe, for meetings, group gatherings and small quick dates. I would return soon to check it out.

What a charming coffeehouse located inside The Love Albany Center. It's a repurposed church. Some…read moreof it serves as a community center. There's also a perfume store. Another portion is Christ's Church where services are held. Kha & Mel's has many beautiful green stained glass windows and high ceilings. In its previous configuration, it might have served as a chapel. There is plenty of seating. Orders for coffee, tea and baked goods are placed at the counter. The staff is friendly and very helpful. There's WiFi which comes in strong. There's plenty of comfortable seating. The coffeehouse also has a section that offers donated food to feed the hungry. A friend of mine introduced me to Kha & Mel's. She lives in the neighborhood. We sat, sipped our beverages and talked. It was fun. It was also fascinating to see how a community can transform spaces to suit its needs.

Cute cafe! Lots of fun syrup options and I love their no extra charge policy on milk alternatives!…read moreThe baristas were all really nice even when it gets busy and it was a nice place to sit and chat with friends or even bring some work to do. I got their coconut caramel latte which was delicious and the espresso taste was really good. Highly recommend checking this place out for a brew.

Such cozy vibes!! Seasons is a wonderful place to order a dish or a drink and relax while in Troy!…read moreThe waitstaff are so friendly and there are many comfy seats while you enjoy. I ordered the Egg Sandwich, which while delicious, I felt was overpriced at $7. Nonetheless, I'll be back to try more items and read my book!

Professor Java's was one of the first businesses I reviewed on Yelp. But shame on me for not…read morefollowing up when their Wolf Rd. site closed. I didn't realize they had reopened until I saw them next to the relocated Penzey's. Hooray! Two things I miss from the old location are the ability to buy coffee beans, and the more eclectic layout. No worries about the beans these days. Their new site is a much more regular layout, but it's more than adequately compensated by a very relaxed and cozy atmosphere, with more space behind the counter to prepare foods. And that counter holds a lot of other confections as well. Their regular coffee is a bit mild, but there's so many other options if you want to vary your coffee's strength and flavor. I liked the variety of teas available too (mostly hot, but some iced). Service is attentive, and your orders come out quickly. This remains a great alternative to other fast food options along Wolf Rd.

Class is in session!…read more I needed to find my morning Java fix while in Albany and Professor Java's Coffee Sanctuary was just the spot for my coffee education. Walking in, this spot is a mad scientist lab. Large roasters are front and center, this isn't a classroom but a coffee laboratory! Nice folks behind the counter greeted me each morning as I placed my order. The roast on their coffee had me coming back daily. You might say it was my (pinkie to lip) Coffee Sanctuary?? Professor Java? You earned that title, I enjoyed my daily visits.

I am staying at the Renaissance Hotel in Albany for a conference and decided to take a walk to…read morevisit a local coffee shop. Big mistake. This burnt little hockey puck of a sandwich was $8 and the lukewarm chai latte that I got was $4 for a small. And they don't give you the regular sized croissants in the display, this is about a quarter of the size. I've had better sandwiches from 7Eleven. The service was slow as they only had one person working, probably why my sandwich was burnt. I will stick with the hotel restaurant next time.

I had a lovely morning here! I went about 930 on a Friday and was the only one there. The barista,…read moreJay, was super friendly and chatty. I had a pistachio latte which was delicious. I stayed to read a book in quiet and got a comfy chair in the corner. There's an outdoor seating area which I would love to sit at during my next visit. Highly recommend!