After going on a lovely walk through Albany's Washington Park on Easter Sunday, I noticed some activity 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. read more

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The dark aesthetic is tasteful and gives a more upscale feel. They have decorated this place the right way to make you feel comfortable. The staff is friendly and patient. The show stopper was the unexpected drink my daughter ordered; the Toffee Coffee. Super smooth, iced, refreshing and surprisingly something I would go back for. I ended up with a crème brûlée latte, it was flat. Not bad, just not impressive and it was warm not hot. The drink I wanted was sold out so I need to come back and hopefully they will have the items to make it! read more

Jacob Alejandro - Crème brûlée latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Jacob Alejandro has great coffee and snacks. You can tell the owner put a lot of effort into this cafe. Love the dark green, old Irish pub kind of design. Baristas are very nice and knowledgeable. They have creativity in their menu. There is a horchata latte, surprisingly not bad at all. I still prefer their regular latte. I wish they sell pandebono instead of Brazilian cheese bread Pão de Queijo, just my personal preference read more

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Amazing. Their regular coffee is delicious but they got me at their lattes. Not overly sweet. Worth the price. It's a solid coffee and the ambiance is a perk! read more

Have been wanting to pop in here to check it out and ordered a hot latte with oat milk. It was delicious but a bit pricey at almost $8 not including tip. Service was fantastic, very friendly and answered all my questions. The vibe was cool and classy - a great place to hang out to study or meet up with friends. They are working on a natural wine bar in the back. read more

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Super chic, modern coffee spot. I really liked the horchata latte (though I will say was suuuuuuper sweet). Definitely taste the difference in high quality coffee beans. I've heard great things about their cold brew so look forward to coming back and trying! read more

Great coffee and a beautiful ambiance. It was nice meeting my sister here for a latte and a scone. The vibes are so high end. Great place to catch up or even to come alone and get work done. The space is absolutely gorgeous and I love what they've done with the place. My cappuccino was great. I wish there was more than one vegan scone option but nevertheless I'm glad there was an option at all. read more

Jacob Alejandro - Vegan Black Bean and Corn Scone and Cappucino w/Oat Milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Really nice spot near Washington Park! Ambience is top notch. We were taking a walk after seeing the tulips and happened on this spot just as we were wishing for a beverage! I had their matcha latte and my love had their regular latte. Great drinks that allowed us to continue walking around a bit admiring the architecture in this area before before heading to a late lunch. Clean bathrooms and friendly staff. Don't miss the nice outdoor patio in the back with café tables and picnic benches and nice greenery. read more

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Amazing coffee shop with delicious offerings. The views of Washington Park are lovely. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Can't wait until the patio reopens! And they are expanding with a bar area! read more

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Ambiance: I absolutely love the aesthetic of this coffee shop! It's so chic inside! Although the inside is small with a handful of small tables and one couch area tucked away into the back corner, there is a larger patio in the back which is absolutely beautiful in the summer! Service: The baristas are always kind and friendly! Drinks: I've gotten several lattes and they never miss! Their espresso is one of my favorites in the area! They have a small selection of bakery items but I have never tried any. Price: Definitely on the more expensive side, which is why I am giving 4 instead of five stars. A latte can range from $6-8, and although it's delicious, there is nothing unique about their flavors/drinks that I believe warrants this kind of price. Overall experience: Coffee is delicious, super instagramable inside. Prices are a little high! read more

Jacob Alejandro - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

I'm always and ever on the lookout for amazing coffee wherever I travel so when a friend suggested we meet here for a cup of coffee and a catch up and mentioned that it was one of their favorite coffee shops in the Albany area--I was more than a little excited to give it a try. I entered to find a cozy shop oozing charm offering a delightful menu of specialty coffees. I ordered the creme brulee latte, which was as decadent and delicious as it sounds, complete with rose bloom latte art. I sat inside but when my friend arrived, she mentioned they had a darling seating area out the back door. It was a lovely late summer afternoon, so we decided to sit out there. I'm so glad we did--it was lovely! This coffee shop offers a great spot for meeting up with a friend and would be an equally good spot for getting a little work done. Get to it! read more

Jacob Alejandro - Creme Brulee latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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What a delightful experience! The coffee was amazing, the shop was lovely. So many intriguing flavors to try. read more

Jacob Alejandro - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Wanted to stop one last time at my fav coffee shop but today was a big disappointment, the guy said the wifi was down so no card payments accepted so when i told him i would be back with cash he said they were having water pressure issues so the espresso bar would not be working at this point why even be open? read more

So happy they opened an Albany location! And in my experience, the line here is usually shorter than the Troy location, but the coffees are just as delightful! They have a small but diverse drink menu with changing seasonal options. They usually have a few cookies and pastries, but the selection is small, the cookies I have tried were all delicious. I've always taken my coffee to go, but I would love to enjoy a drink in the café at some point, it's super cute and cozy. read more

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I've been a long time JA enjoyer and come every time I'm in Albany. But how can one justify a $9 latte and a 20 minute wait time with three employees behind the counter and no line? Then I get my coffee with no apology, in fact when I ask about my order I am met with glares from the THREE ppl hanging out behind counter. After all of this, it is sickly sweet with seemingly no espresso? $9? In Albany NY? Bro read more

This is a really cute coffee shop with some really unique specialty coffees! The barista and cashier were so kind and super helpful in explaining their coffee and latte selection. It was so nice to hear how much they loved the drinks they were serving too and a lot of it is made in house! The cafe was super cute as well and I loved the outdoor area, both of which could be fun to do work at! The only thing is the lack of outlets so definitely make sure to be fully charged if you're planning on staying a while! read more

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Very cool little coffee shop. Stopped with the family for coffee and breakfast. The kids and I got scones, one blackberry and one cotija and jalapeno, all of which were pretty dry and nothing really special. I got the iced creme brulee latte, which was very good. My wife got a coffee of some sort, which was also good. The kids ordered chocolate milk, which we ended up getting "hot chocolate," though it ended up being the PERFECT temperature for them to drink right away and that worked out really nicely. The interior was really nicely decorated and clean, but the food being very meh and the coffee being decent enough leaves some room for improvement. read more

The service I received my first time here really helped seal the deal. They helped me pick a drink based on my milk allergy, tastes and current vibe. The drink itself was amazing! They recommend a hot horchata with their dairy free cold foam on top. I have to say, it was so good! Like drinking rice pudding with a shot of espresso. Got my rice pudding loving husband to try it and he loved it too! It's a great stop while on a walk in the park. read more

The Strawberry Milk Cold Brew is one of the best coffees I've ever had. It's unique and doesn't taste like any other coffee in the area. Coffee was strong and the strawberry was not too sweet. The decor is also very relaxing and sophisticated. The green and gold creates a warm atmosphere that makes it easy to spend time catching up with a friend or to use as a workspace. read more

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I went with friends before the Albany Pride Parade to grab a quick iced coffee‍ WOW the patio and inside space is Gorgeous!! The Varieties of Coffee and Herbal drinks concocted by JA. Pequeno Baristas are more Upscale than other chain shops. Treat Yourself &Go Already Friends ‍‍ read more

Looking for a cool coffee shop? Your search ends here! The moment we walked in, the golden chains hanging from the ceiling immediately caught my eye. The pleasant aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the cafe which made it enjoyable to wait. The space also feels perfect for meeting up, having a conversation, studying, or relaxing. The cafe is thoughtfully designed with cozy seating options indoor and outdoor. I also noticed variety of unique pastries perfect for a light bite with your coffee. We ordered an iced latte with regular milk and a creme brûlée latte with oat milk and both were absolutely delicious. They were both flavorful, smooth and beautifully crafted. Overall, I highly recommend giving this spot a try if you're in the area! read more

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This place was so amazing! We needed a place to recover after walking around the area and park nearby. The ambience and decor was very relaxing, but the service, drinks, snacks were the highlights. Totally would be our usual spot if we didn't live in the DC area. Looking forward to returning! read more

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The additional space looks good, but no outlets when used as overflow during coffee shop hours. The wooden benches could benefit from cushions if they want coffee or wine drinkers to stay for any period of time. It's also uncomfortably cold. If it's gong to be open it needs to be much better heated. There's more to a welcoming space than appearance. read more

I absolutely love JA, I'm so happy Albany got a beautiful location! There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to get some work done while sipping on their delicious coffee. My go to is the vanilla citrus latte, iced with oatmilk which does run me almost $8. Definitely not a daily treat. Their match is also very good. They did have a short stint of making their own oatmilk (although the price was the same) which I'm glad is over because it was truly disgusting. Their pastries are hit or miss, can't recommend anything on that end. Service is always good and they did remake my drink with regular milk when I mentioned not liking the oatmilk initially lol. Coffee is great but prices are also great. read more

Who needs Starbucks now that JA is in Albany?! Jacob Alejandro makes some of the best coffee in the region, the only downside was that I would normally have to drive to Troy to get my caffeine kick. But now it's right in Albany, with a nice backyard area for seating too. The quality is on par with their original location, of course. I hope they also bring some of their pastries to this location, when I visited there were some basic cookies but that might have been because I didn't stop by early enough. I got my drink to-go this time around, but next time maybe I'll schedule a coffee date with a friend or two to utilize the backyard! read more

Jacob Alejandro - a hand holding a cup of coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Excellent shop. Great coffee and service and the breakfast food was really good. The shop is super clean and the atmosphere is very chill.

I have wanted to try the Troy location but it's always packed so it was nice to jump in here. I got a specialty latte-pistachio orange blossom.. So delicious but so sweet. If I had it again I'd ask for half the syrup. Could be because I also got Oatmilk which is sweet. Pricey drink--over $8. I don't think this would be an every day stop but I did enjoy it, staff was lovely and it's a great space. read more

Upon entry, you'll be greeted with smooth, subtly rhythmic music, and a beautiful, yet understated and elegantly decorated and laid out coffee shop. This place has a fantastic vibe, and the coffee isn't too bad either. I would highly recommend it if you're in the area and looking for a place to relax and chill, or get some work or studying done. Or even just to pick up a coffee and just feel just a little more classy! read more

Good coffee & chill ambiance. New to area & was on the hunt for a coffeehouse that I can see myself going to on the regs. Still on the hunt, but when I'm on Madison I'm sure to pop in for another horchata latte. read more

Enjoyed the space, it felt very comfortable and enjoyed the cold brew coffee, it had a very unique taste

My toxic trait: I find it vaguely annoying when people don't already know about the existence of my favorite things. So when I saw that familiar pink neon "coffee shop" sign go up in the window here and went around shrieking at everyone I know that Jacob Alejandro (my favorite coffee shop in Troy) was opening a sister shop in the former 3Fish building (the inarguably best cafe space in Albany, DON'T ARGUE WITH ME!!!) I was deeply annoyed every time I just got a blank stare. This review is an attempt to explain my obsession the the general populace so everyone can stop annoying me. In brief: this is a small but lovely space very close to Washington park, with a prettily-decorated interior and a wonderful little oasis of a patio. The coffee and pastries are, in my opinion, the best you'll find in a local coffee shop (co-owner Jake was trained at the CIA (the culinary institute, not the other one), and it shows (in his ability to make pastries, not destabilize governments)). Latte art champ (and extremely nice person) Alejandro was manning the espresso machine both times I've stopped into Pequeño so far (yes, they've only been open for under a week, LEAVE ME ALONE). The menu here is a bit smaller than in the Troy location, but the Troy doesn't have That Patio, so I'd call it a draw. The hours are going to go from 6:30 to 4:00 once they've gotten their sea legs here, which means that I will theoretically be able to spend nine hours a day basking in the ambiance and consuming so much caffeine and sugar that I vibrate at the frequency of the heavenly spheres (NO I AM NOT ACCEPTING LOVING ADVICE ABOUT MY LIFESTYLE!!). Now stop questioning me and go try the strawberry milk cold brew: it's an absolute delight. read more

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I could not be happier that JA. Pequeno opened in the old 3 Fish space. The empty storefront was begging for a new coffee shop and this is such a welcome addition to the neighborhood. This is a sister location to the Jacob Alejandro coffee shop in Troy. The interior is BEAUTIFUL. Luscious forest green walls and furniture. The backyard area has tables with umbrellas and a picnic table to sit. I got the strawberry milk cold brew which was delicious and interesting. I will definitely be a regular here and look forward to trying the other coffee drinks. read more

Latte, Matcha Latte and scone (chorizo) were all excellent. My fav in the neighborhood. The baristas are expert and gracious. The aura is European and contemporary with coffee-shop-comfortable seating both inside and in the back patio-garden ... in an oasis in "hardpack" urbanity (I love this neighborhood but it is still a little raw, not too gentrified). read more

So glad to have this shop in the neighborhood! I've loved stopping by their shop when visiting Troy, especially for their flavored cold brews. The service sets them apart from other coffee shops in the area - each time I've gone in they've been super friendly, no matter how busy they are, and they make good, quality drinks. read more