Umana Yana - Washington Ave, Albany, NY If you're looking to…read morestep outside of the ordinary and experience bold flavors in a welcoming atmosphere, Umana Yana is a must-visit. This was my second time here--my first visit was dining in with friends, and this time I ordered takeout. Both experiences were consistently impressive. Known for its Ethiopian dishes and outstanding vegan cuisine, Umana Yana brings African culture to life through its vibrant décor, flavorful food, and thoughtfully crafted drinks. Every detail reflects passion and authenticity. It's no surprise that actress Tabitha Brown made a stop in Albany to experience the restaurant's highly praised vegan offerings. That's a testament to the reputation they've built. For my meal, I ordered the jerk lamb lollipops, jollof rice, and slaw. The lamb was tender, juicy, and packed with just the right amount of jerk seasoning. The jollof rice was rich, well-seasoned, and full of flavor, while the slaw added a fresh, crisp balance to the meal. On my previous visit, I tried the wings and waffles, and they were equally delicious. Two visits, two different meals, and not a single disappointment. Whether you're a longtime fan of African cuisine or looking to try something new, Umana Yana offers an experience that's just as memorable as the food itself. If you don't know, now you know. Add Umana Yana to your list--you won't regret it!

Service: 1 Just…read morebought some property in Albany, NY with my man, all the way from Los Angeles, CA!! It was a cloudy day, we wanted some decent Caribbean food & found Umana. Black businesses in LA respect their people and take their businesses very seriously, so I assumed this place would do the same. Unfortunately, we were treated like pests over a small misunderstanding. The waitress-Mercy, misheard me on our drink preferences & began giving us the good ol " Caribbean" cold shoulder . Why so sensitive? The sorrel sangria had way too much cinnamon. Also, I wanted pikliz with my meal, but she did not return after the drink mishap. We quickly learned, this is not a BLACK BUSINESS, this is an AFRICAN BUSINESS & they will quickly show you the difference. Food & Drink: 3 Goat roti gave a a little stomach ache, but it was decent. Oxtain was not tender, not good. The plate was mostly bones & gravy & rice. Plantains & jollof were good. The drinks were delicious though, but they were not strong at all. Price: 2 Spent 100$ so basically 25$ for each item, including the drinks. Overpriced and very small portions. The sides are literal pints, like the babyfood jar size. I was like ??? We usually pay this much at high scale Haitian restaurants in Manhattan, and completely understand the price because we are experiencing amazing customer service, food, ambience &scenery. Better to order takeout, but i heard it very difficult to do that here. Idk lol weird. Black/Indigenous Americans, do not bring your money here. You are not completely welcome here.

This would be a 5 star Ethiopian restaurant even if it wouldn't be the only one between NYC and New…read moreHaven. Starting with the menu that has clearly marked vegan options (not a surprise since Ethiopian cuisine is very vegan friendly), continuing with the high quality ingredients and perfectly spiced dishes to ambiance and service which is always great even when full. If you live nearby, this is one of those restaurants that you find yourself visiting at least a few times a month and ordering delivery just as many times.

Thank goodness for Teff. Traveling with food sensitivities as a foodie doesn't always go hand in…read morehand, but Teff proved they absolutely can. If you're in Stamford, do yourself a favor and stop by Teff for authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. Everything is fresh, naturally gluten free, and there are plenty of delicious vegan options. Dining there felt less like eating at a restaurant and more like being welcomed to the family table. And whatever you do, don't skip the Sambusas!

We're from California. While sailing up the Hudson from NYC to Albany we tied up in Kingston for…read morebreakfast. Luckily we found the Half Moon Rondout. This place seriously has the best donuts, egg sandwiches, and babkas - especially the babkas. The owner JT, is a genuinely gracious guy.

Such a cute little café with a cozy atmosphere! Street parking was easy to find, making it a…read moreconvenient stop. The cinnamon sugar hot donuts were definitely the highlight--soft, fluffy, and absolutely worth ordering. From what I noticed, it seems to be a popular spot for tourists, so it had a lively vibe throughout the day. Overall, it's a charming café that's worth stopping by, especially if you're craving the hot donuts!

This place is a perfect lunch or coffee spot. It's so cute with all the colors and decor and has a…read morecouple of tables for seating indoors. It's conveniently located on Wall Street in uptown Kingston and has delicious sandwiches for a light lunch. We got the Sweetie Pie wrap and the roasted Eggplant sandwich and both were delicious. The goat cheese is really good on the wrap and the eggplant was so flavorful and went great with the pesto. Service was quick and the people working were very nice. They also have lots of vegan options too. Will definitely be back!

I'm not sure if this was just an off-day or if people are just accustomed to this style of…read morefood/service. I went there for a midday meal on a windy, slightly rainy Sunday. Usually the gentrification restaurants in uptown Kingston have decent food, I was looking forward to my meal and a coffee. I ordered the Country Wrap and a coffee, very straightforward. I took my seat, and assumed that the coffee would be ready when they called my name for the food. Once my name was called and I retrieved my food from the counter, I hesitantly, but politely asked where the coffee is (I am a non-confrontational guy). I was informed that the coffee was self serve and saw behind me the coffee machines. This is my fault, I should have noticed the coffee pots when I walked in, but alas, I didn't notice until after I paid and left a tip, the percentage one would leave at a restaurant with full service. Once I got to my seat with my food and what I thought was a hot drink, I took a bite into my wrap. To my surprise it was mostly bulked up with sweet potatoes and eggs, two cheap staple foods, the bacon was noticeably sparse, and the kind that comes in industrial cardboard box that one might find in the chest freezer of a doomsday prepper, and the cheese was unnoticeable. I should have known something was wrong when I looked at the menu, again my fault, but I don't typically associate sweet potatoes with a "country breakfast", as those usually use a regular potato like a Yukon or Russet. I took my first sip of coffee approximately 5 minutes after I had dispensed it from the machine, it was slightly below room temperature. Now someone might ask "How could unrefrigerated coffee be BELOW room temperature?!?" Well the answer is that if you pour cold half and half into room temperature coffee, it will drop a few degrees. As I finished my meal and room temperature drink, and left the establishment, I noticed an "Equal Exchange" coffee sticker in the window, I did not feel like I had gotten an equal exchange for the approximately $15 + 25% tip I had paid. I felt a tinge of hypocrisy when I noticed how many stickers for progressive causes there were throughout the establishment, yet they are seemingly not paying their employees enough to the point that they feel the need to have a 25% preset tip option on the iPad that asks you a few questions, at a basically self service restaurant.

Such a cute find in Kingston! Upstate has some of the cutest cafes but this one might just be my…read morefavorite. The food and coffee were super tasty. I had the grilled cheese sandwich with prosciutto, so good. The flavors just rolled together. I also had the butter pecan latte....best latte I've had in a long time. If you are in the Kingston area make sure you drop in and check these guys out!

The service was good, the shop is cute, I did see they have a bar and a menu posted if different…read morebeers they offer. There is parking, indoor and outdoor seating. I only had the berries matcha(not sure of the actual name), the cream cheese cold foam was absolutely amazing.

Village Coffee was the best coffee I found in the surrounding area. The espresso is excellent, with…read morereal attention to detail, and the breakfast sandwiches are OUTSTANDING. I went three times during my visit and had a different sandwich two times...both were incredible. I also really loved the music they play, which gives the whole place such a great atmosphere. Village itself has a small amount of seating, while Little Village has much more room to settle in, plus Wi-Fi if you want to stay awhile. Great coffee, great food, great music. I'd absolutely make this a regular stop anytime I'm in Kingston.

Tiny spot on the corner of a street by the railroad. If you don't know about this place you are…read moreunlikely to find it. I must warn you, don't walk in hungry. The smell inside will have you drooling harder than a boxer puppy smelling a pizza. Unfortunately I forgot to save the photo I took of the delicious display of pastries. That display certainly hooked me. Came in for coffee walked out with delightful bites I couldn't wait to dig into. One of which was a strawberry danish. That crust was amazingly light and flakey. Layered strawberries, center with a little cream and that cream topped off with some lemony drizzle. Oh just pure goodness. Prices VERY reasonable. Coffee is outstanding. Desserts are dangerous. You will want to say "One of each please" and you won't regret a thing.

Another excellent breakfast from Tower's Cafe. Love sitting by the water enjoying delicious food.read more

We were on our way to a hike all the way from NYC and wanted to stop by a good breakfast spot with…read moreoutdoor dining for our family including our toddler and dog. Towers Cafe did not dissapoint. Super peaceful spot on the water with delicious food. Love finding hidden gems like this, and will definitely make this our go to spot whenever we're back in the area!

Every bite of food was so delicious. Both breakfast and lunch items were great. There's a kids…read moreplayroom on the back so the kids don't get too bored while they wait. The restaurant is in an old bank building and has cook safes from that time. Come and enjoy!

A little quaint gem (a bit eclectic) that serves comfort foods in a friendly atmosphere…read more Their menu consists of various chicken sandwiches (fried, grilled or cauliflower), burgers, all day breakfast, soups and salads. We enjoyed the Figgy chicken sandwich (fig jam, plentiful greens, cheese and chicken, bun could have been better quality) with salad (pretty fresh), and the Caesar chicken sandwich with fries. The server (owner?) was very friendly and explained the menu, saying specifically that the chicken sandwiches are made to order. There were only two other occupied tables on a Saturday afternoon and the food took a little while to come out (not very bad but not super fast). It also seems like a place that should be crowded but wasn't. Coffee was self service. They also had a pumpkin pie in a plastic container (didn't look homemade) in the front. There's a little children's play area in the back. And the unisex bathroom was very large. It's located on a street with lots of shops and other eateries (pizza etc).

Absolutely unreal!! This place is an absolute MUST GO for any lover of Italian cuisine. The…read morerestaurant itself has a homey vibe as the chef cooks right beside you and the walls are decorated in a way only your grandma's kitchen might be like! The waitresses are great and attentive. They have complimentary buttered bread which was a great starter. We ordered from their specials menu starting with the famous meatball and cacio e Pepe with mushrooms and a Gorgonzola pasta. It was probably some of the best Italian food I've ever had. The meatball was amazing, words cannot describe it and the pastas were perfect with handmade noodles and the mushrooms just melted in your mouth. The portions were generous and they had great wine pairings available. Highly highly recommend. We texted to make a reservation which was very easy.

We were in town for strawberry picking. We had somewhat of a hard time finding good food…read more Luckliy we found this restaurant. The restaurant layout is a little eccentric, but cute in a erratic way. There was the restaurant, an alcove, and a back patio. We sat in the alcove. We ordered the fresh made pasta with tomato and basil. That was very soft and the five year old ate up the half portion. (By the way they do have half portions.) We ordered the lamb ragu, which was very hearty and filling. I also ordered the pasta with seafood, which had heaping amounts of seafood. I think all were pretty fairly priced, considering the quality. The waitress we had was amazing. She helped us get our kid settled and knew exactly what she needed. She made some great suggestions and was overall the best. Great place!

Visited this restaurant for lunch. Ordered VEGAN Tacos (4), bean with onions, avocado tomato,…read moregreen peppers, on corn tortillas. I enjoyed the red and green sauces. I enjoyed the Mexican music, nice ambiance. There was no line or waiting to order at the front counter. Place was nice, clean, spacious, no stress. Bathroom was clean. Easy parking in front. Was hungry. Satisfied. Happy customer. I'll happily return when I am in the area, and explore more VEGAN options. Helpful?

I love Mexican food and am very interested in the various ancient cultures of Mexico…read more I have been to the Arango Cafe twice now. The food is tasty, good portions, very clean and appealing interior and varied menu with lots of interesting breakfast options. Service was good. The experience both times was fine. They have put substantial effort and resources into this place, with nice lighting, desert displays, and bright, large laminated menus with nice pictures and descriptions. The issue was the after effects of eating the food. Both times I had negative stomach/ digestive problems for several days and nights after eating at the Arango Cafe. Without going into too much detail, I suffered substantial discomfort and would go as far as describing it as an illness requiring repeated visits and time spent in the bathroom. I suspect that it has to do with the shortening, or perhaps lard that is being used. Both times I had the flan (custard dessert), so perhaps that was an issue. Other than that, I ate enchiladas in green sauce, and a beef burrito. So while I enjoyed the food and ambiance, I will not be returning to the Arango. Cafe.