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.

My friends really love this place. They told me that nostalgia was a big part of it. They grew up…read moreeating those burgers, which they said were pretty good. I finally made it to Jumpin' Jacks the other day. It's a mid-century outdoor diner, which is a local institution. I felt as though I traveled back in time to the 1950s or stepped into a scene from that old tv show, "Happy Days." The place looks awesome. I ordered a Jack Burger which consists of double hamburger patties covered in cheese and coleslaw on a bun. While the patties look flat they are tasty and very filling. I also had some fries, which were very good. I was stuffed. The 2 Jack Burgers--one for a friend-- fries and two fountain drinks ran me $26. Not bad. I was there for an early dinner at about 4:30pm. I've been warned that the lines can get very long. My friends suggested in order to avoid crowds I'm best off showing up at off hours. It was a fun experience. I finally get it. This a bit of Americana and those burgers taste good, too.

Nothing like Jumpin Jacks on a hot summer day. I live out of state now, but I still try to visit…read morethis place at least once every summer for a Jack-burger and some soft serve! Something about a big cone of vanilla covered in rainbow sprinkles screams summer to me. The kids working are really efficient. Make sure to tip them! It can get buggy here at night so wear bug spray. Also if there's a ski show, make sure to arrive early if you want to find parking. If you're lactose intolerant, they have dairy-free ice cream available. Not sure about any other allergens they cater to. It's a casual place. They take cash, cards, and Apple Pay.

I've heard so much about this place and it lives up to all of its stories and hype. The bakery is a…read moresmall space with lots of awesome goods like pasta, sandwiches, sauces, and bread. I picked up a loaf for a dinner and it was amazing. So soft with a crispy shell--this bread would be great for anything like a side or for sandwiches. There's a couple of sizes and they also cut it for you. The cashier was nice and it wasn't very busy so service was quick. It's a no fuss bakery and will definitely be back to pick up some other goodies too!

After hearing how amazing Perreca's tomato pie was, I just had to try it for myself. It totally…read morelives up to its reputation and I can see why it is so popular and often sells out. Its no wonder it's legendary as its crust is thick yet pillowy. It tastes deliciously crisp like a focaccia style bread. The light tomato sauce with a dusting of both Romano and Parmesan cheeses makes it entirely irresistible. So much so that I can't wait to have it again!

This is chocolate! Major candy companies don't even use cocoa anymore, they use preservatives and…read moreingredients we can't pronounce... and the taste shows it. This is what chocolate should be. So delicious, cute litter store with an awesome variety

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.

Loiuse does an Amazing job! This is such a welcoming, unique place!…read more It is a MUST! They have everything! And she organizes many events!!

The Vischer Ferry General Store has a lot going for it. I personally love how they give back to…read moretheir community by hosting various pop-ups highlighting local artists, senior socials, senior gift collections, various raffles, book clubs, food trucks, trivia nights, and even portrait opportunities with the "old fashioned" truck out front... and so much more! The esthetic is historic and cute. The backyard is beautiful and a peaceful setting to spend the afternoon sipping and noshing with friends. The ladies behind the counter have always been gracious and welcoming. Full disclosure, one is my daughter. They offer a great selection of hot and cold drinks with weekly specials and the pastry case is always stocked beautifully. Fair warning, they sell out quickly! The in-house egg sandwich is particularly delicious. Light and savory and pairing just perfectly with a hot latte. They also have a cold sandwich selection of the week available in the cold case along with seasonal salads and yogurt cups. Everything I've tried has been good. My personal favorite drink is the espresso tonic offered in the summer. There is a cute retail side for gift shopping and a tiny bookstore right on site. Considering the historic nature of the building, it isn't a surprise that there is lore of resident ghosts also popping up here and there. They sell their own merchandise, put out a weekly newsletter, and absolutely have built a loyal, community-based following. It's definitely worth your time to stop in and give it a try. The only negative that I can name would be the hours. Open Wednesday thru Sunday, with no egg sandwiches made on Wednesdays. Grab and goes still available though. Also, they only sell whole quiches and not by the slice but that's splitting hairs. Give it a try, sit at the community table and make some new friends!

My friend and I have been miniature golfing in the Capital District for years and only heard about…read morethis place recently from my wife. With a name like "Wind Chill Factory"... who would connect that to golf? Perhaps it is a reference to the nearby airport? Anyway, my friend and I arrived one Saturday afternoon to find an antique car show going on at the place. It was packed with cars though we found nearby parking. A local band was playing and they were, umm, entertaining. The golf was reasonably priced ($12) and we were soon on our way. Oddly, the golf putters seemed odd in proportion and the shaft joined the head at a strange angle which made me feel like I was hitting the ball wrong. Also, the holes were immaculate (yay!) but some were brutally tough. One hole in particular was essentially a straight shot up a hill to rest at a small level patch of green around the hole. My friend and I EACH took 9 shots to get it to the top. He spent 9 getting it just to the top, only to have it roll down to the starting tee. I spent 9 shots generally hitting the rocks along the sides, only to have to roll down to the starting tee. That's 18 actual shots, not including penalty strokes when the ball rolled back off the tee. It was super frustrating. Other holes also relied on hills/swells to add to the challenge but weren't as tough. I would rather get stumped trying to hit the ball through a small tunnel in a windmill or snake it along a waterway, not get punished for constantly misjudging a hill with little room for error. Beyond that, we had fun. My friend said is was the best local course he played. I had a good time too, but I wouldn't go that far. Most of the holes felt a bit uninspired. But at least there was no nonsense with balls not dropping into the cups at this course. The ice cream flavors available were good, and the chocolate peanut butter cup was an excellent way to end the afternoon. PS: My wife and 4Y old son came along and it was the first time he played mini golf. He seemed to have a good time too.

We came here for ice cream. For the ice cream alone, this would be 3 stars. But with the food (we…read moredidn't order any, but it looked really good), the outdoor area, and the mini-golf course, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The ice cream was okay. It's limited to about a dozen flavors between hard and soft. The hard ice cream flavors (we got hard ice cream this time) were more traditional, the soft ice cream flavors were more creative and interesting. Prices were about the same for similar sizes, though, but $4 and change for a small dish seemed slightly above average compared to the same amount elsewhere. Then again, there's nothing else that close to this place with whom to be competitive. Spoons aren't available here unless you order ice cream. The spoons are plastic, looking more like they're designed for iced tea or milkshakes, with long, slender, flimsy handles, and only teaspoon-sized for scooping. That's fine for a shake or soft ice cream, but they were a bit too flimsy for digging into hard ice cream. The flavors could have been a little stronger too, though the stuff in the special flavors (e.g., the Moose Tracks), made up for it. This is a fine place to go if you're looking for a meal with ice cream, or mini-golf plus food or drink. Then again, there's nothing else like it for many miles in any direction.

My first visit here was shaky and I wasn't sure if i'd would return back. I wasn't greeted upon…read moreentering nor was I greeted when ready to put in my order. The lady just acted like I didn't existed/stared awkwardly....and I was the only customer who entered the building and waited at the cash wrap for a while, so it was weird to receive that gesture. After informing the lady that I would like to order, I ordered the dolce and banana with coconut milk and the PB&J biscuit sandwich. The wait time was about 10 mins and I went on a Saturday morning. The foot traffic started to pick up after I submitted my order. As a pointer, I'd recommend visiting them when they first open as a few menu items tend to sell out quick. Now less talk about the order...the dolce and banana with coconut milk was good. However, I do feel like the cup sizes are too small for the price. The PB&J biscuit sandwich was good! I did wish they had vegan pastry options, but for their fall menu they finally introduced one: the vegan pumpkin muffin. The vegan pumpkin muffin is solely the reason why I returned back after experiencing my first visit. My second visit was way better than the first. I was greeted upon entering and the only customer who entered the building at the time. The lady took my order right away and even made some suggestions. I ordered the wild berry matcha with coconut milk. She noticed that I took the vegan route for my drink and even recommended me to try the new vegan pumpkin muffin. I told her that's exactly why I'm here, so I ordered that as well. In addition, I wanted to order the roasted broccolini sandwich, but I was informed that it's not available until the 11am hour, but no worries i'll be back for that! The wait time was about 10 mins and the service was a heck of a lot better the last visit. I did see some new faces this time around and they were so attentive. I really appreciated the service. Now let's talk about the order...the wild berry matcha with coconut milk: delicious! Definitely would recommend ordering that drink. However, the vegan pumpkin muffin!?! DELICIOUS!!!!! 10/10. From the fresh roasted pumpkin seeds, to the crisp from the top layer of the muffin, down to the bottom of the scraps left on the muffin wrapper. I mean, it was that delicious. I'd never expected it. Oh honey, I was not familiar with your vegan game. Not sure who makes the vegan pumpkin muffins, but keep bringing them in. Also, PLEASE introduce more vegan options. Especially, on the pastry side of things. Maybe, a vegan sweet potato and pumpkin cheesecake, muffin and or cookie?! Please consider it. Thank you for the service!

Oh honey is new, very new ..so I'm giving them grace. First, it's expensive. The first prompt at…read morecheck out is set to 22% so be cognizant of that and adjust it accordingly. Upon entry there was a mass of people and no direction from staff that there was no wait to order. There was no greeting and no acknowledgment. The space is cute but decor seemed unfinished. I waited 37 minutes for one drink. Instead of first in and first out, I literally watched baristas greeting friends and family and making their drinks first as already paid customers stood by and waited. Not cool! Also, training shouldn't take place on opening day. Baristas shouldn't have to scramble asking how much ice they need to use or who knows how to make matcha when the cups are 30 high and there are 60 people waiting. No joke, they had cups lined up and instead of working together striping cups with syrup while shots were pulled, 3 would stand there while the fourth made one drink. It was an allergy to efficiency. The last straw for me was watching a person who ordered a red eye get handed their espresso and told to assemble their drink at the drip coffee station around the corner which on a side note is low enough for a child to access. You should never pay to make your own drink. I think in time they can learn not to trip on each other and learn how much ice a cup takes without asking but basic customer service should be on point from the get go. The lack of almond milk is a personal deal breaker for me especially since they seemingly offer every other kind of milk. Kudos for the in house syrups and the drink that I did get was good, just not $8 plus tip good.

Again, hands down, by far the BEST deli in the area. This time, in addition to our subs we tried…read morethe beef empanada and chicken empanada. There are two words to describe them, absolutely fantastic! My favorite was beef and my husband's was the chicken. He added a dollop of sour cream but I had mine as is! Either way, they are the real deal! I love that you can order deli meats and have them delivered too! I love that you can custom order your sub with extras and in the notes remove or alter the standard ingredients. The bread (roll) they use is AMAZING! And consistent every time! I'd like to know if they bake their own bread and if not would love to know the bakery who does. The only things I can offer for recommendations are add bologna to your deli meat offerings and increase the thickness of cheese. Although I loved the paper thin (actually transparent) provolone, my husband ordered extra cheese (paid addition) and he could barely detect (notice, see, taste) the extra Swiss cheese. We are looking forward to trying the Jamaican patties (not sure of the actual name but the item on their menu look like the authentic rendition once tried before elsewhere and were a fan). Knowing their consistency and use of top quality ingredients, we're anticipating another success story. I wish I had a photo but when I get their food I don't even stop to think about taking a picture because I just want to enjoy! But I'll try to restrain myself the next time to pause and snap a photo or two because they deserve the recognition! We also really appreciated the delivery service. In the past we had to pick up from there so we didn't order as often as we would have. Now that they offer delivery in our area, it will remain at the top of my deli/sandwich bookmarks! Kudos to you for another excellent meal, ingredients, master Earl of Sandwich making skills, service and delivery.

Friendly staff and fresh food!!! Lady showed me all the options and made great recommendations.read more