We were helping our daughter move into off campus housing in the neighborhood. So lucky to have…read moreIron Coffee within easy walking distance! The woman working there is friendly and professional! Ethiopian Yirgacheffe pour over made building furniture tolerable, cold brew a few hours later kept us going!

Iron Coffee is a tiny café just a block from the pond at Washington Park. When I visited, there…read morewere only a couple of other customers, and the space felt cozy. There's no indoor seating, but in warmer months, a few tables are set up on the sidewalk. Service is fast, . The menu is small but covers all the classics, and every drink I've tried has been delicious. I love iced drinks on a warm day, but I'll have to come back for a hot coffee soon. Glad to have this spot in the neighborhood!

Best espresso I've had in Albany, and if you order for here, they'll plate it with sparkling water…read more Sweet! There's a big ordering and waiting area, so even when it's busy there's plenty of space. Local art on the walls, a variety of seating options downstairs, and one relatively clean restroom. Upstairs is the computer lounge, theoretically, except that the advertised WiFi doesn't work. There is no network with that name. Friendly baristas, some food options, although not a lot for vegetarians. Great location close to the park.

New location. Bigger location just across from where it was originally. Huge upstairs to do…read morecomputer work. Seasonal coffees available. There's a large seating area downstairs. I had a Seasonal latte and bagel and egg. Fair prices. They have a rewards system now so be sure to sign up. Employees were nice and explained the different Seasonal drinks. The new location is nice but I feel it might be to big and actually prefer the smaller orginal location.

On a quiet Saturday morning, with not many places open, we were happy to find this coffee shop and…read moreenjoy a couple of cappuccinos. The seating area is very spacious with plenty of room to sit, read a magazine, and enjoy the coffee. I also ordered banana bread with chocolate and a chocolate croissant, which were both delicious. It was quite calm inside, and it seems like a perfect spot to work or read a book during weekdays. I would definitely recommend it.

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

Nice spot for a coffee near Washington Park! I stopped in…read moreon a weeknight as I'm one of the few people who drink caffeine in the evening and was looking for a coffee shop that was open later. They close at 7pm on weeknights, which is great. I love how beautiful the cafe is. There are tons of tables and good wifi too. I ordered an iced mocha, which was great, and the barista was helpful and friendly. I do wish they had a specialty coffee latte and some more dessert options. There were several savory pastries available when I went and I was having a major sweet tooth moment but thankfully the iced mocha hit the spot!

Albany's Washington Park is a gem in itself but it's also fortunate to have a number of great cafes…read moreand restaurants nearby. Among the more recent arrivals is Java Cafe on Madison Ave. It offers a nice variety of coffees, teas, other beverages and baked goods, all in a relaxing setting. What's more, they tell me that small dogs are welcome. I stopped in recently after taking a stroll in the park with my West Highland Terrier. I was surprised when they told me that my little dog could come in, too. I ordered the most wonderful hot chai latte with coconut milk and a dash of cinnamon. Since I was staying, it was served up in a stoneware cup with saucer. I also ordered a potato borek, which they explained was a small Turkish-style mashed potato pie. It was good. My friend ordered a delicious large house coffee with cream. The cafe is small but inviting with exposed brick walls. There's nice furniture and interesting wall art, including a banjo hung from one wall. But my favorite is the amoeba-shaped full length mirror with the words,"You look amazing," painted above it. How's that for giving customers encouragement? My little dog stood under our table and smiled. She was well behaved. There were several other customers but most of them looked lost- in -concentration over their laptops. It was a delicious and very calming experience for us after a nice walk in the park. Thanks, Java Cafe.

I first went to Mr. Bumbles Cafe when they originallh opened and had a fantastic experience…read more Now, after a several year time period of living out of state, I have returned to try them out again and I was not disappointed. The service was warm and friendly. The food was outstanding, utilizing fresh sourced produce and baked goods. The cafe was spotless, as was thd rest room. The decor is friendly and inviting. I will definitely be back!

Mr. Bumbles had been on my radar for a while, so when I had an appointment not too far away, I knew…read moreI had to visit. I can find a lot of good words to include here: Cozy, charming, unique, friendly, welcoming. I could taste the freshness and quality in my made-to-order breakfast sandwich. That was a small coffee?!?!?! The decor is fun. Street parking is very convenient too. Similar types of stuff I could get at fast food places closer to my home just can't compare. If I lived closer, I'd be here all the time. Even with a slightly longer drive, I still want to come back here more often.

The Eleven officially opened its doors this week after some soft opening events. Named after a…read moreGrateful Dead song, it's a taproom, coffee house, eatery, live music and events venue all rolled into one. This is the newest venture by the owners of Lark Hall--an entertainment and events venue--located directly upstairs. From the posters and memorabilia on the walls at The Eleven, owners Jennifer and Justin Miller are clearly Grateful Dead fans. They also have a great eye for design and fresh floral arrangements. Their new space has been beautifully renovated and this week there are gorgeous flowers decorating most tables and countertops. We came to eat. The menu features charcuterie consisting mostly of a variety of cheeses. There are some sandwiches, waffles, salad, bagels and other baked goods. It's a limited menu for now, but a sensible one since they're just getting started. All of the menu items have Grateful Dead related names. I had the Reuben and Cherise sandwich or was that Reuben and Cheese? There was a lot of melted cheese. It was very good. The staff was so friendly and helpful. I also enjoyed a decaf coffee with oat milk and a nonalcoholic grapefruit juice drink which the bartender created for me, since I can't drink alcohol following dental surgery. The evening's vocalist had a lovely voice. Leslie Barkman is her name. She also played keyboard. She didn't sing any Grateful Dead while we were there. She described herself as a Blues singer and even performed some original work for an audience of about two dozen. I look forward to catching more events and dining experiences at The Eleven.

My favorite bagel shop in the area- I have tried almost every combination of breakfast and lunch…read moresandwiches on the menu as well as their pastries and every single one has been phenomenal. You have to try their challah pockets!

I was well aware that Pearl's sells out of their bagels very fast and it probably explains why I've…read morenever tried them. I'm not likely to be awake and out of the house with a thirty minute drive early enough to score the purchase of any. However, my wife had recently just heard about Pearl's, and we happened to be passing in the neighborhood thirty minutes before their 2 PM closing. Yes, they were still open, and no, they didn't have any bagel's left. In fact, that was the very first thing the clerk announced as we came through the door. "We are sold out of bagels and cannot make any sandwiches." As we looked at the small display case we saw four different pastries on a plate. My wife asked what they were and chose two. One was a strawberry marshmallow muffin and the other was some kind of brownie combination ($11 for the two). Once we returned home we were ready to share them. The muffin was super fresh, soft, and very enjoyable. But we didn't believe that there was a strong strawberry flavor and neither of us detected a marshmallow flavor. It didn't matter! This was a delicious muffin no matter what the flavor was supposed to be. The brownie "thing" might have been what their website menu calls a "Featured Daily Brownie." This looked like they used their challah dough to roll up around brownie mix like you would make a cinnamon roll with cinnamon/sugar instead of the brownie mix. Whatever, it was a total success. It was delicious with two different chewy textures and lots of flavor. Maybe some day my wife or I will have to be in Albany around 9 AM and get to try the bagels.

Great place with great food and service. We took the dogs and sat on the patio. Great experience…read moreoverall. The server brought the pups water bowls right away. A couple next to us which was clearly very hard to please complained about virtually everything; ie. their poached egg being runny and their steak being overcooked yet they finished their plates. Beware if you see such a review and don't pay it any mind. Fantastic place. Highly recommend. Oh, the bar drinks were top notch too.

What a cool spot! First time visiting Cafe Madison! We called ahead and got our names on the list…read moreahead of time! Highly recommend otherwise it would be 15-30 min wait time. Service was great! The cafe itself is super cool and open on the inside. Ordered a water and coffee to start. No issues at all. For the first brunch meal we ordered the fried chicken sandwich with fries. It was delicious and well balanced though a bit messy! Ask for extra napkins! The other brunch meal we ordered was the eggs benedict special that had a spicy sauce and prosciutto as well. It was delicious! Though the sauce was a bit separated. That's an execution issue and not a flavor issue. The flavor was there! If you are in the area. Call ahead get on the wait list and give this spot a try!