Both stacks locations are great but the casual atmosphere on lark street is my favorite. A ton of different coffee options and friendly baristas to take care of you, you can't go wrong. Plus, plenty of outlets to plug in your laptop and get stuff done! read more

Visited this coffee shop with my daughter. She opted for green tea and a donut. She enjoyed her selection. I opted for a scone and the lighter roasted coffee that was on rotation. I did request a flavor shot (brown sugar vanilla). I did not enjoy the coffee..it was warm and the flavor was awful. I don't usually add additional sugar, but it needed it. Unfortunately, the sugar didn't help. The atmosphere is very cozy and quaint. I enjoyed the rustic, natural elements within the shop. Luckily, we were able to obtain a window seat. The noise level is a little high (i could hear whole conversations). read more

Decent espresso coffee shop, right across of the Washington Park and Lark with a bunch of other shops around. Decent espresso, coffee comes with sparkling water, which cleanses your pallet and gives you fresh taste every sip, what a smart combination! Too bad the entire environment isn't as comfortable; it is a small shop so the seating is limited, the AC was not working, the door was open for better air flow and it got pretty noisy after awhile. Hence, the 3 stars review, maybe I will try it some other time and see if I get a better experience here. read more

These people know their stuff. I was super impressed with their espresso blend and the hot drip Ethiopian coffee. Space is super limited like most places in Albany, but we were able to sit in the window and enjoy the cozy space. Highly recommend when in the area. read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Coffee was fine. They are out of everything to eat other than some cookies. But the worst part, they don't let you use their restroom being a patron. You are supposed to use the restroom at "Dunkin donuts down the street". Then why wouldn't I buy my coffee at DD too? read more

I normally dread seeing ALB overnights on my schedule (especially when I junior pilot got awarded my CUN layover) ... but any upstate ny destination evokes this feeling really. However, this coffee place hit all the right marks for me to give 5 stars. Price point is normal- it's not "cheap" but doesn't overcharge on lattes. Espresso- enjoyed a latte that struck a perfect "strong on the coffee taste" balance. (To know what I mean, go to Starbucks and order a tall latte. It will taste like milk with a slight coffee flavoring.) their drinks are two shot standard. Staff- super friendly, welcoming, despite the busy morning rush. They even offered to heat up my pastry. read more

Initial thoughts: On a cold and rainy day I sought out an alternative to Starbucks .Needed to get out and stretch my legs out. The online reviews seemed positive. Grabbed a co worker and headed down. Pros: Ambience of lark street and the feel of an old apt I used to live in. Hard wood floors and step downs. Regulars would stop in and get their fix ; pets welcomed. Cons: The espresso was watery and luke warm. My iced americano was smooth but too watery. Limited sugar alternatives no stevia. The macchiato was room temperature. Not sure if we went on a bad day but it was disappointing to say the least . Other thoughts: Marketing . They talk a big game about pulling shots and having classes to properly brew a cuppa. Pretty pics of drawing on the foam. Their wonderful pastries distract the poor showing of sad caffeine practices. Sadly the aficionados were absent this day.Prices were fair. Not sure if their other location fair any better . Skip it. read more

Cozy local coffee shop, always offering a variety of brews to make every taste palate satisfied! I personally go for there cappuccino! It's almost like being in Italy again. read more

Nice little coffee shop. I enjoyed a maple latte in the front window, watching life on Lark pass by. Good music selection, decent amount of seating. Prices are about what you would expect. Service was good, too. I would return and will definitely check out their second location. read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Good coffee and good service! They have god vegan options. I got the strawberry frosted vegan donut, everything bagel with earth balance, and a brown sugar vanilla cold brew! They have non diary milks (oat, almond, soy) to put in your coffee in addition to cream/milk! Prices were reasonable and the coffee was good! read more

This is the smoothest most delicious coffee in town. I especially love the french toast latte. Love the staff and owners, and mission of this company! read more

Stacks sets the standard for espresso and other types of drinks in the Capital Region. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and they have the equipment to make everything the right way. All of this is great to say, but really - the coffee is awesome and their snacks and food are great as well. It can get a little cramped pretty quick but that's how espresso bars are. There's also a tendency for places like this to be nasty/rude/pretentious but they're really not. The staff is very down to earth, friendly, and kind. A really great atmosphere with quality drinks at reasonable prices. Can't really ask for more! read more

Simple cafe, good coffee and friendly staff. We come here when my kids have their dentist appt just down the street. It takes them a while to toast the bagels, and the amount of cream cheese is pretty skimpy which is why I removed 1 Star. read more

Small coffee shop, always somewhat busy. Their coffee is overall slightly bitter than big chain coffee shops such as Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks (comparing the same style of drinks), however, it is the smoother taste of the bitterness of coffee. They have espresso coffee, which is legitimate shot containing coffee. You can add flavor in the shot, but they won't overwhelm you with the flavor, you are drinking espresso shot at the end of the day not sugar shot. For regular size coffee such as latte and cappuccino, they put the right minimal amount of flavor (if you choose to add flavor) into the coffee, just a hit of flavor when you are sipping it. You are indeed drinking coffee with caramel not caramel with coffee. read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Coconut Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Stacks has high quality espresso. I like that they have vegan milk options such as almond milk and oat milk. The barista that served me last time wasn't very friendly so I can't give this business five stars, but I'm very tempted to give Stacks five stars because the coffee is so good. read more

Hands down the best coffee shop in Albany. Their new location on Broadway is beautiful. The plants and staff make you feel warm and welcome. The coffee is delicious and the bagels are from Psychedelicatessen. Support local over chain coffee shops any day. Tip: If you are going to do homework, I would recommend the Lark Street location over the new location on Broadway. Lark location has tables, which the Broadway location is more of a get an espresso with a co-worker and sit at the bar. read more

Best coffee place in Albany! They know their stuff. Great if you want a flavored latte that still tastes like coffee and isn't scarily sweet read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Maple latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Ron , the owner, takes his coffee seriously and there is no better place in Albany for a good cup of proper coffee or coffee related drinks. Seating is limited so best to grab on the go, but if your lucky enough to grab a table it's an enjoyable experience! read more

Stacks is a really wonderful place and I love it. I would recommend it to anyone. The loss of the isoire cookie will be a tragedy. Their baked goods are tdf read more

Great little coffee shop and they sure do make a strong cup of java! It also has a self serve croissant, donuts and other doughy treats. read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Crisan croissants got me in the door, but I'll definitely be back for the iced coffee. I always drink my coffee with cream and sugar, but when I try a new coffee sometimes I'll taste it before adding anything to see how much I'll want to add. I was tempted to not add anything to my iced coffee. It was smooth, luscious and delicious. read more

The stacks on Broadway is way better than the one located on Lark. But overall the coffee is amazing. It bit pricey, but at least your always gonna get a satisfying cup of coffee. The staff at the Lark location tend to be a bit less friendly and very quick to get you out of the coffee shop. Broadway location they are always friendly and always quick without making you feel unwelcome into there establishment. read more

I'll join the positive reviews for the space formally known as Cafe Vero, and out of all the spots to get a cup of coffee in the Lark Street vicinity, this place smokes them all. The normal drip coffee is better than almost anywhere--with a richer, fuller flavor than the local competition, including Starbucks--and won't set you back that much more, but the real draws are the more modern preparations--cold brewed, pour over--and espresso drinks, each made with attention to detail and high-quality roasts. It's more expensive than almost anywhere, but the end product is worth it. When Stacks took over, the space got a simple, but effective refresh and is a nice place to linger. The staff is friendly and willing to explain and educate. More staff coverage would be helpful, as it's usually a one-person operation. An economic necessity when it first opened to keep costs down, it is creating issues now that it has earned well-deserved praise and a following. The crowds are starting to back up service and create shortages of things that could be easily replenished with an extra set of hands. The various lone baristas have each worked hard to accommodate during these rushes, but a premium-priced coffee operation should run a little smoother. If you are looking for a snack, baked goods are sourced from local purveyors (bagels from Psychadelicatessen, donuts from Cider Belly). Parking on Lark is an issue, and the Trinity Church lot's honest donation system ($5) is too steep for a coffee run. However, the Price Chopper lot, a five minute walk away, is never policed and the Hudson Avenue entrance to the park (only about a 2 minute walk) often yields several empty spaces. I am glad to see Stacks get its due, and I hope they can expand the hours of operation. An 8pm close every day except Friday and Saturday just seems wrong for a neighborhood coffee joint of this quality. read more

Espresso & Cappuccino Review E - A sharp/tight shot with just a hint of sweetness. Very well balanced and very clean. Just a bit shorter and it may have been the perfect ristretto! (Sweet shot, my favorite.) Great bean-blend too as there were no tangy/sour notes. Truly an excellent shot. C - The great espresso made for a wonderful cappuccino too. Our barista kept the milk under control, at just the right level, and hit that perfect mix of sharp (espresso) and smooth (milk) tastes and textures. Both these drinks taste the best when baristas practice restraint while pulling the shot and pouring the milk. Stacks did a great job on both counts ... best drinks in weeks! *Few Yelp reviews focus specifically on espresso - we LOVE espresso! We travel a lot and make decisions based almost entirely on Yelp reviews. Our new goal, to focus our reviews specifically on the shot and the similarly-fundamental cappuccino. Thanks for joining us! read more

Cute place with incredible coffee. Espresso is awesome! The flavor shots are flavorful, and not super sweet/sugary. Very easy going staff! Really impressed! read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - (Left to right): Banana Nutella Latte, Chocolate Croissant, Blueberry Muffin, Maple Latte. Lattes were insane - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Only place in Albany that you can chill and spend hours chatting with your friends snd have a great specialty coffee handcrafted. This baristas know their products, so ask them everything. BTW, Enjoy your cup of coffee and get lost in the art on their walls read more

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Really cute cafe with great selection of coffee and food. Really quiet place to get work done, especially in the morning. Associates are very friendly. I got the cold brew and it was great. Tables are small though read more

Stacks has quickly become my coffee place of choice in Albany. Not only is their Lark Street location convenient, but they're also regularly participating in area events, from the Half Moon Market in Washington Park to the Enchanted City in Downtown Troy. Be on the lookout for Stacks. If you don't see them at an event near you, then I highly recommend you make your way down to Lark Street for a Latte. You earned it. read more

I went here 5/10/2014: Awful!! We all burnt ourselves because they poured our drinks into paper cups and they didn't even have paper cozies that fit around the crazy hot drinks! I can't believe they didn't ask if we wanted our drinks in ceramic cups... HOT drinks spilled on our hands... Instead of apologizing or anything when I came over & told them we burnt ourselves and asked them to pour our drinks into mugs -- the one guy had a blank look on his face and the others carried on with their loud conversation. And their tea is in teabags, smoothies aren't fresh fruit & bathrooms are filthy...Might as well be a crappy McCafe. read more

Love everything about this place. The decor, the coffee, the succulents. The barista was sweet and the ambiance was great. I'll definitely be back for another cafe latte. read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Coconut cafe latte. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Seriously the BEST speciality coffee in Albany. I probably go to the Lark location four days a week and my lattes are wonderful every time. The staff is so nice and have been great through out this pandemic. And (according to my husband) are one of the few places that make a great Cortado. read more

I've been popping into Stacks pretty regularly over the last year, as it's the closest coffee shop to my house. But I think that I'd be willing to visit even if it were further away. Stacks consistently has good coffee and espresso drinks - I've enjoyed their lattes, drip coffee, iced coffee, and americanos, and the quality of all is notable. And the atmosphere is wonderful! Snacks are good too, but a little more hit or miss depending on time of day. While I like that they use local vendors, it also means they are more likely to run out. If you catch 'em, I'd recommend the scones from Sweet Sue's and the donuts from Cider Belly. Finally, since the quality of the drinks is so good, the wait can be a little longer than a typical fast food coffee joint. However, I've always found the drinks to be worth the wait. read more

Very nice coffee shop. We had a beautiful mocha and jasmine green tea. It's a nice place to work in and it's not too busy or noisy. The only problem is that the tea selection is very limited. They don't have white tea for example and the guy at the counter said he didn't even know what white tea is. read more

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Every trip from NYC back to ALB this is my coffee spot. Great pull on the espresso every time and they remodeled it way smarter than Vero ever had it. Grab a coffee any of the drinks are solid and snag a chair in the window for some people watching. Will be back every time read more

Stacks Espresso Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Not a lot of options on eats but all super high quality drip coffee and loose leaf teas. This is a hit by any standard with art lining the walls and a great casual work area or outside seating spot for people watching. read more

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After extensive research, I have determined that Stacks is (by far) the best coffee shop in Albany. Although it can be a pain to find parking, the shop is cozy and the espresso drinks are consistently delicious! Stacks' Broadway location is great too, especially on the weekends when parking is a breeze! read more

Grabbed a cold brew and a scone to go. The lemon scone was excellent, they warmed it up too. The drink menu was nice, the nitro cold brew was very good. Overall a small spot with cool coffee shop vibes. read more

Where else can you get a perfect cappuccino than this place? My new favorite addicting gem coffee shop in Albany. The coffee-rich aroma with the perfect ratio of coffee and amount of foam milk lasting through in every single sip (12 oz cappuccino). Nice atmosphere and laid back music with a very nice barista. Such a windy day today and I still had to get out and get my cravings satisfied at this place. Crazy ey?? read more

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WiFi consistently does not work. Each time I've come into do work within the past 6 months, I have been unable to connect to the WiFi. I would expect a coffee shop to prioritize this exact type of problem and find the perceived indifference quite surprising. I would happily change my review if they just fixed the WiFi situation, but I guess they don't care that much ‍. read more

Stopped in to peruse. Left with a hot chocolate and a cookie! Cookies were just taken out of the oven and made the place smell heavenly. It was one of the best oatmeal raisin cookies I've ever had and best of all, they were vegan! Hot chocolate with almond milk was delish - not too sweet, not too rich - perfect all the way around. Will visit again. read more