The Best Restaurants In Albany New York

As New York’s State capital, Albany’s restaurant line-up embraces all kinds of traditions, from Asian delights to European delicacies and Southern cooking. The restaurants vary greatly with global cuisine being served in exquisite and unusual buildings. Here we choose 10 of Albany’s most cultural restaurants.

The Albany Pump Station

The Albany Pump Station, a local brewery and restaurant, was first built in 1786 and continued its production until the prohibition in 1920. The Albany Pump Station’s award winning ales are known across the USA and have even been exported to England and France. The Pump Station drew water from the Hudson River and pumped it into what was the Clinton Avenue but is now the Bleecker Stadium. The Pump Station ceased to operate in 1932 and is now open as Albany’s premier location for food and hand-crafted beer. It offers 12 in-house brews as well as delicious cuisine including lobster.

Café Capriccio

Café Capriccio was opened in 1982 on the historic brownstone area on Grand Street, once Albany’s main Italian neighborhood. Café Capriccio has won multiple awards, from Capital Area Media’s Albany’s Best Italian Restaurant to Metroland newspaper’s Best Restaurant of 2009. The venue has intimate booth seating, a warm wooden interior and 1930s Italian decorations, making the cafe one of the most romantic dining destinations in Albany. Head chef and owner, Jim Rua, has written two popular cookbooks and continues to further his popularity with exceptional Italian cuisine and hospitality.

Yonos

Located on Chapel Street, Yonos serves Indonesian and continental cuisine. Since opening in 1986, Yonos has received some of the highest reviews in the city, with its renowned chefs appearing on NBC’s Today show, as well as winning countless awards from international food societies and publications. The menu is split into two main sections, one comprising Indonesian specialties and the other section containing continental cuisine, with dishes such as farm-raised alligator tail.

Angelo’s 677 Prime

Located in Downtown Albany, known as the theater district, is Angelo’s 677 Prime. This fine dining restaurant is only a block away from the Palace and Capital Repertory Theaters. The menu at Angelo’s 677 Prime consists of the highest quality seafood, Kobe beef, and prime grade steaks, as well as an extensive wine list with over 400 vintages. Angelo’s 677 Prime has established itself as one of the premier fine dining restaurants in the Northeast.

Grappa 72

Grappa 72 is a laid-back Italian restaurant, complete with an extensive wine list featuring Italian wines and Grappa. Grappa 72 was voted Albany’s Best New Restaurant in 2010 by Metroland as it has the ‘best qualities of traditional Italian and modern elegance’. The menu is filled with Italian regional specialties to be enjoyed while listening to the music in the background.
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About the author

Jenni Chattaway

Jenni is a 22-year-old MA Magazine Journalism student studying at the City University London. Now based in London, she grew up in Brussels, Belgium, but is originally from Cirencester in the Cotswolds. Her upbringing in many different places has given Jenni a real appreciation for the cultural differences across the world, and she love seeing what each new city has to offer in terms of food, literature and the general sights. Jenni has completed several internships in British magazines whilst studying for her Master’s, and enjoys writing on a diverse range of topics.