I thought that the Alias coffee was fairly new. It's tricky but I'll explain it, the business has…read morebeen in existence since 2020 but the kication is new. Alias Coffee partnered with 518 Craft and Primobotanica to open up in a shared space in downtown Troy, NY initially during covid. With good coffee and service, I'm sure they will have a successful future. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I do taste it so as part of the yelp experience, community CO was thoughtful enough to partner with a small and upcoming local coffee shop on National coffee day and get us in for a cup of coffee. I asked the Barsita to make me the best drink from the available choices and was given a Cappuccino, which I took a sip and handed it to my dad. My dad did say the coffee was good and from my tasting experience, the coffee was smooth and had a bitter after taste (like a few people I know like it that way) and the taske kept lingering fir an hour. Go get your coffee, this is in a neighborhood that requires revitalization, there have been some good initiatives and us as a community can help support them.

Having moved from their downtown location to a redeveloping neighborhood, Alias holds a lot of…read morepromise. I enjoyed an attractive cortado and am looking forward to tasting a locally made cranberry orange walnut breakfast cookie that I brought home to share with my wife. Did I mention that the cookie is gluten free? Future plans for the coffee shop include rehabbing the backroom to provide a great place to relax while enjoying your coffee concoction. Service is friendly and street parking is easy; there is even a bus stop across the street.

We are not local to Wynantskill, so Fifth Tier is the destination for us and have always been glad…read morewe've come. Unfortunately, our most recent trip for brunch was disappointing, our quiches were cold in the center, the GF Chocolate Cookie, which I'd had before and enjoyed, tasted like cardboard, and the ginger cookie had a awful aftertaste. Their baked goods had been great and the quiches were always served hot. Gentleman server was more pleasant than the lady, ambiance is eclectic and appealing. On a separate note, it would be nice to see the addition of an American Flag in the window

Everything is wonderful the food, the soup the service! I would recommend everyone to go and it's…read morepet friendly!

A new coffee shop opened recently on Union St. in Schenectady. I stopped by this morning after…read morehearing a rave review from a neighbor, and it managed to exceed the expectations I had formed. Prices are average and not high for the quality. It is located in a community setting on a section of Union Street below Union College. I ordered a fall special beverage -- Pumpkin Spice Horchata Cold Brew $6.75 with Almond Milk It is a "Signature blend cold brew, ps, horchata, choice of milk, cold foam, dash of pumpkin spice (iced)" The weather is still warm enough to enjoy a cold brew! The sweets available looked great, so it was hard to select. I chose a Blueberry Scone for myself and a Danish for my husband. The scone was crumbly, buttery tasting, and full of blueberries. The Danish was flaky and so freshly made. Both delicious treats were packaged nicely for takeout. Service is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The owner was present and gracious. The menu will change with the seasons. Nice tables. Creative decor. Easy to read menu was posted. Sweets are visible in a glass case. At 518 Coffee Bar, customers can enjoy a cozy atmosphere to catch up/visit over a handcrafted quality beverage.

On a Sunday morning at 10 the pastry case was empty. Completely empty. The drinks--both hot--while…read moretasty, were lukewarm. Cute decor but probably not a place I'd go out of my way to frequent. Maybe in the summer when the market is outdoors it would be a better experience.

This is a cute new(ish) spot in downtown Troy with a delicious array of pastries, and a small…read moreselection of special drinks. My wife and I stopped in on a warm winter morning and got a few baked goods and two drinks to try. I had a rosemary vanilla latte and chocolate pistachio sourdough bun. She had a masala chai, and olive/feta/rosemary focaccia. We started with the bun & focaccia. The bun pulled apart nicely and had the subtlest hint of sourdough. The chocolate wasn't overpowering and matched the pistachio flavor nicely. It was a bit messy but delicious nonetheless. The bun was deliciously moist in the middle which was my favorite part. The focaccia was thick and full of flavor. Personally not being a huge fan of olives, I think the chunks of olive were a bit too large for my taste, but that's personal preference. I won't take points off for that. The drinks came out after a few minutes. The latte that I got had some nice art on top, and the rosemary taste was very pleasant. The chai was also quite nice, I like the taste of masala as well. My wife got oat-milk with it which gave a nice nutty flavor to it. Staff was very pleasant, as well! And the environment is nice and cozy with some plants in the corners and a nice city-cafe feel.

Came to this awesome bakery in downtown Troy after having some delicious coffee at a shop nearby. I…read moreknew I had a little sweet tooth and wanted a little something. The final verdict was the lemon poppy seed gluten free olive oil cake which was incredible! I couldn't believe it was gluten free. I also got the pop tart and it was not only SO stinkin pretty but absolutely delicious. I love the space, it's so quiet and relaxing and the fact that it has all the pretty plants and chill space to get some work done. I ended up sitting outside since it was nice and sunny and wanted to enjoy the last bit of sunshine and outdoor space before the cold keeps us cooped up inside. Can't wait to try their other baked goods and drinks next time I'm in Troy!

In Latham, looking for a healthy breakfast and after searching past the delis, diners and fast…read morefood, came across Fruit Loops. Enjoyed my oatmeal with berries etc and a fruit protein smoothie. Service was very pleasant and the place is an oasis in a nondescript strip mall. BTW, no, there are no fruit loops to be had, but that's ok.

I've been coming here for years, but today's experience ensured I won't be returning. Emma barely…read moreacknowledged me, took an unusually long time to assist me, and then refused service because of an allergy that I have safely managed for years. My explanation was dismissed, despite receiving this same service here many times before without issue. Turning away every guest with an allergy, regardless of how it is managed, is concerning. The interaction felt ignorant and uninformed. It was also difficult to watch Emma be warm and welcoming to other guests while treating me differently, which made the experience feel discriminatory. After years of being a loyal customer, I expected better and I will advise anyone I've recommended to no longer support this establishment.

One of my favorite spots to buy tea! The selections are endless and delicious. The owner is…read morewonderful she all's you through each of the selections you are interested and makes wonderful recommendations. I love the back stories on how she decided to start the business and the process for creating each tea. She also has lovely items you can buy to gift- tea cups all types, tea pots, infusers, spoons, bags, napkins etc. You can also order online. Her Nite Cap tea is my favorite! If you are a fan of loose leaf tea you should definitely check them out!

This is a really nice tea shop in a small commercial area in Clifton Park. My wife (who is the real…read moretea expert in the family) and I stopped in as part of a Yelp event but left with more than we bargained for! I don't claim to be a tea expert... it is more of a novel-tea for me... but I enjoyed coming here and talking with their knowledgeable staff. Their certainly have a passion for their tea! There are lots of teas in the store... at least several dozen blends behind the counter and more in other areas... and they will make whatever you want if you provide a recipe. I lean towards fruitier or spicier teas and found a couple that were interesting enough to purchase and bring home. Because more of their teas are served loose, it isn't as simple as dunking a pouch with a string in a mug of hot water. But fear not, they have lots of various tea brewing accessories along the walls of their small shop area as well as some other interesting curiosities.

Cute little cafe in Albany that serves a wide variety of teas with fast, friendly and efficient…read moreservice.

Short & Stout has evolved into one of the best places in the Capital Region for bubble tea. I've…read moretried several things - my favorite being the recent Strawberry Matcha Latte. I love how they let you control the sweetness and the fresh (real!!) strawberry puree in the drink is fantastic. I also tried an almond macaron that was absolutely delicious. Every time I visit, I always try and grab some loose tea. They have an incredible selection of everything from green to black, white, oolong and so much more. I tend to gravitate towards fruity teas and they always have lots of options. They also have tea accessories too. There are ample seats inside and they also have an outside patio. They even have their own app so you can pre-order food and drink items if you're short on time. If you haven't been, get there ASAP!

Wow! I waited over a week to visit this place because they were sold out of most of the desserts…read more They're so popular, and the owners take their time making new desserts. They have tea, but I wanted cheesecake. The cheesecake was excellent! You order online or at their kiosk inside. It's best to keep checking online to see if the desserts you want are in stock yet, if they aren't, they're listed as sold out. The ube cheesecake was creamy, sweet, with cream. The triple matcha cheesecake was very good, tasted like matcha, and best if you don't like dessert too sweet. Each piece of cake was around $10-11 would be nice if it was bigger, but it's great as it is because it's dense. It's so cute inside! Service is fast! Highly recommend!

Loved Eggcellent so much we visited twice on our trip in the Albany area! The options are fresh and…read moredifferent from what I am used to having when grabbing a milk or fruit tea. First up, I ordered the Jasmine Tea with Matcha foam and coconut water. This was a super refreshing drink and I am already wanting to have it again. Second we grabbed the Ube Milk Tea float which was a super pleasant taste, ordered with 0 percent sugar which kept it at a perfect level of sweetness. The ube milk tea float comes with a scoop of delicious ube ice cream on top. The service was super friendly and inviting, and the inside was really cutely designed.