We have been enjoying Smith's pies for a good ten years. When we stopped in to pick up an apple…read morepie for our Thanksgiving dinner we stumbled across what turned out to be an unexpected treat. Next to the register was a small package wrapped in red & white string, labeled "Bonnie's Uncommon Fruitcake." I've been a sucker for trying fruitcakes ever since I had my first slice of Freihofer's Fruitcake over seventy years ago. Here was a locally baked fruitcake with no difficult to pronounce or preservative ingredients. That definitely made it "Uncommon." Pecans, dates, candied fruit (cherries, pineapple), eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. That's it! I thought it tasted delicious. It was not overly sweet, had a good amount of nuts and candied fruit, and there was minimal cake (flour) holding it all together perfectly. I don't know where else you might be able to find this delicious fruitcake, but not to worry. Bonnie Nicolosi provided the following information on the fruitcake for you to contact her. Bonnie@NicolosiGroup.com (518) 588-0304 Hopefully, she distributes her treats to a place near you or can accommodate you in another fashion. Check out my photos for a mouthwatering encouragement!

.....The Pies.... There are so many flavors and they are all excellent…read more .... Every stinkin' one .... That crust .....To Die For ...That is all.

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.

It's always fun and tasty! I think they have a new Cole slaw recipe. I like it better now!read more

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.

Quick service good quality Very creamy soft serve…read moreOn street parking. Have been back 2x a good food good service reasonable price

I went to the village scoop a couple weeks back for the first time in a year! I got a Twix flurry…read moreand it was sooooo good

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.

Still one of my favorite candy stores to visit when I am out in albany... even though they have…read morediscontinued by favorite watermelon slice hard candy. So disappointing but that is life. They have a great selection of unique Holiday molded chocolate candy and some of the best caramel apples around. This is also a great place to stop and shop for treats and gifts.

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!

We have supported this bakery for over 40 years, and it is time to offer a review…read more This Jay Street icon in Schenectady has the best Italian bread. It comes in round or loaf shapes and in one or two pound sizes. It is available in many local stores including the Niskayuna Co-op. True story: Jack Nicholson was filming in the area and found out about the delicious bread from his driver. He got the bread several times and thought it was great. He had it mailed to him. Photos of Nicholson and a related newspaper article are on display. The bread, rolls, and Tomato pie are baked in a coal fired brick oven from Italy. Besides the bread, there are other outstanding offerings including: Rolls! Breadsticks made at the bakery Bread Crumbs for cutlets and meatballs Tomato Pie -- so popular it often sells out Panini Sandwiches made fresh daily for grab & go. Italian olives and cheeses in the case. Italian cookies Parking in front and in a side lot shared with Cornell's Restaurant.

Imagine if your grandparents opened up a bakery on a farm. That's pretty much the vibe at Lake View…read moreOrchards. Grandma bakes the pastries and is the friendly face at the register. Grandpa works the donut making robot, cranking out hot apple cider donuts while watching the world go by from the window. The building may be a little bit run down, but the place is totally charming. There are a few tables toward the back of the shop to sit down and enjoy your hot donuts. However, most people take them to go. That seems like a bad idea, especially since the donuts are both warm and covered with cinnamon sugar. To eat them in the car is a recipe for disaster. Sugar would get everywhere and you would soon be a sticky mess. Saving them for later would be a tragedy, since apple cider donuts are so much better when they are warm. It's a rare treat to get warm cider donuts. As Otis said, these are decidedly more aggressive on the spicing. I tasted not just cinnamon, but also nutmeg. Are they worth an hour drive? Probably not. But if you are within a half hour of this orchard, I'd say it's worth the trip.

If you're driving down 30 you have to stop! The owners are so nice, the products are amazing, and…read morethe prices are super reasonable. Everything is super fresh, and if you get a donut, it's served warm :)

Civitello's reopened under its new owner Mark Novak on July 31, 2025 after renovations which…read moreincluded new plumbing and wiring. The new owner promised to keep the shop looking the same, and it appears he succeeded. Very nice! Booths were reupholstered in the same dark green color. Photos of Civitello family lined the wall. The ceiling was replaced with an embossed metal one that looks appropriate and like the original ceiling. I went to Civitello's at 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 5. The Co-Manager (owner's son) was pleasant and welcoming. I ordered a small Lemon Ice and bought a quart to drop off to my grandchildren. I have been enjoying the Lemon Ice regularly at Civitello's since my childhood. I have even eaten Lemon Ice in Italy. I sat in my car eating the Lemon Ice I had just bought; I ate slowly and with no distractions. The Lemon Ice definitely did not taste the like it did in the past. The texture was the same, but the pure lemon flavor was much less noticeable. Also, there were more tiny pieces of lemon zest in it. This zest did not taste fresh; it tasted prepackaged. I heard many of the family recipes were included in the purchase of the shop. However, I think the Lemon Ice recipe was not given to the new owner. Food-- Pizza (Tomato Pie) was not out yet, and I am eager to return soon see if it is as amazing as I remember it.. After looking at the menu, I asked if Eggplant Sandwiches were going to be available everyday, and he responded yes because the Fryer is now located in the kitchen. Previously, they were served only on Wed. and Fridays because the fryer was outside. Looking forward to having an Eggplant Sandwich, a favorite of mine as well as of many customers. Will it taste the same? Will it be on homemade bread sliced thin? Bakery-- Eclairs looked great. Guy ahead of me bought six. However, I noticed the Butter Cookies did not look as nicely cut out/shaped as before. I did not taste or buy any on this visit. I did not see any almond paste cookies; maybe I overlooked them. The shop was closed on Sunday because they were sold out after the grand reopening, so they may need to restock more of the classic cookies Civitello's is famous for. I plan on updating this review after I taste the Eggplant Sandwich and the Pizza/Tomato Pie.

Walked over here on my lunch break to try. Large cases of freshly cooked bread, cookies and…read morecupcakes. Prices were reasonable, $6 each cupcake. Delicious I might add, perfectly cooked. It was hard to read their hanging menu but they do have printed ones near the counter. The service was excellent, fast and pleasant girls who were knowledgeable about the items and menu. The sandwiches were on regular Italian bread no choice, no sub rolls either. The sandwich traveled well in the Togo box, it was served with a bag of chips, no pickle though. I would definitely recommend for anyone to try if you like a good old fashioned bakery.