Albany is the 338th largest city in the US. Jacob Alejandro would be right at home in some of the…read morelargest cities! The vibe is impeccable, truly comfortable and well designed! The staff were professional, pleasant, and coffee/tea focused! My wife enjoyed a black tea chai latte and I loved the reserve pour over coffee experience! I order pour over pretty much every time it's available at a coffee shop. Jacob Alejandro's pour over service is pretty much ceremonial! They serve it on a tray. The tray has the "pitcher", a glass for service, and a glass of palate cleansing jade tea in the middle. (I did have to ask what the jade tea was) The palate cleanse was the perfect start. The Costa Rican coffee was heavenly, one of those drinking experiences where even my amateur palate was engaged. It was truly nice to sit for a while and enjoy a great cup of coffee at Jacob Alejandro! Yes, they would fit in a larger city but smaller cities deserve great coffee also!

After going on a lovely walk through Albany's Washington Park on Easter Sunday, I noticed some…read moreactivity across the street at Jacob Alejandro. I was so surprised. Could they really be open on Easter Sunday? It seemed too good to be true. A great cup of caffeine was just what I needed at that very moment. So my friend and I crossed Madison Avenue and peeked into the tinted windows. Not only were they open, but the place was bustling. The inside of Jacob Alejandro is elegant and beautifully decorated. Furniture, plants, music and wall art are arranged to set moods. It feels more like a club than a coffee house. The baristas are super friendly, helpful and patient. As I tried to make up my mind on what to order, they offered suggestions. I wound up with matcha. I think my friend had some kind of latte. I remember both beverages were delicious. They were made to be savored slowly. We took in our surroundings and it was very relaxing. We'll visit again. Thanks Jacob Alejandro for a nice experience.

Delicious cappuccino and Americano. Great service. Cute shop. Bear a playground if you want to take…read moreyour kids somewhere after.

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!

Wonderful place for a business meeting or meet up with friends. Convenient. Good food. Great…read morecoffee. Service is excellent.

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.

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

Immaculate design of the coffee shop, everything looks sleek and clean. A very simple menu,…read morestraight to the point and definitely based entirely around the quality of the coffee and espresso drinks they're crafting. The service was quick and friendly. The spot is great for working in too. Bright and spacious for the size of the shop

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.

This place is awesome, the staff is so kind and very attentive. The place is warm in both a decor…read moresense and a temperature perspective. The honey cake and latte I got was amazing! The pastry and latte my daughter had were also very good. (We left nothing if that says anything)! This place is located on a strip of coffee shops / cafes. It is worth a go and worth coming back to!

I enjoyed visiting their newest location, 677 Broadway in Downtown Albany. I ate a turkey club and…read morehad a cookie for dessert. The food is fresh and delicious. Staff friendly and smiling.

We're in the area visiting a family member in the hospital, came in to decompress and get something…read moreto eat. Already a little challenging with celiac disease. Walked in and was greeted by a very nice young lady and wanted to make sure there would be no cross contamination so we asked if they use a separate toaster for any toast used in what we planned to order. The man in the back was completely dismissive and just rude and unclear until he finally blurted out "we would just put it in the oven we don't use a toaster". We went out of our way to get closer to him with worries he just couldn't hear us, but he just seemed irritated he was even being asked a question. The person with celiac is a large man who was planning to order a sandwich a salad and a smoothie but limited his order due to not being confident that his food wouldn't cause him to be severely sick. For a place who plasters inclusive messages all over their business we expected a tad more accommodation, but was greeted with an angry bald man instead.

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!

Bagel flavor great. Bagel texture not so great, stale and difficult to chew. They honestly tasted…read morelike day old bagels. Over priced and overrated. I do love the spread texture and flavor. Order: everything, plain, sesame, and garlic bagels. Scallion, plain, olive spread.

Easily one of the top breakfast/brunch spots in the region, and with their expanded seating, a much…read moreshorter wait. (Though it's going to get busy 9am to 11 am on weekends/holidays.). Also great for vegetarians with their alternative meat options and wide selection. The top hits on the menu are too vast to list, so do what I do, get the special each time and be pleasantly surprised. Last weekend was lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry compote. And black coffee just like my dad always ordered.

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!

At the recommendation of a friend I wound up at Perfect Blend in Delmar for brunch on a recent…read moreSaturday. My guess is that 11am was prime time for this bakery-cafe. The place was packed. Many people seemed to be standing around the front counter waiting for take out orders. Despite the lines, both customers and staff seemed very nice. People stepped aside to make room for one another and did so with a smile. I never thought we'd find a seat in this crowded place but there was turnover. After putting in our orders, we sat down. A short time later, the kitchen staff emerged carrying our orders and calling my name. The coffee is good. A little on the strong side. I also ordered a $9 BC Eagle breakfast sandwich. It consisted of 2 eggs on a roll with a sausage patty, cheddar cheese, hash browns and hot sauce. Both the coffee and the sandwich were piping hot and hit the spot. The eatery is clean and cheerful. There are wood block table tops and outlets in the metal table columns where you can charge your devices. The front dining area is decorated with music posters. Some for Phish though most were Dave Matthews Band posters. Adding to the eclectic look of the place were the crazy overhead light fixtures made from kitchen tools including cheese graters and a flour sifter. The display cases are filled with tantalizing baked goods. There appears to be more seating in the rear but with the lines I knew I'd never make it that far. I'm not sure why Perfect Blend doesn't have better ratings on Yelp. The crowds would be an indication that it's a popular place. My friend and I really enjoyed our meal. Parking was easy, too. I parked on the street and there appears to be some parking behind the business. It's a bustling neighborhood eatery that serves up good food without breaking the bank. I'd be happy to come back for another meal.

This will be one of my new go-to breakfast cafes!! I've always passed by Perfect Blend and one of…read moremy friends recommended it to me as well so I had to stop by while on a walk on the rail trail with some friends! Sooo yummy! They have such a fun selection of specialty coffees and regular coffees. The banana bread latte was so good-not overwhelmingly sweet nor artificial tasting. They also offer smoothies and other drinks as well. I loved the breakfast sandwiches. The Vermonster was delicious and the biscuit was so soft and buttery. My friend also enjoyed her bagel sandwich and their muffins and pastries looked so yummy. There's lots of seating indoor and outdoor and is such a popular spot. The workers were very nice and everything came out efficiently. Such a cute place, would highly recommend!