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.

Excellent coffee and wonderful desserts…read more The signature coffee here is served with cardamom. While I prefer regular coffee, the cardamom adds an interesting twist. Creamy and caffeinated goodness. The deserts were excellent with the star being the baklava. Plenty of seating, good lighting and a comfortable couch up front.

I really enjoy the vibe of Qamaria. In the evening, the place is filled with friends and families…read moreplaying games or just chatting, and with folks like me, working on projects. So many places in the world have safe evening spots and it is nice to see this developed in the Capital Region. The coffee and teas are comforting, and the sweet treats make me smile. The seats are comfortable and there are many of outlets for those who need them.

A bunch of 7 Brew branches have been cropping up in the Capital Region recently. According to…read morestaff, this location in Colonie was the region's first. It opened a couple of years ago. I was interested in trying out this chain but the newest locations seem to be crazy busy. So I went to the Colonie location because it seemed just slightly calmer. I realize one of the key features to this business model is its drive through service. However, since I did not understand the menu I got out of my car and walked up to the door where I was greeted by staff. I found them incredibly attentive. Everything in the menu-- whether coffees or fruity drinks-- seemed very sweet and syrupy. The staff assured me that they were. So what could a diabetic like me possibly order? We arrived at a Frozen Coffee Chiller. It was plain. No sugar. Just coffee slush with half-and-half. It was great. The staff was wonderful. They even stepped out a few times to check on me. Did I have any allergies? Any special needs? It was funny to think that I wanted the plainest frozen coffee drink but my order took a bit more to process since 7 Brew specializes in naughty beverages that taste more like desserts. The young staff was very dedicated to getting my order right and that says a lot. I think some other Yelpers offered great advice to new customers planning on using the drive through. Consider acquainting yourself with the menu ahead of time. It's really a crazy large beverage menu. In my case, it worked to walk up and ask for help. Considering how busy the staff is, it's not the most efficient way to place an order. I appreciate the kindness that I was shown and now I know how to place an order there that will meet my dietary needs. Thanks, 7 Brew.

If you're not wanting to get out of the car, then a drive thru drink is what you need. On this…read morevisit, I got a large iced chai with a shot of vanilla and oat milk. As usual, they delivered. It was quite refreshing, as well as thirst quenching. They are not fancy but they are efficient and clean. They are quick to take your drink order and the large is quite sizable. The flavor and drink combinations are plentiful so be sure to scan the QR code or peruse the menu ahead. You will be pleasantly surprised by the quality as well as quantity. Be sure to join their rewards program because it certainly adds up quickly. 7 Brew hits the spot!

I had a regular size lavender milk tea with boba. It was delicious and had plenty of boba in it…read more The shop was pretty busy but my order was ready quickly, and the cashier was pleasant. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm at the mall.

Pretty good bubble tea! I was in the area for a meeting and planned to grab a cup of coffee...but…read moregot sidelined by a place to get me some boba! I refrained from the milk tea and kept it simple with green tea with raspberry tapioca. Yum! Service was quick and friendly. Will definitely try something else next time I'm passing by.

Finally went to check out Qahwah and the hype is real! The…read morespace is so modern and spacious. There are so many seating areas that it's perfect for meeting up with friends or family and also getting some work done without feeling like you're taking up a table. I was so impressed with their menu too as there are a ton of fun drinks, desserts and pastries. I wasn't in the mood for anything super sweet so I opted for the Yemeni iced latte, which is a latte with ginger, cardamom, honey and cinnamon. It had a great flavor! One of the baristas came over to check in and see how I liked it, which was so nice. I cannot wait to return and try more things. I definitely need to try something in the dessert case!

Baklava Cheesecake & Pistachio Latte…read more An incredible pairing this morning at Qahwah House The girls at the counter are definitely still learning especially because they got new desserts in so it was a little difficult getting information on what exactly they had to offer, but I definitely made the right choice with the baklava cheesecake and pistachio latte! It's beautiful inside and they have a lot of space, including an outdoor patio- I'm assuming either one of the owners or managers came over to ask us what we tried and what our thoughts were on everything. I will definitely be coming back to try more!

The cafe was beautiful. The interior decorations are gorgeous and there is a wide array of seating…read moreoptions available. There's a conference room where you could do work, a small nook with couch like seating, and regular tables as well. The staff was very nice and helpful with menu suggestions. Your menu options are vast! I ended up getting the Shibam latte, Morrocan bread, and one of the spinach/feta pastries. Everything was delicious. Definitely will be visiting again.

@shibamalbany: The 518's First Yemeni Coffee Shop!…read more I have to start by saying that the owners of Shibam are some of the most humble and genuine people I have ever met in my life You can truly feel the love and hard work they've poured into this space the moment you walk through the door Without exaggeration, this is hands-down the most incredible food and coffee I have EVER experienced. It is officially my new favorite spot for coffee and pastries Here's the lineup you HAVE to try: Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake & Chocolate Baklava (Literally heaven on a plate ) Milk Cakes in every flavor imaginable--the best I've ever had, period Sweet & Savory Pastries- from decadent chocolate-filled croissants to the creamiest spinach pastries you've ever tasted Cookie Butter Latte- The espresso is strong, the flavors are perfectly balanced and it is out of this world Not a coffee drinker? The Shibam Royal Mango Smoothie and their Refreshers are absolute game-changers! And the kids? They have the most incredible hot chocolates! Words really cannot describe how amazing this experience was- you honestly just have to try it for yourself Support local, support amazing people and go treat yourself! #Shibam #YemeniCoffee #518Food #LathamNY #SupportLocal

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.

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.