The Scene Cafe is sooo good--it's honestly my go-to whenever I'm in Albany! The food feels fresh, clean, and just makes you feel good eating it. The salmon salad is amazing--so light, healthy, and flavorful. And don't even get me started on the chicken pesto panini--it's me and my friends absolute favorite! I get it every single time I'm there. Oh, and the coffee? Perfect. everything about this place is just on point. Can't recommend it enough!The service is also amazing it's quick and easy.Overall it's a cute spot for hangout,coffee date read more

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Very crowded and noisy. My friend and I had to speak loudly to hear each other. The place is stylish, ideal for taking Instagram photos. But the coffees were cold and below average. We ordered Nutella French Toast and Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed Waffle. The French toast was so sogy, inedible we couldn't eat it. Waffle regular filled with strawberry cream cheese. Although the waffle looked very nice, it was completely raw and inedible. It was a very unpleasant experience. I won't be back again, not worth it. read more

The Scene - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Went for brunch the other day, fun spot! I really love the menu lots of good stuff. A very trendy decor, lots of outdoor eating space. Place was very busy, staff couldn't clean up and more people kept coming. Staff was lovely and attentive. read more

The Scene - They made a special latte for the birthday girl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

DO NOT COME HERE i ordered a bacon egg and cheese and it took 50 minutes to come out of the kitchen. My friends food came out before me and finished her food before mine came. the waitress who gave me my food was not apologetic at all. she gave me a rude look when giving me plate. The food was bad and overpriced. There was no offer to comp the meal or anything like that. My egg was soggy and cold, my "salad" was warm. Terrible experience. read more

Went for a graduation brunch. Place decor and vibes are even more amazing in person. Very modern and classy look. Any pictures of food or with people will turn out beautiful. Service was very fast. Staff was very friendly, especially to newcomers. They ask if it is your first time ordering and walk you through the entire process. Food was beautifully plated and flavorful. Satisfying portions and refreshing meal overall. Wasn't greasy or heavy. Lox of love toast was very balanced. Chicken pesto panini and side salad combination was perfect. I usually always find lavender lattes from anywhere to be too much and to taste like what i imagine essential oils taste like. But, the honey lavender latte here was perfect. Noticeable but not overpowering lavender flavor in the latte was stellar. Great place for a nice, classy brunch read more

The Scene - Lox of Love Pesto Chicken Panini Honey Lavender Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Went here to meet a friend. Very pretty interior and new exterior patio. Very "Instagram" if you know what I mean. Food was good, kinda greasy. Coffee was great - love lattes like this. The staff checked in on us many times and was overall super attentive and kind. Shout out to Hope for making our experience here great! read more

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Hip, slick and cool. Beautiful place with plenty of parking. Menu on line, order at the counter, they deliver to the table, no check back, and I think they are cashless. Hot food arrived quickly. I ordered Oatmeal and asked for no honey. It had a lot of honey and tasted more like a dessert than breakfast. Hubby had the Scenewhich and loved it. A little pricey considering minimal service, small portions and got my order wrong. read more

Found my little, easy bougie west coast feel spot. The staff is so nice and helpful and the food is perfect serving size for the price. Easy parking, clean bathrooms...can't go wrong. read more

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I am so glad this place opened. I now live in Palm Beach FL, and this area needed something like this. I felt I was back in FL for the time. I loved the decor and all the special attention to detail. They even have a champagne vending machine. This place was packed on a Saturday around 1pm, then starter to die down around 2pm. There is indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of parking. They have a big selection of coffee, tea, alcoholic drinks, brunch and breakfast, lunch, and bakery items. I had the cream stuffed waffle, and my son had a quiona breakfast bowl. There are no paper menus, as I was told. Everything is ordered through the code they have at the table through the app toast tab. I did see someone with a paper menu. I'm not sure if you have to ask for those. So whenever you want to order something, you just go into the app and place the order, and you can either pay as you go or you can wait until you're done and pay together. You can pay as a group or individually. read more

The Scene - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

Amazing champagne options! Chill spot with great brunch and coffee! The champagne vending machine is a must try because who doesn't love a good coin operation with instant gratification. I had the Cesar wrap with chicken and a cappuccino both were excellent. Outdoor seating in partial shade was perfect on a 90 degree brunch day. Servers were friendly, fast and helpful! Will definitely be going back. read more

This restaurant was so beautiful! The atmosphere was very vibrant and uplifting, all the staff were super positive and you could tell they enjoyed working there. I love that we can order from our table code scan that was awesome! I can't wait to go back and have some more fun and beautiful drinks and food! read more

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Great food! Everyone was very nice. The latte was amazing. Very cozy atmosphere. Highly recommend it. read more

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This place gets packed quick! We sat and was told that we have a time limit because of the wait, which I didn't love but can understand. The inside is beautifully decorated and almost catered to be instagrammable. They have some comfortable couches and chairs. You have little interaction with staff other than when you sit. You order and pay on your phone. The food was good, I like that there were other options than coffee. Very solid brunch/breakfast spot read more

The Scene - The West Coast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Delicious food, friendly service, chic atmosphere, and cute drinks! What's not to love?

The ambiance is nice, although loud. We all had waffles or French toast. The portions were extra thick which turned out to not be a great thing because they were so dry. They Instagram worthy pics... definitely, but the food was not great, it was average in taste. Also, they don't provide refills on soda, which I thought was odd for such a bougie place. In the end for 5 of us it was $160 including tip for breakfast. It was an experience... so I suggest if you're curious you should check it out but I doubt your experience will be much different than ours. read more

The Scene - Nutella & Banana Stuffed Waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

The scene is a really cute brunch/lunch place. Obviously staged for your picture perfect posts there are lots of cute vignettes set up for your posting pleasure. Hands-down, my favorite drink is the espresso martini but don't pass up the strawberry basil margarita if you're a tequila person (chefs kiss) they are both a 10 out of 10. I've been a few times and my menu selection has not disappointed. Highly recommend for girls event or just stopping in while out shopping. read more

The Scene - All American on everything bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Food is fine, atmosphere is cute, but I think they have something against me here. Every time I go they bring out everyone else's food at the table except mine and I'm forced to wait like 20 mins after everyone gets their food. This has happened to me all 3 times I've gone. One time I got a croissant (which are out in the bakery glass) and my bf got like a whole meal. He got his meal and it was like 15 mins before I went to the counter to say I never got my croissant, and the guy was like "you have to be patient, they're still making it" i was like "its just a croissant and i can see it right there in the bakery glass. You just need to put it on a plate" But the worst time was when the server brought out mine and my boyfriend's food to the wrong table and when we finally said something to the server they said we just needed to wait, then they apologized for bringing our food to the wrong table. By then I changed my mind on what I ordered, and asked if I could change my order since they had to ask the kitchen to remake our order, and they said I couldn't change my order because it was too late and our food would be out in 5 mins. My boyfriend got his meal 5 mins after, I got mine 30 mins later. Then they gave us a coupon for $5 off our order the next time we went. Never going back, the service is horrible. read more

Put on your Chelsea boots, grab your brimmed hat and call your girls to meet you at The Scene for brunch! The Scene is a scene for sure. Basic, I think not. Parking not an issue 2 huge parking lots. Greeted by a cute outdoor patio however it's winter so it's closed. But will be really nice in the spring, summer and fall as they have heaters. Cute fake botanical garden topiary gate you off from the parking lot. As you walk through the front doors that same style follows you in, fake botanical vines and greener with neon signs that have sayings. Perfect for a photo op with the girls. The vibe is very different, order at the counter or grab your favorite cushioned seat and scan a QR code and you never have to talk to a soul. We decided to scan and order. Payment by credit card or Apple Pay which is a nice feature. Be aware the Menu is a little lengthy when trying to order from the tables QR code. You can order anything from a cocktail to a mock-tail, needing a buzz they have coffee or expresso. Plain Jane like me, they have regular soft drinks, lemonade and iced tea too. Complementary water is self serve off in the left hand corner. Drinks came within about 5 mins from ordering. Food came within about 20 mins. Be mindful no "refills" on drinks and no servers. Apple danish was a waste of money slightly heated, reminded me of McDonald's, nothing special and wouldn't re-order. The American Dream was scrumptious, the secret must be the maple sriracha. Mixed feelings about the sandwich coming with a salad and no opportunity or option to get a substitution. - half . - half No tots, fries, home fries or hash browns. Would definitely try again and get something different. I would recommend to anyone that wants a nice no contact experience with good food. read more

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So, if your company is paying for the food. Yeah, I would go here. The food was pretty mid and pretty expensive. They have you tipping for literally nothing. You are paying for the aesthetic. It's really cute inside but that's all the positives I have. :D read more

Absolutely top notch. This place has the best breakfast/brunch in the area. Fresh ingredients, delicious recipes, and fantastic pastries. I've had many of their dishes and all have been great. Staff is friendly and service is good. read more

Easily the best brunch spot in town - great food quality, but getting a table can be a bit frantic at peak times. The crowd is an interesting mix and is extremely reminiscent of some of the bougie places in SoHo or the Meatpacking District, but the staff are friendly and down to earth. For my money, the Scenewich is where it is at. I would pass on the avocado toast. The Nutella French toast is decadent and wonderful. The coffee is passable, not amazing. The decor is extravagant but tasteful. For what you're getting, the price is pretty reasonable. This place fills a gaping hole in Albany's food scene. The crowds this place draws are a testament to what some good design and elevated quality are capable of, even in today's difficult food service climate. read more

The coffee is 5 stars, best latte you can get around here. The food is good, I like their toast dishes better than their sandwiches. I haven't tried the stuffed waffles yet but I'll be back with my laptop when I want to remote work with a scene (pun intended). read more

The Scene - Latte and Cinnabon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

The ambiance is great and it's a fun place to dress up with your friends and hang out. The coffee is good they have seasonal drinks. The food is alright but somewhat overpriced and a side salad for breakfast is odd. Good experience but not always worth it for the food and price. read more

The Scene - Iced Strawberry Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Great brunch and the lattes are amazing! There is generally a decent wait during brunch hours, so be prepared to wait. This was our first time going and we ended up waiting an hour and a half to get seated. Luckily, when checking in there is a waitlist so you can virtually check your spot in line to leave and return as the wait shortens. There is plenty of parking, one wraps around the building and there is also a side gravel lot to park at. Once getting seated, there isn't much interaction with staff. There is a QR code to scan where you put in your order and pay the bill. Food and latte arrive quick. Very cute spot! read more

The Scene - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

My first time here. The friendly staff member greeted and took care of me quick. The initial walk in was nice vibe. Gave a feeling of chill and networking setting. You can get work done or rendezvous with your people and catch up. I noticed they had different drinks from alcohol to coffee. They are cashless so make sure you have a credit or debit Card. I ordered the pesto chicken panini along with a cinnamon roll. The cashier offered to even warm my roll for me. I said absolutely in satisfaction lol. I waited for a little while in their seating area but being on the phone passed the time. When i arrived to my final destination and was able to bite in to my chicken panini it was very delicious. Was served with a side salad which took me by surprise but didn't mind. Very fresh and full of flavor. I was pleased with my choice of food for the night. Happy i have a place in Albany i can get food from. Even though it's a little expensive i would definitely come again. Thank you guys. If you people like outside dining they also have a patio outside for the warmer days as well as an all around parking lot so you won't have trouble. read more

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This place is like walking into a Pinterest board so if you're looking to be in a cute place like that this is the place for you! If you want good coffee and good food this is not the place for you! It was $30 for two regular lattes and a waffle. The waffle was stuffed with cheesecake but there had to have been less than a teaspoon of cheesecake in the waffle. It was a good waffle but I could get something for 1/3 of the price ($15) at the western diner down the road and it would be even better than this poor excuse for a waffle. My partner and I got the French toast lattes and they were both okay lattes. When I'm paying $15 for two coffees I'm expecting it to be actually good coffee but I was disappointed. This place tries to do what Starbucks does which is covering up bad coffee with sweeteners and other sugary stuff. Overall everything we had was okay but 100% not worth the price. Additionally the place is small so there was only maybe 20 people there and they had to use their "outdoor- indoor patio" which is where we sat as to avoid a wait. This was a poorly insulated patio that was so cold that I didn't take off my winter coat the entire time. It seems like maybe their heaters weren't working for some reason cause people were working on them the entire time. I feel like if you're gonna have a restaurant in upstate New York with a patio maybe have it insulated. If you're looking for some place that will make you feel fancy this is the place. If you want to have good food and coffee and are willing to pay a little more for it this is not the place. Go to Jacob Alejandro's. read more

Once you get the hang of how they operate its sooo enjoyable. To ease stress Have someone get in line for a table number and order, while someone else holds a table and orders via barcode Food was phenomenal and you were able to make customizations without trouble. Proces and portions are also reasonable. Only con is my friend had ordered something after her meal came and we had to remind them after 45 mins perfect for a celebratory brunch sooo cute read more

New coffee & brunch in Albany. Aesthetically pleasing. Lots of photo opps. First come first serve indoor & outdoor seating. QR code enabled menu. Also have the option to walk directly to coffee bar to order. Staff was friendly & service was pretty fast. Tiramisu martini was good, 7.5/10. Strawberry Margarita 8.5/10. Small brunch board was tasty. Pastries were soft and bacon was crispy, 8/10. Mini waffles were a bit hard, 5.5/10. My partner got the cheesecake waffle but was underwhelmed, 6/10. SN: I dined inside. The tables are rather close together & took a few "excuse me's" to maneuver around. If you are in need of more/different access (wheelchair, etc) calling ahead to inquire about accommodations might be you're best bet. I would definitely come back! read more

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I was really looking forward to this restaurant based on all of its reviews but I just don't think this place lives up to its hype. To the process: to sit outside it's first come first serve and you order with your phone. I mean this is a way to do it but I'm not sure if I like it. The coffee was fine. We ordered lunch so if you're getting breakfast this review doesn't apply to you. The sandwiches were just not that good in my opinion. read more

Super cute, stylish brunch/lunch spot. The lavender latte is beautiful and delicious. We loved the servers and enjoyed sitting outside. Lots of lovely options and very large portions. My only complaint is the first come/first served seating. It definitely creates tension between customers and should be addressed. Otherwise, cute spot. read more

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love love love the food was absolutely incredible, i loved every bite. service was incredible. there's such a pretty ambiance to the scene. the only issue is that they don't accept cash. read more

The Scene - The West Coast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

The only thing that stopped this from being 5 stars were the ridiculous amount of bees we had to deal with while sitting outside. Otherwise the food was absolutely delicious. Would recommend going here and sitting inside even when the weather is nice. Lastly, you can order straight from your table on your phone which is convenient. read more

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Wonderful vibe and wonderful food! Quick, friendly service! Would definitely go back.

It's trendy, IG-worthy, and definitely a niche in Albany brunch that hasn't been covered yet! The aesthetic is clean and open, and I can see that great care has been put into the decor. Even the tables and dishware are tastefully matching. And like someone else said, that care to detail can be seen even in the bathrooms, which match the magnolia motif of the rest of the store and has some quality napkins! Most of the brunch places in the area are tight and crowded, but The Scene has a lot of natural lighting and I could see many mothers in their sundresses and baby strollers in tow. We got the small charcuterie board, which is an ample size for 4-5 people. It had gherkins, fig jam, gouda, swiss, parmesan, brie, prosciutto...the quality of the individual cheeses/meats wasn't top tier or anything, but it's a nice variety and displayed well. I was very impressed with the strawberry cheesecake stuffed waffle: it had just the right amount of sweetness and they managed to find a very tall waffle mould that made it look super nice. The Scenewich had all the things I liked in a tidy croissant, so I can't complain. The coffee was so-so--there was a strong milk taste rather than a prominent coffee flavor in the lattes, it's definitely something they can improve on. This is a place to go with the girlfriends any time of the day, maybe next time I'll grab a cocktail and see how it is! read more

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Showed up on a weekday during the lunch rush with my toddler daughter, a friend and her toddler son. Of course expected a delay in getting a table due to the time of day, which was absolutely no problem for us. We gave our name to the hostess who then followed up with "please wait in your car we don't want anyone getting upset". We weren't sure if she was referring to us waiting with our kids? It was a really strange interaction and it gave me the ick honestly. Beautiful restaurant and the food was pricey but pretty good. Ordered a flatbread which was too saucy for my liking and the strawberry cheesecake waffle which was overall good. It definitely felt like the employees were staring at us with our kids the whole time and it made me a little uncomfortable. I would say it's not kid friendly (totally fine, we get it). If I were to go back I would definitely go back without kids. Hope this helps a Mom wondering if she should go or not. read more

The matcha was disgusting. It tasted as if the oat milk in it was expired and had none of the vanilla syrup I asked for. It also had chuncks of matcha on the bottom and wasn't made properly. For 6$ I expected better, I couldn't even save it at home. read more

We went there for breakfast. The service was good and the food was ok. What was slightly disturbing was the white cloth seats that were very dirty and needed a good cleaning. Not sure I would return read more

We were lucky to get a table this time. We got a drink and a breakfast sandwich. Yum. read more

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Such a cute lunch spot! Definitely Instagram worthy. Brunch options, sandwiches, charcuterie boards, coffee and cocktails available. On the pricier side but nothing too extreme. read more

The Scene - Strawberry cheesecake stuffed waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Albany, New York

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Well, it is! Mission accomplished. I've never been anywhere in the capital region that's this crowded. Wasn't thinking I would be waiting 40 minutes on a Sunday for food and drinks. New York CIty yes Albany not so much. Knowing how the ordering works here definitely helps speed up the process. Hopefully as the restaurant evolves, some of these processes may change making things more efficient. Right now ordering drinks is from a QR code but you stand in line to order food. This creates a disconnect in regards to when your food arrives and you get your beverage. You also have to figure out how to get a table throughout this process. Both the drinks and food menu drinks are quite varied. So many options, really something for everyone and healthy (ish). No home fries here (yeah!). Keep your eyes open for all of the stuffed waffles that come out. They look really great. The beverages are creative both coffee and alcohol base. I had a shaken espresso, Hold the milk, with a half squirt of lavender syrup. It was great. And yes, of course I got something from the bubbly machine. You purchase a token for the machine when you order your beverages. Everything in the place is adorable: the food, drinks, people, ambiance. That was the plan and it worked. Love that everyone is dressed to impress, lots if very young people wearing their cutest outfits, no matter the genre (jeans, short shorts, little dresses,athleisure wear) Food is decent, however my eggs looked like they sat under lights for a bit and they begged for salt and pepper. No condiments to be found. The scone was darn good. Will definitely be back, but much earlier than Sunday at 1130! read more