I visited the Whistling Kettle in Ballston Spa for brunch with a couple of friends and had a mixed experience. We arrived right when they opened at 10 a.m. and were seated immediately, which was great. We initially considered sitting inside, but the smell of eggs was so overwhelming/nauseating that we opted for outdoor seating instead. The patio was charming and cozy. The service was friendly, attentive, and one of the highlights of our visit. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to expectations. We all ordered the brunch tower, which included a "fruit salad" that consisted of squishy grapes, sour Granny Smith apple chunks, and canned mandarin oranges. The fruit tasted low quality and unappetizing, and I only managed a few bites. I also ordered the bananas foster crepe, which was severely overcooked. The crepe was so tough that I needed a knife to cut through it, and the texture was far from what I would expect from a crepe. Overall, while the service was pleasant and seating was prompt, the food quality left a lot to be desired, especially considering the price point. read more

The Whistling Kettle - "Fruit salad" - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

First the food is to die for! This is my go to mea! I love the soup. I get a bowl so I can take some home. The service is beyond great! The gentleman that served us was fabulous. He helped pack up my left overs including the cream and jam for my scone. He came back with a to go cup for my chai latte! I adore this place. Stop reading this review and just GO!!! read more

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We were visiting the Farmers Market and Popped in for a Coffee. I ended up choosing a Refreshing Iced Tea instead, which was delicious. There is a full, inviting, restaurant available for tea service and meals, but you are also able to order To-Go at the counter. read more

The Whistling Kettle - Wall paper, Interior Design - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

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Very friendly place for brunch. The French Press coffee was really delicious, as was my 'Sconewich.' Service was perfect, and the booths were comfortable. Plus the prices were right! read more

The Whistling Kettle - Ham and Swiss Sconewich - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

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Showed up right when they opened and was so thankful we did! They filled up fast. Coffee was decadent hot, and the afternoon tea was delicious. Really cool booths and our server was friendly and able to keep up with the busy time. Absolutely will be back! read more

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i've been here several times over the years, and they never disappoint. i came here with some friends on a friday afternoon. the space is very cute, although it is a little drafty by the door (i had to keep my coat on). we were seated immediately. all of the tea here is excellent, and their london fog is top tier. you can't go wrong with any tea. i ordered a cup of the sweet potato chili and the bananas foster crepe. it took about 20 minutes for our food to arrive. the chili tasted just like the trader jooe's harvest chili, which i love. it was very hot and i burned my tongue several times because i wanted to keep eating it. the crepe came out slightly later. the edges were very crisp and it was packed with filling. the scone cream they use seems to be clotted cream, which balances out the sweetness of the caramel quite well. i also tried my friend's fruits of the forest scone, which was very crumbly but had great flavor. i love this place and will certainly return when i can. read more

The Whistling Kettle - Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Chili, Banana Foster Crepe - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

Great service in a cozy setting. We had 4 of us and a 2.5 year old. We ordered the "towers" for bunch. A sandwich, cup of soup, and a scone or crepe. All the sandwiches were different and fantastic. The lobster bisque was piping hot and delicious and the berry scone was amazing. We also had banana fosters crepe which was very good and my grandson's kid tower of PB&J, sliced bananas and a berry scone disappeared quickly. The menu has more hot/iced tea flavors than I knew existed and the ones we had were great. I will definitely go back and highly recommend it. read more

I stopped in at the Whistling Kettle Saturday and was excited to have a savory crepe. I was there late morning and was seated right away. First off the tea house vibe in here is super cute. I'm not sure if it was only the front where I was seated, but it was very dim. The rest of the establishment seemed well lit. I would've liked it to be brighter at the booth where I was seated. If you're here for teas, their assortment cannot be beat. We were told that the tea list is pretty much endless and on the board further into the eatery. We placed our drink order and got a peach iced tea, strawberry smoothie and iced matcha with vanilla. The drinks were really good except for the iced matcha. Sadly It was rather bland and room temperature at best. Next we placed our meal order and we were really hungry, so ready to eat! The service here is extremely slow and you can't be in a rush to get out. It took about a half hour for our food to get to the table. The 3 tiered lunch with roasted red pepper soup, chipotle chicken ciabatta and nutty monkey crepe along with a banana foster crepe and lobster bisque soup finally arrived. Unfortunately there was a mix up with my savory ratatouille crepe and soup as it was the wrong order. The crepe that came to me was incorrect and served with kettle chips as opposed to the roasted red pepper soup I ordered. Thus the rest of my party began eating without me while I waited for my soup to start. After a little bit my soup came and shortly after came my savory crepe. It's important to note that the soups here are delicious, however all lukewarm warm upon first taste. You really have to stir it up to ensure that your soup is hot through and through. The chipotle chicken ciabatta bread was nice and toasty and crisp but the chicken inside it was dense, under seasoned and dry. The only taste that stood out in the sandwich was the mozzarella. My savory ratatouille crepe had ample roasted vegetables and goat cheese but the vegetables within were seasoned just okay and I did not get the freshly roasted taste. The bananas foster crepe was good but did not get to the table hot. The real disappointment was the nutty monkey crepe as the edges of the crepe were dry and there were only two small pieces of banana within. It did have a nice amount of nutella but all in the center of the crepe. Basically the only good part to eat was the middle of the crepe and the rest was dry so it remained on the plate. The place was busy for a Saturday but no long wait or frazzled staff from what I could see. Unfortunately this was not the best experience so perhaps I will give them another try, when I am less famished and with more time on my hands. Overall a warm and cozy place for tea and an ample indoor as well as outdoor patio dining space. Perhaps this is an isolated incident and my server was having an off day. The eatery is in the center of it all so a nice place to stop in for tea. read more

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Pros: - Great variety of tea selection (and it's delicious) - Soup is fantastic - Cute atmosphere Cons: - Scones are dry - Service is slow - Sandwiches with Brie cheese are stingy on the cheese (we ordered 2 different sandwiches with Brie and couldn't see a full slice on either sandwich) While a cute upstate tea room, I find it peculiar you have to pay for the tea a la carte. If you do the math, you end up saving $1 on the afternoon tea "package" vs ordering each item individually off the menu unless you up-charge any of the items, which is an additional $5 per item. read more

Was just passing through and needed a quick brunch spot. What an outstanding location. The food was outstanding and although this is a restaurant that specializes in tea their French press medium roast coffee is outstanding worth the stop if you need a quick spot for lunch. Everything on the menu looks delicious. read more

Came here with my husband for lunch while visiting the area. Enjoyed the afternoon tea special. I liked that the menu gave full portions and a nice variety of items. Loved how they presented everything on the tiered plates. I tried the turkey brie crepe, house salad, and berry scone. Everything tasted delicious. The server was nice and helpful. Overall would definitely come back again! read more

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So few breakfast/brunch spots were open in the afternoon on a Sunday, we decided to get in here while we could! Right choice!! Their high tea "towers" are a delight. Excellent variety of artisan sandwiches, soups, incredible salads, crepes (both savory and sweet), cakes; this place is a joy! And an excellent variety of teas, mixed tall teas on ice for hot days... you will not be disappointed, check out the menu and go here. read more

I love you, Whistling Kettle! Whenever I am in town visiting family I make it a point to stop in here. Service has been spotty and the biggest area of complaint I've had over the years. The food, presentation, and tea selection is excellent and hasn't wavered. This visit actually was the best service I've received so far! Friendly, welcoming and very nice, efficient and good recs all with a smile! I always order the Tower of three choices, served on a tiered platter. This time I got a nice garden side salad with the monte cristo savory crepe and the berry scone cuz the cream and jam sides. All was delish and large crepe made me have to take the scone home! It used to include a tea drink but that's fine. I happily tried the strawberry guava tea cold and it was really yummy not too sweet yet didn't need any additional sugar. Still good, with even better service, I can't rave enough. read more

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The "5!" The RARE 5. Everything was exceptional: the food, the service, and the tea. The leftovers were exceptional, reheated! Visited on a Friday afternoon about 4:30. I had the Tower ($20): Turkey, cranberry sauce and brie crepe Cup of lobster bisque ($5 extra) Mixed Berry Scone w/"cream" and jam. The cream was part cream cheese, mixed with... idk. Sour cream? Goat cheese salad (+$4) I'm almost afraid to recommend it and find it impossible to get a seat next time. read more

The Whistling Kettle - The Tower - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

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Food Their tea was not my cup of tea: I ordered the masala chai latte, and it came out in a stainless steel teapot. I was asked to let it steep longer. They gave me a tea bag with a pot of hot water..... I like Chai, prepared over stove top boil the spices to release the aromas and steeped over the stove on top of open flames...steeped? Lobster bisque was good. Turkey avocado was ok. It was like eating a stuffed pizza. Quiche was borderline, too salty. It also had too much cheese in it. Not my choice of food. Lemon scone was rather dry. Service Attentive but had to request for water refill. Ambiance Comfortable, nicely set up. Cozy. read more

While we didn't like where we were seated, I still give the Whistling Kettle 5 stars. A friend recommended the Whistling Kettle as we were visiting Ballston Spa for an afternoon with out-of-town relatives. We were seated at the table nearest the kitchen/server area which was a bit loud for our taste. The restaurant seemed to be rather busy/full so we pushed through. They have a wonderful and interesting selection of teas and coffees. Their food menu offers a wide variety as well. The dining experience itself is wonderful as they have beautiful cups and saucers and serving platters and trays. Our server was delightful which helped make for the best overall meal. If (WHEN) you go, ask to be seated nearer the front of the dining room. read more

The Whistling Kettle - a variety of soups and sandwiches - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

A fabulous place for lunch, food delicious, service perfect. Definitely a place to go to again

First of all the food was excellent. Service was a little slow for the number of customers but our server was delightful. Only complaint would be the presentation, or lack of. Sandwich with a bag of chips. Once the chips are off the plate, that sandwich looks pretty pathetic. They used to serve sandwiches with a small salad on the plate...lovely. My friend noted her crepe reminded her of a freezer to toaster item. No garnish! Just not pretty. Again the food tasted great. We were surprised that at 12:15 there was no wait for seating and the place never did fill up. Used to be very backed up at the lunch hour. Just didn't seem as special as it once had. read more

Great ambiance and good food. I go for the tea. As you should. I can't rave about the food. It's adequate. No complaints. They do have very good soups. But if you love tea, hot or cold. This is your place. The service is good. Never a complaint. read more

Very happy to discover that the Whistling Kettle was open when a friend and I met for lunch in Ballston Spa last week. This restaurant is truly a little gem. Interesting menu. Great for breakfast, lunch or a tea or coffee break. It's always a tough choice between their yummy Lobster Bisque (which I ultimately selected, and it did not disappoint) and Red Pepper Bisque (which I have eaten before, and it, too, is very tasty). My Eggplant and Roasted Red Pepper Panini was superb; I would order it again. Inside and outside dining was open; COVID-19 protocols were being followed as patrons were properly separated around the seating areas. Where Whistling Kettle lost a star was with its service. Our waiter (I do know his name but won't post it) was not attentive. The restaurant was not busy at 1:15 p.m. on a Friday. We waited more than a reasonable amount of time for him to come to our table and take our order, and the arrival of our food (which had obviously been sitting around and was not hot) took a long time. He was not the only server in the room. Don't discount this place due to the less-than-attentive service. The interesting menu and wide variety of teas is a very good reason to stop by. read more

Such a cute place, such a disappointing experience. For starters, there's the room temperature roasted red pepper soup that tastes like it's from a box. Don't bother sending it back to be reheated, it will come back the same temperature. I ordered milk oolong tea and after a 20 minute wait was served goddess of mercy tea. I let the staff know and asked for milk oolong and they asked me if "I was sure". Ummm, yes, I was. Didn't matter because the promised replacement tea never arrived. What was printed on the receipt? Goddess of mercy. The crepe was unremarkable, tepid crepe and cool insides. The lemon dessert crepe was better. You come here for a pleasant lunch experience, a pot of tea and passable food. This was a disappointing lunch on all fronts. It's not the first time the Whistling Kettle has disappointed, but it will be the last. read more

Absolutely love this place! Full disclosure: it gets busy, it can get full fast and this location doesn't have a great waiting area. That said I feel like parking can be easier than the Schenectady location and if you have to wait there are cute shops that can occupy your time. The food and staff are wonderful and anything you get to drink will be amazing. It's fun to do the full afternoon tea service, with a mimosa flight and overall it's a delightful experience. read more

The Whistling Kettle - Afternoon tea with Quiche of the day, Lobster Bisque, Berries and Cream Crepe and a strawberry mimosa. - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

Got the "WHISTLES" from the food but missed the "TEA" from the kettle (not a tea drinker). Read a lot of raving 4point reviews which is why we went... Their menu highlights favorites such as quiches, scones, sandwiches, soups, salads and crepes. I recommend getting the AFTERNOON TEA $16.00 Includes Any Sandwich, Quiche, Premium Salad Or Quiche + Cup Of Soup Or House Salad + Scone With Cream And Preserves Or Tea Bread. Upgrade To Savory Crepe/Cake For $4. Beverages Ala Cart That way you get to sample the menu. I had high expectations from the scone but that didn't tingle my taste buds but the rest of the food was amazing. Luckily Ballston Spa is a short drive away and will be back for more. read more

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This is a much loved and highly frequented little brunch spot. The food can be inconsistent but is very decent overall. The service is always good! The teas are lovely and the staff are always smiling. The atmosphere is very charming and I even like that it's a little gift shop too. Overall one of my favorite spots for a huge helping of charm and cherished memories! read more

Staff were incredibly rude and inconsiderate. I asked if I could have a refill and my waitress acted very bothered to get it for me. Management was a total joke when I tried to report any of this. My crepes were dry and sandwich my friend got was dry and very undercooked. I will most certainly not be coming here again, terrible staff, terrible food, terrible prices. read more

I am no tea connoisseur, but I love coming in here and trying new things. My favorite thing to get here is the afternoon tea service where you get a sandwich, a side salad or soup, and a scone with cream and jam. I mean, basically, I order the lunch part to look like a responsible adult but I really only want the scone loaded up with fresh cream and jam. Again, I am no tea connoisseur, but they have so many amazing selections that I like to try them, so sometimes I get the ' flight' of tea. I tend to like the black and green teas and shy away from the ones that taste like the ashes of my hopes and dreams. I recommend the one that tastes like birthday cake. Cheers! read more

I always stop by this place when I'm in the area Pros: - Clean and cozy atmosphere to catch up with friends or read a book! - A wide selection of tea to choose from for a pot or with afternoon tea - Really love their Roasted Red Pepper soup, always get it with either a sandwich, panini or one of their savory crepes (highly recommend the Ratatouille Crepe); $15 with soup - Sweet crepes are also delicious and good portion size; $9 - Clean, multiple stall bathrooms - Friendly staff Cons: - Street Parking read more

Greetings! I missed the opportunity to take a picture again I was so hungry! Met a friend to celebrate her, we are so well! Delicious afternoon tea was my joy today (farmers crepe, house salad, lemon scone) with some hot Irish tea! So yummy!! Then I tried a blue macha...what a treat! We were acknowledged right away, the staff is friendly & knowledgeable. We were able to chat and not rushed out the door. Thank you for a lovely experience!! Blessings to you!! read more

It's been 8 years since I visited and I thought I could give it a second chance. Met my girlfriends on Sunday 11.30am. Couldn't get a table of 5 and we had to break up into 2 tables; kids vs adults. Place is cute and cozy just like the ballston spa district. Service was normal, nothing to brag about. I ordered the chicken, bacon and roasted peppers savory crepe was considered burnt and hard. Wasn't my expectation for a crepe. Only decent item was the coffee. Will be my last time visiting probably I'm not a fan of scones or hard crepes. read more

The Whistling Kettle - Coffee - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

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Food is great. Tea selection is amazing. Service is fast. I buy all my loose leaf tea from here now when I stop to eat.

Stopped in for takeout and got a scone-which. I chose the tuna and tomato, which came with cheese and chipotle sauce, on a savory scone. It was pretty tasty and I enjoyed the melted cheese but my only criticism is that it was really messy to eat. The bottom scone was spilt before I even picked it up and as I started eating it the rest of the bottom scone crumbled, so I ended up eating with a fork. The restaurant itself is very nice with a mix of booth and table seating. If you like tea, COME HERE! They have a huge selection of loose tea for purchase and also offer tea time! read more

The Whistling Kettle - Hot tea holders with witty sayings! - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

First I want to make this clear that we will return. Being one of our go to places we travel from Lake George at least once a month or more a great place HOWEVER today we we greeted by the hostess and seated. We waited 15 minutes for wait staff. I asked the hostess to assist in which she did. Ten minutes later no show asked again. We saw that she approached someone but again no show We got up and left quite disgusted. August 6 a 1135 The place was far from filled as in the past when we would be greeted and served right away I hope this is not what we are going to expect in the future. This particular waited needs to be spoken to I worked in food service in the Catskill Hotels during the heyday and if I did anything remote I would be out Hoping our next visit will be as before but will definitely inform the hostess that we do not want a repeat performance read more

A frequent flyer to this location, pretty consistent except for the last 3 times I ordered a bananas foster crepe. I could crunch on the sugar in it ( weird) and was so disappointed and was WAY too sweet ( yes I know it's a sweet crepe). Like not edible sweet. Crepe was too ooey gooey and texture bad. I would think in a place like this where the menu is pretty cut and dry at least the crepes would be good read more

great place, amazong tea exceptional service, and delicious food go here drink some tea read more

The Whistling Kettle - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

Lovely food in a cool place. Attentive service Must try when you are in the Saratoga area.

My daughter was visiting from NYC and we decided to order in. My young granddaughter wanted just Turkey & cheese nothing else on her sandwich. We placed our order on a delivery app and then called to customize the fancy turkey sandwich we had ordered . The young lady was so affable and adjusted our order. Needless to say our food was luscious, service impeccable. Being new to the area it's wonderful to find such a gem of a place. read more

One of my favorite places to eat in all of NY. If you are in the area you really should stop in for a crepe and quiche. I've tried almost everything. I prefer vegetarian options and they are great here. Nothing has been bad. Food is great, love the atmosphere, service is friendly and helpful. The only change I'd like to see is the option of Kashmiri tea. read more

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Heard great things and it lived up to the expectations! The warm roasted red pepper and Gouda soup was the perfect start to a cold day. We also enjoyed the chipotle chicken and Ballstonian sandwiches, which were both great. Finished with a banana fosters crepe and Lemon Berry Marscarpone Cake, would recommend both. The crepe was very sweet, which was perfect for me, but too sweet for my wife. Service was great! Will be back! read more

The Whistling Kettle - Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake - Delicious - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York

Ridiculous!! I don't usually write bad ones but this ruined my afternoon. Ordered food and was told 10-15 mins so I parked in the ten min spot with doggy in the car. Waited over 45 mins, then asked if they knew how much longer and they just said they didn't know. Went up and asked if they could actually check and was told it would be another ten minutes at least. Asked for my money back and left with an hour wasted and nothing other than an apology. Should have grabbed my dollar out of the tip jar. read more

Such a cute little quaint place. Another hidden gem on our way to VT. So much to love about this place, staff is friendly, the crepes are spectacular. Lobster bisque was warm and hearty. Greek salad Salad and sandwich were great. I highly recommend this place read more

The Whistling Kettle - Wow wow wow - Sandwiches Near Me - Ballston Spa, New York