What a great find. Off the beaten trail in more delightful ways than one! This 70s -80s themed eclectic little cafe not far from our hotel (The Doubletree/Hilton) in downtown Utica was a delight. From the delicious homemade soup to the great service, you can't go wrong. The homemade pasta and potato salads taste just like Mom used to make. I urge you to check out this locally owned gem. You will feel at home with the chill vibe. read more

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Always great homemade food, great eclectic atmosphere and music with friendly and attentive staff. 20 stars, The definition of unique. Carl Alberico read more

Food was delicious! Simple but good. Coffee and tea options were nicely curated. Service was helpful and attentive. Checked in on us often. Funky funky vibe. The kind of place that I love in the books and crannies of upstate that is sadly missing downstate. When we're back for school we'll be back! read more

Waitress was laid back and polite. Food prices are very fair and portion size isn't bad at all. Atmosphere is very friendly and funky. Unique decor covers the walls while amazing music fills your ears. Would recommend this spot for a lunch or a nice meetup with friends! read more

Tramontane Cafe - Smoothie! - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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Beautiful Cafe with delicious food and a vintage clothes shop! Coffee was delicious aswell!! Thank you for the hospitality. Great food and great service! read more

Tramontane Cafe - Avocado Toast - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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Excellent food - Sandwiches, soups, muffins, snacks, salads - all kinds of deliciously eats - made fresh in house. Coffees of all kinds as well as teas and smoothies. Service is excellent - atmosphere is unique, welcoming and comfortable. Best place to grab some food and a drink - lots of menu choices too. Interesting events at night. Check them out on their Facebook page. Plenty of parking too. read more

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Stopped by this cozy coffee shop on my travels and was so pleasantly surprised! The ambiance was amazing and they honestly had me when I ordered a banana blueberry muffin and they asked if I wanted it grilled with butter... it was amazing. The owner was present and checking in on tables and super kind. 12/10 would recommend. read more

Tramontane Cafe - London fog with a generous side of honey to sweeten - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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I love the Tram! Iced coffee with coffee ice cubes is genius and delicious. The Tram fills a niche in the Utica vegan friendly comfort food category, and is a great place to meet up with friends or make new ones. read more

Coolest cafe in town. Opens early on Wednesdays, which is when I found it, and serves up a fine cup of drip coffee with great music and friendly service. Haven't tried the foodstuffs but hear that's also well done. What more do you need?! read more

Very cool place! Great atmosphere and very friendly staff! Awesome coffee drinks. Highly recommend.

Unique retro styled place with a great lunch menu; homemade soup, super-fresh ingredients for the salad and excellent sandwiches. Will definitely be back. read more

This Bohemian style Cafe was the perfect place for our little family rendezvous. Robin & her staff were friendly, helpful, & efficient with a delicious variety of homemade soups, sandwiches, salads, & drinks for our individual specialty diets. And the fresh homemade bakery items were fabulous as well. The atmosphere was comfortable, and we were not rushed while getting caught up. read more

Took a friend last week who's traveled the world and said he felt right at home. Sat down to a monster bowl of homemade soup and I, a nice warm egg and bacon sandwich. Delicious coffee as usual and the icing on the cake was having Robin, the owner, come over and chat with us. The staff is great. . Food perfect and The ambience... Well, this is the TRAM! What were you expecting? Love the place. GO AND RELAX. As if you have a choice! read more

Came here on a Saturday to chat with a great friend. Pros: - My friend said that the chai latte was really good! - The portion of each drink was decently sized and the prices vary from $1-something to $2-something - Really nice cafe workers - Love the inside decor (very hipster) - Not too noisy or too quiet, so it's a great place to have an in-depth chat with a friend(s) - I really like the seating options here - from comfy couches to comfy chairs Cons: - One bathroom read more

Tramontane Cafe - A cup of earl grey and a cup of chai latte - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

Ok, driving past Utica on 1-90 after spending time in the ADKs, this place is a bit off the path AND when we were there (su '16) we had to traverse Stewart's parking lot (tip) to access Lincoln due to construction. That said, it was worth it. Friendly greeting, helpful people, fun thrift store furnishings and tableware, perfect foods and drinks for our Sunday lunch/brunch needs. Order at the counter, table service. Lots of options or variables for menu items means your meal is customizable! (Ordering takes a while.) People of all ages and persuasions were enjoying the vibe here! This'd be a great place to go for live music or performance, especially for those under 21. Made me wish we had such a place in Ithaca. read more

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When I first stepped into the local wonder that is Tramontane Cafe, I had the following internal conversation with myself: Brain: Ooh! It's so pretty! Look! Look! Me: Shh! Quiet. They'll hear you. Brain: Whoa.. and their coffee menu. It's huge! What should we get? But wait.. there's a truckload of pastries, too. Ack! Maybe we should be gluttonous and get both. Me: *biting knuckles, attempting to contain myself* Oh.. gosh! Brain: Can I please live here?! Me: Be quiet or you won't get your caffeine fix. Brain: Why you no love me? I had a difficult time containing my excitement as soon as I laid eyes on the interior of Tramontane. For several years, I mourned the loss of VBLP, Tramontane's deliciously crunchy/artsy predecessor. When I heard about this place, I was absolutely itching to visit the Utica area and check it out. (Like Greg G, I also spent many hours during high school and college hanging out at VBLP.) Tramontane Cafe is a more mature, evolved version of VBLP. The clientele appears to be locals/regulars (lounging, working on their novels, etc), business folks noshing there for lunch, and college students clinging giddily to the WiFi. They've got eclectic music, hip baristas, an old jukebox in the corner, funky wall art, a lunch menu, and tasty drinks. This place has everything you could want in a local coffeehouse, including open mic nights. The walls are painted in warm, natural colors. The mismatched vintage furniture--from comfy couches to 70s-style kitchen chairs--is the cherry on the figurative coffeehouse sundae. In short, the interior is eclectic and funky (somewhat SoHo-ish), without looking grubby. Ironically, I have been searching for a Tramontane-equivalent for the last several years with no luck. I looked high and low in cities like D.C. and Boston. Yet, none of them had quite the comfy/hometown feel that Tramontane has. Sometimes, you've just gotta come home to get the good stuff. :-) Thank you, Tramontane.. for giving me (and my overly active brain) another good reason to stop by in Utica! Tip: There's a small parking lot to the left of the entrance. If that's full, there's a vacant patch of grass directly across that street the folks seem to use as "overflow". read more

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I've been to this place twice, and it's my favorite place in Utica...besides the beautiful theatre. There's a sandwich and soup menu, lots of baked treats, and coffee drinks. There's plenty of gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options. I wish there was a bit more variety in their food options. The chai is some of the best I've ever had! It's particularly satisfying in their cold windy snowy winters. The atmosphere is so fun. All the furniture is different, so just picking a place to sit is an adventure. The food is pretty good, the soups are great, and the bread options are fantastic (from a local bakery, I think). The service is friendly and casual, though maybe a tad slow. read more

Tramontane Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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Highly improbable find in a sort of empty block in the up-and-down town of Utica, Tramontane is a genuine hipster café with enormous cups of decent coffee, a limited but tasty menu (I had a spinach-licious fritatta), a potluck decor with ambient lights and mismatched tables and old album covers on the wall, friendly staff, and today a regular named Mr. Rainbow who heartily greeted us upon arrival. It's in fairly close proximity to the art museum, which makes a nice little expedition from parts yonder, and there's a small stage and while we didn't see any musical acts on a sleepy Tuesday morning, it was just kinda cool feeling the vibe. There's a dedicated little parking lot to one side, and you can walk (if you dare) from the art museum parking lot if you're doing the Utica-scene tour. I give it a fifth star because it was literally a destination for us today - and it proved to be relaxed and amenable to long quiet conversation with just the right level of attention from the staff. Seriously, I could never ask for more in a coffee house/cafe. read more

This place is a diamond in the rough. While killing some down time in Utica, I blindly followed fellow Yelpers' suggestion(s) and my GPS and pulled up to "The Tram." While I was a bit skeptical from the roadway, I didn't let aesthetics deter me. An overfull parking lot, tons of (+) reviews and being one of the few coffee spots actually open on a Sunday evening, I had to make my way in. This place has (almost) all of my favorite things; deliciously aromatic espresso, comfy & ample seating, wicked friendly staff and above all else, live entertainment! As long as you're not DD's or Tim Hortons, it's pretty difficult to mess up quality coffee beans. However, add live music from this areas local talent and you've got a receipt for success. I'll be back for sure, the next time I swing through! read more

Tramontane Cafe - $7 for a cappuccino I could stick that fresh, warmed, lightly buttered (huge ass) muffin and BOTH of my fists into?!?! Awesome! - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

Atmosphere: 100 Staff: 100 Coffee & food: 100 Took my sissy for a little coffee date to the Tram and couldn't be happier. If you find yourself in Utica, NY do yourself a favor and swing by. Don't let the construction detour your. They are still open. read more

Coming to Utica for grad school from Long Island was a big move for me. Especially leaving my so-close-to-NYC pizza, bagels and coffee houses behind. I was missing my local coffee house from back home when I decided to give "The Tram," as the locals say, a fair shot. Went down with my roommates to check out their open mic night and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed myself. PROS: Great local musicians Tasty soy chai latte in a humungous cup Relaxing environment Friendly employees CONS: Very limited room to sit (got stuck sitting at a tiny table next to the bathroom...whomp whomp) -I'm looking forward to going back on a less crowded day/night read more

Tramontane Cafe - Open mic night, Sunday 09/01/13 - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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University coffee shop feel to it Great soup Pita and hummus was yummy Nice vegan veggie menus with plenty for the carnivore Great sandwiches Good service read more

Tramontane Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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I love the Tram. Here's an example of why: As I sat to compose this review, I asked Robin (Proprietress of the Tram), what wonderful and amazing things that I should say about her establishment. Instead of taking the opportunity to up-sell her business, she said "I can't tell you what to write because it's your experience, your opinion ... choose your own adventure." The Tram is more than "just" a coffee shop, it's a manifestation of a particular set of values. It's DIY. It's Live Your Own (Damn) Dream. It's a commitment to a city, a neighborhood, and an approach to food and drink. You will not find Green Mountain Coffee at the Tram. You will not find Wal-Mart muffins at the Tram. You will not find Coca-Cola at the Tram. You will not find McFood at the Tram. You will not hear Maroon 5 playing in the background. Instead, you will find coffee from local roaster, Utica Coffee Roasting Company. You will find fresh pastries (baked in house). You will find RC Cola and Boylans. You will find delicious veggie (and non-veggie) sandwiches. You will hear live music (Open Mic Night on Sunday!). You will find a/c, you will find wi-fi, you will find people of all ages, races, orientations, and socio-economic statuses. On a non-trivial number of days you will also find random moments of poetic brilliance. In short, you will find everything that a coffee shop aspires to be. Stop by for your morning coffee on the way to work in the a.m. Stop in for a quick drink when you're trying to go south on the arterial. Stop by for lunch (the soup is insanely good and good for you). Stop in to think and draw and write and hang (I'm talking to YOU students at Pratt, UC, MVCC, and Hamilton). There's free parking. And did I mention that the coffee is good? (it is) read more

So on my last visit back home I spent a lot of time here. If you are someone from around the area, you might remember a place known as VBLP's. I remember going to that place in high school and being pretty happy with the place. Small hole in the wall type of coffee shop. Unfortunately it closed. But... They came back and made it 10 times better with the Tramontane/ The Tram. This place is huge compared to what I remember about the old place. It's awesome. Couches and comfy chairs arranged all around. So whether you want to sit with a large group at the bar or a bench or just want to sit by yourselves in a secluded corner, this place has it for you. I wish I had my camera with me as I would be able to show photos as the inside of this place pretty awesome. The decor is pretty cool. Framed posters and very nicely polished illustrated art (don't know exactly what style to call it) The walls are smoothed retro wood which gives it a sort of glow with the lamps and lights in the place. It also has a little stage area. I attended a few shows there too which were local favorites as well as some people cutting it loose and showing their all for the first time. Open mic nights on Sundays, and usually a performance on Saturday or Friday. There is a projector too. They aired a showing of Alice's Restaurant the day before Thanksgiving. Never even heard of the movie before that night, but it was entertaining. A little weird at times but enjoyable none the less. The Tram has its set of regulars and its set of passerbys which I think makes it more of a warm and cozy place. The baristas know their stuff so ask them anything. I don't think you will be disappointed. The drinks are really good. I was trying to cut back on coffee, so I kept getting the mochaccino, but I would recommend The Ridiculous to anyone (just ask for it). Yerba mate was there too, but again needing to cut down on caffeine. There were milkshakes too that looked and sounded amazing, but it was winter and I was already f'ing freezing. The food is good too. Soup, quiche, wraps, cookies and more :) Most, if not all, are made right there in their oven behind the counter. So if you want to get a taste of the local scene or think there is nothing at all in Utica anymore I recommend checking out this place. Fun fact: If you like board games too, the Tram is littered with them inside of every side table or on any shelf. There is even the Muppet show board game (didn't play it but yes I was intrigued). read more

Yelp is spot on!! Found this gem while searching for a lunch place on a road trip. It doesn't look likes much on the outside and its in a weird location, but I was quite happy once we sat down. It's homey and warm and food is fresh and healthy. Vegetarian and vegan friendly and great for kids. Husband says coffee was great, and he is a bit of a coffee snob, and iced coffee had coffee ice cubes. Oh and super cheap. $28 fed 2 adults and 3 kids. read more

Our family stopped at the Tram as we were passing through Utica on a road trip. I'm so glad we did! It has a great indie vibe, and the food was really great. Our boys customized their own sandwiches and the hubby and me had delicious vegan veggie burgers. Lots of veggie/vegan options, and traditional options as well. Got some coffee on the way out (which was also delish). Great service, fun, independent cafe with delish food and good prices. Check it out! My 8 year old says, "REALLLLY good sandwiches!" read more

My fiancee and I decided to stop and visit this place due to recommendation from strangers via Yelp. The place was very emptied (we arrived at 9:30 AM). The workers were friendly; they communicated via wrote on the notepad since we are Deaf customers. The food was great (I ordered a medium cappuccino and tabouli & hummus with pita breads and veggie chips; my fiancee ordered an Italian soda banana flavored and bagel with sausage and eggs). They served with vintage plates, tables, chairs and decorations. I could not stop checking out their vintage decorations. We will definitely come back whenever we visit upstate New York. read more

Tramontane Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

What a lovely oasis in Utica. I was way happy to be steered here by fellow yelpers on the final day of an LA--Boston cross country drive. You can only eat at Subway so many times before going crazy. Tramontane was the kind of place you could comfortably hang out at for hours. Cool decor, very cool illustrated posters on the walls and the employees were very friendly. Unfortunately for my boyfriend and I, it was more of a stop off lunch thing so no loitering or coffee drinking for us. I got the Boca burger which was great, along with a chocolate chip cookie. All in all, it was well worth the 6 or 7 miles off the highway to get to. I'm sure if I lived in Utica I'd spend a lot of time there and if I find myself there again I'll be back. read more

If you're a culture vulture and want to see the essence of what is at the heart of it in Utica...come here. Ironically the root of the name comes from a band (Foreigner) that probably would not attract most of the fans of that band. Very kooky delightful atmosphere with a small stage. This sort of reminds me of a Cafe Lena idea in Utica. Good carrot cake. read more

A place in Utica NY that fosters creativity AND has vegan/vegetarian options!!! I don't think there is anything I can add that the other yelpers didn't already cover besides "totally yummy"! read more

Passing through on our way to Niagara Falls, NY my partner and I found this little hidden gem in Utica, NY. It is a little cafe/venue that supports local everything, the entire place is decked out with local band posters and businesses. The food is delicious and fun. I had the wild rice soup that came with homemade cracked wheat bread that was to die for, and also ordered the spinach cheddar quiche...and a chocolate cappuccino to go. A pleasant supplement to a long drive...or I could see it being a regular place to support if I didn't live so far away. read more

Tramontane Cafe - Area for live shows... - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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Opened in 2008. All the right things to make a local coffee shop. Very strong sense of community. Relaxing and laid back. Large variety of clientele, so it's always any interesting crowd. read more

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If you're working a show downtown (ie at the Stanley), the Tram is a little slice of the city and your best coffee and lunch option. It's an 8 min walk from the theater, approx, which makes it just perfect for lunch breaks. Tram meets all your coffee and espresso needs, has all kinds of creamer (soy included) and sweeteners. A great vegan option, as they have three different kinds of soy "meats" as well as vegan desserts. The sandwiches are packed with FRESH veggies (if desired), and the baked goods are made right on the premises. Takes credit cards. Cozy, wonderful little treasure. read more

Such a funky and yummy spot for lunch. Loved the tuna melt with sliced green and black olives and tomatoes grilled Inside with the tuna. Chicken noodle soup was so flavorful and satisfying on a cool day. Delicious iced chai latte that they made a little less sweet per request. Friendly staff and just overall a great lunch experience. Highly recommend read more

I stopped here on my way through Utica on a cross-country road trip. Utica is a relatively unbecoming place, at least from the interstate, so my expectations were low when my riding mate selected a place at random. Little did I know I was stumbling upon such a gem! The staff is extremely friendly, the ambience is fun, and the food is delicious! It happened to be Utica Restaurant Week, so we got an amazing deal on our meal. I would absolutely eat here again, and if I lived in or near Utica, this would be a go-to for dining and events! read more

Tramontane Cafe - Iced Chai Latte - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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I absolutely love this place! The atmosphere is very relaxed and the staff is very friendly! Their food is all HOMEMADE with fresh ingredients! They are also vegan friendly which is amazing when I meet up with my vegan friends for coffee(or a chi latte) though I have yet to go to their open mic I hear that it's amazing (definitely gonna try to go). I was recommended to come here numerous times by my friends and was really glad that I went. The ONLY con about the tram is that it's very hard to spot if you have never been there before and parking is very limited. Hands down the BEST coffee shop I've gone to! read more

Tramontane Cafe - Chi latte tomato soup banana and avocado muffin - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

Visiting the area from out of town. Not a great area of the city for those not familiar with the area AND after arriving.....the hours listed are incorrect and the restaurant was closed! read more

Super cute, great atmosphere with lots of charm. Very nice staff and great food for lunch. Loved the soup and fresh healthy choices. read more

Tramontane Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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I love this place and always forget about it, def need to start coming more often again! Food is great and is always fresh. They have vegan options!The combo option is definitely the way to go. The soups are homemade and sandwiches are customizable with a variety of Heidelberg bread and lots of good veggie options, not your typical lettuce, onion and tomatoes like most places, but includes mixed greens, cukes, zucchini, hot cherry peppers, fresh peppers, roasted red peppers, black or green olives, carrots and spouts. You can have your sandwiches cold or as a panini. Prices are cheap for good quality food. We got two soup and sandwich combos (you don't have to get the deli sandwiches and can sub out for one of their signature ones), two medium coffees to go, a vegan coconut banana muffin and the vegan chocolate raspberry cookie that was recommended - all for only a mere $25. There were three soup options and we opted for the broccoli cheddar and the faux beef and veggie. I believe they use the Gardein brand for their meatless ground, which is my fave brand (no GMOs). For sandwiches, we went with their signature Holey Cheese Apple and Ham Batman and the vegan turkey both with the French peasant bread as a panini. The staff are super friendly and sweet. Baked goods are homemade and always changing with lots of options, I can never pick just one. They have vegan and gluten free options. Atmosphere is hipster. The only reason I'm not giving this place five stars is their location is not in the best area of town. Otherwise, food and place itself certainly deserves 5 stars. read more

Tramontane Cafe - Faux beef & veggies soup and vegan turkey panini combo - Cafes Near Me - Utica, New York

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Love this local, unique place. With amazing food and entertainment! Really nice chill place to hang out with friends.