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Two previous Albany Med students compiled a Guide to Albany.
Now, it is their turn to pass it on to you.
Guide to Albany
(Complied by Abby [class of 2018] and Janhavi [class 2022])
Groceries:
● Grocery stores:
o HonestWeight Food Co-op – 100 Watervliet Ave, Albany, NY 12206
▪ 10% discount for students on Sundays – must have student ID
o Trader Joe’s – 79 Wolf Rd, Colonie, NY 12205
o Whole Foods – Colonie Center, 1425 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12205
o Hannaford’s – 180 Delaware Plaza, Delmar, NY 12054
▪ Fair prices, many local foods
▪ Many locastions
o Price Chopper/Market 32 (rebranded, PC’s attempt to be more “upscale”)
▪ Albany locations on Madison and Delaware are not great in terms of options
▪ Western Ave locations:
● Price Chopper near the mall - 1706 Western Ave*, Guilderland, NY 12203
● Market 32 near Vent fitness – Routes 20 and 155*, Guilderland, NY 12084
▪ Slingerlands Price Chopper – 1395 New Scotland Rd, Slingerlands, NY 12159
● This is one of the bigger stores – tons of options
▪ International Price Chopper – 1892 Central Ave
● Large kosher and international food section
● Small Grocers/Farmers Market
o The Cheese Traveler – 540 Delaware Ave, Albany, NY 12209
▪ Stocked with everything you need for your Wine and Cheese - cheese, olives, crackers, charcuteries, etc
o Cardonna’s Market
▪ Italian grocery store + take out
o Troy Farmer’s Market
▪ Saturdays May to October 9a-2p
▪ Produce, meat, mushrooms, pickles, fresh pasta, honey, peanut butters, and fresh food like crepes, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, Greek food, Indian food
Coffee:
● Little Pecks – 211 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180
● Stacks Espresso Bar
o 260 Lark street (original location)
o 488 Broadway (larger location, across from the Hudson River Way Pedestrian Bridge to the Corning Preserve water front (Broadway and Maiden Lane)
● Uncommon Grounds – 1235 Western Ave #5, Albany, NY 12203
o Must try salad is the Mediterranean
● Superior Merchandise Co - 147 4th St, Troy, NY 12180
● Jacob Alejandro – 274 River St Troy NY 12180
● Professor Java’s – 145 Wolfe Rd Albany NY 12205
Sandwich/Salads:
● The Placid Baker – 250 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180
o fave = Tom’s Turkey sandwich and almond croissant
● Bountiful Bread – Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203
o fave = tuna melt on ciabatta + cup of tomato pesto
● Emma Cleary’s – 1926 New Scotland Rd, Slingerlands, NY 12159 (the original, there is also an Albany location now, too)
o fave = the Dublin sandwich
Restaurants:
● Restaurant Navona (wood-fired pizza, Mediterranean) – 289 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Rosanna’s (Italian) - 23 Dove St, Albany, NY 12210
● Donna’s Italian (pizza) – 217 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180
● Dafazio’s Pizza at the Distillery (or in Troy)
● Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen (Korean) – 95-97 Ferry St, Troy, NY 12180
● Kismet Mediterranean Grill – 1116 Madison Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Karavalli (Indian)– 9 Johnson Rd, Latham, NY 12110
● Tara Kitchen (Moroccan) – 431 Liberty St, Schenectady, NY 12305
● Albany Ale & Oyster (Gastropub) – 281 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Kuma Ani (Japanese, ramen) – 287 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Sake Café (Japanese/pan-Asian) – 273 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● The Point (Pub) – 1100 Madison Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Druthers (Pub) – 1053 Broadway, Albany, NY 12204
● El Mariachi Restaurant (Mexican resto) – 289 Hamilton St #291, Albany, NY 12210
● La Fiesta (Mexican resto) – 1610 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12205
● Cocina Vasquez (authentic Mexican takeout) – 56 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12206
● La Empanada Llama (Peruvian) – 469 Delaware Ave, Albany, NY 12209
● Tanpopo Ramen – 893 Broadway Albany NY 12207
● Sweet Basil (Thai) – 370 Delaware Ave Albany 12209
● Oh Corn! Arepas and More (Venezeulan) – 1505 U.S. 9, Clifton Park, NY 12065
Pastries:
● The Placid Baker – 250 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180
o fave = almond croissant
● Cider Belly Doughnuts – 25 N Pearl St, Albany, NY 12207
● Bella-Napoli – 721 River St, Troy, NY 12180
o fave = plain cannoli’s – both shell and cream have a lovely hint of orange)
● BakeForYou – 540 Delaware Ave, Albany, NY 12209
● Cheesecake Machismo – 293 Hamilton St, Albany, NY 12210
Other food faves …
● Acai bowls: Liza’s, 53 3rd St, Troy, NY 12180
● Poke: Bespoki Bowl, 122 4th St, Troy, NY 12180
● Bagels: Breuggers
● (Non-artisanal) Pizza: The Fountain, 283 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Burger: Herbie’s (Lark Street) or Juicy Burger (Albany location just closed, now only at 15 Trieble Ave, Ballston Spa, NY 12020)
● Ice cream: Emack and Bolio’s, 366 Delaware Ave, Albany, NY 12209
● Soft serve: Kurver Kreme, 1349 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12205
● Brunch 1: Café Madison, 1108 Madison Ave, Albany, NY 12208)
● Brunch 2: Iron Gate Café, 182 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Bars:
● Albany Distillery
● The Bull and the Bee (meadery) 140 Hamilton St Albany NY 12207
● Nine Pin Cider Works (a local cidery – fave = Cider Rose) – 929 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
● Olde English Pub (board games!) – 683 Broadway, Albany, NY 12204
● Albany Ale & Oyster – 281 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208
● Tavern Bar – 217 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180
● Lucas Confectionary – 12 2nd St, Troy, NY 12180
● Biergarten – 895 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
● City Beer Hall (free personal pizza with drink purchase, also has a great brunch)
● Lark Street and Pearl Street are the “bar” streets
Tailor/Dry cleaning:
● Tailor: Erica’s Tailoring, 451 Albany Shaker Rd, Albany, NY 12211
● Dry Cleaner: Best Cleaner’s (many locations)
Home/lifestyle stores (great for gifts!)
● Fort Orange General Store – 412 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
● Superior Merchandise Co – 147 4th St, Troy, NY 12180
● HonestWeight Food Co Op – 100 Watervliet Ave, Albany, NY 12206
● Half Moon Market (April and October) http://www.thehalfmoonmarket.com/
Shopping:
● Crossgates Mall – 1 Crossgates Mall Rd, Albany, NY 12203
● Colonie Center – 131 Colonie Center, Albany, NY 12205
● Stuyvesant Plaza – 1475 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203
o Loft, West Elm, etc
o Delmar bootery – for all your shoe-fixing/cleaning needs
o Eateries – Bountiful Bread, Peaches Café, Chipotle, Blaze Pizza
o Stuyvesant Book House (another location is in downtown Troy)
● Northway Shopping Center – 1440 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12205
o Marshalls’, Target, Staples
● Crossgates Commons – 161 Washington Ave Ext, Albany, NY 12205
o Michaels, TJMax, the largest Walmart supercenter in the country
Downtown Albany Sights/Activities: (if you have an Upper Hudson library card, you can get free membership to local museums)
● Washington Park
● Corning Preserve – Albany’s waterfront
o Many entryways, I like taking the Hudson River Way Pedestrian Bridge (Broadway and Maiden Lane). plenty of parking near the bridge or closer to the park
● Empire State Plaza
● New York State Museum
● Albany Institute of History and Art
Around Albany:
● Troy – “the Brooklyn of Upstate”
o great eateries, coffee, shopping, weekly farmers market
● Saratoga
o SPAC, excellent restaurants, mid 20s-30s bar scene, shopping
o Saratoga Racetrack in summer
● Indian Ladder Farms
o PYO berries in the summer, apples and warm cider dougnuts in the Fall
o Farm fresh grocery store + cafe
o Newly opened Cidery/Bewery
● Peebles Island State Park – 1 Delaware Ave, Waterford, NY 12188
o 2 miles walking or running trail around the island
● Collins Park – Schonowee Ave, Scotia, NY 12302
o Outdoor tennis and pickle ball courts on the Mohawk river
o water ski shows in the summer
● Thacher Park – 830 Thacher Park Rd, Voorheesville, NY 12186
o Overlook – with beautiful view of Albany
o Indian ladder hiking trail
o Hang glider cliff hiking trail
o BBQs and covered picnic areas
o New Visitor’s Center
● Pine Bush Preserve – 195 New Karner Rd #1, Albany, NY 12205
o One of 20 “pine barrens” in the world, Lupine Fest, Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery
● Pine Hollow Arboretum – 16 Maple Ave, Slingerlands, NY 12159
o Please watch for ticks!
Hikes:
● Indian Ladder Trail @ Thacher Park
● Vroman’s Nose – 264 Mill Valley Rd, Middleburgh, NY 12122
o short hike, with an incredible view
● Many hiking options in either the Adirondacks or Catskills
o Black Mountain (Lake George)
o Buck Mountain (Lake George)
o Sleeping Beaty (Lake George)
o Kaaterskills Falls (Catskills)
● https://www.adirondack.net/hiking/high-peaks/
● Peebles Island State Park – 1 Delaware Ave, Waterford, NY 12188
● Many more!
Running trails:
● “Hacket loop”
o New Scotland Ave-S Manning-Hackett-Forest = 2.8 miles
o New Scotland Ave-S Manning-Hackett-Academy = 3.2 miles
● Corning Preserve
● Washington Park
● Run to/around Buckingham Pond – 39 Berkshire Blvd, Albany, NY 12203
● Peebles Island State Park – 1 Delaware Ave, Waterford, NY 12188
Bike rides:
● Mohawk-Hudson trail
o http://www.cdtcmpo.org/mhbkmap.htm
o I like starting at the Colonie Town Park trailhead, 184-, 278 Schermerhorn Rd, Cohoes, NY 12047 – there is a spectacular view of the Twin Bridges over the highway
● Corning Preserve
o I like taking it to Troy on Saturdays to the Farmer’s market
● Albany County Rail Trail (9 miles, connecting Voorheesville to Albany)
o I like to park at 839 Kenwood Ave. – Slingerlands
● Aushitilook bike trail – Northern Mass
Kayaking:
● Lake George
● Mohawk River – many rentals along the Mohawk
● Battenkill River – kayaking + tubing (float down the river)
o https://battenkillvalleyoutdoors.com/paddle/
Gyms:
● Albany Med Fitness Center
o Free membership for students
● Vent Fitness – 2080 Western Ave, Guilderland, NY 12084
o $35/month gets you access to many excellent classes (spinning is my favorite) in addition to large weight room/cardio machines, lap pool, steam room and sauna .. there are also massage beds and smoothies ☺
● Hot Yoga Spot – Stuyvesant Plaza, 1475 Western Ave, Albany, NY 12203
● Albany Dance and Fitness – 1197 Central Ave Albany NY 12205
o Different types of dance classes including ballet and hip hop
o Drop in options
● Many, many gyms in the area for yoga, crossfit, metabolic meltdown, orange theory, spin, etc.
Day trips:
● Lake George
● Hudson - amazing food, shops
● Woodstock/Saughteries
o SILVA Woodstock, The Red Onion
o Smoke House of the Catskills – specialty meats, cheese, breadtzel, other German specialty items
● Mass MoCA, Clark Art Institute
● Storm King Art Center
● Olana State Historic Site
Weekend trips:
● Montreal
● Lake Placid
● Boston
● New York City
● Philadelphia
● Finger Lakes Wine Country
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