33 Best Coffee Shops in Albany

“Local and welcoming. What more could we ask for?“

“It was so good we went here three times while staying at a hotel nearby. I will be daydreaming about the strawberry milk cold brew for a while. Also enjoyed the toffee cold brew and pumpkin dolce latte.

Staff was polite and approachable which isn’t always the case at trendy coffee shops. The ambiance is upscale and design forward which really made it an appealing place to be. Their patio looked lovely but unfortunately was closed due to weather.“

“I went to The Scene this morning with my daughter in law and two granddaughters It’s a very charming place with cute decor. The service was excellent. My DIL and one of my granddaughters ordered from the lunch menu — a delicious panino and a yummy wrap. My other granddaughter ordered the Nutella Waffle. It was amazing. Alas, I ordered the avocado toast and it was very disappointing. It was very skimpy — very little avocado on one slice of bread. No poached eggs or burratta on the side. No fresh fruit. Very boring. Just seemed like an afterthought. I’ll be returning but will never order the avocado toast again.“

“My wife Barbara and I stopped in for a coffee after our Grandsons Flag Football game next door. My wife surprised me with a small order of Spaetzle Mac & Cheese. As a person raised on my German Grandmother's Spaetzle I can honestly say Amped's Spaetzle was unbelievably delicious! Anyone reading this should stop by, say hi to the owner Cindy and prepare to be dazzled! You'll be glad you did.“

“While passing through for a short visit to the UAlbany campus, we researched some healthy and affordable lunch options nearby. We are so glad we found Simone's! This place is so cute on the outside, and fast, affordable, and delicious on the inside! The portions were huge, the food was fresh, and the prices were competitive with chains like Chipotle or Panera. 5/5!“

“Absolutely delicious. I've only had boba once before (at a different location) and it was so...bland? I didn't like it. I tried this place out on a whim with my friends and I was shocked! It knocked it out of the park in regards to taste. I got a milk tea with boba but it was so delicious that I'm still thinking about it! If you want boba go here. If you're nearby, get boba! I cannot hype this place up enough“

“Absolute delicious!!! We had Cider Belly be our wedding dessert and they were a hit!! Everyone loved all the delicious flavors and the beautiful display! Jen was amazing to work with from the beginning. They even put a special box aside for the newlyweds to ensure they also get so enjoy the yummy doughnuts!“

“I have dined in Stacks on numerous occasions and I regularly get take out. This is one of my three go to coffee shops in Albany NY. I enjoy the Chai lattes, seasonal soups, sandwiches, and croissants. The only thing they need is Hazelnut syrup for the drinks!

Feb 2026 Update: Their Valentine's Day Kashmir Chai special is delicious. I added strawberry syrup which is also a limited time syrup. The strawberry syrup is mouth-watering. Highly recommend they add both to their regular menu! Always try their soups. They rotate and generally are a hit!

Apirl 2026 Update: The only drink I have tasted that I don't recommend is the matcha. It is not high quality and powdery. The double matcha was made incorrectly. As a regular matcha drinker the ratio was incorrect especially for double matcha. When I asked for extra syrup to try to save my drink the barista was incredibly sarcastic. Honestly if you know you made a drink incorrectly simply correct it before it gets into a customer's hands. That is literally the bare minimum. This was the first bad experience I had at Stacks after six years of continued patronage. This was the only barista I have encountered that generally seemed to have a bad attitude and appeared annoyed which is why I am dropping a star on both food & service.“

“Tried some place new for my afternoon coffee. Got a mocha latte with cinnamon. Oh my goooooodness! It was so delicious, made perfectly! The barista was so sweet, really great people skills. An hour or so later I realized I was highly caffeinated too. So definitely strong, and definitely did the job! I'll be returning for sure! ☕️“

“Amazing place - LA coffee at upstate NY prices. Great selection of coffees, perfectly prepared. Loved it!“

“Best hidden treasure in the Captial region. The food was so good. Worth the small time to wait. It's hidden in an office building. It's middle eastern food. I had a beef Ruben and my wife a Gyro. Even the fries were fabulous.“

“Just had an Awesome specialty coffee and delicious cheesecake! Highly recommend this place. Very nice and friendly staff too!“

“This place has the best hospitality and food I’ve ever seen of any halal cafe. So good to have this around our area. If you haven’t tried it before, I highly reccomend. The owner was so great and the cook knew exactly what she was doing.“

“Great cozy coffee spot to chill or get some work done. The coffee is excellent, prices are fair, and there’s a reason it’s ranked among the best in town. The only thing missing would be more substantial food options — like paninis or soups — especially during the chilly winter months.“

“Best coffee around! Bakery items are fresh and delicious. Staff is friendly. Quick service helps in the morning. A must visit 😊☕️“

“the sandwiches are loaded high with fresh delicious meat and veggies. truly enjoyed my time there. excellent portions and very reasonable prices. quickly becoming an Albany icon“

“I had a nice Hoilday Lattee coffee It was good The service was good“

“Always friendly, great with order ahead. Food always good.“

“A great place to get a bagel and coffee. My personal favourite is lox on everything bagel but they’ve got a decently big menu so everyone gets their preference. It was my go to breakfast place during my visit to the capital area. Check it out.“

“Ordered a Venti, less Ice, Non fat, 8 pump, Chai Tea Latte. It was made correctly by the male Barista. It was refreshing and satisfying. Thank you.“

“i am a customer at this location, and i came to see the reviews after there was a situation regarding cup writing (which is the new starbs policy) and another customer believed one of the workers wrote a rude message on the cup. due to the new policy, these workers have to work under pressure, which more or less will bring mistakes. they are rushing and messages tend to be misread. not only was the customer rude, but they didn't even want to hear an explanation! and may i also add that they were super busy? they are super nice, so for you to not understand that it was a mistake, you just wanted something to be mad at.“

“Caramel Macchiato! ❤️❤️❤️“

“Smack freshly cooked great staff shrimp and grits to die for“

“Had the pleasure of running errands in this area and decided to check out this Stacks location. Their coffee never disappoints and their service is always great. Tried the Espresso Sunrise this morning- I love how creative they are with flavors!“

“first time visiting. the food was outstanding. Had the Vermont turkey sandwich and the Rachel. Debby the cashier was great. So helpful and patience with us. she made us feel so welcome. we will be back. Not just because of the great food. But also because of Debby.“

“The service is always good at this location. I think the coffee drinks are great, but the teas are even better. America really does run on Dunkin!“

“Great products, and friendly staff. Awesome place !“

“Small Cafe for breakfast and lunch with in-house seating.

I’ve had a few different sandwiches here, but their soups and baked goods are my favorites.

Located on Broadway in Menands, small parking lot on the side.“

“Grate spot to hang before and after shows at Lark Hall (~);}“

“Fast service, best bagels and coffee with affordable prices!“

“Teas and shakes are soooo good!!! Highly recommend!“

“I really like this location. I always get the egg bites and they package them with great care-- they'll place them in a box and pack them with a fork and ketchup packets. Not everyone does that, so I appreciate it. They do get VERY busy, so it's best to swing in in the early morning, or if you're doing an online order, allow 20min.“

“I would put money on this location having the best hired Starbucks staff lineup in Albany, NY.

Everyone at this location seems to provide such quick & professional customer service if there is ever an issue at any time. Even during the busiest times in the mall (Christmas or mid weekends) or during opening & closing times.

The staff just has such a friendly demeanor and everyone (including the store manager, Dylan) is clearly working hard and cares a lot about the customers.“