Some might call it fate that Nick Cook grew up just steps from the former Five Points Market and Deli, and often visited during his childhood. While the Saratogian went on to work in restaurants including 15 Church before launching Airstream Catering Co. (a catering company run out of an Airstream trailer) with his wife, Ashley Freeman, he always kept one eye on his childhood corner store.
“We had always chatted about what a great space it was, and how we would love to own it one day,” Freeman says of the 42 Park Place property, which operated as Five Points Market & Deli until longtime owner Maura Pulver stepped away to launch Simply Food by Maura; since 2021, it’s been the Little Market at Five Points. “One day, Nick was leaving his dad’s house and saw the ‘for sale’ sign. Things just took off from there.”
Last month, Cook and Freeman’s vision became a reality when they opened The Counter at Five Points in the historic space.
“When we were discussing names, we were saying that everyone always goes to the counter at the Airstream and gathers around the counter in a kitchen,” says Freeman, a longtime Saratoga bartender who’s worked at Trotter’s and Cantina. “Plus, it’s a deli counter. We wanted to bring that sense of community that a counter brings to this neighborhood.”
Along with a new name, the deli, which is open Wednesday–Sunday from 7am–4pm, offers a refreshed menu that combines classic comforts with fresh twists (think egg-and-cheeses, Green Goddess sandwiches, and chicken Caesar hoagies). A curated selection of caffeinated beverages is also available, ranging from cold brew to chai lattes.
The new-and-improved menu and overall vibe has already earned positive feedback; according to one online reviewer, it’s “arguably impossible to have a bad time eating a chicken salad sandwich here.” And for that, Freeman says they have the community to thank.
“It’s really quite a special neighborhood, and we have had such a warm welcome,” she says. “The Counter might be a couple blocks from the track, but it’s really kept alive by the people who live here year-round.”
