Keeping up with Saratoga’s ever-changing restaurant scene is a full-time job (we’d know—it is our full-time job). Luckily for you, we’ve compiled the best of Spa City bars and restaurants into one place, so the next time you’re itching to get out, you’ll know just where to go. This guide originally appeared in the print edition of Saratoga Living. To view it as it appeared in print, click here.
WHERE TO GET:
Hot Dogs
Now, we haven’t done any formal research on this, but after chatting with some of Saratoga’s most fervent foodies this summer, it became clear: Hot dogs are having a moment. Here’s where to get ’em.
1. Bibulous
$5 dogs in four varieties: kraut, kimchi, Coney Island, and BLT (vegetarian versions available!)
2. Standard Fare
The new restaurant’s starters menu boasts Lil’ Oinkers, mini wagyu franks served with dijonnaise.
3. Whitman Brewing Co.
Also known as The 6 Mile, this Coney Island–style Nathan’s Famous dog comes griddle-fried with Michigan sauce, onion, mustard, and fries.
WHEN YOU WANT:
Dinner, but you’re dining with kids
Our Pick: Harvest & Hearth
Our Reason: Kids get to watch the kitchen crew make the pizzas.
But Also: They have outdoor seating and superior homemade chipotle Ranch.
Insider Tip: Get there right when they open, or you might have to wait for a table.
Do Yourself a Flavor
What to know about five of Saratoga’s favorite ice cream shops before heading out for a cone this fall. (Yes, some spots are still open!)
Follow Us To Phila Street
A directory of bars and restaurants in Saratoga’s new dining district.
Bocage Champagne Bar
10 Phila Street
518.450.1115
bocagechampagnebar.com
Harvey’s Restaurant & Bar
14 Phila Street
518.583.0003
harveyspub.com
Ben & Jerry’s
34 Phila Street
518.584.3740
benjerry.com/saratoga
Familiar Creature
42 Phila Street
518.886.1086
familiar-creature.com
Sushi Thai Garden
44 Phila Street
518.580.0900
sushithaigardensaratoga.com
Elody
54 Phila Street
Coming soon!
Standard Fare
21 Phila Street
518.306.4543
standardfaresaratoga.com
Dive Presents Pint Sized
33 Phila Street
diveupstate.com
Coming soon!
Bailey’s
37 Phila Street
518.450.1305
baileyscafe.com
Fillies on Phila
39 Phila Street
518.306.4026
filliesonphila.com
Noah’s Italian
43 Phila Street
noahsitalian.com
(Coming soon!)
Hattie’s
45 Phila Street
518.584.4790
hattiesrestaurants.com
Sweet Mimi’s Café & Bakery
47 Phila Street
518.871.1780
sweetmimiscafe.com
Solevo Kitchen
55 Phila Street
518.450.7094
solevokitchenandsocial.com
The Happiest Hours
Dozens of Saratoga bars have their own version of happy hour. Here are some of Saratogians’ favorite spots to wind down on a worknight.
Cantina
• 3-6pm Monday-Friday
• $4 draft beers, 2-for-1 margaritas and sangrias, $5 wines by the glass, $5 bar snacks
Boca Bistro
• 4-6pm daily
• Special siesta happy hour menu featuring discounted tapas, cocktails, wine, and beer
The Market Bar Restaurant & Café
• 3-5pm daily
• $6 appetizers, $6 draft beers, $6 glasses of wine
Jacob & Anthony’s
•4-6pm Tuesday-Friday
• $12 burgers, $10 apps, $6 Peroni, $7 wines, and $8 cocktails
The Brook Tavern
• 4-6pm Tuesday-Saturday
• $8 wine, $5 draft beers, $10 spritzes, and discounted small bites
A Case for the Mondays
Not interested in cooking? Here are 50 restaurants open for dinner on the first day of the workweek. (Hours and days of operation subject to change; check online before heading out for dinner.)
• 15 Church (4:30-9pm)
• 58 Roosevelt (8am-7pm)
• Bailey’s (11am-11pm)
• Bibulous (5pm-midnight)
• Boca Bistro (11:30am-9pm)
• Bocage (3-10pm)
• The Bunker (11am-11pm)
• Cantina (noon-10pm)
• Chianti (5-9pm)
• The Coat Room (4-9:30pm)
• Comfort Kitchen (11am-7pm)
• Dizzy Chicken (11am-9pm)
• Dock Brown’s (11:30am-9pm)
• Duo (11am-10pm)
• Druthers (11:30am-9pm)
• Eddie F’s (11am-8pm)
• El Mexicano (11am-10pm)
• End Zone Sports Pub (noon-11:30pm)
• Great Tang’s (11am-9pm)
• Hamlet & Ghost (5-9:30pm)
• The Hideaway (11am-9pm)
• The Inn at Saratoga (4-9pm)
• Karavalli (11:30am-2:30pm, 5-9pm)
• Kings Tavern (noon-11pm)
• Kinjo (11am-10pm)
• Lago (11am-9pm)
• The Local (11:30am-10pm)
• Little India (5-9:30pm)
• The Market Bar & Restaurant (3-9pm)
• Max London’s (10am-9:30pm)
• Mexican Connection (4-9pm)
• Morrissey’s (7am-10pm)
• Omakase (11:30am-10pm)
• Osteria Danny (5-9pm)
• Panza’s (5-9:30pm)
• The Parting Glass (11am-2am)
• Prime (11:30am-9pm)
• Regent (5-9pm)
• Salt & Char (5-9:30pm)
• Shirley’s Diner (4-8pm)
• Solevo (4-10pm)
• Sushi Thai Garden (4:30-10pm)
• Taverno Novo (4-9pm)
• T.G. Clancy’s Tavern & Fare (8am-4am)
• Thirsty Owl Saratoga (11:30am-9pm)
• Trotter’s (11am-2am)
• Wasabi (4:30-9:30pm)
• West Side Sports Bar & Grill (11am-10pm)
• Wheatfields (11:30am-9pm)
• U-Me (11am-9pm)
WHERE TO GET:
Charcuterie
Think girl dinner, but elevated. It doesn’t get much better than a big plate of cheese from one of these beloved Saratoga spots:
1. Familiar Creature
To build your own board, choose from an eclectic selection of cheeses, meats, and extras like marinated mushrooms and seafood croquettes.
2. Henry Street Taproom
Order à la carte or splurge on a three- or five-cheese flight, served with house-baked sourdough, fresh fruit, and house-made chutney.
3. Putnam Market
Planning a party? Putnam Market’s acclaimed cheese room, which is always stocked with cheeses from near and far, has you covered.
WHEN YOU WANT:
Lunch, but you don’t have much time
Our Pick: Cantina
Our Reason: The speed at which lunch comes out when you’re sitting in the bar area never ceases to amaze us.
But Also: Free chips and salsa, obviously
Insider Tip: Said chips are made in a dedicated fryer so they’re gluten free.
Get Out Of Town
5 favorite spots less than 20 minutes from Saratoga
1. Kickstart Coffee
Schuylerville Good coffee meets motorcycle vibes at Kickstart Coffee Co., Schuylerville’s HQ for caffeine-lovers in search of a fuel-up. Nothing on the breakfast or lunch menu is more than $10, and we’ve heard the breakfast burrito is next-level.
2. Lake Ridge Restaurant
Round Lake For fine dining without the Saratoga crowds, head directly to Lake Ridge. The chef-owned and -operated restaurant has been serving up elevated fare (think veal tenderloin, herb-crusted swordfish, and chicken and sausage campanelle) in the heart of Round Lake for more than 20 years.
3. Manila Grille
Gansevoort Located at the Day Dream Farmer garden center in Gansevoort is a little food truck with a whole lot of flavor. Operated by Philippines natives Romeo and Teresita Soriano and their son, Troy, Manila Grille serves up authentic Filipino food on weekends through the fall.
4. Taqueria Guadalajara
Ballston Spa Widely regarded as one of the best (and most authentic!) Mexican restaurants in the 518, Taqueria Guadalajara is an unassuming spot that opened next to a Dunkin’ in 2021. Since then, it’s quickly become a staple in the village of Ballston Spa for its tacos, tortas, and hefty selection of Mexican entrées.
5. Village Pizzeria
Middle Grove Pizza isn’t the only thing on the menu at Middle Grove’s Village Pizzeria, which has been an off-the-beaten-track favorite for more than 35 years and counting. Longtime customers love the restaurant’s house specialties, including Pork Osso Bucco, Eggplant Napolitano, and Chicken Florentine.
3 Local Cocktails That Are Notably Good
Green Spritz
Familiar Creature | Cocchi Americano, Green Juice, Lemon, Prosecco
Toasted Coco 2.0
Kindred | French coffee liqueur, house cold brew, demerara, coconut rum, coconut water, saline
Matcha Libre
Bibulous | Toasted coconut rum, matcha, half-and-half, honey
Apples of Our Eye
6 ways to celebrate autumn the best way upstate New Yorkers know how
Rise of an Empire
Where did Empire apples get their name? Well, they were created in the Empire State, of course! In the 1940s, a team of horticulturists from Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station crossed a Red Delicious apple with a McIntosh apple, bringing in the color and shape of the Red Delicious with the flavor and crispness of the McIntosh. The end result? The Empire apple we know and love today.
Sweet Dreams
In the mood for something sweet? Go directly to Sweet Mimi’s, where, come fall, apple pie baked French toast and apple pancakes have been known to pop up as brunch specials and the bakery cranks out apple delicacies like apple pie bars, apple streusel muffins, apple pie pop-tarts, and apple crostatas. Another option? A caramel apple from Saratoga Candy Co.
Pick Me
Autumn-lovers rejoice! It’s officially Saratoga Apple season again. The Schuylerville farm is back for another season of U-Pick, which runs daily through early November (or until all the apples are picked). While you’re there, be sure to grab a cider doughnut or belly up to the onsite tasting room bar for a glass of Saratoga Apple’s own hard cider or pint of New York–made beer.
Sweater Weather
This fall, get the ultimate autumnal tipple at Bourbon Room, which will be mixing up this Sweater Weather cocktail with bourbon, fresh apple cider, a hint of lemon, and a touch of maple syrup—all shaken up and kissed with cinnamon. For a little sparkle, ask for a splash of ginger beer.
Believe it or Mott
Did you know that the famous Mott’s Applesauce is actually a Saratoga County creation? In 1842, Samuel Roger Mott, the 16-year-old grandson of a former Halfmoon town supervisor, began selling the apple products made on his family’s farm to his neighbors, and an empire spanning multiple centuries was born. Years later, he teamed up with his son, John Coon Mott, to form the S.R. & J.C. Mott Company, which eventually became Mott’s. Today, Mott’s products are produced in Wayne County on the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Tonic Boom
Holistic health practitioners have long touted the benefits of apple cider vinegar to support digestion, kill harmful bacteria, lower blood sugar, and improve heart health. But who wants to drink ACV straight up? That’s where Awakened Tonics comes in. The Saratoga-based brand sells a variety of ACV tonics, from the Island Sunrise with tropical fruit, turmeric, and mint to the vitamin-packed Grateful 4 Greens. Shop online or at Saratoga’s weekend farmers’ markets.
WHERE TO GET:
Chai Tea Lattes
Saratoga Living’s resident chai tea latte connoisseur has been hot on the hunt for the best brew in the land. Here are Cierra’s top picks:
1. Saratoga Chocolate Co.
The perfect ratio of Millteron-based Harney & Sons’ Chai Concentrate and milk, making for warm, spiced, creamy goodness that somehow stays at prime drinking temperature forever in their to-go cups.
2. Uncommon Grounds
Using the tasteful Oregon Chai mix, this chai latte is on the bolder side, with just enough milk to take the edge off and produce a wonderful velvety texture.
3. Kru Coffee
Kru’s chai mix is made in-house, and when combined with milk, it creates a smooth, creamy, and gently spiced latte.
WHEN YOU WANT:
A Meal, But it’s Midnight
Our Pick: Herbie’s Burgers
Our Reason: Chances are, you won’t want a salad at that time of night.
But Also: We’re obsessed with the vegan milkshake made with tahini.
Insider Tip: You may think you only want a single cheeseburger. Trust us—you want at least a double.
