Searching for a hip and chic new place in Saratoga Springs to sip some coffee and get a little work done? The Palette Cafe is the spot—or will be soon enough. Located right in the heart of Downtown Saratoga at 493 Broadway, where Saratoga Sundress used to be, Palette is having its official ribbon cutting on Wednesday, June 5. The hybrid coffee shop and creative workspace is bringing a unique and colorful cafe experience to the Spa City, not to mention some seriously tasty eats and even some cocktails and mixed drinks.
The first thing that customers will probably notice about Palette is its colorful aesthetic. “The vibe leans a bit more feminine than any other establishment in our community, but that isn’t to say it’s just for women,” says Palette’s Owner Catherine Hover. “I wanted to create a space where women felt comfortable and that’s fun and creative and more experiential than your ordinary cafe.” To that point, Hover, who also owns Saratoga Paint & Sip Studio on Henry Street, has masterfully designed a coffee shop and workspace with a number of tasteful feminine touches such as pink tiles on the walls (with blue mosaic tiles along the counters), a public, pink rotary phone (just for fun), and a dedicated gallery of local art with a pink neon sign in the middle that reads, almost too appropriately, “La vie en rose.” Even Palette’s drink menu pays homage to the successful working woman with a dozen specialty cocktails and mocktails (alcohol-free) all with famous names such as the Beyoncé (prosecco and peach), the Dolly (rosé, strawberries and cotton candy) and the Maude (vodka, cold brew and cream, over ice).
Decor and beverages aside, Palette will also be offering your typical cafe fare, including grab-and-go sandwiches, soups, scones and doughnuts. It’ll also have some more unusual items on the menu such as pop tarts, biscuits and Palette’s own Doberge Cake, a six-layered chocolate dessert from New Orleans (Hover’s hometown). Of course, also on hand will be plenty of caffeinated drinks, including tumeric and green tea matcha lattes. The tea and coffee will be provided by a couple of other popular local businesses: Kru Coffe and Saratoga Tea and Honey.
According to Hover, the opening of the cafe is really just the first phase in a plan to make the cafe not only an important social and creative destination for successful area women, but also one that celebrates their creation of new connections and ideas. Though her cafe isn’t even officially open yet, Hover’s already planning on expanding into the space above it and providing special community programming and events there, in addition to more dedicated workspaces for remote workers, who might feel more comfortable escaping home and doing their work in a public setting. “The number of remote workers now is huge,” says Hover. “I’m always meeting people when I’m out and about in town taking care of things.” By the fall, Hover hopes that the Palette Cafe will offer memberships to expanded co-working spaces on the second floor. As part of the membership, Hover plans to offer access to a small conference room, larger community area and private back patio (those perks are just the tip of the iceberg).
Having run Saratoga Paint & Sip Studio since 2012, Hover felt inspired to develop more fun, creative spaces in Saratoga. Though she’s quick to note that Palette will not be an artists’ studio (sorry, no paint allowed), she says it will be a space for many other types of creatives. “My hope is that people will come in and feel inspired to do whatever it is they’re called to do,” says Hover. “Coffee, cocktails, food—what more do you need to be creative?”