Saratoga Living - Food & Drink 2025

*(how do you like these apples?)

saratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

THE CITY. THE CULTURE. THE LIFE.

SUPER MARIO

In 2021, MARIO CARDENAS took over a Saratoga pizza shop and transformed it into a family-run restaurant empire stretching from Albany to Fort Edward and serving everything from chicken sandwiches to Guatemalan fare. Next on his agenda? World domination.

BY CIERRA ORLYK | photography by KONRAD ODHIAMBO

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starting gate

saratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

WEST AVE STORY

How a kid from Guatemala came to own a family-run pizza empire that’s winning hearts— and taste buds—from Fort Edward to Albany. BY CIERRA

ORLYK

THE GUIDE

FROM HOT DOGS TO HAPPY HOUR, HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SARATOGA’S FOOD SCENE RIGHT NOW. 50

NATURAL TREASURE

Nine years after it was preserved in perpetuity, Pitney Meadows Community Farm is feeding the community's bellies—and our souls. BY STACEY MORRIS

How one of the Spa City’s most beloved restaurants was born from two hundred years of Saratoga history. BY CAROL GODETTE

Everyone’s talking about getting more protein in their diet. But do we really need it? BY NATALIE MOORE

saratoga living sits down with four new bar and restaurant owners to talk about the past, present, and future of Saratoga’s food & beverage scene. BY NATALIE MOORE

support system “Especially as an immigrant, it’s intimidating to start your own business because you don’t know if the community or officials will support you,” says West Ave Pizza owner Mario Cardenas. “But when we opened, we got so much support. So, giving back to the people who supported us is a must. I owe them even more than what I give them.”

by

photography

KONRAD ODHIAMBO

starting gate

OFF TRACK

68 saratoga living’s Rooftop Soirée with Corcoran and Perennial Condos, plus 4 other parties

HOME STRETCH

THE FINISH LINE

stay please “I knew about the place, and a friend of mine told me the lifestyle was different,” Steve Callander says about his decision to move from Brooklyn to Saratoga nearly 20 years ago. “I used to visit, and I loved it, but then I used to go back. Until one day I ended up saying, ‘You know what? I’m going to stay.’”

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saratoga living

8 Butler Place Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518.294.4390

Volume 27, No. 5

Fall 2025

Copyright © 2025 Empire Media Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Empire Media Network, Inc.

All editorial queries should be directed to editorial@saratogaliving.com or sent to 8 Butler Place, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. saratoga living assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

Natalie Moore EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kathleen Gates

DESIGNER Linda Gates

SENIOR WRITER Cierra Orlyk

SPORTS EDITOR Brien Bouyea

FASHION EDITOR Tiina Loite

EDITOR AT LARGE Susan Gates

EDITORIAL INTERN Graciella Dorsey

WRITERS

Natalli Amato, Lisa Arcella, Maria McBride Bucciferro

Chris Carola, Sarah Carpenter, Carol Godette, Jeff Dingler

Sara Foss, Teresa Genaro, Leigh Hornbeck, Stacey Morris

Simon Murray, Tom Pedulla, Nicole Russo, Kathleen Willcox

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Francesco D’Amico, Samantha Decker, Dori Fitzpatrick

Elizabeth Haynes, G. Sonny Hughes, Hannah Kuznia, Shawn LaChapelle

Rachel Lanzi, Jess McNavich, Megan Mumford, Konrad Odhiambo

Zack Skowronek, Fiona Stevens, Ethan Thompson, Alex Zhang

Annette Quarrier DIRECTOR OF SALES

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Tina Galante

PUBLISHER, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Teresa Frazer

SALES MANAGER, CAPITAL REGION LIVING Tara Buffa

SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Rachael Rieck

Anthony R. Ianniello, Esq. CHAIRMAN

Tina Galante

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

ON THE COVER Mario Cardenas, photographed by Konrad Odhiambo. Shirt and jacket from Mark Thomas Men’s Apparel. Shot on location at West Ave Pizza in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Say “I Do” in the Lake George Area Stunning views. Charming venues. Unforgettable memories.

Planning made easy:

•Free venue suggestions

•Trusted vendor referrals

•Ideas for guest activities

Photo by: Bigler Photogrpahy

Located in the heart of the Southern Adirondacks, the Lake George Area offers breathtaking backdrops, unique venues, and plenty for your guests to enjoy.

from the editor

Food for Thought

For the last two years that saratoga living has published a fall Food & Drink Issue, I’ve thought of the themed edition largely in terms of bars and restaurants: What’s the city’s newest, hottest dining experience, and what should Saratogians order when they get there? Obviously, this issue has some of that— this year it’s unquestionably Standard Fare and the zucchini lasagna (p.21)—but it also encompasses so much more, starting with the people who make our small city’s outsized F&B industry actually happen. Take cover subject Mario Cardenas. Sure, he owns West Ave Pizza and West Ave Chicken, which serve fare that’s renowned by school kids and rock stars alike (p.32). But he’s not on the cover because he makes a mean pepperoni and hot honey pizza—which he certainly does. He’s on the cover because he may just be the physical embodiment of the Saratoga spirit: deeply passionate, selflessly altruistic, disarmingly charming, incessantly helpful, utterly indefatigable, and perpetually plugged in. Then there’s Noah Frese, Nicholas Byrne, Jacob Myers, and Brianna Collins, the Spa City’s next generation of restaurant owners, who, judging by our roundtable discussion, want what’s best for Saratoga first, and what’s best for their respective restaurants second. Their businesses are an extension of themselves, and in our roundtable discussion (p.61), the specifics of their restaurants take a backseat to details about the individuals that bring them to life.

This issue is also about the psychology of food, the marketing of food, and humans’ never-ending pursuit of a better way to fuel our bodies (p.58). It’s about where our food comes from, who has a right to healthy food, and how growing your own food can fill your soul just as much as it does your stomach (p.50). And it’s about legacy: Olde Bryan Inn is a restaurant, but you can’t talk about the food it serves without talking about the laundromat that used to operate in the building, the family that once lived in its rooms, or the Revolution-era ghosts that may or may not still roam its halls (p.54).

Everyone loves to read about the newest restaurant in town (go ahead and do that on p.78). But if it weren’t for all the stuff I just talked about—our food industry’s owners, growers, influencers, and those who came before us—none of this would be possible.

I hope this issue gives you something to think about. And I hope it makes you at least a little bit hungry.

NATALIE MOORE EDITOR @natalie_rae_moore / editorial@saratogaliving.com

feast your eyes (from top) Natalie Moore with cover subject Mario Cardenas; with Brianna Collins, Noah Frese, Nicholas Byrne, and Jacob Myers; with the saratoga living Insiders Club at Standard Fare; with Jessie Brooks at Pitney Meadows’ Fire Feast.

Not Just Another

Samantha Nass Floral Design Expands to Stuyvesant Plaza

A new chapter begins for the beloved Saratoga florist.

For more than a decade, SAMANTHA

NASS FLORAL DESIGN (SNFD) has been a creative force in Saratoga Springs, known for its signature style of lush, garden-inspired arrangements and refined, European sensibility.

What started as a solo venture in wedding florals has blossomed into a full-service floral studio, retail boutique, and local staple—and now, SNFD is bringing its signature touch to Stuyvesant Plaza.

“We’ve grown so organically over the past 11 years,” says founder Samantha Nass, reflecting on the journey. “From intimate elopements to large-scale installations, and now everyday deliveries and weekly subscriptions—we’ve always followed where the creativity and client needs lead.”

The decision to expand began with a timely outreach from Stuyvesant Plaza, which was seeking the right florist to take over a longstanding space. “We weren’t actively looking to open a second location,” Nass shares. “But when the team at Stuyvesant approached us, it felt like a meaningful opportunity—the kind that doesn’t come around often.” With an established customer base in Saratoga and growing interest from clients in the Albany area, the timing felt just right.

brand,” Nass shares. “Expect the same level of detail and design we’re known for: seasonal bouquets, thoughtful gifts, and a beautifully curated retail experience.”

The Stuyvesant location will offer a rotating selection of fresh floral arrangements, house flowers, grab-and-go bouquets, floral subscriptions, and a thoughtful assortment of home goods and gift items—all styled in SNFD’s signature aesthetic. Customers will also be able to place event orders and custom deliveries, with design services continuing out of the Saratoga studio.

While SNFD is taking over a former florist’s space, the new location will reflect their own distinctive approach. “We’re not just filling a space—we’re creating an extension of our

What sets Samantha Nass Floral Design apart in a crowded floral landscape? “We don’t try to do everything—we stay in our lane and do it really well,” Nass says. “Our style is layered and natural, but polished. It’s rooted in quality and emotion—never trendy for the sake of it.” From the blooms they source to the wraps they tie, every detail is intentional.

After more than a decade in business, Nass says what still brings her joy is the connection. “Being part of people’s lives—their celebrations, their routines, their memories—it’s incredibly meaningful. There’s something so human about giving and receiving flowers.”

As for what she’s most excited about with the new location? “Meeting a whole new community and bringing something special to their everyday,” she says. “We want this to feel like a little destination—a place where people pop in for flowers, gifts, or just a bit of beauty.” ■

Alpine Sport Shop

For the last 84 years, ALPINE SPORT SHOP has been Saratoga’s go-to store for all things winter. Shop skis, ski boots, snowboards, cross-country gear, snowshoes, helmets, goggles, hats, gloves, and accessories, or get your ski gear tuned up by the experts at this full service shop. There’s plenty for those who prefer to spend the coldweather months strolling up and down Broadway, too— top-of-the-line fall and winter clothing and accessories await in Alpine Sport Shop’s beautiful ski chalet–style building!

321 CLINTON STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.584.6290 l alpinesportshop.com

From Saratoga to Lake George, let a team of experts pamper you the CROWN SALON way! Offering haircuts, colors, blowouts, lightening, event styling, makeup, and spray tans, Crown has two convenient locations in Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls. For luxury service and express maintenance, book your reservation at Crown today.

mycrownsalon.com

Celtic Treasures

Saratoga may be a long way from Ireland, but when you step into Celtic Treasures, you’ll be transported all the way across the ocean to the Emerald Isle. A Spa City institution for more than 30 years, CELTIC TREASURES offers one of the largest selections of Irish gifts and imported goods on this side of the Atlantic. On its shelves you’ll find everything from Irish staples like Barry’s Tea and Tayto Irish crisps to glassware, décor, and clothing, including genuine Irish sweaters, like those pictured here. The men’s shawl collar, featuring a natural Y-neck shape with a flap detail, brings a softness to the sweater that complements its bold, rugged edge. And the ladies’ Aran Button Cardigan, made of soft, breathable, and warm Irish Merino wool, is the perfect piece to wear outside on a chilly fall day. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for the Ireland-lover in your life, are on a mission to find a high-quality sweater you’ll have for the next 30 years, or want to peruse a selection of Irish gifts you won’t find elsewhere in upstate New York, a trip to Celtic Treasures is undoubtedly in order.

456 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS l 518.583.9452 l celtictreasures.com

Frameology Optical

You’re not ordinary; your glasses shouldn’t be either. With a curated selection of hand-crafted European eyeglasses and sunglasses, FRAMEOLOGY OPTICAL is every glasses-wearer’s dream. You’ll notice the collections the store carries aren’t well-known labels, but top designers in the optical industry. All of the frame lines Frameology carries are designed not just to look good but to fit exceptionally well and last. Glasses are one of the only accessories that we wear 18 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year—so don't settle for anything less than the best.

426 MAPLE AVENUE, SUITE 5, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.886.1525 l frameologyoptical.com

KJ’s Barbershop

The KJ’s BARBERSHOP team doesn’t just cut hair: They create a full experience built on trust, good vibes, and community. Specializing in fades, tapers, beard trims, specialty cuts, and modern styles, KJ’s barbers take pride in precision and consistency, as well as building genuine relationships with every client who walks through their doors. Whether you’re after a timeless look or something bold and trend-forward, you’re in expert hands.

426 MAPLE AVENUE, SUITE 2, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.306.5501 kjsbarbershop.com

Saratoga Sweat

Ready to get your sweat on? The team at SARATOGA SWEAT is ready to help you heal your mind and body through the transformative power of yoga. A boutique hot yoga studio that utilizes infrared heat panels, Saratoga Sweat offers traditional Bikram yoga, inferno hot Pilates, power flow, and other healing modalities seven days a week. New members get unlimited yoga and hot Pilates for just $59 during their first month!

426 MAPLE AVENUE, SUITE 4, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.306.4239 l kat@saratogasweat.com l saratogasweat.com

Battleground Fitness

Looking for a community that pushes you to be your best? That’s what you’ll find at BATTLEGROUND FITNESS, a highend training studio offering group strength and conditioning classes in Saratoga six days a week. Certified trainers lead workouts that focus on building strength, improving endurance, and increasing mobility through movements that carry over into everyday life. Interested? Try your first class for free, then get a two-week unlimited trial to see if Battleground is a good fit for you.

426 MAPLE AVENUE, SUITE 1, SARATOGA SPRINGS 518.306.1144 l battlegroundfitness.com

Remodel Magic

Make your house into your ultimate version of home with a remodel by the family-owned Hinman Construction.

In a real estate market where it seems that buying and selling are the norm, it’s refreshing to know that homeowners do have another option—one that doesn’t require them to change school districts or lose their low interest rate.

We’re talking about remodeling, a process the family-owned HINMAN CONSTRUCTION has gotten down to a science. “A remodel offers people a more organized, more efficient, better functioning, gorgeous home that feels brand new when we’re done,” says Kim Hinman, who runs the Ballston Spa–based construction company with her husband, Jami, and children, Jesse and Caroline. “Growing families ask for more room or space that functions better, while other clients simply decide it's time for them to upgrade and enjoy. There are also clients that purchase a home knowing we can remodel to fit their own unique tastes.”

That last scenario happened recently, with a client purchasing a home in Clifton Park with the intention of remodeling. Days later, the Hinman team was onsite to begin planning the renovation. “We touched every room—some more than others,” Kim says. “We removed walls, modified openings, and added colorful custom cabinetry, crown molding, gorgeous bookcases, a fireplace mantle, and a custom master closet. And 18 paint colors later, we were done.”

Perhaps the most meaningful room the Hinmans worked on,

though, was the library. The client is an author, and wanted wallto-wall shelving for books and treasures. “The library was meant to be a quiet space to enjoy and reflect,” Kim says. “Every inch of that room was planned with precision and purpose.”

The end result? One more completely satisfied Hinman Construction client. The Hinmans have been so successful in their remodeling efforts that they’ve received several design awards, and this past summer were actually asked to judge Qualified Remodeler Magazine’s 2025 Master Design Awards.

“We approach each project filled with purpose, enthusiasm, and desire to inspire,” Kim says. “Through the process, we discover a lot about the home and the people in it. When we’re done, we walk out backwards leaving things more beautiful than we found them and taking great comfort in knowing it will be enjoyed for a very long time.” ■

Hinman Construction specializes in the design and construction of kitchens, bathrooms, and whole houses, working with clients from concept to completion.

Think Outside the Closet

Albany’s locally owned California Closets offers storage solutions for the whole house—and satisfied customers keep coming back for more.

Many recognize California Closets for their expertise in creating beautiful, thoughtfully designed closets. But what people often don’t realize is that the company creates custom storage solutions for the whole home, including Murphy/wall beds, home offices, garages, media centers, kitchen pantries, fireplace built-ins, libraries, wine/coffee bars, and more. In fact, according to Joy Rafferty, owner of California Closets’ Albany location, they can transform “just about any space you can think of in the home.”

While California Closets’ reputation for quality craftsmanship stretches back to 1978, when the first location was founded in Southern California, the Capital Region location, which has been owned by Rafferty and her husband for more than 20 years, has distinguished itself with its dedication to customer service and commitment to keeping design, manufacturing, and installation processes local.

anyone else. It also allows for quick turnaround for anyone who has worked with us in the past and needs extra shelves or accessories.”

California Closets also operates a local showroom and design studio in Latham, where prospective clients can have a more hands-on experience before deciding to proceed. “They can touch and feel the material, pull out drawers, and see hardware offerings in person,” Rafferty explains. It’s also a great location for follow-up appointments with clients to review their designs on the big screen.

Sean and Joy Rafferty have owned California Closets' Capital Region location for more than 20 years.

“Our production facility in Albany is staffed by a great team of local employees,” Rafferty says. “This benefits our clients because we can control our own quality and not rely on

The connection between local operations and customer satisfaction is a direct one— most evident in the fact that much of the Albany location’s business comes from longstanding, repeat clients and referrals.

“We’ve learned so much in the last two decades from working with our clients and our employees,” Rafferty says. “We know that everyone has unique needs and wants, and that our job is to really listen. We approach customer relationships as something to be treasured, and not simply transactional.”

Experience for yourself why people trust California Closets for custom storage solutions throughout their whole home—set up your free in-home consultation or stop by the Latham showroom. ■

saratoga living Fall in Love with Local

PaperDolls of Saratoga

Saratoga’s go-to spot for stationery is now becoming known throughout town as a mustvisit store for far more than paper products! Conveniently located in the Saratoga Marketplace, PAPERDOLLS OF SARATOGA is a woman-owned shop carrying everything from jewelry and accessories (in colors, styles, and textures perfect for the fall season!) to vintage home décor, hostess gifts, and table linens. All products have been expertly curated by the local ownership team, which is comprised of Danna Dubno, who has an extensive background in corporate event design and planning, and Ann Murphy, a nurse practitioner turned designer who specializes in home staging, interiors, and staging inventory for retail stores. The two women joined forces in 2024 to create the ultimate design dream team.

But while PaperDolls has grown to encompass so much more in the last year, its mission to provide the best in stationery design and printing hasn’t wavered. Go to paperdollsofsaratoga.com to book a consultation on anything from save-the-dates and wedding invitations to stationery for everyday use, or stop by to make use of PaperDolls’ complimentary gift wrap and gift concierge services.

454 BROADWAY, #4, SARATOGA SPRINGS l 518.583.4084 paperdollsofsaratoga.com

Bobbles & Lace

Looking to reinvent your fall wardrobe, or simply treat yourself to a cozy new sweater?

BOBBLES & LACE has got you covered. Since opening on Broadway in 2023, the boutique has quickly become a Saratoga staple for womenswear, carrying everything from dresses and shoes for your next cocktail party to autumn essentials like denim, knits, boots, and unique accessories you won’t find anywhere else in town—we’re talking statement handbags, understated jewelry, and cozy hats and scarves for when the weather takes a turn.

But Bobbles & Lace is so much more than its ever-changing collection—the staff prides itself on creating a comfortable, fun shopping experience for its customers, with personal stylists available to help you curate your perfect fall wardrobe. With new arrivals added every week, it’s never been easier to stay up to date on the latest trends, without breaking the bank. Stop by Bobbles & Lace this season to take your seasonal style to the next level.

322 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS l 518.932.1287

bobblesandlace.com

Experience The Adelphi Hotel

LUXURY STAYS, INSPIRED DINING, EXCEPTIONAL EVENTS & TIMELESS LIVING

Nestled in the heart of Downtown Saratoga Springs, The Adelphi is home to 65 beautifully appointed guest rooms & suites, world-class dining at Morrissey’s Lounge & Bistro, and Salt & Char Steakhouse, a wealth of on-site amenities, over 3,200 sq. ft. of private event spaces, and 79 luxury residences.

Fall 2025 Corporate Event Special

HOST YOUR NEXT CORPORATE EVENT IN A SETTING THAT INSPIRES

Enjoy discounted room rates from $289/night, suite upgrades, no food & beverage minimums, 25% off AV & meeting room rentals, and more! Valid on corporate events Sunday-Thursday from September-November 2025. Call or email Tom Wysocki at (518) 350-7964, Tom@theadelphihotel.com for more information.

first turn

shelf life (clockwise, from left) Custom builtins define the aesthetic of the back bar; “Space Pickle” by artist Daniel Fairley; the sign outside the Phila Street restaurant.

ISetting the Standard

BY

f Saratoga restaurateurs

Zac Denham and Clark Gale know anything, it’s that often, the experience you have at a restaurant matters just as much as the taste of the food you’re served. That’s why they spent the first several months of this year transforming a tired restaurant space into a chic eatery that’d seem

just as at-home in NYC as it does in its actual home on Phila Street.

“We wanted guests to feel like they’d stumbled into their favorite cozy West Village spot—the kind of place where you want to linger,” says Denham of his and Gale’s new restaurant, Standard Fare. (The couple also owns Bocage Champagne Bar across the

street.) “We had fun mixing textures, layering warmth with a touch of polish, and creating a space that feels both chic and exciting. We also made sure there was a sense of humor woven in—nothing too serious, just little moments of personality throughout.”

That sense of humor is embodied by large pieces of artwork custom-made by

Denham’s brother-in-law, Daniel Fairley, that adorn the walls. One features a hamburger UFO piloted by an anthropomorphic pickle; another, an unkempt racehorse who looks like he’s never won a race in his life. Then there’s “81 Ducks and a Goose,” a painting whose name says it all.

“Just like the menu, the design takes something familiar and makes it feel fresh, refined, and just a bit unexpected,” Denham says. “We wanted a space that feels comforting and welcoming, but also inspires a little spark of delight when you notice the details. It’s anything but standard—just like the food.”

—NATALIE MOORE

CHIC PEEK

PHOTOGRAPHY

ZACK SKOWRONEK

PITCH IN

Go Green

Earth Day may be in the spring, but for Sustainable Saratoga, the work of saving the planet never stops. This fall, the nonprofit will host several recycling and repair events that require volunteers:

PAINT COLLECTION DAY

OCTOBER 4, 9AM-1PM SARATOGA SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT

Volunteers help direct car traffic so attendees can drop off their unwanted interior and exterior paints, stains, primers, and sealers to be recycled.

SARATOGA

RECYCLES DAY

OCTOBER 18, 9AM-NOON

SPAC’S ROUTE 50 PARKING LOT

Same deal—volunteers help direct car traffic for attendees to drop off household goods including cell phones, glasses, books, clothing, electronics, and appliances.

REPAIR CAFÉS

SEPTEMBER 13 & OCTOBER 25 SARATOGA SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THE INNOVATION CENTER AT SARATOGA

Do you have a special “fix-it” skill set, or are you a general handyperson who can fix almost anything? Volunteer to help extend the life of broken objects at one of Sustainable Saratoga’s Repair Cafés.

TO VOLUNTEER, GO TO SUSTAINABLESARATOGA.ORG AND CLICK “GET INVOLVED.”

first turn

Good Eats

It would seem that Thoroughbred racehorses, who lead pampered and highly structured lives, have little in common with the wild horses that still roam the Western states. But when it comes to diet, all equines have the same basic need: large amounts of forage, consumed throughout the day. Experts estimate that horses may graze up to 17 hours a day, and that healthy adult horses should consume 1.5-2 percent of

their body weight per day in forage, which helps prevent digestive problems like stomach ulcers and forms of colic. To mimic the slowgoing process of consuming forage, many horses at Saratoga Race Course are fed timothy grass hay served in nets, which help increase the amount of time horses spend eating and decrease boredom in stabled horses. While some domesticated horses can maintain a healthy weight on forage alone, racehorses often have additional

Night at the Library

energy needs, so consume a specially formulated feed designed to include enough protein, vitamins, and minerals for a horse in training.

And like us humans, horses love snacks— especially peppermints or carrots. Some famous horses with particular palettes? Hall of Fame turf mare Tepin was a fan of sweet potatoes, Grade 1 winner Tapit received eggs in his feed to add protein content; and the enormously popular Hall of Fame racemare Zenyatta famously received a daily Guinness. Sláinte

—NICOLE RUSSO

You’ve heard of Night at the Museum…Now it’s time to explore the library after hours. On Friday, October 24, the Friends of the Saratoga Springs Public Library will host a 1950s-themed Diamond Jubilee Dessert and Cocktail Reception to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the library’s chartering, featuring a live band, grazing stations, dessert, and drinks. Another date to put in your calendar: The Saratoga Book Festival, coming to town October 2-5. Learn more at friends.sspl.org.

TRACK FACT

sweet tooth Tepin, a Hall of Fame turf mare, was a fan of sweet potatoes.

Join the Club

When childhood friends and longtime

barbers Raffaele “Ralf” Rispo and Gilberto “Gil” Barron-Nunez opened Ballston Spa Barber Club in August 2024, expansion wasn’t on their minds. But growing demand—and an opportunity brought to them by employee-turnedpartner Dylan Capone— changed that.

“One day, I made a joke saying we have to open a new location already,”

Barron-Nunez says. “We all laughed it off until a few days later, when Dylan told us of a friend with an available location.”

The trio visited the space at 48 Henry Street in Saratoga and quickly decided it would make a great addition to their flagship shop. Saratoga Barber Club was born, as was a broader brand identity: 518 Barber Club.

“What started out as a comment in jest materialized into something pretty big very quickly,” Rispo says.

three’s a company 518 Barber Club owners Gilberto “Gil” BarronNunez (left) and Raffaele “Ralf” Rispo (center) have been friends for years; when Dylan Capone (right) joined the team, they instantly hit it off.

The Saratoga spot was an especially good fit for Capone. “My client base is mainly from Saratoga, ranging from some of the best jockeys and a few professional athletes to the average Saratogian,” he says. “So I was excited when the opportunity came about to open here.”

Since opening, the trio has earned praise for their hot towel shaves, skin fades, beard trims, and regular and specialty haircuts. Unique perks include complimentary drinks from Schenectady’s Frog Alley Brewing and— being an authorized RedBull dealer—their “beautiful new RedBull fridge,” per Rispo.

With such strong community reception, Rispo, Barron-Nunez, and Capone are already thinking about expanding to one or two more Saratoga County locations in the coming years. But for now, Ballston Spa and Saratoga have their full attention.

—CIERRA ORLYK

“Not one of these places has got bacon on a stick.”

—SARATOGA COUNTY FAIR

“I was supposed to microdose weed but I accidentally overdosed.”

—THE HORSESHOE

“I like to think I’m a creative, but I just like to party.”

—CONGRESS PARK

“I’d rather go to a funeral than a town hall meeting.”

—RIVER STONE MANOR

first turn

Sukhum Temp

SUSHI THAI GARDEN

1. Healthy fusion cuisine, which combines flavors of culinary traditions

2. Thai-style salads and seafood dishes

3. Miso-glazed Faroe Island salmon from Max London’s

Sara Ali

SARA’S KITCHEN

1. Guests interested in grabbing dinner quick—in and out in 30 minutes

2. Fried chicken sandwich from Herbie’s

3. Everything Omakase Sushi and Grill has to offer

Christopher Smith

REGENT RESTAURANT AND BAR

Hot Seat

WE ASKED FIVE LOCAL CHEFS TO DISH ON SARATOGA’S DINING TRENDS AND THEIR OWN FOODIE FAVORITES.

1. What’s one dining trend you’ve noticed recently?

2. What’s your go-to meal when you’re not at work?

Dan Wiginton

PANZA’S

3. What’s one dish you’d recommend at a local restaurant?

1. Zero-proof beverage menus are popping up more and more.

2. Anything with noodles

3. Pho Cai at Mama’s Pho House in Malta

1. Plant-based and sustainable dining

2. Frozen Taquitos or frozen pizza

3. Kindred’s burger

Adam Foti PDT MAISON

1. Plant-based protein requests, gluten-free foods, and non-alcoholic drinks

2. Ramen, sushi, or bibimbap

3. The chicken wings at Brook Tavern

PANEL

LIVING THE LIFESTYLE

It’s a Date

YOU’VE GOT THE RESERVATION—NOW IT’S TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO WEAR. n BY NATALIE MOORE

With Saratoga summer in the rearview, all eyes are fixed on the next Spa City season: fall, aka cuffing season. Whether you’re in the market for a new boo or are looking to reconnect with your longtime lover over a romantic dinner, autumn is for date nights, and it’s time to get your wardrobe ready.

“A date night outfit is all about details,” says Heidi Owen West, owner of Broadway boutique Caroline and Main. “Unlike a work look that leans polished and professional or a casual daytime outfit that’s built for comfort, a date night outfit should make you feel confident, flirty, and a little more elevated than usual. Whether it’s a touch of shine, a great neckline, or that perfect heel—it’s the details that say, ‘I dressed for this.’”

This fall, Saratoga’s boutiques will be filled with velvets, structured knits, and tailored layers in colors like deep wine, forest green, soft clay, and—yes—red, which is making a bold comeback this year. Also be on the lookout for elevated basics with interesting cuts and oversized outerwear that can pull a whole look together effortlessly.

While Owen West and her team certainly won’t tell you what to wear, they’re happy to help you build a date night look that’s uniquely you. “Start with one piece that makes you feel amazing, whether it’s a silky top, a great pair of jeans, or a dress that moves beautifully when you walk,” Owen West says. “From there, build around it. Add a layer (like a cropped jacket or a cozy cardigan), some eye-catching accessories, and a shoe that works for where you’re headed. The goal is to feel comfortable, confident, and the right amount of fancy.”

The good news? It’s up to you to determine what the right amount of fancy actually is. These days, you can get away with wearing jeans to most upscale Spa City restaurants—as long as you style them intentionally, maybe with a statement blouse and bold accessories. But if you want to go all out on your outfit for your anniversary at Druthers, go for it. There’s no such thing as being overdressed, especially when your outfit makes you feel like a million bucks.

perfect backdrop for a romantic night out—whether it’s a first date or a night away from the kids.”

BROUGHT

12 UNDER 12

BANKING ON THE FUTURE presented by

first turn

JOE CHAPMAN

AGE: 7

HOMETOWN: GANSEVOORT SCHOOL: HOMESCHOOLED

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: WILTON FOOD PANTRY, GANSEVOORT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, SCHUYLERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, and CUB SCOUTS

This story is part of a series in which we feature young people from Saratoga Springs and the Capital Region who are making their communities a better place. Know a kid who fits the bill? Send their story to editorial@ saratogaliving.com for a chance to have them featured in a future issue!

Joe Chapman may be homeschooled, but his impact is already reaching far into his community. At just 7 years old, he has worked hard to foster a sense of community by organizing events for fellow homeschool students and helping out local organizations and community members in need.

Some of his most recent charitable endeavors include packing more than 70 Thanksgiving dinners and delivering them with his Taekwondo gym last year, volunteering to bus tables at his local firehouse’s community breakfasts, and participating in library events to help raise both money

not your average joe Joe Chapman might be so generous and communityoriented because, well, it's in his genes. His father is a volunteer firefighter at Gansevoort Volunteer Fire Department—where Joe assists with fundraising breakfasts.

and awareness about the importance of libraries— earning him the nickname “Advo-kid” from the director of the Schuylerville Public Library. In addition, last holiday season he collected and donated more than 200 food items to Wilton Food Pantry, making him the highest collector in his Cub Scout den.

Why does he do all this? It’s pretty simple: “I like volunteering because it is helpful, and being helpful makes me feel good!” he says. If Joe’s story proves one thing, it’s this: Volunteering doesn’t require grand gestures or complex reasons. Really, all you need is a willingness to lend a helping hand.

Forest Grove Unveils Exciting New Amenities Designed for Everyday Living

Big things are happening at Forest Grove. This thoughtfully designed Saratoga Springs community has already made a name for itself with its blend of single-family homes and premium twin homes, all nestled in a scenic, walkable setting. Now, with the ink dry on the drawings for a highly anticipated community center, Forest Grove is preparing to deliver even more for current and future homeowners.

ELEVATING EVERYDAY LIFE

The newly released amenity plans reveal a dynamic community center designed to become a social and recreational hub for Forest Grove residents. At the heart of the space is a beautifully appointed clubhouse with a working kitchen and flexible event space—perfect for hosting everything from neighborhood gatherings to private celebrations.

make the most of every season. A beautifully landscaped pavilion and inviting outdoor pool provide the perfect setting for summer relaxation, while brand-new pickleball courts will offer a fun and social way to stay active year-round.

Nature lovers will also enjoy more than seven miles of walking trails that weave through the community’s scenic green spaces, offering peaceful, pedestrian-friendly routes ideal for morning jogs, dog walks, or evening strolls.

The plans also include a fully equipped fitness center that allows residents to prioritize their health and wellness without leaving the neighborhood. “Our goal has always been to create not just homes, but a real sense of community,” says Peter Belmonte, owner of Belmonte Builders, which is behind Forest Grove. “These amenities are designed to enrich daily life—offering opportunities to connect, stay active, and feel right at home.”

OUTDOOR SPACES THAT INSPIRE

Just outside the clubhouse, outdoor amenities invite residents to

DESIGNED FOR TODAY’S BUYERS

From young professionals and growing families to active adults and empty nesters, Forest Grove’s new amenities speak to the evolving needs of today’s homebuyers. Many of these homebuyers are looking for more than a home—they’re looking for a way of life.

“People want a lifestyle,” says Lindsey Belmonte, vice president of Belmonte Builders. “They want spaces where they can gather with neighbors, enjoy the outdoors, and feel connected to the place they live. That’s exactly what these amenities are designed to offer.”

THE TIME TO JOIN IS NOW

With construction timelines and more detailed updates on the horizon, this is an exciting moment to explore life at Forest Grove. Whether you’re looking to buy now or just beginning your search, there’s never been a better time to become part of this growing, vibrant community. ■

saratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

WEST AVE STORY

HOW A KID FROM GUATEMALA CAME TO OWN A FAMILY-RUN PIZZA EMPIRE THAT’S WINNING HEARTS— AND TASTE BUDS—FROM FORT EDWARD TO ALBANY.

BY CIERRA ORLYK

by KONRAD ODHIAMBO

photography

ario Cardenas may have grown up in Guatemala, but he considers Saratoga his hometown. And after just four years of owning a business here, it’s safe to say that the owner of West Ave Pizza and Chicken is as much a Saratogian as any of us.

Cardenas’ Saratoga story began in 2021, when he bought a little pizza shop on the West Side, and things have only escalated from there. The man is everywhere—slingin’ pizzas and chicken sandwiches not only at his recently expanded West Ave HQ but also at nightclubs, the Saratoga Race Course backstretch, in the Saratoga Springs High School lunchroom, and even backstage at SPAC. When you dine at Osteria Danny, you’ll be eating his focaccia, which he bakes fresh for the Italian restaurant daily. This past summer, you may have seen him zipping around town in a six-seater golf cart or supporting fellow local businesses Solevo, Bailey’s, Tin & Lint, and countless others.

Since buying West Ave Pizza, Cardenas has worked to make his brand omnipresent—both in Saratoga and the greater Capital Region. He currently provides the food service for a manufacturing plant in Fort Edward, he opened a satellite West Ave Chicken location next to MVP Arena in Albany last year, and he’s teaming up with Eddie F’s to serve West Ave Chicken and Pizza out of the seafood restaurant’s Clifton Park location starting this fall.

So how exactly did a Guatemalan come to serve pizza and fried chicken to everyone and their mother in upstate New York? That story starts back in 1999.

Cardenas first arrived in the Capital Region—Schenectady, specifically—just before the turn of the millennium with his mother, Susana, and sister Jennifer. They’d left their native Guatemala after Susana’s divorce and spent a year in Los Angeles.

“She couldn’t afford to live there,” he says of his mother. “As a single mom with two kids, it was too expensive.”

So, on the recommendation of a friend who lived in the Electric City, Susana moved her family of three there—and got to work. Susana and Jennifer got jobs at Metro 20 Diner, which is now Capital City Diner, and Susana ultimately worked her way up from washing dishes to becoming a chef—a story that now resembles Cardenas’ own.

Cardenas began working at Marino’s Pizza & Restaurant in Schenectady, which was located right across the street from the family’s new home. He was still in his early teens when owner Mario Marino took him under his wing and taught him how to cook.

“He taught me the basics, from chicken parmesan to pizza,” Cardenas says. “That’s when I fell in love with it.”

A few years later, Cardenas took his budding culinary skills to Prima Pizzeria, also in Schenectady, where he had the creative freedom to play around with different kinds of foods like chicken sandwiches and soups. Inspired by American comfort foods that he never got to eat growing up—like Chef Boyardee’s canned classics—Cardenas created his signature ravioli soup. (Little did he

king louis Mario Cardenas, wearing a shirt and jacket from Mark Thomas Men’s Apparel, with West Ave Pizza’s Louis Vuitton pizza oven.

we are family The West Ave team is made up of both blood relatives and chosen family. From left to right: Mario Cardenas; his son, Christopher; his nephew, Dylan Maldonado; his brother-in-law, Santos Maldonado; his sisters Jennifer Cardenas and Angela Lemus; and General Manager Nicole St. Cyr.

know, that very soup would win him Saratoga Chowderfest titles in both 2023 and 2024.)

His knack for both food and people propelled him up the ladder at Prima—first as a cook, and then as a manager. He also helped with two other restaurants owned by the Isopo family, which ran Prima: Anna’s Wood Fired Pizza, which has since closed, and Mario’s Restaurant and Pizzeria in Niskayuna.

Fast-forward to 2021, nearly two decades after Cardenas had arrived in the States—and a pizza shop on Saratoga’s West Avenue was for sale. Cardenas and his family had been wanting to operate their own pizzeria but didn’t have the money to build one from scratch, so they bought the business, which already had pizza-making infrastructure, from the couple who owned it. They couldn’t afford to change the sign out front, so they kept the name West Ave Pizza—and have embraced it wholeheartedly.

The new West Ave Pizza—which is owned by Cardenas, his sister Jennifer, and her husband, Santos Maldonado, and operated by the whole family of 10—began gaining traction when someone from the Saratoga Automobile Museum asked if they would cook for an upcoming event. The family agreed, and their food’s debut at the event made an impression. “People were raving about the food,” Cardenas says. “But they didn’t believe it was from West Ave.”

After that, Cardenas began advertising West Ave, and word began to spread. He formed a partnership with Franklin Community Center that continues to this day, and then, Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy visited. As part of his One Bite Pizza Reviews YouTube series, the notoriously

tough critic gave West Ave a 7.3 out of 10, calling it “super fresh” and “good quality.” The review did wonders for raising awareness about the business.

“He brought us right where we needed to be, when we needed him the most,” Cardenas says. To show their thanks, the family created a pizza named after Portnoy—“Dave’s Pie”—that features the ultra-crispy, thin crust the Saratoga superfan is known to love.

A few months after Portnoy’s visit, chicken came into the picture when West Ave Pizza’s neighbor, Wings Over Saratoga, announced it was going out of business. The owners at the time approached Cardenas about purchasing the space and expanding, but he was hesitant. “Our business had grown, but not big enough to open a second location,” Cardenas says.

But then he realized the space didn’t need to be used for pizza. Reminiscing about his days of making chicken sandwiches at Prima, he jumped on the deal and opened West Ave Chicken. “It blew up,” Cardenas says. “The chicken became more popular than the pizza.”

Then, when Hispanic workers from Saratoga Race Course began coming to the restaurant, Cardenas expanded his offerings again. “They’d ask me, ‘Why don’t you offer some Hispanic food?’ And so, I did,” he says. Inspired by his mother’s recipes—she ran a food stand outside of their home in Guatemala—Cardenas created a secret menu featuring empanadas, pupusas, churrasco, and a Guatemalan twist on the Italian arancini.

“She didn’t get to see any of this,” he says of Susana, who passed away in 2019 from brain cancer. “That’s why the Guatemalan menu is so important. It’s full circle.”

As is the trend with Cardenas’ endeavors, word spread quickly about the Guatemalan menu, and now it’s offered to all customers. He also knocked the wall down between West Ave Pizza and West Ave Chicken, effectively creating a mini dining hall. “It’s now three restaurants under one roof,” he says. “You have the pizza, the chicken, and the Guatemalan menu.”

That’s not to say that Cardenas doesn’t take his fare on the road regularly.

At the Night Owl on Fridays and Saturdays until 2am, Cardenas offers a late-night menu of pizza, chicken, and birria tacos (a new, and popular, addition). At Putnam Place on Friday evenings, Cardenas’ son—who also has the pizza-making gene and travels to Italy, Las Vegas, and Ohio to compete in pizza competitions on behalf of West Ave—serves up authentic Italian-style pizza under the name aStrada Pizza Co.

For years, headliners of Live Nation concerts at SPAC— including Dave Matthews Band, Shania Twain, and Mumford & Sons—have also been treated to West Ave Pizza, served backstage from Cardenas’ portable “Van Halen” pizza oven, which is signed by Wiz Khalifa and 24kGoldn. (He also has

an oven decorated in Louis Vuitton’s iconic print.) But when a Live Nation rep asked him if he’d cook for Phish at Albany’s MVP Arena last year, he hesitated because of the distance between Albany and Saratoga.

“I told them I wished I had a kitchen there,” he says. “With SPAC, if I need to make something and bring it over quickly, I can—it’s only three minutes away. But Albany’s too far to do that.”

After talking with Todd Shapiro—a public relations expert and the owner of nearby Albany War Room—about his dilemma, Cardenas received a call from him the next week. Shapiro informed him that there was a business for sale on South Pearl Street that he might want to check out. So check it out he did, and it was a perfect fit.

The Cardenas family bought the space and opened a new West Ave Chicken location in four days, just in time for the Phish concert. The spot—which serves chicken, Guatemalan food, and breakfast—took off, and a great working relationship formed with Shapiro, who has since enlisted Cardenas’ help in feeding some of his clients.

A lesser-known West Ave partnership is with Irving Tissue, a manufacturer located in Fort Edward. That relationship began when Cardenas’ friend, who works there, mentioned the cafeteria’s caterer was stepping down. Cardenas agreed to step in, and now West Ave preps and transports breakfast, salads, and sandwiches daily.

But beyond feeding employees, public figures, and celebrities, Cardenas is committed to giving back to the community, which he credits for his businesses’ success.

“Especially as an immigrant, it’s intimidating to start your own business because you don’t know if the community or officials will support you,” he says. “But when we opened, we got so much support. So giving back to the people who supported us is a must. I owe them even more than what I give them.”

To that end, West Ave has donated at-home pizza parties to auctions for the Leukemia/ Lymphoma Society, Saratoga Automobile Museum and, later this year, Double H Ranch. The restaurant also hosts annual Christmas and Easter parties, donating the proceeds to organizations including Franklin Community Center and the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. Plus, Cardenas feeds the track’s backstretch workers every week during racing season, and this year even donated pizza for an end-of-season backstretch party with James & Sons Tobacconists.

And the hits keep coming. West Ave caters summer camps and sporting events, in addition to supporting local schools. Last year, when Saratoga Springs High School closed its cafeteria to remodel the kitchen, the restaurant provided food for students all winter long. And this past summer, West Ave delivered chicken every Thursday for the Saratoga Springs City School District’s summer food truck program, which provides free meals to kids during the school break. It’s a cause that hits home for Cardenas. “A lot of the kids don’t get to eat if they don’t go to school,” he says. “And I can relate to that, because that was me. So I like to help out however I can.”

While Cardenas has become known for all he does in the community, it’s his pizza that got him there. Made with an easy-to-digest sourdough base and small farm–sourced ingredients, his slices have earned West Ave several dozens of awards over the years. “I never wanted to be known for philanthropy,” he says. “I wanted to be known for making good pizza.”

Luckily, in a world that isn’t so black and white, it’s easy to recognize Cardenas for both. And for the opportunity to make good pizza while feeding the community he loves, the Saratogian is grateful.

“This is like a dream,” he says. “Actually, it’s beyond my dreams. To have a pizzeria this successful for my family to work at…I never dreamed of it.”

map quest Pizza is what put West Ave on the map, but the restaurant has become known for its chicken and Guatemalan fare, too.

well worth it Located just

saratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

THE GUIDE

••

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.

outside of the Saratoga city limits in the town of Wilton, The Wishing Well has been serving locals and tourists fine food and drinks for nearly 90 years.

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 YO U 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 are still open!)

Pie à la mode with Smith’s Orchard Bake Shop pies

You can add peanut butter sauce to your peanut butter Oreo ice cream Cookie Monster, Cotton Candy, and sundaes 8 inches

A bounce house that’s perfect for children experiencing a sugar rush Their bubble gum ice cream has actual bubble gum pieces in it Black raspberry/ coffee swirl

31 FARMER’S DAUGHTERS’ DRIVE IN

Free-to-enter car shows on Monday nights from 6-8pm

Ice cream flights and sweet corn ice cream

They post their rotating softserve flavors on Facebook every Friday Brownie sundae à la mode

29 flavors of soft-serve with 22 dips, drizzles, and toppings

Stop by to say hi to the very cows who helped make your ice cream! Cookie Monster hard ice cream

Ugly is the perfect nightcap after dinner at the neighboring Dock Brown’s Let’s Get Ugly sundae

PHILA STREET

BOCAGE CHAMPAGNE

10 Phila Street

518.450.1115

bocage champagnebar.com

14

518.583.0003

34 Phila Street

518.584.3740

benjerry.com/saratoga FAMILIAR

42 Phila Street

518.886.1086

familiar-creature.com

SUSHI

44 Phila Street

518.580.0900

sushithaigarden saratoga.com ELODY 54 Phila Street (Coming soon!)

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.*

• 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)

*Hours and days of operation subject to change; check online before heading out for dinner.

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 threeor 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 YO U WANT: LUNCH, BUT YOU DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME

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.

wish granted Schuylerville was recently awarded a grant that will in part be used to expand Kickstart Coffee’s café.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

APPLES OF OUR EYE

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.

(apple French toast) RYAN MANNING

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 vitaminpacked 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 YO U WANT: A MEAL, BUT IT’S MIDNIGHT

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.

OUR PICK

saratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

NATURAL TREASURE

IN 2016, A 166-ACRE PARCEL OF LAND ON SARATOGA’S WEST SIDE WAS PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY FOR FARMING AND EDUCATION. NINE YEARS LATER, PITNEY MEADOWS COMMUNITY FARM IS LIVING UP TO ITS MISSION OF FEEDING THE COMMUNITY’S BELLIES—AND ITS SOULS.

BY STACEY MORRIS

It’s a hot July evening at Pitney Meadows Community Farm. The westward-facing vegetables in the field and individual plots of the Community Garden are soaking up the final hour of blazing daylight. The staff have gone home for the day, but CSA members arrive sporadically to pick ready-to-eat lettuce, root vegetables, and other delights in the fields. Shoppers trickle into the white clapboard Farm Stand, and emerge with bags of produce, artisanal cheeses, and farm-fresh eggs. A man still clad in his suit-and-tie work attire uncoils a hose and begins to spritz the ripening tomato

vines in his vegetable plot. A few rows down, a couple is harvesting basil and marveling at how profuse it is this year.

All these people are in on a secret some 160 years in the making. In the 1860s, the Pitney family of Saratoga began cultivating what’s now a 166-acre farm on the city’s West Side. In 2016, despite lucrative offers for land development, William Pitney and his family, through the city’s Open Space Fund, arranged that the acreage, located right on West Avenue, would be preserved through a nonprofit organization in perpetuity for farming and education. And with that, Pitney Meadows Community Farm was born.

“Our mission is to celebrate and explore agriculture, heathy food production, and recreation on our preserved working farm,” says Brooke McConnell, who took on the role of executive director in 2023 but has been involved with the nonprofit in some capacity since its founding. “We want people to see where their food comes from, and get handson experience in growing it, caring for it, and harvesting it.”

To that end, Pitney Meadows offers a few options that vary in both commitment and how dirty you have to get your hands.

First up is the Community Gardens, the dirtiest (albeit most rewarding) of the three options, which allows community

growth spurt One of the goals of Pitney Meadows’ Nurtured in Nature program is to provide public school educators with ideas for teaching science lessons in nature. On September 30, educator Andrew Ferrone will host STEAM on the Farm, a free, daylong program that invites K-12 schoolteachers from area districts to spend a day on the farm to learn how to better incorporate nature and agriculture into their classrooms.

members to cultivate their own produce, on their own time, in their own garden bed. While what you plant and how you nurture it is up to you, gardeners do have access to Pitney’s water source, soil and compost, tools, seeds, and more. And for those who don’t exactly know what they’re doing, tips and classes are provided by staff and volunteers.

Next up is the CSA, a 13-week program that gives members a weekly allotment of fresh produce (and stands for Community Supported Agriculture). But Pitney’s CSA doesn’t work exactly like other CSAs you may have heard about. “We don’t want to compete with the traditional CSAs where members pick up produce in boxes,” says McConnell. “Our members physically pick their produce once a week. It’s an opportunity to connect with where the food is coming from.”

And lastly, for those who want the taste of farm-fresh food without having to put in the work required to grow or harvest said farm-fresh food, there’s the Farm Stand, a small shop set near the front of the Pitney property that operates on an honor system. The Farm Stand’s contents are a confluence of fruits and vegetables that were grown on site, as well as products (think cheeses, meats, and condiments) from more than 15 neighboring farms and producers that help stock the stand year-round. Part of the idea, says McConnell, is to have consumers know they’re connected to an entire local food system.

“We grow a bit in the winter and keep storage crops as long as we can,” she says. “It’s a great way to practice seasonal eating.”

Featherbed Lane Farm in Ballston Spa is one of the farms that helps supply the Farm Stand, which owner Tim Biello says provides greater community access to his seasonal produce (think beets, berries, fennel, and carrots). It also provides an additional income stream. “Pitney Meadows is flexible and open to working with farmers based on what’s available,” says Biello, a former Pitney Meadows board member who now serves in an advisory capacity. “They’re great about expanding access to local food while paying farmers well, and that’s helpful to us all.”

Both the CSA and Farm Stand accept payment through SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that’s run by the US Department of Agriculture, and the CSA offers no-cost scholarships for those in need. The farm also donates some 21,000 pounds or 120,000 servings of produce annually as part of its Food Sovereignty program, which aims to build a local food system that offers everyone in the community nutrient-dense, localized food—regardless of income. “The

health is wealth As part of its Food Sovereignty program, Pitney Meadows also offers Food as Medicine classes in partnership with the Saratoga Community Health Center that are modeled on the concept of a group medical visit. Participants meet weekly with a doctor and dietician to review topics like eye health and gut health.

intent to grow for hunger-relief was there from the beginning, but it got a big push during COVID,” says Daniel Williams, who manages the Food Sovereignty program. “There was a huge need for food, and the organization made a committed effort to expand what we grew to donate.”

Williams estimates that the Food Sovereignty program has grown to the point that almost half of what is produced on the farm is donated to local hunger relief organizations such as low-income housing complexes, senior centers, food pantries, and shelters. He adds that aside from the occasional grant, Pitney Meadows relies entirely on donations for the continuity of this program and others.

As central to the farm’s mission as food sovereignty is, McConnell considers access to undeveloped farmland to be an equally important benefit that Pitney Meadows brings to the community.

Last year marked the launch of Nurtured in Nature, an afterschool program run in partnership with Leah Lanci Ferrone and her brother-in-law, Andrew Ferrone. “Pitney Meadows is one of the most magical treasures in our community,” says Leah. “We thought it would be the ideal setting for kids and

teens to take a break from their screens and connect to themselves by connecting to the land.”

This summer, Pitney Meadows partnered with Leah’s brand Brave Lion Mind to offer weekly Summer Sunset Socials, which required families to check their phones at the door so that they could be fully present to fly a kite, play cards, or simply wait for the fireflies to light up the night. While the socials only ran from early July through early August, Leah and Andrew will bring back Nurtured in Nature for the school season. The after-school science program emphasizes learning in nature and encourages students to explore topics they’re curious about.

In offering these programs, Andrew and Leah made a discovery that goes against the narrative we’re often told about this generation’s young people. They’ve found that kids are actually more than willing to forfeit screen time for immersion in nature—even in the dead of winter. “They’d have their winter gear and headlamps on and go play in the snow,” Leah says of the kids who participate in Nurtured in Nature programming. “One evening, Andrew came upon a small group in the meadow lying on their backs staring at the moon. No one instructed them—they were just drawn to it.”

And it’s not just kids who are invited to make use of the natural treasure that is Pitney Meadows. The farm offers a variety of programs for community members of all ages, from workshops stressing the value of self-sufficiency (think composting, honey harvesting, and small-engine repair), to the bi-weekly “Writing the Land” classes led by Saratoga Poet Laureate Joseph Bruchac through October 3. The farm also has 1.7 miles of trails that are open to the public from dawn to dusk.

Despite its prominent location on West Ave, Pitney Meadows Community Farm has for years been a resource that many members of the community don’t take full advantage of. That’s changing now, thanks to Pitney’s ever-expanding slate of offerings, like a fledgling community compost program that launched earlier this year and the uber-popular Fire Feast fundraiser that every year introduces new people to the farm.

“More people involved means, ultimately, strengthening our community,” says McConnell, adding that the farm relies heavily on dedicated volunteers who make deliveries, help with the farm stand, and plant, harvest, and pack food for donations. “It’s empowering for a community to have agency over its food supply, so at least some of it originates here and it isn’t completely reliant on shipping and corporation-produced food. It’s about having access to food, having a say in how it’s grown, and bringing people to the farm to participate in all of it.”

As the man in the suit recoils his hose and the couple harvesting the basil heads home to cook dinner, the sun sinks down past the horizon and the sky turns a glorious shade of orange. Another day has set on Saratoga’s community farm. And a new one will rise tomorrow.

Cozy Corners

Dreamy Nights

Inspired Dining

saratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

THE DAYS OF OLDE

HOW ONE OF THE SPA CITY’S MOST BELOVED RESTAURANTS WAS BORN FROM TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF SARATOGA HISTORY.

BY CAROL GODETTE

As America prepares to mark 250 years since declaring independence—and Saratoga readies to commemorate the pivotal Battles of Saratoga—one local landmark reminds us that our city’s history began well before 1776. We’re talking about the Olde Bryan Inn, the restaurant that’s been serving Saratogians warm soup and cold beer since 1979. But the beloved restaurant is only the latest iteration of a building whose site predates the American Revolution and whose walls hold stories that stretch far beyond the battlefield.

Located on a strategic perch above the High Rock Spring, the site that’s now OBI once drew Native Americans and early settlers seeking the water’s fabled curative powers. While historical records sometimes tell different stories, all agree that the first structure on the site was a crude log cabin, built as an “Indian trading post” in 1773 by Dirck Schoughten of Waterford and later purchased by Revolutionary War hero Alexander Bryan, who wanted to run an inn in his retirement. But the construction date of the limestone building we know today as the Olde Bryan Inn is less certain.

The New York State historic marker near the building, unveiled by the local Daughters of the American Revolution in May 1938, declares that Alexander’s son John Bryan built the house in 1832. But later research by City Historian Beatrice Sweeney, Skidmore professor James Kettlewell, and a descendant of Alexander Bryan points to an earlier date. Their findings suggest that after Alexander’s death in 1825, John took over the property and built the limestone structure—Federal in style—the very next year. Family papers note, “In Nov. 1826, John Bryan received a mortgage on the property.” This convincing evidence anchors the earlier date.

inn loving memory Whether serving as a crude summer shelter, an inn, a family homestead, a beloved laundromat, or a mainstay restaurant, the Olde Bryan Inn has stood as a silent witness to the unfolding story of Saratoga Springs.

After the Bryans, Wilton farmer Daniel Gailor and his family made the house their home, putting on a brick addition sometime before 1888. In 1925, the Lamoutain/Burnham family purchased the property, and the house returned to commercial life as Burnham’s well-known hand laundry moved its operations there. An advertisement for help confidently promised, “Strictly first-class work guaranteed.” The hand laundry added machines, and ladies did mending and ironing in the front room.

Saratogian Karen Veitch Perrino’s great-grandmother Pearl operated the laundry, as did her grandmother Beatrice. “When Beatrice passed, she left the house to my grandfather Sid, my uncle Don, and my father, Robert,” Karen says. “My dad bought them out.” Robert Veitch purchased the property in 1954, and lived there with his wife, Rosemary; three daughters, Karen, Nancy, and Kelly; and two sons, Robin and Kevin, for more than two decades. Desiring to move to South Carolina, Robert and Rosemary listed the house for $85,000 in 1978. At that time, few could have imagined that a sevenbedroom, 2.5-bath family home would soon be transformed into a mainstay Saratoga restaurant. However, business partners Dave and Sharon Powers and Joe Wilkinson were searching for a historic property with character to house a tavern-style restaurant. The Veitch property checked all the boxes—thick stone walls, deep-set windows, and a location steeped in local lore. The partners completed the purchase in 1979, and Steve “Sully” Sullivan joined the ownership team two years later.

souped up Today, OBI is known for its elevated comfort fare served in a casual, cozy setting.

Just like that, the Olde Bryan Inn, as it came to be known, was born. The restaurant was furnished with pews from St. Peter’s Church, which also happened to be undergoing a renovation at the time. The repurposed pews blended seamlessly into the building’s historic atmosphere and helped set the stage for a dining experience rooted in tradition. Adding to the charm of the place? The original fireplaces once used by John Bryan himself.

Of course, converting a residence into a restaurant is a massive undertaking, and making structural changes to a designated local landmark only complicates the process. Over the years, numerous applications for necessary changes have been submitted to Saratoga’s Design Review Commission, and— in keeping with the building’s historical integrity—signage, a sizable addition, an enclosed brick staircase, a seasonal

IS THE OBI HAUNTED?

ACCORDING TO SEVERAL SPINE-TINGLING ACCOUNTS, INDUBITABLY.

BY CAROL GODETTE

Karen Veitch Perrino believes there are spirits in her childhood home. And she’s not alone.

“I think at one point all five of us slept in one large bedroom with a gas space heater on the

second floor together,” the Saratogian says of the building that’s now Olde Bryan Inn.

“My sister Nancy often spoke of seeing a woman in a green dress. I never saw her myself, but I had my own experience—a

awning, and a handicap-accessible bathroom have all been approved.

Today, the Olde Bryan Inn is still flourishing, having become a Saratoga favorite for locals and visitors alike. Menus have evolved with the times, yet certain dishes—like chicken and biscuits— remain as a nod to the cuisine of Alexander Bryan’s day. For one special occasion, the restaurant even featured an “Alexander Bryan Dinner,” inspired by foods of the Revolutionary War era. Saratogians today can visit a monument memorializing Bryan as Saratoga’s first permanent settler and a key player in the Battles of Saratoga at Greenridge Cemetery.

Beyond its menu, the Inn’s enduring legacy is its generosity, from donating meals for charitable causes to helping feed the needy during the holidays. In other words, more than 250 years after that crude log cabin was built to accommodate travelers to the region that would later become the Spa City, the spirit of hospitality first offered on the hill above High Rock Spring endures.

mischievous spirit who would push up the mattress from under my bed each night. Once, I saw something peek around my parents’ bedroom door just after I had gone to tell them about it.”

John Kosek, longtime employee and resident historian of the Olde Bryan Inn, says that in paranormal circles, limestone, the material out of which the OBI was built, is believed to conduct and store psychic energy, acting almost like a recording device for intense emotional events.

Could that explain one report of a Revolutionary soldier in a red coat riding a horse? Or how about the fact that, alone in the building one morning, Kosek heard a woman’s voice command,

“Shut up and get out.” He promptly left. Later, Kosek learned that Kevin Veitch, Karen’s brother, had heard this same voice 30 years before when he lived in the house. Today, Kosek gives tours of the restaurant to local schoolchildren. The kids’ favorite part is when John describes “ghostly events,” such as the “woman in the green dress wandering about” (a green dress also just so happened to have been found in a trunk in the attic) or when a diner at the restaurant saw a man in a top hat and 19th-century garb. He complimented the staff for wearing “period costumes”— though no such attire was worn that day…at least by any living member of the staff.

SPRINGS, NY

SPRINGS, NY

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

COAT ROOM SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

Isaratoga living’s 2025 food + drink issue

PROTEIN MANIA!

f your Instagram algorithm is anything like mine, you may have come across this text post on your For You page: “Three years ago,” it reads, “you could go days or even weeks without hearing about protein.” The implication? These days, the American obsession with protein is inescapable.

Our current protein craze may in fact be best observed on social media, where wellness influencers tout the benefits of high-protein diets alongside certified medical professionals who claim that the federal recommendation (.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight) is insufficient. But protein mania has quickly begun to seep from the digital world into real life: Grocery stores are filled with all sorts of proteinfilled products, from powders and bars to Khloé Kardashian’s viral Khloud popcorn that’s packed with “seven grams of protein per serving from ingredients you can pronounce.”

At Bowled—a Schenectady-born fast-casual food franchise that now has more than a dozen locations across the Capital Region, South Carolina, and Florida—co-owner Roberto Sgueglia has seen the demand for protein-packed dishes first-hand. “A lot of customers do double the protein,” he says of Bowled’s salads, grain bowls, and wraps, “or they’ll add protein to an acai-based smoothie.”

How did we get here? Is the craze warranted? Do Americans really need to be consuming more protein?

First, a disclosure: I haven’t eaten meat in more than four years, I don’t track my protein intake, and I feel healthier than I ever did before going on a plant-based diet. So when I first started hearing that people were concerned about how much protein they were eating, I was skeptical.

NATALIE MOORE

These days, everyone’s talking about getting enough protein in their diet. But do Saratogians really need more of the macronutrient? We called in a local nutritionist to hash it all out. BY

I fell into the camp that believes that while protein can surely help you grow muscle, America, per usual, has taken things a little too far. Our current obsession with protein seems eerily similar to the low-fat frenzy of the 1990s, or the low-carb craze of the 2000s, both of which were driven in large part by clever marketing schemes similar to the ones we’re seeing play out today.

“Back in the ’90s, we were buying all the fat-free packaged, processed foods,” says Lindsay Ferrara, a registered dietician who owns Pinnacle Nutrition in Saratoga. “Now you go to the grocery store and it’s all the packaged, processed protein foods. They even have a high-protein Snickers bar. Everyone wants to cash in.”

One main difference between the restrictive diets of yesteryear and the protein-packed meal plans of today? The terminology. When you focus on restricting fats and carbs, you call it a diet. When you focus on adding protein (and in the process probably also eating fewer fats and carbs), you call it counting macros. This shift in terminology makes sense, especially coming after the social media–led bodypositivity movement, which has discouraged people from

talking about and participating in diets. In other words, now you can go on a diet without having to call it a diet.

“We’re moving away from body positivity and into a muscle-centric perspective,” Ferrara says. “I was just reading an article about how the rate of eating disorders in young men is exploding. These superheroes that are being produced for toys”—and cast in Hollywood film franchises— ”have bigger muscles than they ever have. And it’s putting so much pressure on these boys.” Add in a daily barrage of chiseled social media influencers whose entire job it is to stay fit, and it’s no wonder that men (and women) are looking for the silver bullet to a rockin’ bod.

And of course, you can’t ignore the effect of the current political landscape and the rise of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement, which emphasizes “clean eating” and promotes whole, unprocessed foods like meats and milk that comes from cows. Complemented by a narrative that “real men eat meat” that’s pushed by marketers and influencers like Brian Michael Johnson (aka the Liver King, who, it turns out, was supplementing his “ancestral” raw organ meat diet with steroids to keep up his muscular physique), it’s no wonder that the American man gets some 55 percent more protein than the federal recommendation. (Women, on the other hand, overshoot the mark by more than 35 percent.)

That federal recommendation—or Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)—is a topic of much contention. Some studies indicate that the RDA should be 25-50 percent higher, while others suggest that the current level is adequate for most people. Ferrara’s opinion falls somewhere in the middle— she thinks the RDA of .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight may be a little low, but that Americans have blown the need for more protein way out of proportion. If we weren’t getting enough protein, experts say, you’d see far more cases of malnutrition in the States.

“Everybody wants more protein, and they keep questioning me because of something they’ve seen on TikTok,” Ferrara says of her clients. “I try to explain to people that more protein isn’t necessarily better. It’s not the magic fix you’re looking for that’s going to change your life.”

That being said, research does suggest what fitness professionals have been saying all along: that increasing your protein intake can help you lose weight and/or build muscle. Local gym empire Metabolic Fitness has embraced such research, and in addition to group workout classes, offers a Lifestyle Program that works with clients to reach their nutrition goals, often prescribing high-protein diets that help curb hunger, preserve lean muscle while you’re in a caloric deficit, and repair muscle tissue after a workout. “The recommendation for us is anywhere from .7 to 1.1 grams per pound of bodyweight for the majority of people,” says Brian Abbale, the director of the Metabolic Lifestyle Program. “There’s not really a concern for an upper limit of protein. If

you’re controlling for calories, you’re not going to come close to reaching it, as long as you have healthy kidney function.”

So, can increasing your protein intake help you achieve at least some of your fitness goals? Certainly. Is it the end-all-be-all that will solve all of your life’s problems? Probably not. The real solution (as most real solutions are) is more nuanced.

“We really want to focus more on the whole foods,” Ferrara says. “I know that’s the most boring answer, and people don’t want to hear that. They want to hear that the new protein chips are what they need. But moving away from packaged food and doing more whole foods and colors is what we need. We need fruits and vegetables, we need healthy fats, and we need fiber. I don’t believe there’s any certain macronutrient or micronutrient that is going to be a gold star in isolation. Everything works together.”

So the next time you’re building your own grain bowl or salad at Bowled, go ahead, double the protein—but don’t forget to eat those veggies, too.

super bowled Lindsay Ferrara is a registered dietician and owner of Saratoga’s Pinnacle Nutrition; (opposite) Bowled is a fast-casual food franchise whose closest location to Saratoga is in Malta.

Your Ultimate Guide to Fall Golf

BROOKHAVEN GOLF COURSE 333 ALPINE MEADOWS ROAD, PORTER CORNERS

Located in the beautiful foothills of the Adirondacks, Brookhaven Golf Course is “not your ordinary walk in the woods.” The course itself has its own distinct personality and challenges, making it fun for golfers of all abilities, and the onsite restaurant, The View at Brookhaven, serves up affordable favorites such as chicken parmesan and shepherd’s pie with—you guessed it—a view.

518.893.7458 | brookhavengolfcourse.com

COPAKE COUNTRY CLUB 44 GOLF COURSE ROAD, CRARYVILLE

“Public Golf, Private Quality” is the motto of Copake Country Club, a 160-acre, 18-hole golf course nestled in the foothills of the Berkshire and Catskill mountains. Having celebrated its 100th anniversary last summer, Copake features pure greens and meticulously maintained terrain, more than 15 different membership rates, weekday specials for local service workers, discounted twilight packages, and a rustic-chic restaurant overlooking the fairways.

518.325.0019 | copakecountryclub.com

CRONIN’S GOLF RESORT GOLF COURSE ROAD, WARRENSBURG

Cronin’s Golf Resort has proudly been serving New York’s North Country for more than 75 years. Five generations of Cronins have operated the resort, which, located on the Hudson River, is known for its breathtaking views of the Adirondack Mountains. Spend an afternoon playing the 18-hole, par 70 course, or stay for the whole weekend in one of the resort’s motel units or cottages.

518.623.9336 | croninsgolfresort.com

SARATOGA LAKE GOLF CLUB 35 GRACE MOORE ROAD, SARATOGA SPRINGS

Saratoga Lake Golf Club is a par 72 public golf course located in the heart of a lush forest just outside of downtown Saratoga Springs. It’s one of the most relaxing courses in upstate New York; every round takes players past sparkling ponds, beautiful wetlands, and views of Saratoga Lake. Post-round, golfers can enjoy drinks, snacks, or dinner on the spacious deck of The Hideaway, the club’s onsite restaurant.

518.581.6616 | saratogalakegolf.com

WHITEFACE CLUB & RESORT

373 WHITEFACE INN LANE, LAKE PLACID

Luxury awaits at this historic course. Perched on the shores of Lake Placid, it's the only course on the lake. Tight, rolling fairways pair with challenging greens that keep golfers exhilarated and on their toes. Opened as a 9-hole course in 1895 and later expanded to a full 18 holes by architect John Van Kleek, the Whiteface Club is known for excellent play and rewarding post-round celebrations.

518.523.2551 | whitefaceclubresort.com/amenities/golf

THE NEXT GENERATION

In the last year and a half, Saratoga’s dining scene has seen a changing of the guard, as the older generation of bar and restaurant owners pass the torch on to those who will usher in the next era of food & beverage in the Spa City. This summer, saratoga living Editor Natalie Moore sat down with four new bar and restaurant owners to find out what’s in store. 

MEET THE PANELISTS

name: BRIANNA COLLINS

age: 28

hometown: Glens Falls

title: Owner

bar/restaurant: Tin & Lint

previous job: Commercial finance specialist

hidden talent: Playing piano

chipotle order: Steak burrito bowl

life philosophy: Live each day like it’s your last

name: NOAH FRESE

age: 28

hometown: Albany

title: Chef/Owner

bar/restaurant: Noah’s Italian

previous job: Chef at Siro's

hidden talent: Dancing

chipotle order: Chicken bowl with extra corn salsa

life philosophy: Dream big

name: NICHOLAS BYRNE

age: 32

hometown: Saratoga Springs

title: Owner

bar/restaurant: Osteria Danny

previous job: Corporate operations

hidden talent: Multitasking

chipotle order: He prefers Taco Bell’s Cheesy Gordita Crunch

life philosophy: “Benvolio”

name: JACOB MYERS

age: 32

hometown: Greenfield

title: Owner/Proprietor/ Director of Operations

bar/restaurant: Comfort Kitchen

previous job: Bartender at Solevo, The Merc, and Kindred

hidden talent: Sports betting

chipotle order: Carnitas burrito

life philosophy: Every day is a gift

editor’s note: The following is an edited transcription of a video recording that took place at Bright Sighted Media's Saratoga studio on July 31. Since then, there has been some turmoil surrounding Tin & Lint's ownership, and at press time, it was not yet clear what the outcome would be.

NATALIE MOORE: Hi, guys. I’m going to jump right in: What is your first memory of food and drink in Saratoga Springs?

BRIANNA COLLINS: I actually didn’t go out in Saratoga until a few years ago, so I don’t know what my first memory is…Probably trying to sneak into the City Tavern. I didn’t have my ID on me, but I was of age.

NM: Were you trying to go in through the window?

BC: Yeah.

NOAH FRESE: Probably Night Owl. We used to take a party bus up there from Albany.

NICHOLAS BYRNE: Mine’s definitely a lot older: dancing around with my grandparents as a little kid at The Wishing Well when Lou used to play the piano in the tavern.

JACOB MYERS: Mine’s also wholesome and old. My mom used to work as a server at a big movie theater called Broadway Joe’s where the new hotel is over by Purdy’s. I’d sit down and they would just feed us food, because they were like, “Mary’s kids are here—let’s give them food.” So I got fat as a kid.

NM: Nick and Jake—it sounds like you grew up in this area. How has the local food and drink scene changed since you can remember?

JM: It’s transformed in a way where now you’re seeing less restaurant traffic on Broadway, which has been consistent for a long time, to it being spread around the city with places like Solevo and the Phila Street scene.

NB: My only piggyback to that would be that I’m sad to see a lot of my favorites from growing up leave. I miss Lillian’s. Professor Moriarty’s, which is now The Merc, was insane as a kid growing up. I remember being there with my parents and they’d drop a menu down in the summer and it’d be a local menu and a track menu—it would say that on the top of it. But I’m excited to see what these next steps have. Caroline has a lot of growth

potential. To Jake’s point, it’s awesome to see restaurants on the side streets.

NM: Speaking of the future, what’s something you guys would like to see change in Saratoga’s dining scene in, say, the next five years?

NF: I’d like to see some more pizza spots open downtown, and then also an Italian deli downtown. As far as pizza, you’ve got to kind of go out of downtown to get a slice.

NM: Especially now that D’Andrea’s is gone. Now it’s just Pizza 7 and Esperanto, right?

JM: I think Gennaro’s delivers downtown.

NM: And West Ave is close-ish, but not walkable. Anyone else have anything you’d like to see change, even from an industry standpoint?

JM: Oh, I would like rent to go back down, and I’d like less corporate places to come in. I love the whole corporate sector and I just wish we’d keep them over there as far away from downtown as we can. And I want more small restaurants. It’s all big rent, big money. But I think chefs do a lot better work when they’ve focused it down and trimmed it down.

NM: Brianna, do you have anything from a bar ownership standpoint that you’d like to see change?

BC: Yeah, I feel like everyone closes at a different time right now, despite the last call being 4am. I’m usually one of the last bars open on Caroline Street, which is great for business, but I would love if everyone was able to control the crowd and keep it going and make it more lively, especially in the off-season, so it’s not just those seven weeks of track season that are so busy and fun.

NM: Do you consider Saratoga a seasonal town?

JM: The numbers say yes. Certainly, it prolongs into fall—September is usually down but October and leaf-peeping season is good for a lot of businesses. But come January until March, I think every business owner is like, “All right,

which staff do I fire? Which staff do I have to keep?” You’re sitting there trying to give everyone 40 hours.

NB: Not only is it seasonal—I think we’re starting to get a second summer season now with what NYRA’s been doing with the track. We almost have two summers now: the summer that starts in May, and then the real Saratoga summer in August. But I agree with Jake. You’ve got your regulars, and you’ve got Skidmore, and conferences.

JM: There’s a chess event in early March. I’m like, “It’s March—it’s going to be a slow day.” And every year I get caught off guard by a mob of parents and their children coming in.

NM: Now that the city is used to having Belmont here, do you think it’ll be an adjustment for business owners when the race goes back to Belmont Park?

NB: If Belmont’s not here, there’s going to be no reason for people to come in June or the beginning half of July. Economically, we’re going to see number shifts. We have a family who’s dined with us 40 times from Belmont through Labor Day. But we won’t have them for probably half of that in 2027.

BC: Belmont was a great weekend— it was a record weekend for us, not having lived through a Travers there yet. But I think that it’s just one busy weekend. Everyone left town and it felt like a normal summer crowd after that. I’m viewing it as just losing one good weekend, which could always be replaced with some other event that could bring people to town, like a block party.

NM: Bring back the Caroline Street Block Party?

BC: I would love to bring it back.

JM: I would put money on NYRA being like, “So, we’re not doing Belmont in Saratoga anymore, but what if we just kept doing the track in June anyway?”

NB: I follow horse racing, and Belmont Park is not anywhere near completion. If it weren’t for the Breeders’ Cup being there in ’27, I think we could

count on Belmont at least two more summers. But I do see them shifting Aqueduct up here.

NM: Switching gears...What is your biggest restaurant pet peeve?

NB: Spots on glassware. I don’t care what size you are. I remember when Olive Garden opened in Clifton Park, the water glasses had food stuck to them and spots everywhere.

NF: I would say sh***y steak knives. If I’m spending $200 on a steak and you hand me something the Outback has to cut pumpernickel bread, it’s not a good thing.

JM: I mean, I sell hamburgers, but for me, it’s not having proper wine service. I’m a stickler about wine.

BC: I’ll stay silent on that. People will come for Tin & Lint.

NM: I do have a question for you, Bri. You took over Tin & Lint around Easter. Can you speak a little about how you’ve been navigating keeping the bar relevant in 2025 without changing the spirit of this iconic Saratoga watering hole?

BC: I had to be very careful not to change the spirit because so many people come to Saratoga to see Tin & Lint. It’s iconic. A lot of people are the third generation that’s been drinking there. There are always couples that come in and tell me they met there and they’re now married with three kids. So I had to make sure that I just updated it without changing the aesthetic. That was the main thing. I actually had a customer come in recently, and I love his quote. He was like, “Something’s different here. But it’s still sticky.”

NM: Nick, same question: You took over Danny’s earlier this year. How much of yourself are you putting into the restaurant and how much are you keeping the same?

NB: The only real thing I’m trying to change is to put up some of my own family photos. The whole point of buying Danny’s was to keep it Danny’s.

It’s never going to be the same place it was without Danny being the chef. But my team has done the best that they’re able to with the cards they’ve been dealt. In my lifetime, Saratoga has lost so many of our staples that I wish my kids were going to be able to grow up going to. So I think if we can try to keep the places as similar as possible, we’re going to be in good shape.

NM: Noah, these three bought existing restaurants, and you’re in the process of opening a new restaurant. What’s something that a lot of people don’t realize about opening a brand-new restaurant in Saratoga?

NF: How hard construction actually is, as far as getting everything in. The timeline is the biggest part. I hire a plumber, and that plumber takes 10 other jobs. How does he come to your restaurant on time and get the job done in a timely fashion?

NM: I know you’re planning to open later this year...What can we expect?

NF: It’s two floors, so downstairs is a regular restaurant and upstairs, I wanted to maximize the space, so we built a loft—a third floor—that’s all glass. Growing up, I loved the movie

The Mask, and I loved the scene where Cameron Diaz is singing at the supper club. I wanted to make it that vibe, where it’s two separate identities, because the restaurant is huge. So we built a chef’s table kitchen, where it’ll be a 16-seat table and you can book one of my staff members to cook in front of you. You get an experience where you come through the back door and it’s like you’re in GoodFellas

NM: And Jake, you bought your restaurant last January, so you’re a seasoned veteran. With all your wisdom, do you have any advice for these three that are just starting out?

JM: The first year is the hardest because you’re adapting, putting in systems, making things your way. Once you have your system set up, it’ll feel way easier. You modify your own schedule and figure out what works for you.

NM: Now, a question for all of you. There are so many bars and restaurants in Saratoga. How do you set yourself apart?

NF: The best thing to do is not focus on anyone else. Just focus on what you do and what you’re good at. There are several Italian restaurants in Saratoga. But what do you do that separates yourself?

NB: Look at how many Italian restaurants Saratoga has. We’re all different. Every single one of us offers something that the other one doesn’t, whether it’s northern Italian food, southern Italian food, or Noah with his steakhouse style he’s coming in with. I don’t think you need to do anything. Just keep yourself honed in and focus on yourself.

JM: Yeah, just do a good job. It’s really not that hard.

BC: And have fun with it.

NM: What would you say is the biggest struggle that bars and restaurants are facing right now?

NB: I’d say all the heightened costs recently. From the supplier and purveyor standpoint, things have gone through the roof in the past couple of months. At some point, it’s going to put a pinch on everybody and you’re going to have to raise your prices. And when you raise your prices, the customer is going to get mad.

JM: And it’s across the board. This time last year, beef cost me $3.40 a pound. Now it’s up to $4.20, $4.50. When it comes to liquor and wine, they just announced the 15 percent tariff on European stuff. Do you want the customer to pay extra money, or are you going to eat the cost yourself? And people are just like, “Get local.” It doesn’t work like that with wine. As much as I might like Finger Lakes and Vermont wines, there’s something to be said about Italian wines.

NM: Jake, I feel like you have more to say on this topic.

JM: The biggest issue—and I love all my staff and I pay them as much as

I can—is that people can’t afford to live in town. For us it’s going to be a worker squeeze. At some point, push comes to shove. It’s an issue that we as restaurant owners should be privy to, having to hire individuals driving 30, 40 minutes to work.

NM: If you guys are starving and need something to eat, what’s your go-to in Saratoga?

BC: I always go to Siro’s, my favorite restaurant. Or the hot dog stand outside EBI.

NB: Definitely Henry Street Taproom on Tuesdays for dollar oysters. For brunch, and we’ll keep it in that family, Kindred. They have hands-down one of the best brunches in town.

NF: I would say Hamlet & Ghost is my go-to. I go there probably twice a week. The burger is great. Their beef tartare is always amazing. They actually had a cucumber salad that was insane. I would never order cucumber, but it was perfect.

JM: I had that last night. Natalie, you said quick bite, so I’m thinking about what I want to eat after a long shift at my restaurant: Price Chopper sushi, every single time. I love imitation crab. That, or a turkey club wrap. There’s something to be said about dirt-cheap food, because that’s what I sell. For a meal, I just go to Creature and get a Caesar salad.

NM: Is it so familiar that we’re dropping the first word and just calling it “Creature” now?

Watch the entire interview, produced by BRIGHT SIGHTED MEDIA, on our YouTube page.

JM: It’s too many words sometimes. Hamlet & Ghost got turned into Hamlet. Osteria Danny is Danny’s. NM: The other day I heard someone call Cooperstown Distillery “Coop’s.”

NM: OK, last question: What’s your favorite thing about owning a business in Saratoga?

NF: The coolest part for me, being from Albany where everything’s so spread out, is that Saratoga’s more of a tight-knit community. You can walk outside and go to another restaurant. The community support is really cool.

BC: I agree. Not growing up in Saratoga, as soon as I moved here, I was like, “OK, there’s no other place in Upstate that I would live.” Everyone was so welcoming with open arms. Being in the service industry, you get to know everyone.

JM: There’s a mild notoriety to it where it’s like you’re in a club, not to put it in a weird way. I’ve known Ryan [from Henry Street Taproom], Ronnie [from Solevo], and Brendan [from Hamlet & Ghost] forever. But you buy a business, and it’s more like a community, where they’ll talk shop to me. All these people are looking out for you as long as you’re a good person, because they want to see other good business owners in town.

NB: Yeah, now that I’m in that seat, everyone’s so helpful. Mario at West Ave has been invaluable to me. He makes our focaccia. We’re the only place he makes it for. Dan at Saratoga’s Broadway Deli and Bibulous has been insanely helpful. Even Noah—we were in track season and I ran out of rocks glasses one night. I shot him a text and he was like, “go grab them if you need them.” It’s teamwork. I’m not saying we always get along, but I don’t think anyone wants to see the other one fail. There was a saying on a shirt I had back in college: “You don’t go far alone. You’ll get there fast, but you’ll fail.” And that’s the truth.

Take Me to Church

Bonacio Construction’s new 78 Church Street Condominiums might just be the pinnacle of city living.

If you’ve spent any time on Saratoga’s West Side (or East Side or South Side, for that matter) recently, you’ve likely come across construction sites bearing the name of the Spa City’s preeminent builder: Bonacio Construction

On South Broadway, Bonacio is hard at work on a 120room AC Marriott Hotel that’s expected to open this fall.

On the East Side, just a block from Congress Park, they’re transforming the 9,760-square-foot Tudor-style Waldorf School on Regent Street into five luxury residences. And on the West Side, a high-end condominium building is already looming large over Church Street, offering turnkey units and a low-maintenance lifestyle. Offering 23 residential units, two commercial spaces, a gym, a community/meeting room, and a common area rooftop deck for condo residents, the 78 Church

Street Condominiums are located just three blocks from Broadway. Residential units start at $1.17 million and vary from 2 to 3 bedrooms that are complete with spacious balconies and finished with gas fireplaces, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, recessed lighting, hardwood floors, and tiled showers.

“The condos give you a neighborhood feel with their downtown location and very inviting floorplans,” says Julie A. Bonacio, president of Bonacio and broker/owner of Julie & Co. Realty, LLC. “The units are clean and sophisticated, yet very welcoming. And all of them include an enclosed parking spot, with storage units available for purchase.”

The pet-friendly condos are fully under construction and taking contracts. Construction is anticipated to be complete in in the fall/ winter of this year, with occupancy beginning immediately after. ■

To learn more or schedule a tour, contact Julie at 518.701.5080 or julie@bonacio.com.

Why Now is the Time to Go Solar

A Saratoga Homeowner’s Guide to Seamless Energy Independence

with Kasselman Solar

Homeowners have been going solar for decades, and 2025 is one of the best— and last—chances to lock in the maximum savings. Electricity prices keep climbing, environmental benefits remain strong, and there’s a new reason to act now: The 30 percent Federal Solar Tax Credit ends after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

WHAT’S CHANGED?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed on July 4th, 2025, drastically accelerates the sunset for residential solar, eliminating the 30 percent solar credit after this year. Previous policy had the tax credit lasting until 2032 with a multi-step phase out; however, with the recent bill’s changes, this is the final year to claim the maximum savings.

End-of-year installation capacity is rapidly filling across solar companies, but solar savings are clear with or without the additional incentives. Rapidly rising utility rates and even more price hikes proposed in the coming years mean now is the time to get ahead with solar.

DON’T FORGET NEW YORK STATE INCENTIVES

State-level incentives don’t last forever either. New York State has some of the top state-level incentives across the US. Many homeowners are eligible to claim the 25 percent state credit (up to $5,000) as well as NYSERDA’s block rebates, which offer additional savings. Funds are awarded first-come, first-served, and blocks step down as they fill—waiting can mean thousands less in incentives.

RISING UTILITY RATES

Taking a quick look at New York’s residential electricity prices, they’ve jumped by an average of 13 percent over

the past year. That upward pressure on electricity prices is not stopping anytime soon, and future outlooks predict continuously growing demand.

Many New York State utilities, such as National Grid and NYSEG, already have proposed rate hikes into the coming years. This could cause customers to see 20-30 percent hikes (or more) in gas and electric rates.

WHY CHOOSE KASSELMAN?

Trusted, local, and proven: Kasselman Solar is the Capital Region’s only Enphase Platinum and NYSERDA Gold Quality Solar Installer. They’ve completed 3,500-plus installations across residential, commercial, and government sectors. As an affiliate of Kasselman Electric, they bring 75-plus years of electrical expertise to every job—ensuring trusted quality and reliability.

KASSELMAN’S GROWING FOR 2025, 2026, AND BEYOND Kasselman has expanded install crews, worked to streamline internal processes and communications, ramped up scheduling and installations, and more, all to get as many qualified customers installed and taking advantage of the tax credit in 2025 as possible. At the same time, they’ve been growing their in-house, dedicated Service Division, so you can be sure your system will be supported post-installation.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Between the expiring 30 percent Federal Tax Credit, New York State incentives and rebates, rising utility rates, and more, many Capital Region homeowners are saving thousands on their total system cost. Even if you miss the 2025 deadline, you’ll still be eligible to save tens of thousands over the lifetime of your solar system. Don’t miss out on savings while utility rates climb higher every year.

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to go solar, this is it. Scan the QR code to get started. ■

SARATOGA’S HOTTEST TICKETS

saratoga living’s Rooftop Soirée with Corcoran & Perennial Condos

AUGUST 19

PERENNIAL CONDOS PENTHOUSE

photography by ZACK SKOWRONEK

Corcoran Country Living, the Hudson Valley affiliate of top Manhattan-based real estate company Corcoran, is making its first foray into Saratoga Springs, and saratoga living threw a party to celebrate! Formerly the Perennial Apartments (and before that the Pavillon Grand Hotel), the building located at 30 Lake Ave will be transformed into 48 luxury condominiums. Corcoran Country Living will be the exclusive sales agent. At the penthouse soirée, the saratoga living and Corcoran teams were joined by realtors, business owners, and other members of the Saratoga community for a party featuring music by Jeff Brisbin, light fare by the onsite Omakase Sushi and Grill, and drink samples by Artisanal Brew Works, First Fill Spirits, and Curamia Tequila.

AUGUST 5 • GAVIN PARK

photography by ERICA MILLER

Center for Disability Services’ Siro’s Cup

JULY 9 • SIRO’S photography by

Miss Scarlett Boutique’s Racing & Rosé

JULY 19 • NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING photography by

JULY 17 • SARATOGA NATIONAL photography by

SARATOGA’S HOTTEST TICKETS

MORGAN CAMPBELL

BRANDON SEGAL

CATHLEEN DUFFY

Photos by Meri Light Photography

home stretch

En Pointe

saratoga living TEAMED UP WITH SPAC FOR STYLE NIGHT AT THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET . ATTENDEES UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT.

BY TIINA LOITE

photography by SHAWN L a CHAPELLE

EVENT: NYCB STYLE NIGHT

PLACE: SPAC

DATE: JULY 12

at spac, which has a covered amphitheater but is known for its sprawling, open-air lawn, the weather tends to matter more than it does at other indoor live music venues. But when Mother Nature doesn’t want to cooperate on one of the few sacred days of New York City Ballet performances, the show must go on. That was the case on the rainy July 12, when SPAC encouraged guests to dress in their Saturday’s best for Style Night at the New York City Ballet.

fashion & style :: HOUSE & HOME :: FOOD & DRINK

AUSTIN BAYLISS

EVENT DIRECTOR AT SPAC

Have you worn this outfit to any other SPAC events?

“I wore this to the Culinary Arts Mushroom Experience dinner two years ago, but without the hat. When they said tonight was Style Night, I knew it was an opportunity to bust out the Stetson.”

JOYCE & GARRY WHITE

PHILANTHROPIST & REAR ADMIRAL (RET.)

GW: “The shoes are Versace, the belt is Versace.”

Wait, I haven’t asked you a question yet, but let’s continue. Why are you wearing that tonight?

GW: “Because I was dressing for you!”

Joyce, give me a rundown on what you’re wearing.

JW: “I’m wearing Proenza Schouler with Chanel ballet flats and a Dolce & Gabbana bag. It evokes the Amalfi Coast.”

Does tonight’s weather concern you?

JW: No, I’m dressed for the seaside.

LARRY WIEST LAWYER

You look amazing, like a painting. That’s the perfect theme outfit for a ballet. “I’ve worn it before but in bits and pieces.”

And that umbrella!

“It’s a vintage umbrella from a gift shop called Romeo’s in Albany.”

home stretch

LANCE CHANG ARTIST

So, what brings you to Saratoga?

“I donated a plaque for a seat during Covid. I’ve never seen the seat, so I came to check it out and see the New York City Ballet. I do photography, painting, and textiles, and that explains my outfit.”

MILA DUNN & ALEXIS GOLDEN

5-YEAR-OLD & ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE

Is that a new special dress?

MD: “This is my next time wearing it”

AG: “She means she’s wearing it for the second time.” And have you worn your dress to anything special before this?

AG: “I wore it to work last week.”

JONAH BAYLISS HVAC SALESMAN

What made you wear pants with flowers in the pouring rain?

“To bring optimism to a rainy day.”

Why did you buy these pants in the first place?

“I bought them for the Kentucky Derby. I try to get as much usage out of them as I can.”

ANGELA COMPLIANCE AUDITOR

Are you getting lots of comments on your look?

“So many fellow ballet-goers went out of their way to compliment my dress. A lady came up to me and said, “I’ve seen you around tonight—I just wanted to let you know I love how sparkly you are!”

TAYLOR SCHUMAKER & IZZY CAREY

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & SALES LEADER

Why are you wearing a suit tonight?

TS: “Why wouldn’t I be wearing this? It’s a ballet. You’re supposed to wear something interesting. You just want to have a ’fit people will talk about.”

Speaking of a ’fit people will talk about, let’s talk about your dress.

IC: “I rented it. It matches the bag I just bought. I’m obsessed with it.”

I’m obsessed with it too. Your bag is really an objet d’art…Is it actually functional? Can it hold a bunch of stuff?

IC: “The bag is functional! It can hold the basic necessities.”

AMANDA RAO & TAYLOR RAO

SENIOR BUTTONISTA AND BUTTONISTA

It’s raining like crazy as we’re chatting. Are you good with what you're wearing right now?

TR: “We didn’t think it would rain.”

AR: “I wore something weather-related.”

TR: “And I’m breastfeeding, so these boobs are only going to look this good for so long.”

home stretch

FASHION & STYLE :: house & home :: FOOD & DRINK

You Wanna Be on Top?

THE ADELPHI UNVEILS ITS LUXURY RESIDENCES: 79 CONDOMINIUMS HIGHLIGHTED BY A SPRAWLING TWO-FLOOR PENTHOUSE.

BY KATHLEEN WILLCOX

how do you design the ultimate crash pad for people who’ve seen it all, and expect the best?

Real estate developers Michael Dubb and Larry Roth of Beechwood Homes found themselves asking this question as they set out to create the crème de la crème of Saratoga condos: The Residences at The Adelphi Hotel.

The 79 condominiums, which began welcoming residents this year, are just one (albeit massive) piece of a three-year, $90 million renovation that expanded the hotel from 32 to 65 guestrooms, transformed the lobby and ballroom, upgraded onsite restaurants Salt & Char and Morrissey’s, and turned a courtyard

into an urban oasis. The ultimate goal: to create a seamless experience for both visitors and residents that delivers their desires before they have time to contemplate them.

If The Residences are the gold standard for condominiums in downtown Saratoga Springs, the penthouse is the ultimate expression of that standard. With three bedrooms and 2.5 baths, the penthouse is complete with a private terrace, full-service wraparound bar, built-in cubby space in the foyer, full laundry room, and flex space in the dining area that can be used as another bedroom or an office.

“We’ve been very positively surprised that more people want bigger units,” Roth

vision works “The vision we had for the Adelphi Residences was to create beautiful, light-filled spaces that offer a blend of traditional and modern interior design elements,” says Michael Dubb. “But more importantly, to offer endless lifestyle amenities that will appeal to people looking for a home with a five-star resort experience in the heart of an exciting city, and none of the usual headaches of home ownership, like lawn care and snow removal.”

says. “Mike and I both have larger units in the building ourselves, and once people saw that, they wanted it. Construction would have been completed earlier, but we’ve found ourselves combining units to accommodate the desire for larger spaces.”

To help give prospective residents an idea of what life at The Residences would be like, Dubb and Roth had a

few of the units pre-furnished—including the penthouse. And while some buyers have decided to furnish and decorate their condos themselves, others have opted to buy them as is. “We have a lot of emptynesters and people for whom this is their fourth home,” Dubb says. “People want turnkey, and they are clearly happy with what our design team delivers.”

But, predictably, it’s not necessarily what’s in the condos that has drawn wellheeled buyers from near and far to The Residences. It’s everything else.

“The top three things people look for in real estate are location, location, location,” Roth says. “You walk out of the Adelphi and you feel like you’re on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Our doormen and valets know not just all of the residents, but their dogs. We shuttle people to the track and back in luxury buses, a golf cart, and a car. We have a professional-grade gym with locker rooms and saunas, a game room, a yoga studio, a lounge, a library, a meeting room, a masseuse on call, room service from two of the city’s best restaurants, access to a private resident concierge, and housekeeping on demand. What else could people want?”

home stretch

see food 13 North’s Lazy Lobster is currently a special, but will be moving to the main menu at Elody.

FASHION & STYLE :: HOUSE & HOME :: food & drink

WAIT FOR IT

13 North Restaurant Moving to Phila Street, Changing Name

NAMED AFTER OWNERS PATTI AND LARRY WEAVER’S GRANDDAUGHTER, ELODY WILL BRING FAN-FAVORITE 13 NORTH DISHES TO DOWNTOWN SARATOGA.

just when you foodies thought Phila Street couldn’t get any better, a pair of local restaurateurs is raising the F&B bar even higher. While Saratoga had its eyes on the impending openings of Standard Fare and Noah’s Italian, Patti and Larry Weaver of 13 North were devising a plan to move their downhome food and decadent desserts to downtown Saratoga. While 13 North, named for its location just off Exit 13 of the Northway, was at press time scheduled to close up shop after 10 years in business following track season, its downtown successor will follow right on its heels: Elody, named after the owners’ granddaughter, will take the spot formerly occupied by Phila Fusion on the corner of Phila and Henry streets this fall...

Scan the QR code for the rest of the story, and head to the SARATOGA LIVING AFTER HOURS homepage for more foodie news updates.

Cantina

408 BROADWAY, SARATOGA SP R INGS cantinasaratoga.com • 518.587.5577

Broadway dining hotspot Cantina has been serving up fresh Mexican dishes and signature margaritas in the heart of downtown Saratoga for the last 18 years. Guests flock to the restaurant for its festive vibe, creative and delicious fare, and craft cocktails—happy hour, anyone?! Grab a seat on the patio or in the stylishly airy interior to enjoy southof-the-border favorites including salads, seafood, tacos, and fajitas, or head up to the Cantina Rooftop, open on warm weekends through the fall. Open daily noon-9pm. Cantina Rooftop hours updated daily on Instagram.

Lake Ridge

35 BURLINGTON AVENUE, ROUND LAKE lake-ridge.com • 518.899.6000

Celebrate 24 years of Lake Ridge, a fine dining restaurant

that’s tucked away in the Village of Round Lake, just off exit 11 of the Northway and only 10 minutes from Saratoga Springs and 15 minutes from Albany. The romantic establishment—which boasts seafood, steak, pasta, and small plates and was voted first in the Fine Dining category in Saratoga Today’s Best of Saratoga survey—is a great, laid-back alternative to dining in busy Saratoga. Whether you’re sitting down for a threecourse meal or grabbing a drink at the mahogany bar, you’ll always have a great time at Lake Ridge. Open 4-8:45pm Tuesday-Saturday.

Putnam’s Restaurant

24 GIDEON PUTNAM ROAD, SARATOGA SPRINGS gideonputnam.com • 866.890.1171

The Gideon Putnam’s signature dining experience, Putnam’s Restaurant, offers historic charm, firstclass service, and seasonally changing menus. But the restaurant isn’t just open to guests of the historic hotel—the public is welcome to stop by for breakfast and dinner. Locally sourced and seasonal ingredients are used whenever possible in dishes such as shrimp and lobster risotto, grilled portobello burgers, and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, all of which are served by highly trained staff who provide personalized service to each and every customer. See website for hours of operation.

Franklin Square Market

55 RAILROAD PLACE, SARATOGA SPRINGS franklinsqmarket.com • 518.430.2049

Sure, you can pick up groceries (including more than four dozen local products) at Franklin Square Market, but did you know that downtown Saratoga’s favorite grocery store has a full-service onsite bar and restaurant with all-new food and drink menus, too? Stop by for $6 Happy Hour Tuesday-Saturday, and browse the store while you sip (yes, you can shop with a drink in your hand!), or make full use of the fall weather— outdoor seating is available! Open 7 days a week.

Kindred

84 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS kindredsaratoga.com • 518.886.1198

Imagine dining at a chic NYC restaurant…without ever having to leave downtown Saratoga. That’s what it feels like when you eat at Kindred, a cozy, sophisticated bar and restaurant located on Henry Street. Opened in 2023, Kindred has quickly gained a reputation for its wood-fired food, hand-crafted cocktails, and impressive wine program. With something for everyone, Kindred is the perfect spot for a night out on the town. Open Tuesday-Saturday 4pm-midnight.

Panza’s Restaurant

129 SOUTH BROADWAY, SARATOGA SPRINGS panzasrestaurant.com • 518.584.6882

Treasured family recipes have kept Panza’s a Saratoga staple since 1938. Expect authentic Italian food that meets modern American fare in a classic setting, an ever-evolving menu that keeps regulars coming back for new takes on their favorite dishes, and weekly live music at the intimate piano bar and on the Starlight Lounge stage. And don’t forget to stick around for dessert! The Panza’s team would like to thank all who helped vote the establishment Best Saratoga County Restaurant in this year’s CAPITAL REGION LIVING Bestie Awards. Open Wednesday-Sunday 5-9pm.

Henry Street Taproom

86 HENRY STREET, SARATOGA SPRINGS henrystreettaproom.com • 518.886.8938

Good food, lots of beer, and an atmosphere that’s the perfect mix of relaxed, cozy, and chic? That’s what you can expect at Henry Street Taproom, which has been serving local craft beers and ciders, inventive cocktails, and locally sourced, made-from-scratch food since 2012. More than 12 years later, Henry Street is still a go-to spot for locals who never tire of settling in on the patio or cozying up to the fire when the winter weather rolls around. Open Tuesday-Friday 4-10pm; Saturday 2-10pm; Sunday 2-9pm.

The Wishing Well

745 SARATOGA ROAD, GANSEVOORT wishingwellrestaurant.com • 518.584.7640

Acornerstone of Saratoga's dining scene, The Wishing Well has welcomed guests since 1936 with its reputation for excellence. The menu showcases USDA Prime beef, live Maine lobsters, and the freshest seasonal seafood, paired with an awardwinning wine list and cocktails to match every palate. Looking for the perfect meal on a crisp fall evening? Locals and visitors alike have been flocking to The Wishing Well for a high quality meal just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Saratoga for generations. Open Tuesday-Sunday at 4pm.

Maison

As a caterer for special occasions, Adam Foti kept hearing the same question: Where can I get your food on any old day? He took that sentiment to heart, and earlier this year opened PDT Maison on Maple Avenue in downtown Saratoga. An extension of PDT Catering, PDT Maison serves brunch and lunch five days a week; highlights include PDT's famous popovers, French toast, salads, flatbreads, and plenty of boozy, brunch-y cocktails. See website for hours.

The Brook Tavern

139

It doesn’t get much more convenient—or delicious!— than dining at The Brook Tavern, an elevated casual restaurant with something for everyone that’s located just steps from the historic Saratoga Race Course on Union Avenue. But Brook Tavern is a favorite even in the racing off-season: Stop by for a glass of wine and some small plates (sesameencrusted ahi tuna, anyone?), grab a

The Brook Tavern

thebrooktavern.com

 518.871.1473

139 Union Avenue

Saratoga Springs

Franklin Square Market

franklinsqmarket.com

 518.430.2049

55 Railroad Place

Saratoga Springs

Henry Street Taproom

henrystreettaproom.com

 518.886.8938

86 Henry Street

Saratoga Springs

Kindred

kindredsaratoga.com

 518.886.1198

84 Henry Street

Saratoga Springs

Lake Ridge Restaurant

lake-ridge.com

 518.899.6000

35 Burlington Avenue

Round Lake

PDT Maison

pdtmaison.com

 866.890.1171

24 Gideon Putnam Road

Saratoga Springs

Putnam’s Restaurant

gideonputnam.com

 866.890.1171

24 Gideon Putnam Road

Saratoga Springs

The Wishing Well

wishingwellrestaurant.com

 518.584.7640

745 Saratoga Road

Gansevoort

Panza’s Restaurant

panzasrestaurant.com

 518.584.6882

129 South Broadway

Saratoga Springs

cantinasaratoga.com

 518.587.5577

408 Broadway

Saratoga Springs

and

Do you love to be the

? Stay

These days, while the real CeeLo Green’s popularity has waned, the Saratoga lookalike has remained a stalwart of Saratoga nightlife. The Brooklyn native now serves as the doorman for Putnam Place by night, and as a monitor for Shelters of Saratoga’s 14 Walworth Street shelter by day.

The thing I love about CeeLo—and I’m sure countless other Saratogians would agree—is that he always greets me like we’re old friends. So I decided to get to know this unrelentingly positive, dapperly dressed man-of-fewwords a little bit better.

How’d you wind up as a bouncer in Saratoga?

I always did security in the City; I worked in a lot of celebrity clubs. I used to visit Saratoga, and then I ended up saying, “You know what? I’m gonna stay.”

What's your favorite part about doing security?

SARATOGIAN OF THE MONTH

The Saratoga CeeLo

CEELO GREEN LOOKALIKE STEVE CALLANDER HAS EMBRACED HIS RESEMBLANCE TO THE R&B STAR—AND USED IT TO HELP SPREAD JOY IN THE SPA CITY.

BY NATALIE MOORE

photography by SHAWN L a CHAPELLE

The late 2000s and early 2010s were a strange time for Steve Callander.

That’s because while the Saratoga bouncer was busy keeping patrons of Gaffney’s safe, a man who looked oddly similar to him was topping the R&B charts with songs like “Crazy” and “Forget You.”

“Every bar in Saratoga used to fight for me,” says Steve, who you probably

father time In his free time, Steve says he likes to hang out with his kids; he has an 18-year-old daughter who goes to UAlbany and an 8-year-old son who goes to school in Saratoga.

know by his nickname, CeeLo.

“Because if I was standing at that door in the front…50, 60 people— I’m taking pictures with them. They came every year to see CeeLo.”

Just interacting with different people and the community—being a people person. Working at the door, everybody knows me. Hospitality— that’s the key.

You always seem so happy to see everyone.

I’m old-school, so my thing is deescalation—talking to people and seeing what’s going on.

Did any big opportunities arise because of your resemblance to CeeLo Green?

I was getting offers. Big bands that used to play at Putnam would say “CeeLo, we can take you to Vegas.” But I never took it serious! I just did it for the job and for people to be happy.

Can you sing?

Yeah, a little bit.

If you could change one thing about Saratoga, what would it be?

Nothing, really. To me, everything’s beautiful.

HAVE A FAVORITE HAIRDRESSER IN THE CAPITAL REGION?

A GO-TO SPOT FOR A LATE-NIGHT MEAL?

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SHOW THEM YOUR LOVE AND VOTE IN THE

2026 BESTIE AWARDS

WITH MORE THAN 200 CATEGORIES spanning from coffee and cookies to law firm and landscaper, the Capital Region’s longest running “best of” awards are back! When you vote in the Besties, you aren’t just selecting from a dropdown menu of preselected options. You’re actually writing in your vote—with no input from the CRL team given. We then compile the votes and divide them into two categories: People & Places and Food & Drink. Pick up a copy of the People & Places issue in March 2026, and the Food & Drink issue in May 2026!

ONLINE BALLOTS ARE OPEN OCTOBER 15–NOVEMBER 30

Voting in the Besties is one of the best ways you can show your support for your favorite local businesses. Save this link ’til October 15, or follow CRL on social media to be the first to be the first to know when Bestie voting goes live. Each week of voting, one lucky voter will WIN A $50 GIFT CARD to a local restaurant. THE FINE PRINT: Please keep the answers local. Votes nominating chain stores/restaurants will not be tallied. Only one completed ballot per valid email address will be counted.