Asian

1.      Emperor -- Wolf Road- Best Chinese.  Expect to see many tablefulls of Union faculty on an average Friday night.

2.      Bangkok -- Wolf Road- Thai, next door to Emperor.  Decent; closer than the only other thai in Saratoga.

3.      My~ Linh – Upscale Vietnamese with fine décor, separate rooms, a full bar (stocked with people and alcohol) next door to art-house movies.  Rush times an hour before each movie show-time.

4.      Van’s – Vietnamese in the space previously occupied by My Linh (lower Madison Ave, Albany).  Cute, cozy, delicious.

5.      Sitar – Indian.  Don't miss the chicken tandoori or the special nan.  Excellent food, generous servings, even better leftovers.  Pricey.  Route 5, Colonie.

6.      Aashiana – Pakistani.  Try the chicken tikka masala at dinner!  Cheap and relatively good lunch buffet.  Jay Street across from City Hall.

7.      Mari’s - Japanese; nice atmosphere, good service, very good sushi.  Eel lovers should check it out – try the Henry or the Alligator.  803 Rte 50, Burnt Hills.

8.      Ginza -- Japanese and Korean; wide variety of sushi dishes (try the specials).  Just past the intersection of  I-87 on Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham.

American

1.      JR’S BBQ – American BBQ; paper plates and plastic – lots of food, friendly, and yummy.  658 Saratoga Road, Burnt Hills

2.      Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive In –American hamburger stand, line up out of doors only in good weather.  If you give them a tip, they’ll all yell “Subway! Thank you!” -- Collins Park, Scotia

3.      Good Times Lakeview Restaurant – 175 Lake Road, Ballston Lake.  Recommend chili and grog, home-brewed beer (“Ballston Lake Bottom-Water” – visit the geology department if you want to know more about the name),  murder mystery nights.

4.      Miss Albany Diner – beats the Blue Ribbon (which is much closer) hands down though you will wait weekends for a table.  Downhome, pork-laced, gravy covered.  Not for calorie counters.  Broadway at the port, Albany.

Italian

1.      Scotti’s – Where everybody knows your name… warm, cozy atmosphere, good penne à la vodka, calamari, mediocre salads.  Serves wine; not open Sundays.  Upper Union.

2.      Aromi d’Italia – Gelato, gelato, gelato.  Wood-oven pizza: our favorite is artichoke pizza and artichoke salad.  Outing includes a hike in the Albany Pine Bush. Corner of 20 and 155: 2050 Western Ave., Guilderland

3.      Sanducci’s – deli and home of the sanducci sandwich (it’s big!).  Upper Union.

4.      Perrino’s –recently re-opened, worth a try. Rosa Road.

5.      Appian Way  -- Recently changed owners – cozy, tasty, and not as good as it used to be – southern not northern Italian. Van Vranken Ave.

6.      Cornell’s – popular, 50’s-style booths, overcrowded and overpriced.  Real-life twin of the 'evil' Italian restaurant in "Big Night."  Van Vranken Ave.

7.      Peter Pause—Italian breakfast and early lunch (open till 2 pm) but you can walk there!  Nott Street

8.      Fireside – Pizza and the Lotto from your own table.  Nice fire in the winter.  Best pizza close by the Price Chopper.  Eastern Ave.

9.      Petta’s – according to lore, a family Italian place.  Jim McCord and Senator Clinton swear by it.

Greek/Mediterranean

1.      Daniel’s – our new fave.  Israeli – as cooked by Tajiki Jews.  Must order humus platter appetizer, excellent lamb kabobs. Metroland recommends Greek baked salmon in phyllo.  BYOB.  Unfortunately lost its lease on lower Washington Street but promises to reopen in a new venue September 2002—stay tuned, Albany.

2.      Castelo’s – Greek/Italian.  Diner style; gyros that are flat but cause gyration.  Greek salads are plenty big at smaller sizes.  Nott Terrace.

3.      Chariot Restaurant – Pretty good.  Awesome baklava.  At least one Union student ralphed there on official business, so you might not mention the college.  Western Ave, Guilderland.

Coffee and Sandwich places

1.      Ambition – coffee, Schenectady-named sandwiches (try Gigi, Ambition, and the Stockader), save room for bread pudding! Jay Street

2.      Sanducci – see Italian

3.      Gershon’s  -- White fish platter – get the whole one to share, not the whitefish salad.  Good sandwiches, not strictly kosher either (ham, clam chowder).  Good cold cuts to go.  Takes orders for Rosh Hashanah and Pesach.  Skip the knishes and latkes – hockey puck city.  Upper Union

4.      Starbuck’s  -- Balltown Road at Nott St,  or Wolf Road ( Wolf Road good for scoping, less house-wifey than Balltown).

5.      Uncommon Grounds – Saratoga

6.      Ravenous – Saratoga.  Do you pronounce this ‘raven-us’ or ‘raven-oo’?  A tip -- those that frequent it tend toward the latter.  Can someone say, crèpes et pommes frites?

7.      Montana Mills – fresh bread and good sandwiches, pre-packed.  No seating, but a good off-campus destination.  Upper Union.

8.      Bruegger’s – bagels. Nuff said.  Upper Union.

Pubs

1.      Pinhead Susan’s – Ask a local about the name and be prepared for an earful.  An "Irish" place where the special is very often chicken cacciatore. Passable pub grub.  Watch out for the Guiness burger – funky in the worst sense.  Good on-tap, sports-bar atmosphere away from Chet’s.  Fun crowd.

2.      Gator McGee's – New to Union Street.  Limited pub food, serves strawberry margaritas with whipped cream (!).  On the plus side, it has tables outside.  Union Street below campus.

3.      Union Inn – check out Modern Languages department gatherings here on Fridays around 5pm.

4.      Albany Pump House – try to find the entrance to this converted building on the Albany port (surrounded by 787 on and off ramps).  Home brewed beer, fish and chips, strange but good chicken pot pie, good for meatloaf cravings.

5.      Van Dyke -- Service is glacially slow; appetizers passable to decent (skip the chicken quesadilla). Arrive early before they run out of the specials.  (Always) in the process of finding a new chef, this place goes through many reincarnations.  Still, it has a gorgeous 25-foot long bar.  You may see your students there, using their Union IDs to charge dinner to Mommy and Daddy.   Good jazz venue.

6.      Manhattan Exchange – Lower Union street, outdoor seating.

7.      Fireside – upstairs, pizza, wings and pichers.  see Italian.

8.      Professor Moriarty – damn expensive but Saratoga fun.

9.      Parting Glass - good pub food, excellent pint of Guinness, music venue. Saratoga.