The Best Cider Donuts, According to Readers

It’s officially autumn, which means our cider donut diet has commenced. And by diet, we mean they are a large part of our diet ;) So many donuts to sample, so little time. 

We enlisted the help of our Instagram community (@glensfallsliving) to help us find the very best cider donuts in the area. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of opinions on the matter, but out of the many recommendations, there were a few clear winners. 

And so, if you’re looking for the best cider donuts within an hour or so of Glens Falls, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the top picks from your neighbors, and start planning your cider donut road trip (we have to try them all, don’t we?!).  

#1 Hicks Orchard

This was, by far, the top pick amongst those who responded. And not to play favorites but, well, it just so happens to be one of our favorites too! Why you ask? There’s the nostalgia factor of course — many people noted they’d grown up heading out to Hicks for apples and donuts — but more importantly, the donuts are moist, have the perfect amount of sugar on top, and they melt in your mouth. As one reader put it, “Hicks is the only choice!”. Pro tip: enjoy them warm! 

18 Hicks Road, Granville / Website 

#2 The Silo

This one snuck up on us, but it was the second most frequently mentioned spot! The Silo is a year round restaurant in Queensbury and not an orchard, which, apparently, is a big part of the draw! “Easily accessible and you can brunch at the same time!,” a reader noted. Another reader said she even served them at her wedding instead of cake! Year round cider donuts close to home? Excuse us while we zip over to Aviation Road to grab a half dozen! 

537 Aviation Road, Queensbury / Website 

#3 Saratoga Apple

Another frontrunner, Saratoga Apple scored big points with readers for moistness, warmth (hot off the fryer!), and that oh so important melt in your mouth factor. A hot tip from a reader: they’re best enjoyed with a glass of their hard cider in their on-site tasting room!

1174 Route 29, Schuylerville / Website

#4 McWhorter’s Orchard

Another Washington County favorite, McWhorter’s was frequently mentioned as having the best flavor and consistency. Bonus points for the Adirondack chairs with a view to enjoy them in!

5635 State Route 40, Argyle / Website

#5 Lakeside Farms

The final in our top five brings us south to Lakeside Farms in Ballston Lake, just off Exit 11 of the Northway. Our readers assure us it’s worth the drive for these “crisp on the outside, soft on the inside” donuts with the perfect amount of sugar. While you’re there, sit down for breakfast or lunch in their restaurant and shop their country store (you might wind up bringing home a pie, too!).

336 Schauber Road, Ballston Lake / Website

Honorable Mentions

You can never have too many donuts, right? Here are a few more recommendations we received:

The Garden Barn, Fort Edward

Saratoga Gluten Free Goods Bakery, Schuylerville

Indian Ladder Farm, Altamont

Would love to hear which is your favorite in the comments below! See you in the donut line!

First Look: Giovanni Fresco

Calling all pasta lovers! We’re thrilled to share a First Look at Giovanni Fresco’s new location in Glens Falls. While they’ve been serving their scratch made Italian food at Farmers Markets across the area for 7 years, their new permanent home in Glens Falls has been open just over two months and is already a fan favorite. We caught up with owner Giovanni Casanica to hear a bit more about the new space, their plans to grow into a neighborhood shop, and the pasta, of course!

Giovanni and Francesca with their new addition, son Gabriele

On the American Dream

My wife Francesca and I moved here from Italy in late December 2016. My parents moved here first, so we came for the summer and fell in love with the area — Glens Falls, Lake George, Saratoga. We decided to move here and start our own business. I always wanted to have something of my own, and I just never could there — so we came here. 

We started our business in 2017. In the beginning our business name was GF for Giovanni and Francesca. My wife decided she’d rather not have her name on it, so we started thinking of something else that could replace that part of the name, and we came up with Fresco, because in Italian, fresco means fresh. And that’s what we do. Everything that we do is made fresh, and it’s made daily. We cook on the spot for most of our catering and markets, so having Fresco in the name just made sense. 

On Opening the Space

We started our business at Farmers Markets, and that continued to grow. Last year we were doing 6 markets every week, all over the area — Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga. We rented out different commercial kitchens to prepare food, which started to become difficult, especially as there was more demand for our product. So, we decided to take the next step, which was to find a permanent location.

Finding a location was really hard, and took us a lot of time. But in the end it worked out great because we were able to purchase this location in Glens Falls last year. We’ve been doing The Shirt Factory events in this neighborhood for the past five years now, so we were getting a customer base and a demand in this area. 

At the beginning we were just using it as a commercial space. We renovated the kitchen and everything else on the interior, but we mainly used the kitchen while we finished out our summer season last year. We wanted to wait a bit before opening the actual shop, but there was so much demand for it. People would knock on the door asking when we were going to open, so we decided to just go for it. 

We opened the shop the first week of December. It’s been incredible. The amount of support and love that we got from the community has been insane. We have a customer that donated our tables. We have a customer that donated the stone countertop. Everyone has been supportive of not only our food, but of our store as a place in the community.

When we were purchasing the building, we found out that this was historically an Italian neighborhood, so I was excited to bring that back. We have so many customers that have told us stories about growing up in the neighborhood, and they relate to our food because it brings back those good memories. Unfortunately through the generations, Italians have lost some connection with homemade cooking. So we are able to give them that connection, those memories, and that’s incredible. We’re happy that we are able to bring that nostalgia back to the neighborhood. 

On The Importance of Family

We have a poster in our shop that includes the line ‘Bringing Family Back Together’. Every day we have a different family meal that feeds 4-6 people. For us it’s very important. In Italy, family meals are the most important thing. Everything closes at 1pm, you have a 3 hour break with all of your family for lunch, you go back to work, and then you have dinner all together later. So that’s the type of feeling we want to bring back and give to the customer with our family meals. It’s affordable, made fresh, made daily. It’s important to us to continue doing that. Here in the US, people are so dedicated to work. Always thinking about work, and just constantly working — which is great because there’s a lot of opportunity. But every now and then, I’d encourage people to take a break, we’ll take care of dinner, and just enjoy the family and enjoy the moments. 

On Authentic Italian Food

I’ve always loved cooking. I cooked all the time with my grandmother, and I wanted to bring back those old recipes and ways of making the food. It’s been great for customers to see the pasta getting rolled and cut in front of them at the markets and events that we do. It’s something they’ve never seen before. 

We want to give customers the same flavors and tastes that we grew up with. The sauces are made just like we made in Italy. Everything is based on fresh ingredients in a good ratio. Our sauces cook for hours just like we did in Italy. That makes a big difference. We don’t add sugar, and our customers say that they don’t suffer from acidity from our sauce like they might with others here. It’s just those fresh tomatoes cooking for hours. 

On Fan Favorites

Our most popular item is our fresh pasta. That’s what we’re known for, and there’s a lot of demand for it. We have it here to sell for customers to make at home, but a lot of customers prefer for us to cook it — so don’t worry about it, we’ll continue doing that here as well! 

Our fried items are popular as well. We have four different kinds of arancini — traditional, Sicilian, mushroom and sausage, and spinach, and we also do a fried mac and cheese. Those are available every Friday and Saturday at the shop, since those are our frying days. 

On The Future

Our next step is to evolve our space into a one stop shop. To us, this isn’t just a take-out place, it’s a neighborhood shop. We’re going to be carrying more authentic Italian goods and local favorites, for example Puckers Pickles and North Hudson Coffee. We’d like to have fresh produce and eggs this summer. We also have Villa’s Bread delivered fresh every morning, steaming hot. We’re trying to get the best ingredients and products out there and bring them to our shop. 

Giovanni Fresco
47 Lawrence Street, Glens Falls
Website / Facebook / Instagram

The Best Pizza in Glens Falls, According to Readers

Glens Falls might be a little city, but we’ve got a big love for our pizza. So, we enlisted the help of our Instagram and Facebook community to help us find the very best pizza in the area. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of opinions on the matter, but out of the many recommendations, there were a few clear winners. 

And so, if you’re looking for the best pizza within 15 minutes or so of Glens Falls, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the top picks from your neighbors, and start planning your pizza night (we have to try them all now, don’t we?!).  

Cheese Pizza, Chef Salad, and Wings from The Harvest • Photo: Bri Lyons for Glens Falls Living

#1 The Harvest

This was the top pick amongst those who responded! Readers love the sweet crust, flavorful sauce, and just the right amount of cheese.

There’s also a big nostalgia factor here - we got quite a few notes from people who have moved away from Glens Falls and list The Harvest pizza as one of the top things they miss from home! As one reader wrote in, “I live in Rhode Island and my family brings it to me because I love it so much!”.

It should be noted that while Rachael Ray did not weigh in on this poll, if she did, word on the street is that she would have picked The Harvest too. Just sayin’.

4 Cronin Road, Queensbury / Website

The Works Pizza from Talk of the Town • Photo: Bri Lyons for Glens Falls Living

#2 Talk of the Town

A close second, Talk of the Town pizza has big fans as well! Their homemade dough and sauce were frequent mentions amongst lovers of their plain pizza, and there were quite a few votes for The Works (including sausage with “just the right amount of spiciness”), and the Buffalo Wing pizza served with bleu cheese. Bonus points for their location which makes for easy pickup in the city!

74 Hudson Avenue, Glens Falls / Website

Angelina’s Cheese + Pepperoni Pizza • Photo: Bri Lyons for Glens Falls Living

#3 Angelina’s

Another frontrunner, Angelina’s scored big for their thin crust pizza, with one reader noting, “It’s the closest thing to NYC style pizza in the area”. Large slices, crispy crust, and plenty of specialty pizzas (one reader swears by the Grandmah - a square pizza with a mozzarella base topped with tomato sauce, parmigiana, & oregano!). Oh! And they deliver!

410 Bay Road, Queensbury / Website

#4 Queen of Harts

Regulars here love the consistency, flavor…and yes, the delivery, too! One reader declared this the “best tasting pizza in the area”, and there were quite a few who shared their love for the specialty pizzas, including the Joker (white pizza with ricotta and garlic), and the Hawaiian (with ham, pineapple, and bacon).

10 Lafayette Street, Queensbury / Website

Image courtesy of Common Roots

#5 Common Roots

Topped with everything from chicken parm to Italian sausage, the gourmet open hearth pizzas at Common Roots were a top choice amongst those who responded. “I like the combinations they come up with,” noted one reader, and another agreed, citing the 3B’s Knees as their favorite (which features hot honey, local bacon, brussels sprouts, and bleu cheese crumbles!). Whichever variety you choose, you can’t go wrong with a pie and a pint in their taproom!

58 Saratoga Avenue, South Glens Falls / Website

#6 Southy’s

Southy’s was another fan favorite, with top praises for their consistent quality. “Always consistently delicious!” said one reader, with another echoing, “Never hit and miss”. Important qualities in a pizza, don’t you think?! It doesn’t hurt that they just so happen to serve ice cream next door, which also got quite a few mentions. Pizza and ice cream - sold!

75 Saratoga Avenue, South Glens Falls / Website

Honorable Mentions

You can never have enough pizza, right? Here are a few more recommendations we received:

Downtown City Tavern • 21 Elm Street, Glens Falls / Website

Rocco’s • 132 Glen Street, Glens Falls / Website

Would love to hear which is your favorite in the comments below! Pizza for dinner tonight, anyone?

First Look: The Golden Monkey Lounge

Have you been to The Golden Monkey Lounge yet? If you haven’t, consider this a sign to head to South Street for a cocktail! We caught up with owners Gregg Singer and Larissa Ovitt to hear more about the inspiration for opening a lounge, what to expect from their menus, how things have been going so far, and more…

On Opening a Lounge

Gregg: Larissa and I went into business together about four years ago, building a portfolio of short term rentals. Being that Larissa is from the area, she happened to spot that this building was on the market, and we pounced on it. We knew we wanted to build out the upstairs for apartments, and our original plan was to rent out the retail space on the ground floor.

With all the momentum on South Street, we really wanted to take the city’s vision and further it. Knowing that the Market Center building is going up across the street, we realized that we didn’t want to let go of too much control with the retail space. We didn’t want it to go in a direction that wouldn’t work with the city’s vision, and the vision that we have for the building as a whole.

So one night, we just decided — we’re opening a bar! There are really no other lounge spaces in the area, so we thought that would be our niche. We want it to be a happy and safe space for people to have fun and socialize. There are no TVs, no pool tables, no dartboards, and there’s no craziness.

Larissa: We’re hoping to encourage conversation. Whether it’s with the people that you came with, or with other people that you meet throughout the night. Each one of the seating sections was structured for conversation, and it’s a versatile enough space to accommodate different size groups. Groups that grow as the night goes on! It’s like an extension of your own living room — but you don’t have to clean up after.

Gregg: We spent the last four months fixing, cleaning, and renovating the place. We added a partition wall, upgraded the lighting and audio, built out the back bar shelving. We really wanted the space to have an aesthetic that Larissa and I like personally.

Gregg Singer and Larissa Ovitt

On Specialty Drinks

Larissa: Being a cocktail lounge, specialty cocktails are our thing. Our menu consists of classic cocktails, reimagined. Taking things like scotch, gin, and rum, and turning them into drinks that are elevated. They’re familiar enough that it’s comfortable, but also encourages you to try something new. We also have mocktails — we’re not creating a separate mocktail menu, because we want people to be able to enjoy what we have on our regular cocktail menu without the alcohol. 

For beer, we’re hoping to offer options that you won’t find anywhere else. We don’t offer domestic beer, and our focus is mainly on craft beer and seasonal ciders. We try to stay as local as possible, but not something that you can just run down the street and grab somewhere else. We have a great wine list too. We dove right into wine research and found the best one of each variety.

Our hope is to offer something that feels familiar, but pushes your palate just a bit to help you discover something that you didn’t even know you liked.

On The Food

Gregg: We currently have five or six small plate options on our menu, and we plan to keep building on that. The portions are shareable, but they aren’t entrees. This is a place where you can feel comfortable coming for a cocktail and an appetizer before your dinner reservation elsewhere downtown, and maybe come back to relax after dinner with another drink.

In keeping with our cocktails, we wanted to create options that feel comfortable, but with an elevated twist. For instance, we have a crostini, which many people are used to, but we did a whipped feta topping with wild mushrooms and a balsamic drizzle. We have a cheese platter that has spiced mango chutney, apples, pickled vegetables, and local cheeses. We have a curried hummus and a carrot harissa dip. My favorite is probably the deviled eggs. Who doesn’t love deviled eggs? We’re currently doing avocado and bacon, and we’ve also done a version spiced with Old Bay and filled with pickles and a shrimp on top.

We are trying to cater to everyone’s dietary preferences. We have gluten free options, vegetarian, and vegan.

On The Name

Larissa: We spent a long time racking our brains about a name. There was nothing that really stuck. We were trying to find something that was reflective of us as well as our vision for this space. A little playful, a little mischievous, but yet classy.

We ended up coming across the Golden Monkey — the species — online one night when we were together. They’re amazing. They’re a really pretty golden red color with a bright blue face. They’re an endangered species, and their territory has become very small. There are a couple of refuges — one in India and one in Africa, where their population numbers are coming back up. It feels like an opportunity for us to do something beyond the walls of this place. The name felt like it fit.

Gregg: We plan on trying to create some type of charity so that we can help them in some way.

On Being Eco Friendly

Larissa: There are a lot of eco friendly aspects to what we’ve created here as well, probably the most noticeable being our straws, which are actually ocean biodegradable. They break down within a couple of months. All of the disposables that we use are compostable and biodegradable as well.

Gregg: Our food is always brought out on ceramic plates, but we’ll also provide paper plates for sharing, which are biodegradable, and our cutlery is corn based, so it all breaks down. They are more expensive, but we don’t want to add waste.

Larissa: We try to stay conscious about all of our selections, including the different liquor companies that we carry. Who we support is important to us.

On The First Few Weeks

Larissa: We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response so far from the community. It’s been awesome.

Gregg: So many people have said that our community really needed a place like this. We’ve heard that from people age 21 all the way up to 75. A safe, comfortable, quiet place where you can talk to friends and hang out, without too much stimuli.

Larissa: There already seems to be a lot of additional foot traffic on South Street between our opening and the opening of Taco Kings Jalisco. On any given day, there are now a lot of cars on the street, especially in the evening, when it had been dead before. South Street has been an afterthought for a long time, and that time is over.

On Next Steps

Larissa: Our front garage door opens, which we’ll be able to take advantage of more in the spring, and that lends itself to people enjoying the energy happening on the street once the building across the street is complete and they start to hold events.

We also have a big, private patio out back, which will be the coolest space downtown. We’re planning on utilizing it a bit this winter, probably by having an ice bar at some point. The full design of the space will happen this spring, and that will be another incredible space to host events.

The Golden Monkey Lounge
58 South Street, Glens Falls
Website / Instagram / Facebook
Open Friday-Tuesday from 5pm to 12am

The Best Breakfast in Glens Falls, According to Readers

It’s the weekend and you’re in the mood for brunch. Where to?! We enlisted the help of our Instagram and Facebook community to help us find the very best weekend breakfast spots in and around Glens Falls. Per usual, there were a lot of opinions on the matter, but out of the many recommendations, there were seven top favorites.

And so, if you’re looking for the best breakfast in and around Glens Falls, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the top picks from your neighbors, and start planning your next brunch (we have to try them all now, don’t we?!).  

The outdoor seating at [farmacy] on a sunny spring day

#1 [farmacy]

With unlimited mimosas and favorites like the donut holes, pancakes, and lobster Benedict, brunch at [farmacy] was a top pick amongst those who responded! Readers love their patio along Ridge Street in the summer months, along with the fun atmosphere, friendly staff, and of course, the menu, which one reader noted includes lots of “elevated classics”. Always fresh and fun!

22 Ridge Street, Glens Falls / Website

—

#2 The Silo

It was no surprise to see The Silo as a fan favorite - if you’ve ever driven by on a weekend morning, their packed parking lot is a giveaway that this is a top breakfast spot for locals. The nostalgia factor was a big player here, with many responding that they’ve been loyal regulars for a decade or more (they’ve been in business since 1982, after all!). Plus, we’ve got to give bonus points here for their amazing cider donuts - they were voted one of the best cider donuts in the area according to GFL readers, too!

537 Aviation Road, Queensbury / Website

—

Pastries from The Market at Park & Elm

#3 Park & Elm

The newest of the bunch, The Market at Park & Elm has made their mark downtown with readers loving their breakfast sandwich offerings as well as their assortment of house-made pastries and muffins. Said one reader, “they take the breakfast sandwich up a notch” with options like smoked salmon, grilled chorizo, and pulled pork. You might as well grab a pastry or two while you’re there, you know, for later ;)

19 Park Street, Glens Falls / Website

—

Breakfast is served on the Park 26 Patio at The Queensbury Hotel

#4 Park 26 at The Queensbury Hotel

If you’re looking for a serene spot to enjoy breakfast with a quintessential Glens Falls view, Park 26 at The Q is your place! Readers loved enjoying breakfast on the patio overlooking City Park and the Bandstand, and their classic menu, with mentioned favorites including their brioche French toast, eggs Benedict, and steak and eggs.

88 Ridge Street, Glens Falls / Website

—

#5 Kru Coffee

If you’re looking for a hidden breakfast gem, Kru is it! One reader noted they have a “sneaky good breakfast for a coffee shop”, which feels like high praise and also a potential new motto? Known for their fantastic coffee, their breakfast is also a hit, with many readers declaring that the combo of coffee and breakfast sandwiches (maybe on one of their made from scratch bagels) can’t be beat.

140 Glen Street, Glens Falls / Website

—

Grab a smoothie from Juicin’ Jar

#6 Juicin’ Jar

If a healthy breakfast is calling your name, look no further than Juicin’ Jar! Open on Saturdays, one reader noted they love their “lighter options”, including smoothies, avocado toast, or a yogurt parfait. Enjoy in their cafe or stroll to City Park to sip amongst the blooms.

16 Exchange Street, Glens Falls / Website

—

#7 Jam N Eggs

Just over the bridge in South Glens Falls, Jam N Eggs was a hit among readers for their “consistently delicious” breakfasts. Including classics like omelettes and home fries, along with specials like Jam N Apple French Toast, sounds like you can’t go wrong!

31 Main Street, South Glens Falls / Website

First Look: Mint

Have you been to Mint? They’re now entering their sixth month in business on Warren Street, so if you haven’t been - consider this a sign to make your reservation! We caught up with owner Johanna Geldern to hear more about the how she got into the restaurant business (it all started with a fortune cookie!), what to expect from their menu, and what’s coming up next for Mint (hint: expanded hours!)…

The Bar Room at Mint

First, tell us a bit about yourself and your background!

I received my Masters in Education from the College of Saint Rose and had a career in teaching elementary school (regular and special education) for over 16 years. As the standardized testing pressures got more intense from states and districts, the gap between my philosophical beliefs and the changes to the classroom structure necessary to meet standardized testing goals motivated me to make a change. I sold a property and began searching for a small business that I could purchase and run with the goal of completely changing my career and becoming an independent business owner. My girls (Katriel and Cagney Houlihan) and I had always daydreamed about running a bed and breakfast or owning a small café.

The online search for purchasing a business lasted well over a year, and during that time one of my friends owned a beachfront restaurant and had a vacant shop space available for a summer beach snack bar.  It was sitting vacant but already had all of the necessary approvals to open, so I agreed to take on this project and created the menu, purchased the equipment and created the signage and theme. With her guidance and my hard work, we were able to open in about a month and I ran a very successful beach snack bar business for that season. This was equivalent to getting a Masters degree in running a small business in my mind.

Mint co-owner (and Johanna’s daughter), Katriel Houlihan

At the same time, my daughter‘s family moved home to New York from Florida and on a trip to see them in February, I discovered a café in Greenwich called Dish Bistro and I absolutely fell in love with the size, the location, the charm, and the healthy vibe of the menu. I literally said to my family and friends, “If I ever had a restaurant business, it would be just like this.” Months went by of searching and in August, I found Dish Bistro for sale online under my price range, and immediately began dialogue with the owners. We went back-and-forth with financials and logistics for a month and it was time for me to make a decision: was I going to pack up my entire life, sell my car and fly to New York to purchase this restaurant business?

I was out to lunch in Florida with my friend when the owner of Dish Bistro, Susan, called me. I hung up with her and I told my friend about the idea and potential plan of purchasing Dish and moving back to NY, and when I opened my fortune cookie after lunch it said “DISH” on one side and when I flipped it over, it said “Go for your dreams ~start with the spring roll” on the other side. My decision was made. At the time I had been studying the law of attraction and was looking for signs and I took this as a solid sign from the universe directing me to go for my dreams even though it was scary — terrifying, in fact!

I still have the fortune cookie. I like to think that my story will hopefully inspire others to listen to their intuition and follow their dreams, and to not allow fear to hold us back from making changes to pursue what excites us.

Once I made the commitment, everything seemed to fall into place.

How did Mint come to be?

We started in Greenwich as Dish Bistro in the fall of 2014, and I rebranded to Sweet Beet Bistro in April of 2015. My chef was passionate about local farms and we decided to create a “farm to table” theme there and offer homemade scratch kitchen food using high quality local farms. We wanted to use ingredients which were grown, raised, and cultivated with positive loving energy, and we wanted to honor those artisans. We wanted to prepare and serve the food with the greatest energy of love and positivity to our customers. Our desire was to create an atmosphere and experience which would create great memories and keep patrons returning.

We closed the doors to Sweet Beet Bistro after Covid hit in 2020, and it seemed like the perfect time to transition to a new location with more foot traffic. We already had a strong support system of loyal customers from this area that traveled to our Greenwich location, so that was a selling point as well.

We had been working with Peter Hoffman on a downtown space to lease. When this space came up, he asked us (my daughter Kate Houlihan and I) to come over immediately and take a look. He wanted to know if we could see its potential and his vision for our business in that location. We could see it instantly, and with great enthusiasm we told him we were 100% in!

Our philosophy of using the highest quality organic and most lovingly raised local foods is still at the heart of Mint!

The Dining Room at Mint

Why Glens Falls?

We see tremendous potential in this city! The events with food and celebrations are creative. The Glens Falls Collaborative and other groups are really committed to moving the city forward. It’s so important to create a business that is desired and will be embraced and nurtured by the community, and we feel this is a mutually beneficial partnership which we are thrilled to be part of.

What inspired the name? 

We were originally going to name the new restaurant business Tarragon and Time. But after polling some friends and family, it wasn’t communicating the right vibe, so we went back to the drawing board. On a hike with my daughter Kate, she turned to me and said, “What about Mint?”.  We thought about it and it had great connotations, so we decided to have a longer tagline (Inspired Plates and Crafted Potions) and a shorter easy to remember name - Mint!

Tell us about your menu! What can people expect to see?

Imagine Paris meets Brooklyn meets San Diego!

Our food is eclectic and creative, using only the highest quality products. We taste test as a group and tweak recipes as a staff. It’s vey important that our sauces, dressings, and all of our items really, are balanced in texture, flavor and appearance.

We have unique appetizers including cheese boards and seafood cakes. Our proteins are grass fed meats, local pastured products and wild caught seafood. As for customer favorites, the pizza is at the top of the list, along with our grass fed burger and vegan beet burger. We use 30+ local companies like Saratoga Olive Oil, Saratoga Gluten Free, Vermont Fresh Pasta, and Rock Hill Bake House, to name a few. We work with a local farm for edible flowers on our plating. The presentation is meant to be visually pleasing as well as good for you and delicious.

We offer a solid variety for special eaters with vegan options, gluten free options.

The drink menu includes craft cocktails, local and international wines, and several spirits and beer from local distilleries and breweries. We use all small batch local distilleries for our liquors, and our beer is all from within 60 miles of Glens Falls. We don’t use any large mass production wine at all — it’s all organic biodynamically farmed or sustainably farmed. You’ll probably notice you won’t get a headache after drinking wine here! We also craft our own elixirs with syrups using fresh herbs and delicious ingredients for cocktails — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Patio seating at Mint

Tell us about the space!

We have three main areas: a bar room, dining room, and covered garden patio. It’s nice to have the three separate spaces to allow for private events and just general versatility.

The building owner, Peter Hoffman, collects antiques and is very skilled at mixing the old with the new. Everything here is modernized and updated, but layered with antiques. For example, the globe lights are antiques from Germany. They add such an immediate sense of charm and history. The frosted glass by the front door is an antique — irreplaceable and one of a kind. The end gates on the patio came from a vineyard in Italy, and they bookend the space perfectly. The banquettes in the bar room were salvaged from the Capitol Building in Albany when they were renovating the Governor’s restaurant there. We discovered they’re from 1920, so many governors have sat on them when having their business meetings there, which is pretty unique!

The patio has been a big hit this season, especially when we have live music. We’re hoping to install a bi-fold door from the patio into our dining room, so that when we do have a musician here, the sound and experience can carry inside as well.

What's coming up next for Mint? 

We’re hoping to start offering lunch by the end of September! We also hope to open seven days a week, as right now we’re closed Mondays. Also coming up - a to go menu! Lots of great things to come.

Most immediately, we’re looking forward to launching our fall menu around September 20 - stay tuned!

Mint
80 Warren Street, Glens Falls
Website / Facebook / Instagram

First Look: Dancing Grain Farm Brewery

Have you been to Dancing Grain yet? Just over the bridge in Moreau, the farm brewery opened last weekend and we were one of the first in line. After a few moments enjoying a craft beer in one of their Adirondack chairs overlooking the farm, it was clear that this will be one of our new favorite spots. We caught up with owner Rachel McDermott to find out more about how Dancing Grain came to be, what they’ve got on tap, and more…

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background! 

I grew up on our family's farm in Schaghticoke, New York, and loved being around the tractors and trucks. My parents were divorced, and while my mom worked a more traditional job, my dad worked on his farm. I spent a lot of time there with my dad and my uncle. My sister would go to the babysitter and I always preferred to stay behind and hang out on the farm, and eventually, I started helping out as much as I could. It was just where I felt comfortable.

As I got older, I became more interested in music. I was a classically trained clarinetist. I went to music school my freshman year of college but soon discovered that it wasn’t going to be my life’s goal and transferred to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science to pursue a Finance degree (which, interestingly, wasn’t focused on agriculture).

Owner Rachel McDermott

After graduation, I started my career in Houston as an investment banker. I really liked the team there but Texas just wasn’t home for me. After five years, I transferred back to New York City. That was an exciting time for me, getting back to the Northeast.

At that point, I was about to turn 30, and I wasn’t sure what direction I was headed. I decided to go on this very cliché Eat Pray Love trip across Europe, and when I came back, I knew I needed to quit my job. I had no prospects of a new job at that point, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. So, I moved home to the farm, which turned out to be the preamble to Dancing Grain.

How did Dancing Grain come to be?

When I got back home to the farm, I had all of this investment banking experience that I was no longer using, so I started to look at what was going on in upstate New York to see how I could apply that experience here. I stumbled upon farm brewery laws and some of the benefits of being a producer. At that point, my dad had already invested in land, in tractors, in planting and harvesting equipment, and in storage capacity. We had this core competency, and these core assets, and I realized we just needed a new product. We needed to switch gears and tap a different market. That market turned out to be craft beer.

I’m not someone who has ever been a home brewer, and I’ve never been obsessed with beer. I was obsessed with the ingredients that make up beer because of my history with farming. That’s where Christian and Bert Weber, our partners and the founders of Common Roots, came in. They have a core competency that I don’t have, and their insights have been incredibly valuable. From advice on brewing, to so many other things that I never thought of, like a point of service system, and even which glasses to order! I’m so happy to have them on board.

What inspired the name? 

When you’re here in the spring through the early summer, before we harvest the grain in July, you can see the the malting barley and other specialty grains in the field below the brewery. When the wind blows, it almost looks like Mother Nature created a beautiful waltz. It looks like the grain is dancing, like it’s happy to be here. That was our inspiration.

Let’s talk about the beer!

Yes! So, this past week we had five beers on tap. We're trying to do a variety of beers, but to be honest, we'll probably focus on malt forward beers. I'm sure we'll always have some sort of an IPA or a pale ale on tap, but we are first and foremost grain farmers, so I want to highlight and showcase the grain as the headliner to the beer. You can have beer without hops, but you cannot have beer without barley.

All of our beer right now (with the exception of the Strictly Social IPA collaboration with Common Roots) is almost entirely made up of grain that’s grown from our farm, and we’re super proud of that. We're using as much as we can from our farm.

First, we have the Cream of the Crop, which is a cream ale. My brewer, Jamie, actually built that recipe for my uncle, who likes to drink beer, but doesn’t necessarily like to drink craft beer. That recipe uses our farm’s barley and our corn. It’s the kind of beer you want to drink when it’s 90 degrees out. We’ll likely always have that on tap.

Last week we released a stout, Stolen Fire, which uses fennel that we grew on the farm in addition to our 6-row malting barley.

We have the Foreign Friends, farmhouse style, which again, uses our grain along with a yeast strain from Belgium.

We also have the Picnic Basket, which is a kettle sour that uses our grain along with a local yogurt culture and blueberries from Winnie’s Blueberry Farm just up the road.

And finally, we have the Strictly Social IPA, our collaboration with Common Roots, which everyone is loving. It’s one of our biggest sellers. That uses all South American hops. It’s juicy, it’s fruity, it’s citrusy - it’s everything we hoped it would be as an IPA!

We also have drinks for non beer drinkers - we have a dry Riesling from Forge Cellars, a Rosé and a Red Blend from Bridge Lane which is a winery on Long Island, and then we've got Nine Pin Hard Cider. We have a non alcoholic seltzer that our brewer makes every week using herbs from our garden or something that I've foraged — this week is a sumac seltzer, which tastes almost like a pink lemonade. And finally we have the Nitro Coffee from Kru.

How has it been seeing all of this finally come to fruition?

We've had such positive feedback. I'm so thrilled by that. So many people have come in that live five or ten minutes away, and I’m so happy to be able to share this farm with them and with the community. I am also really happy to see that the whole idea of supporting local businesses is still alive. I just feel really grateful that I have the support of our neighbors. Because without that, we're nothing.

What's next for Dancing Grain? 

We're going to walk before we run, but as we continue on, there will be more opportunities for people to engage with the ingredients in the supply chain and to learn and understand how Dancing Grain makes our beer with the ingredients that we grow. I’d love for it to become more of an immersive space. We’d like to create walking paths through the grain, where you’ll be able to decipher the differences between malting barley and oats and wheat. I think that's an important part of the story that we're just beginning to tell.

We also hope to focus on additional products over time. I’d love to get into distillation, and we’d really love to get into milling and baking. Hopefully it will become a sort of center for local grain production.

Most immediately, we’re also planning to do events focused around each season. We’re excited to be opening our sunflower field this weekend! Admission is $5 and stems are $2 each. Hope to see some new faces here!

Dancing Grain Farm Brewery
Website / Instagram

The Dancing Grain Team

First Look: Flight International Market & Deli

There’s a new - yet familiar - market downtown… Fresh ADK has transitioned to Flight European Market and Deli! We caught up with owner Melissa Brennan and her daughter Larissa Ovitt to chat about the inspiration behind the change, what you can expect from Flight, and some even more exciting news come January!

On the Rebrand

Sounds like you have some exciting changes in the works! What prompted the change from Fresh ADK to Flight?

During a trip to Portugal and Spain in the Spring of 2016, I completely fell in love with the culture and cuisine of the region, wishing that there was a place to be able to enjoy the same experience back home. In a time when so many people aren’t able to take those trips abroad or that family vacation, I saw the perfect opportunity to bring this experience to the states, and so Flight was born.

What inspired the name Flight? 

The word "Flight" really plays off the fact that both the new Market & Deli and the upcoming Wine Bar & Restaurant are specifically designed to reflect that fantasy and experience of international travel. However, it's also a nod to the beer and wine flight that allows you to sample the different tastes of those regions from around the world.

On the Goods

Fresh ADK has always been known for fantastic food that meets all sorts of dietary needs. What can we expect to see at Flight Market?  

Yes! We have always made sure to cater to people with specific dietary needs and preferences. At the Flight Market & Deli, we're still serving the same great breakfast and lunch options that you know and love, but now you can also grab some of those items on your grocery list. Specialty meats and cheeses, fresh breads and bagels, organic produce, milk and eggs, and a perfectly-paired cider or beer. Gluten free and vegan products are also available.

On Designing the New Space

What types of changes can folks expect to see in the new market? 

We're revamping the Market & Deli space to really create that European-style shopping experience, where you feel like you've found a little hidden gem right in the middle of downtown. The people there know you by name and remember your order. We are continuing to mold and craft the space physically to really become that destination spot.

Melissa Brennan outside Flight Market

On the Future

We see you’ve been working hard in your space next door as well - what’s next for Flight? 

Yes! The "cafe side", as it's been known thus far, has been closed down for the past few months for a complete redesign in order to house the mid century modern aesthetic of the new Flight Wine & Restaurant. Without giving too much away, you won't even recognize it as what it was before. It will be a brand new type of dining experience in the region and will be your new favorite place to dress up a little (or a lot, if you prefer), go out and have some great food, try new wines, new exclusive craft beers and really enjoy yourself. Then, after your meal, you can walk across the hall to the Market and purchase the same products that you just enjoyed at the Restaurant to take home with you. But stay tuned for more on that. We're planning to open in January or February of 2021.

First Look: Common Roots

We are so psyched that Common Roots is back up and running in their amazing new space and just when we thought things couldn’t get any better, they went and added artisan stone hearth pizza to their take out offerings - starting tomorrow! We’re sharing a look at the new space, the delicious new pizzas, and a chat with Christian and Bert Weber - check it all out below!

Christian Weber and Bert Weber

On Designing the New Space

At the time of the fire we had just begun our expansion project to the original facility. We had purchased the property next door and had plans to expand both brewing and taproom space. The fire changed everything and gave us an opportunity to start from scratch rather than expand by additions to the old structure. About one month after the fire, we sat down with Phinney Design Group and discussed our vision for the space. We knew we wanted to create a destination brewery, a place where our customers could come to not only enjoy great beer, food, and music, but also enjoy a more complete experience. We wanted the customers to have an intimate look into the brewing process, provide a space for special celebrations, and share a sense of community. 

With those broad stroke principles, we came up with the brewery concept that you now see today! The taproom is crafted as a gathering place and encourages conversation and community; it also has a direct visual connection to the brewery, and the spacious outdoor biergarten and covered patio provides additional space for gatherings. We’ve also included a special event space that allows groups to use the brewery for private events, corporate meetings, or family celebrations; with its own bar, AV capabilities and a great view of the brewing process.

The new production brewery designed and installed by a local company, Fronhofer Design, is the actual heartbeat of the new location. As you know, the fire destroyed most of the old brewing equipment and as devastating as the fire was, it did give us the opportunity to design and build a larger more efficient system using the expertise and engineering at Fronhofer. The new brewery now has a 30 barrel fully automated brew house and larger cellaring tanks. 

The new brewery is also much more energy efficient and boasts a 100,000kwh solar voltaic array on the roof. We also installed solar hot water panels and systems that recapture much of the heat loss during the brewing process. The taproom bar, tables, bench system, and parts of the ceiling, are all made from repurposed lumber by a local company in Greenwich, NY, Trevett Millworks.

The landscaping features the use of native plants and pollinator friendly plantings that will provide some respite for our native pollinators that are in real danger now. Visitors will also notice that we have purposefully eliminated the use of turf grass at the brewery. Turf uses a lot of water and needs fertilizer and pesticides to be properly maintained.

On Preserving Memories

We lost many sentimental items in the fire but, surprisingly, we were able to save a lot of them and they became part of our move to our temporary home at 30 Saratoga Avenue. The old bar, which survived the fire but had a lot of water and smoke damage, will eventually find a new home in another CRBC project that is now in the early planning stages.

Some of the brewery equipment, canning line, and grain management system did survive the fire and is now back working in the new brewery.

We have many smaller mementos in the form of signs, artwork and gifts from customers that will find a home in our new office space. Perhaps our favorite tribute to our original brewery is in the beautiful new metal sign that we’ve installed in the taproom. It has the iconic outline of our old building surrounded by trees and mountains. It was our way of paying homage to our humble beginnings and a daily reminder of how fortunate we’ve been to be supported by such a great community. 

Although much of the material nostalgia was lost during the fire -- it’s clear now that Common Roots is built on a vision that the community has embraced and will continue with the company regardless of the physical space or location. We couldn’t have been more humbled by the experience of watching our coworkers and customers continue with the brewery’s ethos of community and resilience throughout the past year and a half. Although we are blown away by our new and forever home at 58 Saratoga Avenue, we will never forget that this is still just a facility and that the culture of Common Roots is made possible by such a great community that we are all members of.  

Playing Favorites

Hard to say what our favorite part of the new brewery is…. we are both so amazed and humbled by the entire new space! When we are in the new taproom visualizing how good it’s going to be when we can fully open for customers to experience the warmth and comfort of the specially designed space we are in our happy place. The Germans have a word, “Gemutlichkeit” …which translates as a place or sense of comfortable belonging, which we think applies to the new CRBC.

We also love being on the new brew deck in the brewery. From that vantage point you get a real feel for the brewing operations and new technology we’ve been able to take advantage of. 

Or…standing in our beautiful new restaurant’s kitchen and watching pizza being prepared and placed in the Wood Stone pizza oven. We are real foodies at heart and really look forward to offering a complete menu to enjoy with our favorite beers!

Needless to say, we could go on and on about our favorite parts of the new space…we love it all!

On Silver Linings

Had anyone told us we would be here in this beautiful space 16 months ago, we would have told them they are crazy! The fire was a gut wrenching loss for our company and our family, a loss we will never forget. In retrospect, we now realize we’ve had many silver linings in this whole process.

First, the fire was devastating but, in the end, no one was hurt and all the first responders returned to their families that night unharmed.

We learned, very intimately, just what a wonderful community we live in. The response from our community after the fire has been nothing short of amazing. We have never been on the receiving end of such love and support and it has left us with a whole new appreciation of the word “community”. That community support, in the form of donations and fundraisers, allowed us to keep our most precious assets, our employees, whole and compensated through this entire process. 

On Adapting and Innovating  

Opening our new space under the shadow of COVID-19 is not exactly what we planned but even that has given us an opportunity to focus on how we can provide a meaningful, safe experience for our customers and ensure the safety of our staff and all visitors. It has been a challenge but it has also given us an opportunity to show we can be a resilient company that will continue to focus on people before profit. 

The switch to a beer to-go only option has been interesting and surprisingly good! The ability to deliver directly to our customers has also been a fun option and one we did not expect. As we moved into our new space, we have decided to focus on tightening up our procedures for beer sales and food to-go in the new taproom and so we have postponed our delivery option until further notice.

We have learned a lot in our short 6 years of existence as a company and our dedication to our founding principles has helped guide us through some rough times. Make great beer, treat people well, promote an active lifestyle, and remember we are all part of a community has been our company’s mantra since we began and it has continued to help us through this process. Including finding the right partners in business. We have gone the extra distance to find local companies to work with and it has made all the difference. We are extremely proud of our partnerships with Fronhofer Design, Phinney Design Group, V&H Construction, K&J Electric, Adirondack P&M, Apex Solar, Eclipse IT and Key Bank. 

We also believe that being part of a community means being responsible stewards of the environment and actively supporting the promotion of social justice issues. Being part of the resurgence of the New York State craft beer industry has been a tremendous experience and has given us an effective vehicle for doing much good in our community. It was in that spirit that we created the Common Roots Foundation as a separate 401C organization. The Foundation will be our way of paying forward all the good that was bestowed on us after our fire and will be a source to help our community members when unexpected events occur.

On the Future

Being creative people and working daily with so many creative and innovative staff, we find ourselves constantly looking for other opportunities to diversify the Common Roots brand while still honoring our commitments to our original business ethos. In the end, it’s always going to be about creating the best possible experience for our customers and the tremendous staff that work with us each day.

Beer

We have lots of new beer styles coming! The time spent in our temporary space did give a rare opportunity to work on small batch beers while our larger volume brands were being produced by our friends at Singlecut and Torch and Crown Brewery. Stay tuned as we move into full production in the new brewing space! 

Pizza!

We are excited to announce that we will be launching delicious artisan stone hearth pizza to-go starting Wednesday August 12! Who doesn’t love beer and pizza?! Although we are starting with a simple yet thoughtfully designed menu, we are actively perfecting other menu items that we cannot wait to offer in the near future. Food orders can be placed on-line, by phone, or in-person pick-up with your favorite CRBC cans or crowlers. As we mentioned, we consider ourselves serious foodies and as such, we are working closely with our new kitchen staff to create a culinary experience that will pair well with our beer. 

Operations

Our immediate plan is to move into full production and operations mode in this new beautiful space. Having this space is a dream come true to us and we cannot wait to show off its full potential!

Common Roots Brewing Company

Website / Facebook / Instagram

To Go: Siam Thai Sushi

One of the silver linings of this so called “pause” these last few months has been the opportunity to try dinner to go from new to us restaurants - one being Siam Thai! Spoiler alert - we loved it (so much so that we’ve already ordered a second time since this meal!). We chatted with General Manager Brian Kozelouzek to find out how they’ve adapted to this changing world - be sure to read to the end for your chance to win a $20 gift card to Siam Thai!

On Overcoming Challenges

Our greatest challenge since the beginning of the pandemic has been not knowing exactly what we should expect. It has made planning and preparing tricky, to say the least. It has been far from business as usual. With a staff reduced by 85 percent, a dinner service that typically goes from 3:30-9:30pm that is now a mad dash to finish orders that are similar in volume but all take place from 4:30-6:30, a much larger customer base with patrons who are not familiar with our menu, and the well founded fears many people have expressed has made this an unforgettable experience.

On Evolving

The average work day now barely resembles what it was prior to the pandemic. All but 2 hours of the day are really about prep work and setting ourselves up for success. In the past Siam Thai Sushi has always had a very strong to-go business, but it was a distant second to our polished casual dine-in experience. Now we’ve added curbside, a well coordinated time call system for orders placed in advance, and for a short time even delivery. We have had to make the entire process that we were already proud of even more efficient. Knowing our menu simply has not been enough, the staff has had to be knowledgeable enough to explain Thai and Japanese cuisine to patrons with no prior experience ordering these types of dishes.

On the Bright Side

This hasn’t been all bad, just different. The staff that stayed on during the pandemic has bonded and learned to work together seamlessly. They all work side by side almost every day from open to close and as a result they all respect each other’s commitment and ability in a way they never could have. We like to think we did a great job before this... now everyone is so sharp and accustomed to a work load we never thought we could or would need to handle. We are also grateful to have had the opportunity to share our food with members of the community who were new to the STS experience.

On the Future

We have learned the importance of being flexible and adapting. We are so impressed by the level of commitment of every restaurant in town. The bar has forever been raised by everyone out-doing each other and looking for a way to offer our community more. More safety, more speed, more convenience and more ... well, patience. Restaurants that can change their entire menu, staff and strategies at a moments notice will stick around.

Brian Kozelouzek, General Manager

Siam Thai Sushi
Website / Facebook
- Now open for indoor dining and take out -

Special thanks to Glen Street Associates for making this story possible.

Glen Street Associates develops, owns and manages multifamily, commercial, office, and hospitality properties in Warren, Washington, and Saratoga Counties. With an appreciation of the history of downtown Glens Falls, Peter Hoffman, along with his wife Suzanne, have restored several downtown buildings (like the one in which Siam Thai resides, for example!), adding the modern updates needed to create professional office space that is attracting tenants to the City. Check out their commercial and residential offerings here!

Thanks for supporting the businesses that support Glens Falls Living!

Enter to win a $20 gift card to Siam Thai Sushi!

Thank you for entering! The giveaway is now closed and the winner has been notified by email!

To Go: Fenimore's Pub

Where are you grabbing takeout from this weekend? We grabbed an awesome meal to go from another GF favorite, Fenimore’s Pub, this week and to be honest, we’re debating heading back tonight for another round of Herbed Chicken Sandwiches and Crispy Chicken Wraps. While we were there we caught up with Food & Beverage Director, Jerid McKinney to find out how operations have been since the “pause”, as well as hear some of their silver linings and lessons learned. And… Read to the end for a chance to win a $20 gift card to Fenimore’s!

Herbed Chicken Salad Sandwich, Caesar Salad, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Crispy Chicken Wrap, Onion Rings

On Overcoming Challenges

We believe we have experienced a lot of the same challenges as all local restaurants and downtown businesses:

-Keeping our team safe and informed.

-Dealing with an abundance of ever-changing information/misinformation.

-Adjusting operations based on evolving time tables and moving targets.

-Figuring out how/if we can be operationally successful (and safely) in this climate/environment.

On Evolving

Operationally, we have shifted to a takeout, cash and carry model. All of our menu items are served to-go, and we’re also focusing on cash and carry alcohol sales.  We’ve been highlighting local craft beverages, like 4 packs of Mean Max and Brewnited brews and bottles of Adirondack Winery wines. We’re also about to launch some fun spring cocktails that will be available in mason jars to-go.

Originally, we offered a limited version of our menu for inventory and production reasons, but as we “found our way”, so to speak, we felt confident enough to resume our full menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees, etc. We had hopes that the more diverse offerings and the return of fan favorite dishes would help increase our volume of takeout orders. So far, I would say that it has been successful! 

On The Bright Side

Our Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day take out events were a very pleasant surprise for us! These spring holidays typically kick off our banquet and event season at The Queensbury. We were very concerned in the current climate that we would be unable to execute these community focused events as we are accustomed to.

We were able to take our family meal concept, and expand upon it offering an Easter Dinner and Mother’s Day Brunch. We experienced great success with both menus serving 150 meals each holiday. We included house made Bloody Marys and Mimosa kits for Mother’s Day which were also a hit! 

Since these meals feed a family of 4, we served 1200+ guests between the two days. We may not have been able to open our doors and fill the ballroom with families and groups of friends like we’d have liked, but we were proud to have found a way to still serve our community in these times and still be a part of people’s celebrations on these days.  Depending on how the next few weeks progress, we may even do a Father’s Day Takeout event!

We know we could not have achieved this level of success without the patronage and support of our community. Without the support of our local guests, we would have struggled greatly to maintain operation through these challenging times. We’ve always been proud to be a part of the Glens Falls community, and now more than ever.

On Lessons Learned

Maintain an open mind, stay flexible and stay positive. The world we occupy is fragile, and you never know when a situation could arise that will force evolution and adaptation. 

“Fortune favors the prepared mind” –Louis Pasteur 

Food & Beverage Director, Jerid McKinney

Fenimore’s Pub
Website / Facebook / Instagram

This story was made possible by Mahoney Alarms.

“These are challenging and unprecedented times for all of us. Being in business for 65 years, we at Mahoney Alarms have a proud heritage of supporting our local businesses, banks, hotels, schools, museums and homes with our unwavering commitment to provide high-quality service tailored to the individual needs of each of our customers. By keeping our focus on their needs, we appreciate how they have grown and changed with the times. We take pride to be part of a community that has shown the strength and resilience to survive and know we will emerge from this stronger together.”

Click here to learn more about Mahoney Alarms and here to follow them on Facebook.

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support Glens Falls Living!

Enter to win a $20 gift card to Fenimore’s Pub!

Enter your information below by Thursday, June 4 at 11:59PM for a chance to win a $20 gift card to Fenimore’s Pub. We’ll contact the winner via email on Friday, June 5!

To Go: The Bullpen

What’s for dinner this weekend? We grabbed dinner to go from longtime Glens Falls favorite The Bullpen Tavern this week, and we haven’t stopped thinking about those wings, fish tacos, and fries since! We also caught up with the team to find out how they’re doing, what they’ve learned through all this, and what they’re looking forward to as we inch toward reopening…

Shown… Chicken Caesar Salad, Chicken Philly Sandwiche, Famous Bufflao Chicken Wings, Baja Fish Tacos Special.

On overcoming challenges

Although we have overcome many challenges over the years (most notably a total rebuild in 2013 due to a fire), this pandemic has certainly provided us with many new ones. I would say that the most notable challenges would involve having to completely change the way we’ve done business for over twenty five years. We’ve gone from a bar/restaurant with a second floor catering venue to a take out only business. The kitchen was already maxed out to begin with and now they’re busier than ever. They’ve adapted though and work so well together getting the orders out efficiently and consistently.

We think our larger challenges lie ahead when we’re allowed to reopen. What parameters are we going to have to follow? What are our responsibilities for monitoring social distancing? How do we maximize our space at 25% or 50% capacity? 

On the Menu

Some fan favorites that continue to do well with to go orders are our Baja Fish Tacos (panko breaded cod with our house made mango pineapple salsa, ancho chile crema, crispy jalapenos, grilled flour tortillas), The Houston (blackened shaved sirloin, sauteed peppers & onions, pepper jack, bacon, crispy jalapenos, chipotle ranch, grilled garlic bread), and the Jackson Burger (blackened 8 oz. Kobe burger, house made pimiento cheese, banana peppers, bacon, crispy onion straws, grilled brioche).

On the Bright Side

The biggest positive we’ve seen is the community support, which has been unbelievable. From family to friends to our regulars to people coming in for the very first time, it really has been incredible. The number of new people who have now been introduced to our food should really add a whole new audience to our already solid customer base.

On the Future

The main thing we’ve learned is to not take anything in life for granted. One day business was booming like we’ve never seen, St. Patrick’s Day was coming, the boys state basketball tournament was returning to town, the NCAA tournament was starting and then life as we knew it changed in an instant. We’re hopefully only about a month away from opening, in whatever capacity, and we can’t wait for a little normalcy. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing all of our customers again and seeing all of our downtown restaurants open. Downtown Glens Falls is a pretty special place full of great people and great businesses and we can’t wait to see it booming again.

The Team - David Krogmann, Paulie Bricoccoli, and Pam Bricoccoli. Not pictured: Jason Krogmann, Scott Endieveri

The Bullpen
Website / Facebook

This story was made possible by Associates of Glens Falls and Loomis & LaPann Insurance.

Associates of Glens Falls and Loomis & LaPann Insurance have been a part of the Glens Falls community since 1852. We’ve seen our region go through challenging times over the years, and we will come through the Covid-19 crisis better than ever. Our team stands ready to help everyone with their insurance and risk management needs. We’re also sharing risk management resources to assist businesses with their reopening plans.   Visit AOGF.com to learn more.

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support Glens Falls Living!

Enter to win a $20 gift card to The Bullpen!

The giveaway is now closed - the winner will be contacted by email on Friday, May 29!
Thanks for participating!

To Go: The Log Jam

Have you been to The Log Jam lately? And by “been” we mean - have you grabbed dinner to go? We took a ride up to Lake George, picked up a delicious meal (it smelled so good in the car on the way home!), and chatted with General Manager Tony Grecco to find out how they’re doing, how they’ve evolved to take on the pandemic, and how the challenges have made them stronger - hear it all from him (and check out that amazing meal!) below!

On Pause

The challenges since this all started have been numerous...

To name a few: the logistics of how to go from dine in to pick up and delivery, staffing & training, what kind of menu to do, what our hours should be, how to let people know that we are still open, getting the correct supplies for packing food, how much food to prep and order, pricing, and deciding if this was all worth staying open for. We also wondered how to make contributions to the community while at the same time trying to keep ourselves afloat.

Chicken Piccata

On Evolving

We started out doing our normal lunch and dinner menu and realized the menu and hours were not feasible. We then went to one combined menu. After the first week we went from opening at 11:30 to opening at 3:00 or 4:00 each day. Last week we changed again and started opening at 1:00pm each day using one menu all day.

We now do specials each day, which are items that are not on the regular menu. We also do family style which feeds 4 people at a reduced price.

While we started out only doing beer, we have since developed a "Quarantine Cocktail" list which has proved to be very popular. Sometimes we will include a drink with the special of the day.

As we have slowly started to bring back our staff, we’ve realized that we have to train people to the new ways, whether it be the mechanics of the operation or using masks and gloves.

One of our most popular items has always been Prime Rib.  At first we didn’t have that on the take out menu, because of the time it takes to cook and us wanting to minimize the waste. By talking to customers who called we realized people were interested in it.  We now have Prime Rib on the menu every night...while it lasts.

We’ve also signed up for DoorDash and GrubHub to give us more exposure.

On the bright side

We have lots of people that order every week, and it’s been wonderful talking to them while taking orders over the phone - hearing their ideas on what they like or don't like, and thanking them for their support. 

We’ve come from doing 10-20 people a day to doing over 100 on weekends. Many people doubted if we would be able to pull it off. It's kind of like we accepted the challenge and ran with it. We feel it is a great accomplishment to where we are right now.  

There is a core group of staff that has stayed with us and worked very hard. We ran on a very thin staff, especially in the kitchen. We have since started hiring back staff and everyone has been on board. Seeing everyone's dedication is very rewarding, though not surprising.

Fresh Sea Scallops

On the Future

It’s been important to learn from the hard times. A few lessons:

Social Media, Social Media, Social Media - it’s more important than I ever thought.

Also important: thinking outside the box, learning to adapt, and making decisions on the fly.

We may do some different things with our menu when we reopen that we might not have otherwise done. 

We’ll be keeping things like DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber Eats etc. and continuing to tap into the take out market.

Most importantly, never take things for granted.

Tony Grecco, The Log Jam General Manager

The Log Jam
Website / Facebook / Instagram

For updates on all of your favorite local businesses, click here.

This story was made possible by the Beef Jerky Experience, located in The Outlets of Lake George East.

“It has been truly extraordinary to see how the community has come together to support local small businesses during this unprecedented time. As a specialty grocery store, we have kept our doors open so that the community can stock up on high protein, long shelf life products for their pantries. We have increased our sanitation measures in-store and offer curbside pick-up of our products. We also ship, and if you spend $100 or more the shipping is on us. You can order online at www.lakegeorgejerky.com. Thank you for the support you have shown us during this time!”

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support Glens Falls Living!

Enter to win a $20 gift card to The Log Jam!

Thank you for participating! The giveaway has ended - congratulations to our winner, Michelle B.!

To Go: Radici Kitchen & Bar

Dining “out” looks a little different these days, but we’ve been happy to continue to support our local favorites by grabbing something to go. Tonight, we’re excited to roll out our new series called To Go (creative name, we know!), starting with a new downtown gem - Radici Kitchen & Bar. We chatted with Chef Brian Bowden and his partner Carly Mankouski below to find out how the restaurant is doing during the pandemic - what challenges they’re facing, the unexpected wins they’ve experienced, and more. We also grabbed a little something to go for ourselves, and we can’t sing their praises enough - we loved it. 

Pro-tip: grab some pretty plates out of your cupboards and enjoy it on your porch or in your backyard - it makes it feel like a real dinner out, which is oh so special these days. 

On Pause

We have faced numerous challenges since the start of the pandemic. Obviously there is the business side of things where we had to evolve from an upscale casual, full service dining room to take-out only. Initially this was a bit terrifying! We had only been open for five weeks but we hit the ground running and forged wonderful relationships with our guests. The support from Glens Falls residents and beyond had us overwhelmed with joy that our new venture would do well. Then, bam! The State mandated shutdown certainly had us reeling.

Shrimp Aglio e Olio

On evolving

Keeping a positive attitude, we began to brainstorm value driven ideas to generate sales without sacrificing the quality and the standards our guests had come to expect. We came up with our signature three course dinner for two which has really done quite well...even if it's in a take-out container! At first, the idea of take-out containers had me quite unhappy since I believe "you eat with your eyes first" and a to go box just doesn't have the same aesthetic appeal. That said, restaurant folks are resourceful and our combined experience has carried us through thus far.

Beefsteak Tomato and Avocado Salad

AT HOME

The real challenge is now trying to keep our seven year old son Jackson entertained, educated, engaged, but more importantly - safe! Since we are all quarantined and the schools are closed, we have to bring Jackson with us to the restaurant everyday, which is taxing for us all. Especially for a seven year old that doesn't quite understand why he can't see his friends, or leave the yard, or go to school. Or why everyone is wearing masks and he has to sit in the restaurant office for dinner "service". This is very stressful for us all!

On Small Victories

Some unexpected wins for our business are that we are still keeping our head above water! The community support has been outstanding and each day brings new challenges which we can confidently face head-on knowing we are in Glens Falls. Our supportive guests have been very understanding during this transition. Some nights are fluid and efficient. Other nights people may have to wait for a few minutes for their food and they are ok with that...even if they are spread six feet apart while wearing masks. 

Chef Brian Bowden and partner Carly Mankouski

On the Future

Going forward, when the world re-opens and we have a la carte dinner service again, we plan to continue our signature Grab & Go three course dinner for two. It was something we planned to implement before this all began and has proved to be a real crowd pleaser!

On the Small Business Community

We believe it is important to practice what you preach.  We have appreciated the support from other businesses and business owners, and we have reciprocated.  This has been a very humbling experience for everyone, and it's amazing to see how everyone has banded together.   

Radici Kitchen & Bar
Website / Facebook / Instagram
518-804-1007

For updates on all of your favorite local businesses, click here.

This story was made possible by Keena Staffing.

“It’s wonderful to see how our Glens Falls businesses have adapted and overcome the challenges we have all faced over the past few months. From the locally owned restaurants to lawn care and hardware shops, Glens Falls has stood strong in the face of adversity and we are proud to serve the HR, payroll, and employment needs of all these amazing businesses. As a local HR company, we understand the unique challenges of our hometown businesses and can tailor our services to your needs. Please check out our website here to learn about what we can do for your business!”

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support Glens Falls Living!

Three Ways to Enjoy the Three Newest Peanut Butter Cups from Barkeater Chocolates

We love chocolate year round, but it holds a special place in our hearts (and cupboards!) during these cozy winter months. Perfect timing for a new product launch from Adirondack favorite, Barkeater Chocolates, in the form of three amazing new varieties of peanut butter cups! We chatted with founder Deb Morris to get the scoop on the new flavors, and brainstorm how best to enjoy them this season.

On sweet beginnings

Deb and her husband Jim decided to make their way into the chocolate industry in 2008 after seeing a need for a tasty, high quality chocolate product that was made locally. Why chocolate? “I love chocolate,” says Deb. “You have to enjoy the product”. 

Jim and Deb are both from downstate, and have worked their way progressively north since they met in their 20’s. They landed in North Creek in the mid-2000’s and found themselves enamored with all things Adirondack. When it came to naming the chocolate business, they looked no further than the literal meaning of the word Adirondack: Barkeater. 

With a background in television and video production and just a few brief classes in desserts and chocolate under her belt, Deb is mostly self-taught in chocolate making and has seen the best results through trial and error. And side note, while she didn’t have a “chocolate mentor” per se while she learned the craft, she’s about to be one herself, having just announced she’ll be teaching a course on Chocolate and Confections at SUNY Adirondack this spring! 

On Peanut Butter Cups

From their beginnings with truffles in ’08, they’ve continued to experiment and expand to chocolate bars, bark, caramels, peanut butter cups, and so much more, all the while taking strides to stand out from the crowd of other chocolate brands that have popped up. The one thing they’ve realized in their nearly 13 years? “Everyone’s done everything…but there’s one thing that people are sticking to the basics on, and that’s peanut butter cups. There’s a whole category here that no one is playing with.” 

If you’ve ever tried a Barkeater Peanut Butter Cup, first, you know how addicting they are. But you’ve likely also noticed how unique they are, which is no mistake! “Our peanut butter cups are different to begin with - it’s crunchy peanut butter, which nobody else does, and it’s natural peanut butter, and it’s real peanut butter,” Deb notes. This in contrast to commercial peanut butter cups, which are made with peanut flour and constituted to make them shelf stable for a long time. Not sure about you, but we’ll take the fresh peanut butter cup, please! 

They’ve got three wildly successful flavors already - the milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate salt. So, with only a few other artisan peanut butter cup lines out there in the chocolate world (and with the popularity of their current peanut butter cups!), they knew this was the category to expand on. And we’re so glad they did, because the new flavors are so good. 

On New Taste Experiences 

Here they are… 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup w/ Sea Salt: With the popularity of their milk and sea salt peanut butter cup, and separately, the popularity of their dark chocolate and sea salt bar, they figured a dark chocolate peanut butter cup + sea salt was a sure win. We’d have to agree! 

Dark Chocolate Toffee Peanut Butter Cup: Toffee is one of the most popular barks that they make in house, so why not? “It has dark chocolate of course, a touch of toffee oil, and bits of toffee on top,” says Deb. Home run. 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Honey Cup: Dark, but darker - this cup is 72% dark chocolate (and dairy free), and instead of the peanut butter being sweetened with their sugar, it’s sweetened with granulated honey, topped with bee pollen sprinkles. That sounds healthy to us, which just means we can eat a few more, right?! 

On Enhancing the Experience

There’s nothing wrong with savoring a peanut butter cup on it’s own, but we couldn’t help but bounce around some ideas for some other ways we can enjoy these. Here’s what we came up with: 

With Wine: You can’t go wrong with chocolate and wine! Deb’s tip: “The key is to balance it out - you don’t want two bitters. A dark or dry wine would pair best with a sweeter chocolate, and a darker chocolate would pair well with a sweeter wine.” Sold!

Over Ice Cream: “If you need to spread your peanut butter cup joy out, I’d say put it over ice cream,” she suggested. Pass the vanilla, please! 

In a S’more: We went there. This is definitely overboard, but is it?! You may need to run an extra mile or two afterwards, but this is taste tested and approved for cozy nights in by the fire. 

On the Launch

But where can we get them, you ask?! Head up to the Barkeater Chocolates Factory Store in North Creek on Saturday from 11-5 for free samples of the full size peanut butter cups in store (while supplies last!) and, of course, grab some to bring home. 

A few stores that are carrying the new flavors immediately are Fred the Butcher in Halfmoon, Honest Weight in Albany, Pellegrino in Rensselaer and a few others scattered around the state.

Deb Morris and Melinda Smith at the Barkeater Chocolates Factory Store in North Creek

This post was in partnership with Barkeater Chocolates. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support Glens Falls Living.

One Hundred Years of Hot Dogs at New Way Lunch

How many dirt dog fans out there?! We were thrilled to catch up with the Gazetos Family to chat about their remarkable achievement of 100 years in business at New Way Lunch. Read on as they share what has changed (and stayed the same!) over the years, what the future holds, and get the scoop on their 100th Anniversary Party this Saturday, August 3rd!

100 Years in Business - that’s amazing and so rare! What would you say has been the secret  to maintaining such a long run? 

Our family has kept it simple over the 100 years, a consistent product with great service. We believe that is the key to our success.

What has changed over the years? What’s stayed the same? 

We have expanded our menu and added more locations over the years. But our commitment to our roots, being our hotdogs, has stayed the same. You always have to remember what got you to where you are today.

Your founder, John Floro would be so proud… What do you think he would make of restaurant industry nowadays? 

It’s so much different now! I am not sure what he would think, but he created a great legacy for our family and would be very proud.

The restaurant business isn’t always easy… any challenges over the years? How did you overcome them? 

There are challenges every day, I just tell my children to take it one day at a time. And that’s what we do, we work hard and just keep plugging along.

What first brought your family to the region? What’s kept you here? 

My grandfather, John, traveled around the state. He went to a few small cities, came across Glens Falls and decided to move his wife and two children at the time here. So our family has been in the area ever since. We have loved raising our kids here, it’s great!

You’ve got three locations… where was your first? When did they open respectively? 

The first was on South Street in Glens Falls, opening in 1919. Susan and I opened the Queensbury location in in 1998 and lastly our Warrensburg location in 2012.

Photo courtesy of The Gazetos Family.

What do you think your customers love the most about New Way? 

I think people really enjoy the old school atmosphere. You know, we don’t change much, and I hear customers say I haven’t been here in 10 years and everything’s the same! People really like that, and of course our service, we are lucky to have great help and that goes a long way.

What do you love most about your customers?

We have the best customers; we are lucky to have a lot of regulars that keep us going! I would say I love their loyalty most.

What do you love the most about living in the area?

My family has always lived in the Glens Falls area, we love being close to the ADKs and Lake George. Glens Falls is very up and coming now, there is a lot going on downtown and it’s very exciting to watch the city develop. You know we have seen it go through a lot of up and downs through the years. But there is no question Glens Falls is having a re-birth.

Let’s talk about the family aspect of the business… What do you think is the biggest advantage of being a family run business? Are there any challenges that come along with it? 

It’s great to have your family by your side when in business! You always have someone to trust and who you know will work hard alongside you. My wife and kids have done a tremendous job. I am very proud. For us we are so used to working together we don’t have many challenges in that aspect of business.

How about the famous dirt dogs… what do you think makes them so popular? 

It’s really the combination of everything that make our hot dogs so great. The steamed roll, with our custom pork and beef blend hotdog, topped with yellow mustard, freshly chopped onions, and our homemade meat sauce. The meat sauce is really the standout though, it’s what we are known for.

How long have they been on the menu? 

All 100 years of course. For a long time, it was just hotdogs and beverages.

We know it’s secret… but has the meat sauce changed over the years? How many years have you used the same recipe? 

The sauce has never changed and never will. It has been passed down through the generations. Each family member makes the sauce in each of the locations and we take great pride in it.

What are some of your other most popular items on the menu? 

Our cheese fries have become very popular and our onion rings. We are also known for our Greek salads.

Has the menu changed much over the years? Any plans for even more great options? 

The menu greatly expanded when we opened the Queensbury location. The Warrensburg location also serves breakfast. We add things now and again, but there aren’t any immediate plans for any major menu changes.

With 100 years under your belt, what does the future hold? 

We are going to just keep doing what we are doing. As a family we feel so lucky to have made it this far.

What do you think will get you through the next 100 years?

The same thing that got us through the first 100 years, it’s truly a labor of love for us.

If you could offer any bit of advice to a young restaurateur, what would it be? 

It’s a rewarding business to be in. But you have to really love it, it’s a lot of work!

Tell us a bit about your 100th Anniversary Party this coming Saturday!

Our 100 year celebration is really a party to celebrate our customers. We could not have done it without them! It’s going to be a true block party, with activities for children, live music, and of course lots of hot dogs. We are having our hotdog eating contest at 4:30pm, and that should really be fun, we are looking forward to it.

Grab all the details for the party here.

Peter, Susan, Nicholas, and Alexandria Gazetos. Photo by Tom Stock, courtesy of The Gazetos Family.