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What’s New This Summer on the Saratoga Restaurant & Bar Scene

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Summer visitors to Saratoga Springs have a lot of options when it comes to dining out, and the choices are getting even better.

Between restaurant and bar openings, current establishments being revamped with new additions and new chefs, you won’t want to miss out on the new and improved food scene currently underway.

Maestros
Maestro’s at McGregor, photo provided 

Farm-to-table 2 West Bar & Grille Ready For Summer

Saratoga residents and winter visitors have been enjoying 2 West Bar & Grille since it opened in late January. Tim and Colleen Holmes, owners of two Wheatfields locations and Beer Wine Pizza, have taken on this venture as their fourth restaurant. The gastro pub is appropriately located at 2 West Avenue in Saratoga.

“We really felt that there was a need on the west side for a full-service restaurant and bar, and we had the opportunity with the Bonacios to build this, so we took it,” Colleen told the Saratogian.

The restaurant is located in the new 65-unit apartment complex built by Bonacio Construction.

Executive Chef Jason Audette is prioritizing farm-to-table production with the food and menu options. “The main focus of the menu is whole animal driven,” he explained to the Saratogian.

All meat served at 2 West is pasture-raised from Arcadian Pastures in Sloansville. Audette resolves to utilize the entire animal by offering different cuts of cow, pig, chicken, lamb, and rabbit.

Although the meat and other menu items are undoubtedly fresh-tasting and delicious, the number one seller is the deviled eggs. Smoked egg yolks are topped with espelette and house-cured bacon.

New Chef at Sperry’s Restaurant

Sperry’s Restaurant on Caroline Street has a new executive chef: Brian Bowden. Bowden has previously worked at Javier’s, Mingle on the Avenue, and 15 Church.

Bowden is emphasizing classic steakhouse themes on the menu, sourcing some of his steaks from Edelweiss Veal in Albany, who have begun dry-aging beef.

Maestro’s Open in New Location

Editor’s Note 10/26/16: Maestro’s at McGregor is no longer open.

When Maestro’s closed at the former location in November of last year, business partners Bill Donovan and Nick Adie were not planning on reopening. But fans of the popular Saratoga bistro can rejoice, because Maestro’s is back on the scene.

Donovan and Adie started Symphony Catering in 2014 to meet the demands of Maestro’s guests looking for party planning and catering. This new, second business was sharing kitchen space with Maestro’s, and it began to strain restaurant operations. When the doors closed at Maestro’s, Donovan and Adie thought they would be focusing all their energies on the catering company.

However, Donovan and Adie ended up accepting an unsolicited offer from the Adelphi Group, owners of the neighboring Adelphi Hotel, to buy the restaurant. McGregor Links Country Club became a option for the new home of Symphony, and the owners felt it would make sense to operate the restaurant out of the clubhouse.

Formerly known as Maestro’s at the Van Dam, the restaurant is now operating as Maestro’s at McGregor. The new location is at the McGregor’s Links Clubhouse in Wilton, just four miles from its prior Broadway location.

The new restaurant space saw renovations in January, with a soft opening in April. Now, the restaurant is open to the public seven days a week.

Nostalgia Ale House & Wine Bar Open on Saratoga Lake

As of April 27th, visitors and residents of Saratoga Lake have a new and unique beer and wine bar to partake in. Nostalgia Ale House & Wine Bar has opened at 113 Route 9P on Saratoga Lake, which is the former location of DiDonna’s South Shore Restaurant.

Indoor and outdoor seating is available, with beautiful lake views. There’s even a dock for arrival by boat!

Patrons have a wide variety of beverages to choose from, with over 40 beers available and over 25 different wines. Four of the draft beers are from Battle Hill Brewing in Fort Ann, including one made specifically for Nostalgia.

The menu is pretty diverse as well – a section with steak, half a dozen Italian options, a variety of seafood dishes, a plethora of sandwiches, and standard bar food with several different kinds of burgers.

New Mexican Restaurant Blue Agave Now Open

Editor’s Note 10/16/17: Blue Agave is no longer open.

Blue Agave celebrated their grand opening on May 4th. Mexican food fans and those who just love tequila should definitely check out this restaurant offering classic Mexican dishes with a contemporary flare, excellent margaritas, and rare tequila offerings.

Owner Brad Smith is a Saratoga Springs native, who aims for his restaurant to be a fun and family-friendly atmosphere. Here, guests can get awesome, high quality food and tequila without the high price tag or overly swanky vibe.

“The food’s not pretentious, it’s casual – but at the same time it’s as creative as any fine dining place. And you don’t have the stuffiness. It’s more fun,” Executive Chef Patrick Longton told the Saratogian.

Adults can choose from 30 different tequilas to pair with their authentic Mexican food, while kids can partake in a menu just for them.

“We put a lot of thought into our kids’ menu,” Longton told the Saratogian. “We wanted the kids to enjoy it, and not have the kids’ menu be an afterthought.”

Outdoor seating and live music will become available as the weather gets warmer.

New Owners Announced for The Stadium Cafe

The Stadium Cafe on Broadway in Saratoga has been purchased by Saratoga Hospitality, LLC, who also own Max London’s Restaurant and Mrs. London’s Bakery and Cafe, from previous owner Dave Harmon for an undisclosed amount.

The new owners are renaming the restaurant Saratoga Stadium. They plan to make changes to the establishment’s interior and exterior, and will also revamp the menu.

However, the restaurant will remain a pub and sports bar, and will be open for outside dining soon.

Kraverie Comes to Saratoga Springs

Jersey City’s popular Kraverie has announced the opening of their second restaurant right here in Saratoga. Construction is currently underway at 78 Beekman Street in the Arts District, with doors opening the first week of June.

In 2011, two beloved food trucks in Jersey City – Krave and Lucinda’s – joined forces to open up one of the most original restaurants yet. Under new name Kraverie, patrons can enjoy Krave Korean BBQ and Lucinda’s crepes for some truly amazing flavor combinations.

As a Yelp reviewer from 2012 put it, “I was a huge fan of the Krave truck and of Lucinda’s and now I can have both at the same time!”

Prime at Saratoga National Stepping it Up

With an expected increase in competition this summer, Prime at Saratoga National Golf Course is partnering with a highly successful chef to add to their dining experience.

Jonathan Wright’s impressive resume includes Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in England, hotels in Singapore, and the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan which is he credited with reopening.

Under Wright’s supervision and guidance, Prime is adding a revamped outdoor space called The Porch to their already acclaimed steakhouse. The Porch overlooks the golf course and will be open seasonally from June through Labor Day for lunch and dinner. The new eatery will offer a farm-to-table menu with Mediterranean influences.

“We knew we had to do something to take [Prime at Saratoga National] to the next level,” Angelo Mazzone of Mazzone Hospitality told the Times Union; Mazzone Hospitality owns Prime.

Salt & Char Opening in Late Spring on Broadway

While Maestro’s moves to its new location, making it Maestro’s at McGregor, a new restaurant is taking the old Maestro’s space at the Van Dam hotel on Broadway – get ready for Salt & Char, an upscale eatery taking steakhouses to a new level.

Salt & Char held a job fair earlier this month in preparation for their late spring opening. The restaurant aims to pair popular beef items with less common cuts.

“We wanted to put a modern twist on a timeless classic,” Head Chef Gray Kunz told the Times Union. Kunz was a well known chef in Manhattan during the 1990s while running the kitchen at Lespinasse for nine years.

Kunz’s personal passion as he told Luxury Travel Advisor is “to cook only the finest of dishes in the most bountiful of locations.”

Kunz is indeed excited about the location of Salt & Char – he praised the Hudson Valley region for having some of the freshest ingredients in the state, thanks to our local farmers who are dedicated to sustainable and organic practices.

Morton’s The Steakhouse to be Part of Saratoga Casino Hotel

The Saratoga Casino Hotel, set to open this summer, will be adding Morton’s The Steakhouse to its new hotel expansion.

Morton’s The Steakhouse specializes in USDA prime-aged beef, fresh seafood, and only the best produce. The restaurant will be 6,500 square feet and will be able to seat 160 guests, including a private dining space for up to 33. Even more seating will be available at the restaurant’s lobby bar.

“Morton’s The Steakhouse shares our core goal of providing unique and special experiences to each and every one of our guests and we couldn’t imagine a more perfect fit for our community,”Tom Wiedmayer, General Manager of Saratoga Casino Hotel told the Saratoga Business Journal.

Additionally, the new Perks Cafe, which will be located in the hotel lobby next to Morton’s The Steakhouse, will be serving Starbucks products. Hotel guests will have a prime spot to grab a latte or another classic Starbucks beverage, as well as a bite to eat.

“Starbucks and Morton’s The Steakhouse are two of the most widely known and respected brands in the world, and we are proud to be able to offer them both in our hotel,” Wiedmayer said in a statement.

New Restaurant to Open in Former Mingle Space

Mazzone Hospitality is adding a seventh restaurant to their ever-growing list of high class eateries, Fish at 30 Lake, which is taking over the former Mingle space at the Pavilion Grand Hotel in Saratoga. They are accepting reservations starting on June 20th.

As the name implies, the restaurant will be heavily seafood themed, with a daily dayboat fish, a raw bar, and fish grilled over hardwood and pizza. Additionally there will be a bar program led by a mixologist with hand-crafted cocktails, local spirits, and a wine list.

The restaurant will offer outdoor dining along the sidewalk at the ground floor, next to the main entrance of the hotel. The new hotel addition is planning to open at 2pm for light fair and cocktails, with dinner service starting at 5:30pm; it will be open for dinner on Sundays starting at 3pm.

Mazzone Hospitality owner Angelo Mazzone said in a statement they’re offering “the same quality and service we are known for, yet [it’s] a concept very different from any of our existing restaurants and unlike anything currently in Saratoga Springs.”

The track won’t be the only attraction in Saratoga Springs this summer, with all these great new restaurants opening and current favorites being renovated.

For drink specials, check Saratoga Springs Happy Hours.

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