More than just a coffee… my new favorite happy hour spot, Palette Cafe brings art and finery together. I sat down with my friend and Palette owner, Catherine Hover, for the real dish on what inspired her to create Palette. A unique cafe… with a liquor license.
My favorite spot, the patio, has that quintessential Broadway atmosphere. White bistro tables, perfect for seating a girls night out party, have equal parts people watching and privacy. The entire cafe is aesthetically pleasing which isn’t surprising considering owner Catherine’s love for all things art. The name is even art inspired. “You need a palette to create any artwork. I really wanted to make art a focal point and it’s the cousin to Paint & Sip” Catherine said (she also owns Saratoga Paint & Sip Studio).
I asked Catherine where her love for art was born and she said, “After Paint & Sip came to life.” At that time the Louisiana transplant “just wanted to bring fun to Saratoga,” but after employing artists and seeing first hand what they often referred to as “struggling” she really wanted to support and empower more artists so they can continue to do what they are passionate about. “We need more art in the world,” she said. An entire wall has been curated into a backdrop to display local artists’ work for sale with much of the profit going to the artists themselves. The featured artists will rotate every couple of months.
Palette has much of the same undertones as Paint & Sip. In addition to art, Palette expands upon the premise of bringing women together. Palette is for all women. Working moms and stay at home moms alike. With those two thoughts in mind the upstairs (coming soon) is going to be a dedicated co-working and community space and will have programming to support women in all areas of career and life. “Not your average co-working space,” Catherine said through a big smile. The upstairs area will be staffed with a full time concierge to take care of all the members’ needs. Complete with a conference room and secret garden area for private meetings, Palette offers immense value for the remote employee.
So pack the patio and pour the prosecco-punch, because every night until 8pm, you can sip on a fun & flirty cocktail or mocktail. Grab anything from a glass of Rosé to an after-work coffee cocktail to caffeine you through to the evening. The menu carries the women-theme forward with each cocktail being named after an inspirational woman. There is the “Coco” after Coco Chanel, which is a french 75, because “Chanel is a bad ass,” Catherine says. The Maude after Maude Lebowski who was a feminist and an avant-garde artist featuring vodka, cold brew and cream over ice. The “Stassi” after Stassi Schroder who went to the same high school as Catherine and stars in Vanderpump Rules. It’s a spin-off of the drink she always drinks, the Aperol spritz. Different women will be featured on the menu and they will change over time. Just another super-fun detail that Catherine has brought to life.
Sam Pierre, baker extraordinaire, offers sweet and savory bites to satisfy any palate (see what I did there)? Perfect for pairing with any of the aforementioned cocktails or wines after work. So meet me at 493 Broadway, dress up or come as you are, and join me on the patio to ponder the power of all things women.
More than just coffee, Palette Cafe.
All photos were used with permission from Alice Corey Photography.
