If you’re like me and are stuck eating dining hall food, you’re always on the lookout for fun and delicious places to eat. Thanks to the help of my lovely best friends, this Massachusetts native has been able to try a ton of local restaurants in the surrounding area near Siena. Here are some of my all-time favorites:
1. Crisp: Located in Loudonville’s Newton Plaza, just minutes down the street from Siena, Crisp offers a menu that is both fresh and filling. The sandwiches are stuffed full of various meats and vegetables (my personal favorite is the Chicken Caesar Wrap) and the salads are just about the size of your face. Crisp is decorated in a cozy and industrial rustic way, with blue and white chairs and absolutely gorgeous wooden tables. My friends and I love stopping by for a quick bite, as the food is amazing and the staff is super helpful and nice. The prices at Crisp can be compared to those at Panera, about $10 a meal. This meal includes a sandwich or a salad with a choice of a small side and a fun surprise at the end.
2. Buca di Beppo: Everyone loves Italian food, but you don’t know Italian food until you visit Buca di Beppo. Buca (as my friends and I call it) is located on Wolf Road in Colonie, right across from Colonie Center, and prides themselves in their traditional family style setting. The entrees are designed to be shared, with the portions offered for 2-4 people each. The food is ridiculously delicious, everything is made from scratch and there is an endless amount of options, from the typical spaghetti and meatballs to fettucine alfredo to spicy chicken rigatoni. Buca is divided into a series of rooms instead of the typical parlor setting, which serves for a much more intimate dining experience. The staff at Buca is top notch and the restaurant is decorated from floor to ceiling, including red and white checked tablecloths, a ceiling full of wine bottles, and an endless amount of random Italian portraits. My friends took me there for my 21st birthday and we were able share several entrees between seven people. Buca is a bit pricy because it is a family-style restaurant, but if you are with a larger group of people, you will be able to split entrees and appetizers amongst the group.
3. Wolf’s 1-11: This is one of the best bar and grill restaurants in the areas surrounding Siena. Wolf’s 1-11 is located on Wolf Road in Colonie and is fairly large in size, complete with a full bar and separate dining area. My friends and I took my boyfriend there for his 21st birthday and we practically rolled ourselves back home, we were so full. The menu at Wolf’s 1-11 consists of various burgers/sandwiches, salads and appetizers, but the mac and cheese is absolutely to die for. The buffalo mac and cheese is stuffed full of a creamy buffalo sauce, bleu cheese crumbles and an endless amount of grilled chicken. It’s the perfect amount of spicy and will literally fill you up until the lunchtime the next day. (TRUST ME) Some mixed drinks may be a lot stronger than you think, so just be careful. I ordered a raspberry martini the last time I went to Wolf’s 1-11 and it was extremely strong and not very well mixed. If you’re not partial to super strong drinks, stick to Wolf’s extensive beer and wine menu.
4. Mexican Connection: Located in the historic and beautiful town of Saratoga, New York, Mexican Connection is a bit of a dive when you first set eyes on it. The building is small and white and set just across the street from the Saratoga Racetrack, so if you’re driving by in a hurry, you might not see it at first. However, don’t let the outside image of Mexican Connection fool you, this restaurant has the best Mexican food I have ever had. The menu consists not only of a list of enchiladas, quesadillas and fajitas, but a full tequila bar. My absolute favorite entree to order at Mexican Connection is the chilequiles, or “Mexican lasagna”. This purely orgasmic creation consists of layers of corn tortillas, shredded chicken, cheese, and sour cream baked with their homemade tomatillo sauce, and is served with a side of black beans and a salad. I won’t lie when I tell you that my friends and I have literally had dreams about the chilequiles and the endless rounds of chips and salsa that come along with it. The drive from Siena to Mexican Connection is about a half an hour, but is absolutely worth it.
5. Brown’s Brewing Company: If you’re looking for a place to eat that specializes in the local flavors, try Brown’s Brewing Company. Located in the city of Troy, Brown’s Brewing Company offers both inside and outside seating and sits right on the banks of the Hudson River. The menu offers hearty burgers and sandwiches and the staff is great in helping to pair your meal with the perfect brew. I can tend to be a bit of a burger snob, but the Bacon Blues Burger was definitely one of the best I have ever had. The burger was cooked to perfection, stuffed full with bleu cheese and bacon and surrounded by a mound of crispy, golden french fries. The interior of Brown’s Brewing Company is a bit small, as it is larger in length rather than width, which provides a bit of a tight dining experience. However, the prices are very reasonable, there is hardly a wait time, and you can even purchase bottles of Brown’s Brewing Company’s own brews to bring back home.