6 Best Restaurants in Albany and Central New York, New York

A hostess dressed in a kimono is likely to greet you at this bright and airy restaurant with pale wood furnishings. A sushi bar serves a large selection of sushi and sashimi combinations; entrées include teriyaki, tempura, and kutsu dishes as well as Thai curries and noodles. Try the ika yaki (grilled squid in teriyaki sauce) or the fried soft-shell crab for a truly delicious indulgence.

Since 1938 this casual restaurant has been serving such Southern favorites as fried chicken, ribs, pork chops, and jambalaya—a warm welcome to those born south of the Mason-Dixon. Meals include homemade biscuits and corn bread and a choice of sides, including macaroni and cheese and sweet potatoes. In nice weather you can eat on the courtyard patio. Inside, tables—in checkered cloths—crowd together; overhead fans and a banging screen door keep the air circulating. The place does not take reservations in July and August; you just show up and wait.

You can watch life on the lake go by from this shipshape casual dockside restaurant that's part of a motel complex. Prime rib is a favorite here, and seafood au gratin—lobster, shrimp, and scallops smothered in a white wine–cream sauce and cheddar cheese—is rich. The food is good, but the view is the real reason diners head here.

Veal Scorsese, one of the more popular entrées at this northern Italian restaurant, is named for Martin Scorsese, who dined here regularly while directing The Age of Innocence. The dish pairs wafer-thin pieces of veal with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, prosciutto, and capers, all covered with cooked tomatoes. Fresh seafood and pasta dishes are also good choices.

Savory and dessert crepes are the focus at this small eatery furnished with plain wooden tables and chairs. Side orders of Belgian-style frites (fries) come in paper cones sized for an individual or a table of diners, and may include several kinds of dipping sauce. The Mamma Mia crepe wraps up Italian sausage with sweet and spicy peppers—a ubiquitous ingredient in upstate.

Traditional Middle Eastern cuisine is the specialty of this small restaurant just outside Utica. Stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh, and hummus with pita bread are among the appetizers. Kebabs of marinated and grilled lamb, pork, beef, and chicken are the most popular entrée. Also on the menu are kafta (skewered meatballs of finely ground beef and lamb), kibbi (raw, ground spiced lamb), stuffed cabbage, and several vegetarian dishes. A small patio offers outdoor dining.