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

This intimate restaurant draws mostly business executives who come to savor curry and coconut-milk dishes. The menu, a blend of Indonesian and Continental fare, includes winners such as pistachio-crusted chicken breast in Madeira sauce and rack of lamb. If you want an experience to savor and linger over, order the Rijstaffel, a five-course Indonesian-style meal that includes appetizer, soup, salad, entrées, and condiments. For dessert consider the Kentucky bourbon nut pie. The wine list, covering more than 700 bottles, has been lauded by Wine Spectator.

A favorite of local politicos, this intimate, wood-paneled eatery serves northern Italian and Mediterranean food. The breads and pastas are made on-site, and you can't miss with the risotto of the day.

For great seafood, this Albany establishment with tiled floors, white tablecloths, dark wood, and polite service is the place to go. Two menus are offered at dinner: one has dishes from 1913, the year Jack's opened, and the other lists more-contemporary preparations. Oysters, steak, and prime rib are regular features. Signature dishes from the 1913 menu include calves' liver sautéed with bacon, and Jack's Seafood Grille, which contains scallops, shrimp, and salmon.

Whether you're looking for drinks or an interesting meal, this always-crowded spot is the place to see and be seen in Albany. The innovative chef has put together a menu that ranges from Kobe steaks to Peking duck breast to tandoori pork tenderloin. Appetizers include yellowfin tuna and fig salad.

With high ceilings, draped tables, and mahogany-stained paneling, this restaurant in the Saratoga National Golf Club's Victorian-style clubhouse exudes quiet elegance. The food lives up to the decor. The menu might include Russian caviar, Australian rack of lamb, or seared ahi tuna. A lounge with a granite-and-wood bar and an outdoor terrace are more-casual dining options.

The 1930s art-deco design at this restaurant on a narrow side street includes a black-and-white tile floor and equestrian art. Try the specialty, soft-shell crab (in season), or Maryland crab cakes, swordfish, or steaks. The restaurant also has a wine-by-the-glass menu that stretches for several pages, and tantalizing appetizers like the plate of smoked meats and olives. Reservations are not accepted in August.

The handsome Greek-revival building, built in the mid-1800s, graces Main Street with its full-facade, two-tier porch. In the restaurant, a coffered ceiling, hardwood floors, painted wood chairs, and cloth-draped tables create a warm atmosphere. The contemporary American and Continental fare relies on its own richness, not gimmicks. The terrace has umbrella-shaded tables for warm-weather dining.