Can anyone suggest a restaurant about halfway between Albany, NY & New Haven, CT to meet with friends? Not looking for a chain; would prefer something more unique, cozy; good food.

There has to be SOMETHING nice out there!

I don't have time this morning -- but if you go to www.egullet.com - in the United States Section -- click on that portion of NY you will certainly get recommendations!

Halfway would be in the area of Rockland County near the Tappan Zee Bridge. Try Nyack or Piermont. You haven't given any idea as to price or types of food.

If you want some help Kathy, I think you have to do some work and tell us WHERE halfway is. There are many ways to drive between these 2 places and halfway can fall in a lot of places I'd think. I did a quick mapquest search. Their directions would place halfway around Springfield/Holyoke Mass. I don't know that area.

We make this trip frequently and take different routes, so I am open to all suggestions of anything between here & there. The routes I'm familiar with: the highway route is I-90 East to Springfield to I-91 South to New Haven. For a more scenic route, we also take I-90 east and exit at Exit 2 of the Mass Pike, down Route 8. Open to different types of food - would like something comfortable -- if someone could come up with a New England Inn along this route that serves good food, that would be great!

Since you're meeting halfway, I didn't think the route was that significant, which I why I suggested the Nyack/Piermont area, which has a lot of good places to choose from and is a scenic area.

Howard, any suggestion for specific places in that area?

Xavier's is famous but only serves lunch/brunch on weekends. The Turning Point is fun. Here's some more info

http://www.uniquity.com/rc/r_dining.htm

In Piermont, I can recommend the superb Freelance Cafe (which is owned by the owners of Xavier's). They don't take reservations and it's a very popular place.
Also in Piermont, I recommend Pasta Amore, which, of course, is Italian.

For unique try Gasho, a hibichi steakhouse. See photos and menu of Hawthorn NY site at www.gasho.com

More halfway between Albany and New Haven would be the German restaurant Hofbrauhaus in Springfield Ma.

www.hofbrauhaus.org for menu in Springfield, convenient to I-91