We polled our awesome customers and Facebook followers for their favorite Capital District patio dining, and then visited their top three picks. A $50 gift card will be given to one of our lucky social media followers to the place we liked the best!
We conducted very serious research, and rated each restaurant on taste, presentation, service, ambiance, and value. We asked each server to surprise us with their best dish to best compete with the other restaurants. What did they give us? What did we think? Who won? Keep reading to find out….
Shaker & Vine - Schenectady, NY - https://theshakerandvine.com/
Shaker & Vine is an upscale bistro and wine bar. We really appreciated how intimate Shaker & Vine felt with its pergola of palm trees and string lights, firepits, and deep-set lounge chairs overlooking Mohawk Harbor. If you didn’t know you were in Schenectady, you could easily picture it being right at home at any waterfront or seaside getaway. They have a self-serve wine bar with food options such as flatbreads, paninis and salads.
Their best dish was the charcuterie board, with a spread consisting of Manchego, smoked gouda, sharp provolone, cheddar, fresh mozzarella, salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, whole-grain mustard, fig jam, blackberry jam, crackers, crostini, blueberries, and briny kalamata olives and gherkins. The blackberry jam on this was really the hero for us and we put it on everything. The crackers and crostini were crisp, fresh, and paired well with the delectable cheeses and jams.
Carson’s Woodside Tavern - Malta, NY - https://www.carsonswoodside.com/
Carson’s is an affordable American restaurant with an overhead vantage of Saratoga Lake. It has many options for seating—two covered patios and an indoor dining section as well. Their menu offers dishes such as salads, sandwiches, wraps and burgers.
Their best dish was a candied pecan, apple & gorgonzola salad topped with grilled salmon. The salad included mixed greens, red onion, dried cranberries, and crisp apple slices all topped with a creamy balsamic dressing. It pleased the palate with its array of textures: sweet, salty, crispy, crunchy, acidic, creamy, and to round it all out, the smooth fatty texture of a perfectly cooked salmon filet. If you’re salad fans like we are, this is a great place to get one.
550 Waterfront - Saratoga, NY - https://www.550waterfront.com/
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550 Waterfront offers you an upscale-American comfort food experience with tranquil views of Saratoga Lake, and the rhythmic lapping sounds of water against boat hulls in the adjacent marina. It has great options for indoor and outdoor dining. We took advantage of a outdoor table and admired the stunning lakeside view. If you are faced with a wait, you can bide your time by lounging in one of the Adirondack chairs on the beach, sipping a lemonade, and feeling the grit of sand between your toes. This place was definitely our top location for the best view and was our top location for quality of service. They went very out of their way to be accommodating to our schedule and then some to make us feel welcome. Their menu offers burgers and lots of seafood options for any kind of diner.
Their best dish was a Poke bowl that hit all the culinary notes. It an abundance of fresh marinated tuna, sticky rice, cucumber, seaweed salad, avocado, sriracha mayo, furikake and topped with crispy wontons—our mouths are watering just thinking about having it again.
The Winner
All these options for patio dining had so much to offer and were all very different dining experiences. After we tallied our votes and compared our notes, the rankings emerged. It was close, but in the end 550 Waterfront edged into first with their Poke bowl, followed up by Carson’s and then Shaker & Vine.
Keep a lookout for more of Lia’s Quest for the Best and our next adventure to win a $50 gift card to a great local business.