Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Albany area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Albany area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

1 / 29

#29. Angelo's 677 Prime

- Rating: 4.0/5 (331 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 677 Broadway Albany, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 29

#28. Sake Japanese Steakhouse

- Rating: 4.0/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 611 Troy Schenectady Road Latham, New York
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 29

#27. Nicole's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 556 Delaware Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 29

#26. Cafe Capriccio

- Rating: 4.0/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 49 Grand St. Albany, New York
- Categories: Italian, Mediterranean, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 29

#25. Lanie's Cafe

- Rating: 4.0/5 (315 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 471 Albany Shaker Road Albany, New York
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 29

#24. Savoy Taproom

- Rating: 4.0/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 301 Lark St. Albany, New York
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 29

#23. The Hollow Bar & Kitchen

- Rating: 4.0/5 (488 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 79 North Pearl St. Albany, New York
- Categories: New American, Music Venues, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 29

#22. Spindles Wine Bar

- Rating: 4.1/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 241 Remsen St. Cohoes, New York
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 29

#21. Scotti's Restaurant & Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.1/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1730 Union St. Schenectady, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 29

#20. Tanpopo Ramen and Sake Cafe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (461 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 893 Broadway Albany, New York
- Categories: Salad, Ramen, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 29

#19. Galleria 7 Market

- Rating: 4.1/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1214 Troy Schenectady Road Plaza 7 Commons Latham, New York
- Categories: Food Court, Pizza, Seafood Markets
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 29

#18. The Copper Crow

- Rating: 4.1/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 904 Broadway Albany, New York
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 29

#17. Karavalli

- Rating: 4.1/5 (486 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9B Johnson Road Latham, New York
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 29

#16. Maharaja Indian Restaurant

- Rating: 4.1/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10 Wolf Road Albany, New York
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 29

#15. Grappa '72 Ristorante

- Rating: 4.1/5 (349 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 818 Central Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 29

#14. Druthers Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.1/5 (569 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1053 Broadway Albany, New York
- Categories: Burgers, Brewpubs
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 29

#13. Athos

- Rating: 4.2/5 (368 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1814 Western Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 29

#12. Caffe Italia

- Rating: 4.2/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2080 Western Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 29

#11. Cafe Madison

- Rating: 4.2/5 (778 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1108 Madison Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 29

#10. Sage Bistro

- Rating: 4.2/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2050 Western Ave. Guilderland, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 29

#9. Moliendo cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 791 Madison Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Colombian
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 29

#8. Zaitoon Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (267 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 471 Troy Schenectady Road Latham, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean, Halal, Lebanese
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 29

#7. Kismet Mediterranean Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1116 Madison Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean, Greek, Turkish
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 29

#6. Build A Burger Pub

- Rating: 4.4/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2012 Central Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Burgers, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 29

#5. Chez Mike

- Rating: 4.4/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 596 Columbia Tpke East Greenbush, New York
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 29

#4. Lost & Found

- Rating: 4.4/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 942 Broadway Albany, New York
- Categories: New American, Pubs, Beer Gardens
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 29

#3. Iron Gate Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1006 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 182A Washington Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 29

#2. Umana Yana

- Rating: 4.6/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 240 Washington Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Ethiopian, Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 29

#1. Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (268 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1839 Central Ave. Albany, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean, Afghan, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.