Food & Drink you must try when visiting Saratoga Springs
- Scot Schechner
- Jul 25, 2017
- 3 min read
Saratoga Springs may be known for health, history and horses, but it also has a rich tradition of great food and world class restaurants. And it's not all high end dining either. Saratoga is loaded with unique drinks and great snacks you can grab on the run. Here are 10 snacks, drinks and quick meals you need to try while you are in town.
Death Wish Coffee - Before they won QuickBooks’ Small Business Big Game contest, had their own Super Bowl commercial and became a national brand, Death Wish Coffee, the world’s strongest coffee, was served in owner Mike Brown’s Saratoga Springs coffee shop, Saratoga Coffee Traders. The coffee is still there, and if you're lucky, so is Mike. If you need a strong cup to start your day, this the spot for you.
Plum Dandy Frozen Yogurt - Beat the heat with a frozen treat at Plum Dandy, right on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. You know the drill… Fill your own cup with a variety of frozen yogurt flavors, add toppings, pay based on weight. Where Plum Dandy gets it right is by sourcing local toppings, like fresh berries, all summer long.
Fudge from the Saratoga Sweets Candy Company - Saratoga Springs is home to two candy stores, and they are both great, but the real gem is Saratoga Sweets. Owner and local resident Dawn Oesch stocks her small shop, tucked behind Starbucks, with a variety of vintage penny candies, truffles and more, but her specialty is homemade fudge, available in 18 different flavors.
Spring Water - Saratoga was built around it’s world famous mineral springs, and locally bottled Saratoga Spring Water is served at some of the finest restaurants in the country. To this day there are still publically available springs that you can drink from. 21 of them to be exact. Because each spring its own unique mineral content, they all taste different, but locals prefer the State Seal Spring on the west end of The Avenue of the Pines in the Saratoga Spa State Park.
Potato Chips - OK, so you can eat potato chips anywhere, but only one city can claim to be the birthplace of the potato chip. Several people lay claim as the inventor, including George Crum, chef at Moon’s Lake House, his sister Catherine Wicks, who was also a cook at Moon’s, and Cary Moon, owner of Moon’s Lake House - but all seemed to agree that the chip was born at Moon’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs some time in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, Moon’s Lake House is long gone, but its crowning achievement is certainly not forgotten.
A Doughboy - A day in Saratoga doesn’t end when the final race is won. It continues well into the night with Saratoga’s thriving nightlife. After a long day at the track and an even longer evening of drinking, you need something to fill you up. Ask any local and they’ll tell you, that something is a doughboy from Esperanto, a little hole in the wall right on Caroline Street, between two of Saratoga’s most historic bars - the Tin and Lint and Desperate Annie’s. It’s pizza dough, stuffed with chicken, cheese and spices, and baked to a perfect golden brown. Imagine the best hot pocket you’ve ever tried. No imagine it at 3:00AM after a night of partying.
Juice - That’s right. Juice. After a long night of drinking, you’re going to need something healthy to help you recover. The Saratoga Juice Bar is there to help. Their handcrafted, cold pressed juices always fresh, healthy, and delicious. Try the Saratoga Detox, with pineapple, carrot, orange and ginger.
A hot dog - Sometimes it helps to sit down and relax by the pool. You can do exactly that at The Victoria Pool in the Saratoga Spa State Park. It’s great for people watching. It’s also a great place to grab a quick hot dog, cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of snap and a perfectly warm, soft bun.
Pastries - Mrs. London’s Bakery on Broadway has been a Saratoga staple for over 20 years, and it’s easy to see why. They are world famous for their fresh baked bread, and their pastries are as good as it gets. Try the stuffed brioche for a decadent chocolaty treat.
The Cookie - Not just any cookie. The Cookie. The world’s greatest cookie, in fact. It’s called The Ultimate Double Chocolate with Walnuts, and it isn’t just the best thing you will eat in Saratoga Springs. It may just be the best thing you will eat this year. And the place to get it is at The Chocolate Spoon stall at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings. But come early, they sell out!
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