Restaurants in Albany

From their kitchen stations on the second story of the Bay State Hotel, the chefs at Mulino's Restaurant plate up hearty portions of sophisticated Italian cuisine. Piled-high plates showcase tender linguine, spaghetti, and fettuccine clinging to gorgonzola cream sauce, italian sausages, veggies, and julienned strips of chicken. The aromas of wine-coated salmon and grilled beef tenderloin also fight for the attention of diners who are taking their time with their wine, served by the glass, bottle, or through a penne noodle. Desserts such as crème brulée and tiramisu sweetly seal the meal.

Just off Route 20, a rural highway that crisscrosses the Hidden Hills of the Westfield River watershed, the red-brick façade of a venerable 19th-century storefront shelters Four Main Street Bar and Grill. Inside, an antique-and-craft cabinet showcases work by local artisans and paintball muralists, while the kitchen houses a crew of chefs preparing comforting American fare to serve within the eatery's rustic décor.

Owner and chef John Slattery pens a rotating menu of seasonal American favorites. He serves up steaks and chops, including country-fried new york strip steaks or black-and-tan ribs, as well as seafood, such as roasted salmon and lobster. Craft beers from Wormtown and Berkshire brewery companies join seasonal cocktails and spirits for guests to imbibe while lingering on the sidewalk patio or listening to occasional live music.

The grill masters at Caminito Argentinean Steakhouse stay true to their culinary roots with a distinctly South American cooking tradition, which begins with hormone-free meat from cows that were fed a vegetable-only diet and raised on pastures instead of in cages. Manning a cast-iron grill stoked by locally sourced hardwoods, the expert chefs fire-kiss select cuts of beef to smoky perfection, infusing filet mignons, skirt steaks, and short ribs with rustic flavors that pair harmoniously with the restaurant’s robust selection of Argentinean red wines.

Although Caminito’s wood-fired steaks have earned it the Valley Advocate’s award for Best Steak House from 2010 through 2012, the menu proves that the restaurant does not live and die by expertly charred beef. Lobster-filled ravioli, pan-seared salmon, and seasoned chicken breasts showcase the kitchen team’s culinary repertoire, in addition to vegetarian entrees that aren't just snapshots of steak printed on soy paper. Refreshing sips of ale from Peak Organic Brewing Company complement hearty bites, and spoonfuls of flan and mousse bring meals to their bittersweet conclusion. On weekends, the acoustic strumming of guitarists Alvaro Olvera Sanchez and Jeremy Milligan nourish famished ears with flamenco notes and classic Spanish songs.

The menu at Eclipse doesn’t just rotate with the seasons—it changes on a daily basis. Inspired by the most recent bounty of asparagus or basil at the farmers' market, Eclipse’s chefs craft contemporary entrees featuring meats such grass-fed beef from nearby Upland Meadow Farm, instead of ice-fed beef from Pluto. They lavish these creations with gourmet flavorings such as gorgonzola compound butter, black-currant glaze, and wasabi cream, and draw inspiration from international culinary traditions, turning out dishes such an eggplant baingan bharta. Diners spear their cornish game hen or housemade basil-lasagna noodles while lounging outdoors or surrounded by the dining room’s exposed-brick and soft-yellow walls. On the weekends, live jazz music flits through the air, giving diners an excuse to munch in quiet camaraderie instead of arguing politics, religion, and the usefulness of sporks.

After scouring the United States in pursuit of its finest barbecue, Memphis Smoke House's chefs embraced Tennessee's tangy and sweet flavors as their culinary medium. The barbecue aficionados eschew charcoal in favor of oak, hickory-apple, and cherry hardwoods to slow smoke their briskets, chicken, turkey legs, and ribs each day. They rub meats in specialty spices before smoking them, then douse the tenderized morsels in house-made memphis bourbon barbecue sauce. The staff serves each platter with cornbread and authentic Southern-style sides of Cajun hand-cut fries, hush puppies, or mashed-potato molds of Robert E. Lee. In their dining room, cool air wafts through the wall's colorful signs, and classic music resounds across an outdoor seating area beneath a red-and-white tent. Memphis Smoke House can also cater get-togethers ranging in size from 15 people to large events of 300.

Although it may have fallen out of Top 40 rotation in the 70 years since it was sung by a burger-shop owner’s barbershop quartet, the song “When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)” lives on in the legacy of a Seattle-based burger joint. The Red Robin franchise has spread its wings far and wide, now serving locations throughout North America with sustainably grown, environmentally conscious burgers and sides that marry classic American flavors with savory twists such as onion straws or bruschetta. Most of the shop’s fire-grilled burgers, chicken sandwiches, and entrees come with a side of bottomless steak fries, allowing patrons to soak up the juicy Whiskey River barbecue sauce, melted blue cheese, and edible fedoras that top the menu’s varied eats. The staff are happy to help patrons pair their sandwiches with one of the full bar’s microbrews or specialty mixed drinks, keeping glasses filled while athletic superstars battle it out on the eatery's big-screen TVs.