Foods Unique to Upstate New York & Where to Get Them

There are so many great businesses in Upstate New York and some of them made the big time to be found even further than our area code. New York Upstate put together a list of some of the best, how many have you tried?

Some of the foods on this upstate list are more out west toward Buffalo but I narrowed it down to the more Capital Region local products. How many of these have you tried?

Adirondack Seltzer/Adirondack Beverages: Though they’re called “Adirondack,” they have two facilities, one in Scotia, NY and the other Worcester, MA. You can find them all over the Capital Region, check out their website.

Bilinski Sausage: These Italian sausages are delicious and based right here in Albany. They began in 1989 to create a “better-for-you” chicken sausage. You can find them in a store near you via their website.

Boston Shake, The Snowman: You’ve probably gotten ice cream from The Snowman in Troy before but have you ever tried the Boston Shake? Imagine it, two delicious things: a sundae and a shake put together.

A sundae on top of a shake? Yes, please! #BostonShake #SundaeFunday

A post shared by The Snowman Ice Cream (@thesnowmantroy) on Apr 29, 2018 at 8:36am PDT

Chobani/Fage: Did you know that two of your favorite Greek yogurt brands are from right here? Chobani is based out of Chenango County, not a too far drive away. Fage is the most popular brand in Greece and can be found here in Fulton, NY.

Melba Sauce, Ralph’s Tavern: I love melba sauce. When you talk about it outside of Upstate New York, people think it’s disgusting but for those of us here who love it, I’ve heard that you gotta try it from Ralph’s Tavern in Albany.

Mini Hot Dogs, Famous Lunch: Mini hot dogs are a big deal around here but I, surprisingly have never had any. One serving is about two-three dogs and apparently if you’re gonna try them anywhere, try them from Famous Lunch in Troy.

Peppermint Pigs: This is so classic Upstate New York Christmas and another thing I’ve never tried. Saratoga Sweets Candy Company is the go-to for peppermint pigs. If you’re gonna get one, make sure you do it right and use that gold hammer.

Potato Chips: They’re sold all over the world but legend says they started right here in Saratoga. People complained to George Crumb about the sogginess of his potatoes and potato chips, or Saratoga chips, as we know them were born.

Tomato Pie: So, New York Upstate credits Utica with tomato pie, which may be true for all I know, but being from Schenectady, the original tomato pie to me is Pereccas and you can’t tell me otherwise.