Looking for a place to get a great meal and to relax with your friends? You gotta check out Ground Up Cafe & Lounge in Albany.
The Ground Up Cafe & Lounge all started with a bunch of friends “who share a love of good food and the power that it has to bring people together,” according to their website. They want to bring a renewed vibe to the Pine Hills area with community events and a place the area can be proud of.
They offer a ton of different weekly events like Wednesday night pool with beer bucket specials, Thursday night open mic, and Sunday brunch which is sometimes themed (like a recent Rihanna vs Beyonce-themed morning). You can take a look at their Instagram to not only keep up with all of their events but with some of the new flavors they’re offering.
Maybe you’re just looking for a specialty coffee or tea? They have a ton of different flavors and are always trying to come up with more. Looking for something with a bit more edge? They also have a bunch of beer, hard cider, and hard seltzer options too!
It was hard to decide what to eat on their menu because everything sounded amazing. We got the Mediterranean gourmet toast ($8.50) with sun-dried tomato ricotta spread, olive medley, roasted red peppers, basil pesto, and balsamic glaze on rye. It was fantastic. Each of the flavors was so present in their own way, they went together so well and you could taste that everything was made fresh.
I also ordered a Chicken Parm panini ($9.75). It was Parmesan panko crusted chicken breast, house-made marinara, mozzarella on garlic toast. It was so good. I can’t believe I hadn’t had any of this food before, I just wish they were closer to me.
Ground Up Cafe & Lounge doesn’t just have delicious homemade food, it also is a really great place in the neighborhood to hang out, relax, and bring the community together.
*Note: though I was not monetarily compensated, the meal was gifted to me to return for an honest review
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