Sitting at the counter at Little City Luncheonette in Albany, I chatted with a guest who had stopped in for an Americano to go. She had only recently realized she could do that. Despite living nearby, I hadn’t either. The exchange made me think about the space restaurants occupy in our lives, and the difference between a place we go out of our way to visit and one that becomes part of everyday neighborhood life. Little City makes room for both.
Owners Mia and Joe Hinners, who also own Albany Ale & Oyster down the block, opened Little City Luncheonette in February in the oyster bar’s former home, serving breakfast and lunch all day. Inside, pale greens, textured wallpaper and warm jewel tones create a space that is considerably more polished than the luncheonettes that inspired it. Chrome counter stools and olive banquettes pair with woven pendant lights, rose-tinted water glasses and green tile, while cheeky decor like small animal figurines and Baileys Irish Cream cups with little faces sit above the sundae glassware. Six seats line the counter, with two- and four-tops filling the narrow dining room and a few tables outside beneath the awning.
Luncheonettes and lunch counters were once common in pharmacies and department stores, places where you could grab a quick meal, take a solo seat at the counter or pick something up during the day. They were part of everyday life in a way many restaurants were not. On a weekday morning at Little City, solo diners took seats at the counter, young families and groups of friends filled the tables, and people stopped in for coffee to go. Once I took a seat, the server working the counter brought me into the fold. She was warm, offering recommendations and sharing favorites with the kind of enthusiasm that made it clear they really were favorites.
Much of the menu starts with familiar breakfast-and-lunch staples, with Little City’s own take becoming more apparent in some dishes than others. A separate specials menu adds a classic fruit cup, savory Dutch baby and seasonal omelet, along with pastries, milkshakes, housemade soft serve and floats.
Across from me at the counter, cookbooks from Juno the Bakery in Denmark and French pastry greats are stacked with volumes by iconic restaurateurs Charlie Trotter, Marco Pierre White and Daniel Boulud, a mix of baking and chef titles that reflects the menu’s range. Head chef Arvin Clemente has worked at Yono’s in Albany and Familiar Creature and Hattie’s in Saratoga Springs and is part of the contemporary Filipino pop-up Ala-Ala.
Pistachio pancakes are one of the clearest examples of Little City’s culinary personality. Two vanilla-buttermilk pancakes develop a crisp bottom while staying light inside, with airy pistachio cream teetering over the top and housemade pistachio-cherry granola providing crunch. The swirl of flavors and textures was complete enough that, despite being a proud New Englander, I never once thought of maple syrup. Larger than my hand, the Filipino ube roll was tender through the center, topped with ube butter and mascarpone-vanilla icing that added a slight tartness. Much of the sweetness was concentrated along the crisp, syrupy edges. As someone who goes for the crisp edges of a brownie, I found the same satisfaction here…