Chez Mike — French / American, Albany
Chez Mike has been Albany's benchmark restaurant for serious dining since Michael Langan opened it — a French-influenced American kitchen that takes Hudson Valley sourcing as seriously as any farm-to-table restaurant in Brooklyn while serving a Capital District clientele that actually shows up.
The seasonal tasting menu demonstrates a kitchen that has thought carefully about what's available locally and what it can do with it. Hudson Valley duck, local chevre, and the region's exceptional produce provide the canvas for technique that would distinguish itself in any city.
The wine list is Albany's finest — a European-focused selection with genuine depth in Burgundy and Loire Valley, chosen by someone who eats the food.
In a city that gets dismissed as a government town, Chez Mike is the persistent evidence that Albany has its own culinary standards and doesn't need New York City's permission to maintain them.
Best Occasion: Best for Closing Deals
Albany's most prestigious table. For the state government negotiation or the Capital District business deal, Chez Mike communicates the appropriate level of seriousness.
Best Occasion: Perfect for Impressing Clients
The best French-American kitchen in the Capital District. Clients from NYC who expect less will leave with a different impression of Albany.