Stacks Espresso Bar

This is the coffee shop that made me love local coffee shops.
Their coffee and lattes are amazing. They do not make their own pastries, but get them from amazing local stores. They are always quick and timely. Best of all, their hours. For local coffee shops, it does not get better than this.

After a brief exchange with Stacks staff in which they expressed that they seriously heard the compaint about being gassed with amonia spray, I believe they haved changed their ways.
I’m back and enjoying their terrific coffee and their sweet teensy café again.
They partner with local bakers to offer sweet and savory pastries too.
The next stage of delight is their cold brew which is examplary. I’m so glad for the warm weather!

Yes! It’s as simple as that! Honest lattes and cappuccinos, freshly baked goodies and a great atmosphere. I hear they might be opening a second location which would be more than awesome as their Lark Street location fills up quickly.

Cute, hidden little coffee shop you’ll miss if your not looking for it on Lark street. Looks small from the outside but is in fact nice sized once you enter. Seating for a dozen or so. Expert, super friendly barista helped me and the wife out. Mocha latte was made with craftsman like precision and I enjoyed, a stout and rich cup of dark drip. The almond biscotti chocolate chip scone was both crunchy and chewy and chock full of almonds and chips. Enjoyed sitting in the window perch, sipping some coffee, watching the world go by.

macchiato
almond croissant
good place to sit around
and either people watch
or get some work done.
appreciate macchiatos
made like they do in europe.
giant croissants,
more bread-​like consistency
but still pleasant and enjoyable.

Fabulous coffee on Easter morning! We enjoyed the coffee and the wifi on am Easter morning walk through Albany. Definitely recommend!

Reviews for Stacks Espresso usually have some mention of Café Vero, the previously lived in café in this tiny space that Stacks now occupies. The interior of 260 Lark hasn’t changed all that much except for the addition of 2 large wooden tables and built in wooden seats in the corners. If you’re new here, it’s a cozy, small café — rectangular shaped with the baristas, espresso machines, and register at the very back of the space.
The espresso is brilliant.
I’ve had the cappuccino and the cortado, both beautifully crafted and of excellent quality. Both were aromatic, dense in flavor, thick and creamy in consistency, and smooth and clean in finish. The pour over was wonderful as well for those who enjoy their coffee black. Coffee beans are ground just prior to filtering to create a low-​acidity, smooth, and crisp finish. If you appreciate good quality coffee then I highly recommend the pour over.
Seating is limited, so unfortunately for those who like to perch on benches or lounge at tables, Stacks may not always have a seat for you. But it doesn’t hurt to try. There is free internet that’s fine for browsing most sites but not fast/​strong enough to stream.
Finally! Delicious espresso and coffee!

Meh okay. The café was very loud on a weekday after 6 pm. Our espressos were beautifully done and delicious. Not sure if I will come back as I really wasn’t feeling the hipster, loud vibe.

Where else can you get a perfect cappuccino than this place? My new favorite addicting gem coffee shop in Albany. The coffee-​rich aroma with the perfect ratio of coffee and amount of foam milk lasting through in every single sip (12 oz cappuccino). Nice atmosphere and laid back music with a very nice barista. Such a windy day today and I still had to get out and get my cravings satisfied at this place. Crazy ey?

Great little coffee shop and they sure do make a strong cup of java! It also has a self serve croissant, donuts and other doughy treats.

Best espresso in town. Synesso machine and great beans make this so. Pour overs, Aeropress, cold brew, nitro… they’re keeping up with the joneses! Friendly folks and clean and comfortable space seal the deal. If I lived in Center Square, I’d go nowhere else.

This is a terrific coffee shop near city center Albany. We were visiting our son and he took us to this place. It is one of his regular haunts now as he lives nearby. He really enjoys the pour-​overs and I always like a good dark roast brew. The shop is located in a historic part of Albany just outside of downtown proper. The storefront is attractive and fits in with the nostalgic look of the block on which it is located. The interior is crisp and nicely done. It is a bit larger than one might think from the outside appearance.
The coffee options on the menu are rather complete. I was ecstatic to find a Red Eye option, which is a regular coffee with a shot of espresso. My other three companions had a Cappucino and two Americanos. With tax and a small tip, our total was $ 14 USD, or about $ 3.50 each. I was happy enough with this deal considering the quality of the product. As such, I would not hesitate to recommend this spot if you are in central Albany and are looking for a place that serves hot beverages.

Very nice coffee shop. We had a beautiful mocha and jasmine green tea. It’s a nice place to work in and it’s not too busy or noisy. The only problem is that the tea selection is very limited. They don’t have white tea for example and the guy at the counter said he didn’t even know what white tea is.

I really enjoyed the few hours I spent at Stacks Espresso Bar.
Coffee-​wise, this place does really well. They make incredible espresso drinks and very nice pour overs. I also had a scone, which I personally would have liked to see heated up or have a little touch of butter, but it was decent. This place really shined at the Cortado.
It was my very first Cortado and I am a huge fan. In fact, I’ve been ordering them left and right back home. I was never for any fancy drinks because I dislike sugar in my coffee, but Cortado was the perfect blend and I’ll remain forever grateful to Daniel and Stacks for introducing me to my first one :).
All in all — this is a neat place to hang out, do some work and drink some incredible coffee!

Clearly I am late to this particular party.
I spent a delightful couple of hours at Stacks on a Sunday morning. There weren’t many people in the shop, so the vibe was incredibly laid back. I ordered a latte and it ended up being one of the best I’ve ever had. It packed a serious punch — the latte was rich and smokey, contrasting brilliantly against a vaguely sweet and delicate foam. I sat at the window seat and enjoyed every second of the experience.
A quick scan of the menu reveals Stacks is regularly collaborating with other local shops including Crisan, Cider Belly, The Placid Baker, and Psychedelicatessen. It’s really wonderful to see such excellent area businesses working together in promoting and improving our local culture. I look forward to returning, sampling more of their offerings, and updating this review with an additional star.

A small and cozy coffee house with delicious local bagels, croissants, scones and possibly some other treats occasionally… is really an espresso lover’s dream come true!
Having tried the cortado, drip coffee, and latte with Crisan’s (oh so missed storefront) plain and almond croissants, and No Scone Unturned’s pecan ginger scone– I am in love.
With only a few tables it can get quite crowded throughout the day but I have been able to grab a spot within minutes as people come and go. The patio is also an option if it’s nice out. The interior no longer reminds me of its past as Caffe Vero but what I did notice was that there were Caffe Vero packaged coffee for sale placed on a rack near the cash register.
The service was quick and friendly as I noticed it was only a one man band. During the busier hours it may pose an issue. but luckily so far so good for me! I hope they keep up the great work as an espresso bar and continue to offer the delicious goodies from the local scene.

In the past month we’ve probably been here every single Saturday and Sunday. When the old Café Vero closed I was disappointed that Lark St had lost a solid espresso shop. Fortunately, the replacement more than makes up for the loss.
They have a respectable assortment of coffee and espresso drinks. My favorite is the cortado– as it’s the closest I’ll get to my hometown fave the Cortadito from the Miami Cuban cafeterias. My husband loves the pour over option. I had the cold brew after it dawned on me that it was 80 deg outside and I was drinking a café au lait and both were great.
Their assortment of pastries is legit and sourced from several local bakers. The croissants are from Crisan’s and the donuts from Cider Belly. They also carry scones and other pastries. I was wary about the donuts at first (questioning how fresh they were) but not to worry, they were soft and delicious.
When Crisan on Lark St closed their storefront we were devastated, particularly because their croissants were amazing (they even had a French man’s seal of approval!). Enter Stacks to save the day– we were ecstatic when we learned they served the same flaky, buttery croissants and all was well with the world.
We’ve had nice weather and have been sitting outside– which is nice for the fresh air and that’s about it considering the (lack of) sights to be seen on Lark St. Nevertheless, it’s nice to sip some coffee in the sunlight. The people watching is entertaining to say the least.
The atmosphere inside is nice and casual and there’s rotating art available for purchase which is always fun to look at.

I’ll join the positive reviews for the space formally known as Café Vero, and out of all the spots to get a cup of coffee in the Lark Street vicinity, this place smokes them all.
The normal drip coffee is better than almost anywhere – with a richer, fuller flavor than the local competition, including Starbucks – and won’t set you back that much more, but the real draws are the more modern preparations – cold brewed, pour over – and espresso drinks, each made with attention to detail and high-​quality roasts. It’s more expensive than almost anywhere, but the end product is worth it.
When Stacks took over, the space got a simple, but effective refresh and is a nice place to linger. The staff is friendly and willing to explain and educate.
More staff coverage would be helpful, as it’s usually a one-​person operation. An economic necessity when it first opened to keep costs down, it is creating issues now that it has earned well-​deserved praise and a following. The crowds are starting to back up service and create shortages of things that could be easily replenished with an extra set of hands. The various lone baristas have each worked hard to accommodate during these rushes, but a premium-​priced coffee operation should run a little smoother.
If you are looking for a snack, baked goods are sourced from local purveyors (bagels from Psychadelicatessen, donuts from Cider Belly).
Parking on Lark is an issue, and the Trinity Church lot’s honest donation system ($ 5) is too steep for a coffee run. However, the Price Chopper lot, a five minute walk away, is never policed and the Hudson Avenue entrance to the park (only about a 2 minute walk) often yields several empty spaces.
I am glad to see Stacks get its due, and I hope they can expand the hours of operation. An 8pm close every day except Friday and Saturday just seems wrong for a neighborhood coffee joint of this quality.

Good things come to those who wait. For me, I waited about year to find out that coffee can taste like something other than bitter slop. So, there’s your warning, folks: I am far from a coffee aficionado, and my coffee of choice usually comes from a green mermaid. I order my coffee iced. Often with caramel or chocolate syrup. However, I do know one thing now: the coffee at Stacks just tastes good, better than I have ever thought it could taste.
Why did I wait a year? I’ll admit, I was intimidated by some of the other reviews. I figured I’d be judged for not immediately ordering a pour-​over coffee (or knowing what it was), or possibly ordering a cappuccino after noon (though it seems that’s ok here!
).
However, on one particularly warm spring morning, after tentatively creeping inside past the incredibly busy, cool-​looking college kids, and a pair of friendly bichon frises tied up at the door step, I quickly learned the error of my ways.
First: the people behind the counter are so nice! Not forced-​nice, but genuinely nice. I don’t think they’d judge you for your order (at least not publicly). Second: as I’ve said, the coffee is tasty! Sure, I ordered an iced coffee with caramel (judge if you must), but it was wonderful nonetheless — and not just because it was candy-​drizzled. Third: they have Crisan croissants! If you’ve missed these as I have, fear no more! They have cider belly doughnuts/​donuts! Bagels from psychedelicatessen in Troy (which I had been meaning to try, but was always too full by the time I got there — usually after nomming my way through the farmers’ market). Finally: their large iced coffee is bucket-​sized. Truly. I envision my childhood-​self using this cup as a Barbie hot tub.
Fear no more, self: I’ll definitely be back to Stacks!

This is THE place for espresso based drinks in Albany. Period.
They have the tools.
They have the beans.
They have the know how.
What they don’t have is parking. And seating can be limited too. The last time I went there, it was only one woman running the whole place, and she was doing admirably. However, I’d really like to see two… at a minimum.
There is also a pour over rig for delicious ground-​to-​order brewed coffee. The pricing for this seems a little steep, but it’s not a feature offered at many shops. And having not yet tried it, it may indeed be a fair value for the beans they’re serving.
It’s not Caffe Vero. This shop comes to coffee from another angle. While I loved Vero, I may love Stacks just a wee little bit more.
My drink is the cortado. It’s halfway between a macchiato and a cappuccino. It makes me happy. The thing that makes me sad is that I’m not at Stacks nearly as much as I would like to be. Maybe I’ll find a way to fix that in the future. But dealing with Lark Street parking just to run in for a quick coffee – regardless how good that coffee may be – has always been a dealbreaker. Perhaps the solution is to combine it with trips to Brew and Sam’s Home Cooking.
If I lived or worked anywhere near the neighborhood, I’d be in Stacks all the time.