More Perreca’s

Been here for breakfast only. Perreca’s was within walking distance back when I lived in Schenectady which made it the go-​to place to breakfast after a night of drinking. Or just any time, really. For those trying it for the first time, the eggs in purgatory is a must. Perfectly cooked eggs covered in a delicious sauce that has a slight kick to it with toast all around your plate. Great meal. My personal favorite however is the frittata. Usually with fontinella cheese, sausage and veggies. And most importantly, a side of purgatory sauce. Fantastic place for breakfast. When the weather is nice, i’d definitely recommend sitting in the patio outside. Really nice place for a date! Private parking too which is nice.

We r here for the week and a stage hand told us to come here and the bakery next door! Sat morning not busy yet at 09:30. Now starting to fill in after we done eating. Both had the eggs in Purgatory ! Omg We died and DID go to purgatory. I have never had anything like this EVER. Now I will remember Schenectady fondly from now on and will want to come here always. The sauce was perfectly spicy and the side of sweet itialian sausage made it so much more intense. I’m so full tho and ate the whole plate over my bf!!!

Came on a bustling Saturday night and luckily our always rezzie savvy friends scored us a spot.
They do close relatively early so be wary, but seems like there’s not much going on in the neighborhood past 8 PM anyways. So I guess it works out.
We started with the bread which is supposed to be a highlight here. We opted to go all out and not only get it with garlic but also added cheese– because everything’s better with cheese… Not in this case. The cheese was somewhat bland and chewy which did not help the bread which was already a bit on the tough side.
I ordered the shrimp alla perreca, if their name’s on the dish must be good right? Sadly, struck out again. Someone must’ve left the garlic at the grocery store because this dish was far from advertised. I basically ate 5 shrimp and they were the most flavorful part of the the meal. The flavorless pasta was definitely not worth the carbs so I picked here and there at the eggplant on my husband’s veal sorrento. My dish alone paired with the bread would be a 2* at best. My husband’s meal was better but nothing to write home about. However, our friends really enjoyed their meals (pizza and clams linguine) so those might be the way to go here! I got a cannoli to go which was pretty good.
The service was standard but when it came time for the check it took quite a while. Not sure if they were using an abacus to calculate our bill or what but it took at least 25 min after we had finished our meal to get the check.
Bonus: we did get a serenade from Italian-​Australian tenor Alfio (yes you read that correctly: Italian-​Australian, can’t make this stuff up). The impromptu performance made for some awkwardly charming entertainment. It was a perfect blend of: no one really knows what’s going on and the volume’s a few decibels too loud for the mean age of the patrons (just north of 70 I’d say)… But he did sing very well!

More Perreca’s is one of our favorite breakfast and brunch places. The frittatas are great and it’s really nice that a lot of fillings are included for the base price. Maybe you’d like eggplant, meatballs, mushrooms and ricotta like we do. Or perhaps their great sausage along with a bunch of other items? The breakfast pizza a really nice treat when it is one of the specials. They usually will also make a cheese pizza for the kids for breakfast though we were told no on that during our last visit. We didn’t push it though and the fallback pancakes were delicious.
All of the above and the other things we have tried are nice and range from above average to excellent. There’s a reason you see the Eggs in Purgatory highlighted more than any other dish at More Perreca’s in the reviews though. If you like poached eggs and a slightly spicy fra diavolo sauce, you might find that it is the best breakfast dish in the Capital Region. If you’ve never had it, try it and be converted. Can’t get there for breakfast? It’s on the lunch menu too.
We like going on Sunday for brunch and sitting on the patio when the weather is nice. They take reservations so we usually call ahead. It’s then an easy walk to the Schenectady Greenmarket for a little post-​meal exercise and shopping at the market. The only bummer is that the bakery is closed on Sunday. Last week, we went to More Perrecca’s on Saturday though. No Greenmarket on Saturday, but still took a walk and the tradeoff of no Greenmarket was that Perecca’s Bakery was open so we could grab a bread for later. Score.

More Perreca’s, it’s a step back in time in Schenectady’s little Italy. Decked out with black and white old school tiles and décor. The inside is warm, intimate and charming where it’s all about quality over quantity. Though I’m sure their business has grown over the years they’ve kept it a small family business.
Fellow Unilocaler Roger K. raved about their bread for which they’re well known so we started out with their cheese garlic bread which I’m sad to report didn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe it was spoiled by the cheese but the bread was a little too hard for me perhaps the cost we payed for having it served with melted cheese. It also may have been nice if it were served with marinara.
Our appetizer included a live serenade by a tenor named Alfio who broke out into song before we entered the entrée round.
My clams and linguini were just short of heavenly. The broth from the clams was savory, (a little salty), vivid and delicious! The pasta was cooked perfectly and balanced beautifully with the white clam sauce. I would definitely order this next time we come.
My husband, constantly in search of a thin New York style pizza got a personal pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, sausage and mushroom. The toppings worked well together. The crust was thin and crisp. Maybe the best thin crust pizza we’ve had in upstate NY.
Service started out strong but waned a little towards the end. Keep in mind they close fairly early since they are also open for breakfast so maybe everyone was a little tired towards the end of the day. Overall great experience, well-​priced, feels like you’re family at More Perreca’s. They also have a large outdoor seating area that I’m sure is delightful in the warmer months. I’ll definitely be back for the clams!

Good golly that was delicious! Had eggs in purgatory this morning with a few pals from work. Excellent food and outstanding service. This place is an all around home run. Don’t forget the bread which is also out of this world. Can’t say enough thank you.

Three words: Eggs In Purgatory.
We went for breakfast, sat outside in the back and had our morning rocked by the EIP! Been lusting for it ever since. I might even make the three hour drive some morning for a repeat performance. Just terrific. Sweet place.

Such great prices and generous portions. This place is where I bring out of town guests to make them fall for Schenectady. A true gem.

Lunch: I feel like they’ve changed their pizza recipe. I liked it, but not as much as before. Something about the crust being thicker and not cooked crispy enough. Their sandwiches look amazing though. Still a favorite of mine for when I’m back in town.
Breakfast: Several people recommended that I go for breakfast. I found it a little disappointing. The Italian toast was cut too thin and the home fries are the little tiny chopped kind that were cold and greasy. The sausage was good. The cappuccino was too wet and they only have whole milk, so it was too rich for me. I ordered a side of olive tapenade that was really really good. It was a large portion too, enough to take home, for $ 3.

Love the outdoor patio, finding a seat was easy. My cappuccino was well made and I had a delicious basil ice tea special. The eggs in purgatory was the reason we came and they did not disappoint, spicy deliciousness.

Talk about real Italian man that was good!!! The eggplant was perfect! My husband has the chicken and he was raving! My kids ate the ziti and I stole a bite the sauce was perfect! I couldn’t have asked for better food!

Brunch! This was a great little find, authentic Italian little restaurant in a historic neighborhood. The people are so warm and friendly, invite you right in. And great quality food.

I met my parents here for breakfast this past Saturday morning, not really knowing what to expect. All I really knew about Perreca’s was it’s reputation for phenomenal bread.
I was pleasantly surprised on entering, as they’ve done a very nice job decorating the place, the bench upholstery appears to be a dark leather, nice lighting, and a good looking patio off the back.
The breakfast menu had some nice options, including eggs in purgatory, frittatas with various additions, and standard fair like pancakes and french toast.
I had bananas foster stuffed french toast with bacon and an egg on the side — the stuffed french toast was very good, and my meal came with home fries that had a nice touch, having both regular and sweet potatoes in the mix.
The wife ordered the eggs in purgatory (which I’ve never seen on a menu before, I’ve only had this previously as cooked by my mother in law) and it looked great.
Parents ordered frittatas and didn’t have any complaints.
Service was quick and attentive, lots of coffee refills which of course is essential for a breakfast out.
Overall it is a nice alternative to the diner circuit, which I also enjoy, but the food was a cut above diner food both on creativity of options and execution.
I’ll have to make a point to come back sometime soon to try out their dinner service.

I’m so glad I stopped at this place. It was a good suggestion via other Unilocalers and I had an awesome lunch with a personal peak at the ovens. Definitely plan to return when I get back to the area. The bread is the absolute best.

It wasn’t busy for a Thursday evening around 6pm, so we sat outside on the patio by the fountain…
The food arrived fast and was hot and delicious.
The price was right and the staff was super friendly.
We will come again.

I never have dined in the restaurant portion of Perreca’s, but the food is excellent and my go-​to place for take-​out when I’m coming up to visit my grandmother. The place is always busy, which is a good sign. The kitchen is a little slow or understaffed, which is why I took away one star, but the food is excellent, and the place is always full which speaks for itself. The server I dealt with was awesome because although the bakery next door and the restaurant are separate entities, he grabbed four slices of the amazing tomato pie for me. This is the signature for them, along with their bread. They even make paninis out of it, which is super creative. I’ve had take out for breakfast-​their egg sandwiches are made on their classic Italian loaf-​and they could feed two so beware! I always seem to order too much because the portions are generous, but left overs, especially good ones, are a beautiful thing. I’ll obviously be back and you all should go too!

So I’ve been back a few times since the charred french toast and pancakes order.
Until tonight, I’d only had the breakfast items (and the eggs in spicy tomato sauce is by far their best item). Tonight, we ordered take-​out dinner for the first time: pasta w/​veggies, fried artichoke hearts, side salad, eggplant stack and broccoli with garlic. Unfortunately, everything was under seasoned– across the board. The broccoli was mushy (like maybe it was frozen at some point) and the garlic was burned and bitter. The pasta w/​veg was also overcooked and just tasted of nothing. Side salad was good and fresh, though. The biggest let down were the fried artichoke hearts. The exterior breading was beautiful and golden so I had high hopes. The artichokes however were waterlogged inside and the liquid spilled everywhere after the first bite. Maybe they too were frozen and that’s why they had so much water? Further, the ranch dipping sauce just wasn’t a great combination with the flavor of the artichoke.
So, for me, I’m still a fan of the eggs and the bread here, but I really don’t think I’ll ever try anything else again. Just feel like I keep getting disappointed.

What a great experience. I’ve visited Schenectady since I was a young child. Being Italian, I am very picky about Italian food. This place exceeded our expectations.
I had a Grilled Tomato Pie with eggplant parmigiana. What a concept. Whoever invented this plate is a genius. I was full halfway through but I kept eating simply because it was delicious. Everyone else in our party enjoyed their meal.
Highly recommend!

Excellent menu and service. On the weekends they have a special
Pancake and a Frittata to choose from. Coffee was hot and excellent and I always use that as a sign of things to come

Back in the day when I worked for a local ambulance company in the greater capital region, rumor had it that Perreca’s opened wicked early and that third shifters could hop in, grab a fresh-​out-​of-​the-​oven loaf of bread and some signature sauce and have an amazing snack/​meal. At least at that time, Perreca’s was making bread for a lot of restaurants in the area and had to open early to get the orders filled; that was a Billy Fuccilo HUGE plus for us!
Fast forward to today and Perreca’s has figuratively and literally expanded into the building next door and out back to open it’s specialty to all meals of the day! A full menu that has at least this writers mind reminiscing to the days of watching my grandmother in her kitchen making red sauces from whole tomatoes with her bare hands while having me pull basil and oregano off the sprigs. Even if you’re not Italian, the moment you walk in the door, you might as well have been born with a canoli in your hand, because you’re eating like one today, while feeling like you’re river side in Venice.
We stopped in most recently on our way out of town during the first dinner service of a Friday evening and had an amazingly friendly waitress whom was knowledgeable and attentive! Despite the fact that the menu was chocked full of phenomenal choices, my wife opted to request something she’s had for breakfast here in a prior visit being the «Eggs in Purgatory.» While the name itself doesn’t lend it to being anything but evil, when you bite into perfectly cooked eggs in a seriously and purposefully spicy, house made, red sauce sopped up with home made bread you’d think you’ve died and went in the opposite direction straight to HEAVEN!
A superb wine menu with out of this world (yet again, home made) desert options and a little specialty grocery store next door make Perreca’s an incredibly well rounded option for all things pertaining to Italian food!
The portions are substantial all the while keeping prices reasonable. There’s no reason not to come here.