New World Bistro Bar is a cozy gastro pub located in the heart of Albany's Delaware Avenue neighborhood. Owners Annette Nanes and Scott Meyer designed the interior of the restaurant to incorporate features of the original building such as exposed brick, black pipe and plaster. Enjoy the warm atmosphere while dining on globally-inspired dishes made with locally-sourced ingredients. New World Bistro Bar will be celebrating its 11th anniversary this March and is a must-visit dining spot for both visitors and locals. Keep reading for our #PartnerSpotlight with Annette Nanes, owner of New World Bistro Bar.
1. Tell us a bit about New World Bistro Bar.
My husband, Scott Meyer and I co-owned the Spectrum Movie Theatre on Delaware Ave in Albany since 1983. We always felt that having a good quality restaurant nearby would be an excellent symbiosis. We had always enjoyed Chef Ric Orlando’s food starting at Justin’s in Albany and then his own restaurant, New World Home Cooking, in Woodstock. After purchasing the former Farrell Bros plumbing store on the same block as the Spectrum and securing Ric Orlando as our Executive Chef and Consultant and a few years of “blood, sweat and tears” and renovation of the building, we opened the doors in 2009. This March will be 11 years in business.
2. What is your favorite menu item?
My favorite menu item is the Thai Barbecue Salmon, but it really is hard to pick a favorite, as we have many dishes with wonderful global flavors.
3. What trends are you seeing locally in the food and beverage industry?
Ric Orlando has his eye on the pulse of what the current food trends are in the industry, and our seasonal menu often reflects those trends. I have noticed that wine sales used to surpass liquor, but now with craft cocktails so popular, it is the opposite.
4. How do visitors and/or the tourism industry in Albany impact your business?
We give comment cards to every customer with their bill. We ask “Are you local? If not where are you from and how did you hear about us?” We seem to have a lot of out of town guests and many of them say they were recommended to our restaurant from local hotels, as well as reading reviews on travel platforms.
5. What is your favorite thing about Albany?
What I like about Albany is that it is a “small city”. Some people use the word “Smallbany” in a negative way, but I think it is positive in that we have many amenities that big cities have, yet it feels more intimate than larger cities. It has a thriving Arts and Music scene, in its own right, as well as its location being very close to several larger metropolitan areas. Within an hour of the city you can find lovely rural countryside as well as beautifully scenic mountains.
