Apostrophe

Apostrophe has done some upgrades recently, in both the layout and the menu, and it’s definitely an improvement. The chilled food is no longer glacially frozen, and the prefab sandwiches have some flavor and haven’t been stale. The coffee situation is still mezzo mezzo, and the hot options are a little hit or miss. All that said, we are back to patronizing it when at the Proctor’s arcade and are feeling in the need of a pick me up and are too lazy to walk over to Jay Street, but I still wouldn’t categorize it as a destination.

Wow! Don’t show up 30 minutes before closing or… Scorn!
Can look past aggravation, we’ve all been there, but the luke warm chai latte tastes like it has copper in it. Like it was made in a penny tray.

Apostrophe has one thing going for it: its location. Tucked in the labyrinthine Proctor’s Theater, it’s a nice central location for such a casual café. It’s a weekly stop for me because of its convenience, casual atmosphere, and ample seating. I do like the fact that I can hide off in a corner with my crossword puzzle, and no one can even see me.
Everything else about the restaurant is hit-​or-​miss. I usually order an iced coffee (sometimes a frozen coffee) and a roasted vegetable panini (the eponymous Apostrophe). The panini is extremely inconsistent, with different vegetables and cooking preparations each time. When it’s done well, it’s delicious, but very often I regret spending the money. I have even had some preparers ASK me what is on the sandwich, which makes me think the workers don’t know their own menu.
I ordered the frozen coffee twice, and, while it was perfectly good, it was too much of a hassle. The preparer had to wait to ask another worker how to do it. These aren’t new workers, by the way; I’ve been coming here long enough to meet the entire staff. It just seems that many don’t really know what they’re doing. The iced coffee is satisfactory, but no better than any other coffee shop. Basically, the food and drink aren’t reasons to go here.
I haven’t found the service to be particularly fast or friendly, either. I have never been there after a show, so I can’t critique that. Usually, I am the only one in line, and have to wait about 5 minutes for a plain iced coffee (to which I add everything myself) and an additional 10 – 15 minutes for my (grilled) sandwich. I’m never in a hurry, so it’s not a problem, but it is a little awkward to stand there for 5 minutes waiting to pay while the workers disappear in the open kitchen right in front of me.
Great seating, though. You’re not all crowded in with a large group of people like the coffee shops on Jay Street. This is greatest appeal of Apostrophe.

Your chocolate syrup isn’t vegan.
None of your snacks are vegan.
Your black coffee isn’t good.
You only get one star because A. I don’t have an option for zero stars and B. Because the guy who poured my coffee was funny and appreciated that I drink black coffee.
Also your coffee probably wasn’t good because you put it in an easy pour container and made me get it from a different section (it wasn’t very warm) because you wanted to love things along after at a sold out show.
You went for Quantity over Quality and I’ll probably get coffee anywhere else now.

My co-​workers and I have recently discovered this gem of a café and love it! The soups are excellent, the ingredients are fresh and very hearty. The turkey on the panini sandwiches is great, it’s not processed deli slices, it’s actual roasted turkey! The chocolate chip cookies are to die for. The prices are reasonable and we always receive great service. Highly recommended.

«It is a nice area to kind of hang out. The carrot cake is very yummy. I used to go every Wednesday and I’d get a bagel with a chocolate and caramel coffee. It is a very nice café and if you are lucky you will get to see the guy who runs proctors. It can get a little pricey there but it’s definitely worth it especially on there cakes. It’s a good place to grab a coffee and a newspaper and just «chill» in their lounge. You could also use your tablet smartphone or even computer with their free wifi. You just have to have a code from the item you bought there. This café is located in the loby of proctors theater. They have many different coffees teas and foods. They have sodas, energy drinks, seltzer and more. Usually the service I pretty quick but if its busy it tends to gets a little crazy there.

This is the café in the lobby of Proctor’s Theater. Most times I’m in the area, it’s just before a show starts, so the lines are long and the staff is hopping, but hop they do, and the waits are never as long as I experience in every other café in the Capital District. They’re just as quick during their downtime, though they are also a little more chatty and friendly when they’re not insanely busy.
Their offerings beyond coffees and teas are pretty good. They have various sandwiches and other light meals available. I haven’t tried them since they changed from the Muddy Cup to Apostrophe, but they’ve maintained quality in every other aspect, so I have no reason to doubt that quality is still in the food as well. Their baked goods selections are ample until a show starts, but through the day and into the early evening, it’s a nice selection to choose from with several different types of cookies, muffins, bagels, brownies and other yummy treats.
Plus, and this is not to be underestimated, they know how to make each specialty (coffee) drink correctly.