Best Restaurants in Troy

Well this should be fun.

For years I was a vocal critic of the Capital Region’s “Best of” lists. A common refrain in response to my complaints was that I should write my own list. Eventually I did. I even update it sometimes. Although the last time I took a close look at the list was back in March.

But that list is just one person’s opinion. Despite my displeasure with the popularity contests from local newspapers and regional magazines, they at least reflected the opinions of a larger community. And those are always revealing. In fact, at one point, I came to realize that maybe we have the restaurant scene we deserve.

However, there is a local community of eaters who I trust, and I thought it would be interesting to assemble their collective wisdom in a new series of “Best of” lists. To start, I thought we would take a look at the Best Restaurants in Troy.

Here’s what I did. I used my role with Yelp to take a survey of the Yelp Elite Squad.

For those who don’t know, Yelp Elites are the most active and trustworthy members of the Yelp community. They write under their real names, provide a real picture of their real face, and affirm they have no conflicts of interest. I have met many of them in person, and their recommendations have led me to countless delicious discoveries.

What did this survey look like?

Here’s the thing. Best is such a weighted word. Best can mean so much. In this case, I asked all the local members of the Yelp Elite Squad, “What is your favorite place to eat in Troy?” But more than that, I asked them to expand upon their answer. Why is it your favorite? What makes it your favorite?

The answers have been coming in and they have been even better than I expected. Because there are some unexpected places that made the list.

Now, since this is a Yelp project, the answers live over on Yelp. The beginnings of this collection of restaurants can be seen here. As I’ve been compiling the comments, I feel like I’ve been channeling the style of the restaurant guide that served as my bible before the Internet era.

Putting this together has been a ton of fun.

Please keep in mind, this is just the start. New restaurants are being added every day. I expect to have this project completed by the end of November. Fortunately, on the Yelp Collection, there is a button you can click to follow it. Find that button. Click it.

And on the YelpAlbany Instagram feed, we’re going to be highlighting new restaurants that make the list for the next couple of weeks too.

If this effort is successful, and the early read on it has been quite positive, we’ll tackle “Best Restaurants” in other cities too. And if that happens, I’ll make sure to keep you posted. But I’m also curious to hear what you think! So feel free to leave your comments below, or feel free to reach out privately.

More than anything, my sincere desire is that this collection helps you enjoy Troy to the fullest. In the spirit of this season of thankfulness, I’m thankful to the Yelp Elite Squad for their participation and support. It’s truly a great community, and it’s my honor to serve as its ambassador.