Cart And Cafe

I was told by their employee that restaurant renovation is under progress (I have seen myself) and previous management kitchen helpers are preparing food for take out only orders. They shouldn't take orders for take out honestly. I did observe their food quality going south since last 3-4 months. They still charged me $15 for this Paneer Tikka which is almost less than half of their original quantity which doesn't taste good now.

We’ve ordered from this restaurant several times through DoorDash and always enjoyed the food. That’s why we decided to visit in person, expecting the same quality. Unfortunately, our dine-in experience was disappointing. The Hyderabadi chicken lacked the rich spices and depth of flavor we were used to, and the Mutton Haleem was quite bland. However, the Gongura Mutton Biryani was a highlight—flavorful, well-spiced, and something we’d definitely recommend. What made the experience worse was the service. The lady serving us was quite rude and dismissive. When we asked about the menu, she responded arrogantly with, “Don’t you guys know what’s on the menu?” That kind of attitude really takes away from the dining experience. Given the inconsistent food quality and poor service, we’d probably stick to ordering online rather than dining in.

I ordered Chole Batura and the restaurant's special chicken biryani and Aloo Paratha. The Chole Batura was delicious, but the biryani was extremely bland and Paratha barely had any aloo in it. I wish I could give zero stars for the service, but one lady did accommodate us well. Unfortunately, the girl by the bar was unhelpful—she didn’t offer us water or provide a high chair for my child. She was rude and on a phone call the entire time. The other lady, who was more attentive, had a lot on her hands, while the girl by the bar completely ignored customers. I’m a regular here and have never had issues with the staff or service until now. And when asked for a to go box we got a cup to pack the biryani. Guess we are not returning to this restaurant again.

Excellent food and not just your average Indian fare. They offer both northern and southern Indian choices. The biryani was outstanding!!! Takeout and eat-in options with a lovely outdoor deck or inside seating available. Portions are huge for the price. There's also a great selection of groceries and fresh produce! Friendly service makes it even better. I'm thrilled and looking forward to going back.

We ordered 2 plates of punugulu & it was very very oily - like literally when you squeeze oil was dripping. I’m attached few pics and you can see tbat oil on the napkin was from just one of them. We asked the gentleman who served that to us to cancel the order from the check, his response was “He can’t do it” with a rude tone. Also naan was very thick like pizza - really not well cooked as well. Mysore bonda is really and must try item!

Probably the only paneer biryani that tastes closest to an authentic hyderabadi biryani compared to all the others I’ve tried in and around the capital region. Haven’t personally tasted the other biryanis so can’t speak for them. Taking off two stars because a friend ordered boneless chicken biryani and they gave us a regular chicken biryani. This happened more than twice. The Gobi 65 is nice and the pepper mushroom is worth trying too. The babycorn manchurian is way too tangy and tastes very artificial, like a mix up of sauces. The pav bhaji doesn’t taste anything like the actual dish either. The filling of the pani puri is yellow, which I found extremely weird, because chaats don’t usually have a yellow potato filling. I then realized they just use the same filling for panipuri and probably other south indian dishes like masala dosa probably, which is absolutely disappointing. They sometimes overdo the oil in their fried dishes, which is quite concerning. Also noticed that the same dishes taste slightly different every time we order. Not sure if different chefs are switching up things but it’s just something I’ve observed. Atmosphere is okay but furniture is old - my table was pretty shaky and the bowls and glasses kept moving. Not fun. Servers were polite and did a great job! Prices are decent. Overall, I’d say they have some stuff worth trying and some to definitely stay away from. Wish they upgraded their menu more often though, keeping some standard dishes as is.

Edit 11/25 I am very disappointed. The restaurant has closed . I hope it will reopen in the near future . This was a go to spot for me every week . I love the variety of food both veggie and non veggie in their buffett . Service is quick and very friendly . They do a buffett 7 days a week from 11:30 to 2:30 offering chicken and goat and sometimes fish . There is something for everyone and it changes daily.

I’m here for lunch. Goat curry is good. Starters were okay. Great vegetarian options. I did not like DAL and the dessert. Buffet is for 15.99 per person.

This is an unusual review. As I understand it, the restaurant is in a "new location" which is accessed through the side of an Indian grocery market and has been here less than a year. We came for the buffet and were seated at a table with a white paper table cloth that Harrison could draw on. As low budget as it gets. Our table rocked back and forth and the ambiance was lacking. It seems to be a work in progress. However, a nice epoxy-pour bar (complete with boats and fish and shells) was in one area and two large televisions were high up on the walls. The food was good and there were lots of dishes I didn't recognize, which I interpret to mean they have a lot of "non-standard" recipes on their buffet. Some might call that "authentic". It was a Saturday and they have a lunch buffet every day, though the weekday buffet might be smaller. In sum, it was $18 about 20-30 different items including multiple sauces and garnishes. Chicken, goat, fish... all were represented. I missed some of the regular items I see elsewhere but I can't exactly put my finger on what I wanted. It was a bit spicy which I appreciated, though my wife didn't. Fresh naan was brought to our table. We were never asked what we wanted to drink but cold water was brought and that was sufficient. Of note: there was no fruit on the buffet, and very few raw vegetables. I had hoped they would have had oranges or mangoes or something (for our toddler) but nope. Nor did the attached grocery store stock any fruit either. Huh? That was disappointing. It wasn't cheap, it felt like eating in a run-down garage, and it was very quiet as there was no background music at all. Not a great location to bring a date. But, we did talk to the owner on the way out and he was very kind. I hope to come back in half a year and see how it has improved. I wish them well.

A chowhound-type discovery for me. Rough but delicious! Buffet lunch daily, including naan cooked for you. 11:30-2:30 or later (I was on the later and it seemed to be fine. I write "seemed to be" because we did not communicate in the same language, other than smiles. Big room with tables and chairs through the grocery at new location now up the road towards east Greenbush. Yum!.

This place was great as far as the food but it is currently closed. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We got take out from there last night. Everything was excellent. On the way in, a gentleman with takeout on the way to his car stopped to tell us how good the food was. He was right. The food was obviously cooked with care. The spicing was clearly done in stages, with whole and ground spices added at different times to get layers of flavor instead of a muddle. The blending of spices was perfect. The food was fairly spicy, a plus for us, but if you have a timid palate, you should probably check with them about spice levels. Pricing was extremely reasonable for the amount we got. As a huge bonus, everything was carrfully wrapped to retain heat and texture. Couldn't be happier to have found this place. It is, by far, the best Indian food we've had in the area.

This is my go to place . They have a buffet 7 days a week from 11:30 to 2:30 . I find the food very flavorful and love the veggie section on the buffet plus the fresh Naan brought to your table. I have also order take out and love those dishes as well. The staff is very attentive and freindly . My wife loves their Mango Lassi and orders it every time we visit.

A must try in Albany area! This is a small grocery with tons of wonderful spices, sauces, curries, even some vegetables and pre made meals. It also has a restaurant attached. The restaurant is hoisted above ground making for a nice view of the trees and nature out of the back window. The food was great! I got the house special biryani. It has boneless chicken and so many lovely aromatics that were really captivating with each bite. It came with a hard boiled egg and two sauces - a raita (yogurt and cucumber) and another one that was savory but I'm not sure what it was made of. The dish itself had a nice spice level- makes your nose run but isn't uncomfortable to eat! Will definitely be back and come by to pick up spices for cooking!

We only do takeout from this place because there was no seating in the old location. The food is always great. Right levels of spice and complexity of flavors.

Excellent authentic Indian food! I'm so happy to find this restaurant in the area. The service was attentive and friendly. The ambiance is simple and that is fine because the food is so good.I can't wait to come again! I hear the lunch buffet is outstanding.

A++ food. Some of the best Indian in the Capital Region. The sitting area only has a few tables, and the grocery is no longer there, but the food is absolutely wonderful.

Nice little south Asian grocery store, but no longer an eat-in restaurant. We went there, based on the reviews, looking for a quick lunch, but they only do take out now, so we picked up some cardamom, and other spices, and went elsewhere. So I can't review the food, as we were not looking for takeout.

What a find! This grocery and restaurant is fairly easy to miss...I only noticed it because there was a large group of people going in. So on a whim I stopped in. The restaurant itself is very small, only three booths, but the outdoor seating is where it is at. There is a covered patio with lots of seating facing a back wooded area. Quiet and away from busy road. The buffet had all kinds of dishes I didn't know, so I tried all of them. Very spicy and delicious. The waiter brought me a pitcher of water and a clear Solo cup. Naan was later delivered to my table. They used paper plates instead of Styrofoam so I was pleasantly surprised at the efforts at sustainability. The outside seating area was soon packed, and since I was seated alone at a booth I was asked if I minded sharing with two other customers. I took that as my cue to check out the grocery side. I found a great selection of curry oatmeal and curry or masala ramen, which I had never seen before. I bought soap and some cookies. There were HUGE tubs of yogurt and lots of fresh vegetables. The people running the place were very helpful and kind. I was very impressed with the quality and variety of the food, cleanliness of the building, and the overall good vibes. Totally going back!

Delicious, fish and eggplant dish. Perfectly Hot N Spicy. Kind staff. I do miss the grocery part of it. I have to remember to go back more often.

My family loves Indian cuisine, and let me tell you, this place doesn't disappoint. Pretty much everything we've tried here is a cut-above. They don't have a dining area, so it's all takeout. Still, it's better than most sit-down places in Albany. The food does run on the spicy side; which is fine w/ us; but for other who are not accustomed to hot/spicey food, you may want to ask the kitchen to dial it back a notch. But for most people that enjoy Indian food, I think the heat level is fine.

After receiving one of the worst orders from this place, I started to see what's happening. I usually order vegetarian for this very reason-I was presented with the lowest quality so called chicken Tikka masala. Every bite was nothing but fat and the taste of this was questionable. I blame myself because I'm 2023, unfortunately this is what it has come to. I wouldn't give that to my dog and this establishment should be ashamed to sell this garbage. I will not be ordering from here again. I'm a one and done person. Think about what you are selling and how it effects your sales.

Thanks to Yelp, I've shopped and eaten the lunch buffet in this new, busy and very casual South Indian cafe+grocery twice in a week! Staff are welcoming and courteous. The lunch buffet varies each day, with items for vegetarians and other diners: homemade pickles, rice, pilafs, dal, entrees, salad, chutneys, milk chai, two dessert options... and, best of all, tender and freshly made plain or butter naan. Serve yourself on paper plates, for $12. Alternatively, order from the menu. Take out, or, eat on the shady, screened porch, a summertime treat! As you leave, shop the nicely displayed Indian groceries, fresh veggies (okra/bhindi!), and delicious kulfi. I'm eager to return soon for a dosa for dinner!

The food here is amazing! They give you so much for a low great price. My order was ready really fast and the people were very nice.

Disclaimer: if you're a true Indian food aficionado this review will probably annoy you, because I know next to nothing about the various cuisines of India. My knowledge is almost completely limited to knowing that I could happily eat my weight in palak paneer. I know especially little about SOUTHERN Indian food, so when I found out that Cart & Cafe delivers to Albany I immediately convinced a friend who lived in Kerala for a while to split some food with me so I could try out some things I've never had before. We got an order of samosa chat, a Mysore masala dosa, and a mixed vegetable uthappam. The food arrived still warm with two chutneys and a vegetable curry, and my unschooled self loved what we got. The samosa chat was full of bright flavors (lots of cilantro and tamarind) and interesting textural contrasts, and the dosa was a great combo of comforting stodge, warming spice and real pops of chili heat. The uthappam was my least favorite of the bunch but served as a great vehicle for shoveling in more of the delicious, coconut-y curry and chutneys. My friend who has more experience with the cuisine docked points for the dosa not being crispy -- we think that might just be a result of having it delivered so far away and not the restaurant's fault! -- but said that the filling was spot on, and especially enjoyed the samosa chat. She was also excited to find out that Cart and Cafe also serves idly, which is apparently hard to find around here. In short: I loved it, I want more of it, and can't wait for a post-pandemic world where I can go to the restaurant itself and try more of the menu at its best (also, can anyone tell me what they put in that red chutney to make it taste so frickin good??).

I absolutely love it here! (Disclaimer I only ordered when they first opened from the restaurant portion of the business, I can not remember what I had. I told them no animal products all veg no dairy or butter and whatever they made me was AMAZING) I buy a ton of my groceries here! Everyone has always been so friendly and they help me on the rare occasion I don't know what a product is. The prices are perfect and everything is in bulk. I never spend more than $100 for a week of groceries for 3., which is really great being one of us is out of work with covid. The produce is extremely fresh and the store always clean. I love it here!

Worth the effort to find this little gem. Indian grocery store with everything you could possibly need to cook homemade Indian meals or better yet, order their amazing takeout. The harigali chicken kabob was tender, juicy and deliciously flavored. Chicken Tikka Masala was buttery and deeply flavored. We will be going back soon.

I live nearby and have been enjoying Cart & Cafe's food since this place opened. During warmer months my wife and I would avail ourselves of their spacious back screened in deck. Since the Covid lock-down, we have ordered food for take-out. The food here is consistently good; a cut above most Indian fare available in the area. Certainly it is the best on Indian food on the East side of the river! Last night we ordered a Samosa Chat and the Hot and Sour soup as appetizers. Both were excellent. This is the first time I have tried the Hot & Sour soup, and I have to say, it was excellent; better than the same type of soup from any of the Chinese take out shops in E. Greenbush or its surrounding area. For our mains, my wife ordered the Tandoori Chicken. I don't know if they actually have a tandoori oven in back; but I don't really care. The chicken was juicy and tasty. Instead of being served on sautéed onions, it was served on a bed of slaw, which was a nice change and offered a good contrast to the yogurt marinade that coated the chicken. I ordered the Lamb Chettinad. The lamb was tender and juicy, and the dish was really well flavored. I normally order Lamb Rogan Josh, but Cart & Cafe does not offer that item on their menu. But the Lamb Chettinad was a very happy discovery, and totally satisfying. Cart & Cafe does not always offer a choice is spice levels when you order. The "house" level of heat is fine for me and my wife, but we both like spicy food; and even though I was happy w/ the spice level, it may prove to hot for most. So, if you like you don't have a high spice tolerance, make sure you make a point of telling whoever it is that picks up the phone

What a great place to eat. The food is delicious and the family that runs this store is very nice. Lots of options. Highly recommend.

Got picked up at the Rensselaer train station and was looking for a place to eat. Saw this on Yelp and decided to try it out. At first we were put off because the restaurant is in the back of an Indian grocery store. So, there is no atmosphere but the food is great! It was some of the best Indian food we've had in the Capital Dist3. They have an extensive menu and everything was good. Frankly, we were the only non-Indians in the place, but we're glad we tried it.

Awesome food. The lamb Kurma was amazing! The grocery section is small, but we'll stocked. Definitely going there again soon.

Amazing Indian food in East Greenbush. Spouse thought medium was very spicy so consider ordering it mild if you don't like overly spicy food.

As we've only had takeout from Cart & Cafe - twice now - I can only rate what I know, and this is what I know, YUM! What a joy to have such delightfully prepared Indian food in East Greenbush! I don't think it will take long for this hidden gem to catch on with other Indian cuisine lovers. I wish the signage on the building was easier to see. "Indian Cafe" should be in large letters at the top. People on this side of the Hudson have been begging for more quality ethnic options (or any options at all honestly) for years. Cart & Cafe is an answer to those yearnings. We've sampled the samosa chaat, onion pakora, palaak paneer, paneer kadai, and both variations of chicken tikka. All were flavorful, complex in their spices, truly expertly prepared. I understand from reviews on another site the dining in experience is truly casual, paper and plastic. Keep that in mind if you're looking for a date night location where this might matter. If great Indian food is your priority though, Cart & Cafe will not disappoint.

Food is always great for take out! Doesn't look like much from the outside and I probably drove by it 100+ times and never knew it was there until it was recommended by a friend. Total hidden gem!

What a wonderful treat. I ate here as I was tired, cranky, did not feel like cooking and exhausted and it was open. The food was fresh, flavorful, and unique. I had chicken soup, naan, mango smoothie, and eggplant masala. Each dish had careful flavoring with wonderful ingredients. Tender small eggplants, a spot of ginger in the soup. The market attached is a feast for the eyes for those who really enjoy foods out of the ordinary. I feel lucky to live so close and will be back. Thank you to the staff, delightful.

After hearing about this place from my Dentist, I tried it yesterday. Though the service was slow, great take out food. Chicken 65 and Briyani both were excellent. I would goo back here for sure. After next time I will update the review....

So delicious, and such a surprise right down the road from our house! We ordered by delivery, and loved everything we ordered! The naan was fresh and tender, lamb and chicken dishes fantastic and vegetarian entree super pleasing. We will definitely become regular customers!!

Great indian grocery store and i have tried most off the vegetarians dishes and its was yummy .

Fantastic lunch buffet and excellent Indian grocery! All the basics and more thoroughly covered. Highly recommend.