Saratoga season unlike any others
For those not ready to dine in, options for casual and outdoor eating abound
For those who live in Saratoga Springs and those who visit, summer in the Spa City is a heady time when the population triples, sidewalks throng with visitors in town for “the season,” and hats and heels are the hallmarks of the blurred day-to-night scene. Tens of thousands are drawn to the tradition of thoroughbred racing at the Saratoga Race Course, including the famed Travers Stakes in August. Others embrace harness racing at Saratoga Casino or the civility of Champagne-sponsored polo matches, where the spectators step onto the field to replace divots at halftime and match winners can practice sabrage.
We seek cultural rewards in the summer residency of the New York City Ballet at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, pack elaborate lawn spreads for live music or outdoor theater in the park, and the literati soak up air-conditioned author readings at the New York State Writers Institute’s summer series at Skidmore College. It’s as if Saratoga puffs up its chest at the start of summer, cramming calendars with events and winding down to Labor Day in one long exhale.
But not this year.
With large arts gatherings off the menu, Saratoga Polo indefinitely closed, and spectator-less horse races for the 152nd meet scheduled to be simulcast on the NYRA Now channel, the famed social season is looking slim. Still, restaurants on and off Broadway are finding their stride, filling sidewalk and patio tables, and some — like those on Henry Street — are barricading parking spots for service seating.
The nights are balmy and Saratoga beckons. You’re savvy enough to know about The Patio at 15 Church, the porch of Salt & Char at the Van Dam and socially distanced dining at Solevo Kitchen + Social, 30 Lake and Seneca. But if you’re not looking for a three-course meal or are hesitant to dine in, here are a few more spots to capture the essence of summer in Saratoga Springs.
The Brentwood, Brentwood hotel, 15 Gridley St., Saratoga Springs. 518450-7861. brentwood-hotel.com.
This 12-room boutique hotel is positioned, motel style, around a gravel forecourt across from a turn of the Saratoga Race Course. Although the tiny indoor bar (two tables, six barstools) isn’t currently open, they have increased outdoor tables with an unbeatable glimpse of the thunderous horses while you sip hand-crafted cocktails. New this year is the Pistachio Mai Tai (amber rum, dry curaçao, pistachio orgeat, lime), while the house Negroni is a summer classic. Perhaps best of all is the attention paid to nondrinkers, with spirit-free libations from housemade shrubs and Yesfolk kombucha to my summer go-to, Operation Golden Dove (turmeric, honey, ginger, lemon). Though there is no food beyond a selection of nuts and nibbles, there is talk of a food truck collab in the parking lot, so check for updates on social media.