INTEL: CHEF COLIN MINER IS BACK + READY TO ROLL AT KATY’S IN GLENS FALLS
After leaving Farmacy and consulting in New Hampshire, Chef Colin Miner is back in Glens Falls in a new executive chef role. The Queensbury native is preparing for the opening of Katy’s Wine + Whiskey Bar owned by Bill Dingman, a veteran of the Glens Falls restaurant scene, and Katy Foster, a local realtor and wife of the building’s developer, Chris Patten.
I asked Chef Colin what brought him home.
— SDP
Chef Colin Miner is back in Glens Falls with a small plates menu at a wine + whiskey bar with a comprehensive mocktail program
In the run up to a projected late June opening, Chef Colin Miner is fine tuning a shareable, small plates menu for a new Glens Falls wine bar opening in a renovated 1890s building on South Street. South Street has seen steady revival since the 2023 openings of The Golden Monkey Lounge and Taco Kings Jalisco, and 2025 opening of Bastard Restobar. Of course, New Way Lunch has been a South Street staple since 1919, (though it relocated to its current South Street spot in 2006,) and the iconic Peter’s Diner has been a fixture on the street since 1961.
For Miner and Dingman, it’s an intersection of their varied careers around Glens Falls. Dingman was general manager of Bistro Tallulah on Ridge Street for 8 years followed by roles at Morgan & Co, Craft on 9, Forged + Raul’s Mexican Grill, all in Glens Falls. When Bistro Tallulah closed, Miner, back in the area after working and staging at Michelin-star restaurants in Chicago, was tapped as chef of Gaslight, a new restaurant set to open in the Tallulah space. When it foundered, Miner was snapped up by the investment team revitalizing The Queensbury Hotel, before joining Park 26, but Miner would eventually circle back to the Tallulah space where Chef A.J. had opened Farmacy Restobar. Now for the first time, Miner will work with Dingman whose best friend happens to be building owner Chris Patten, husband of Dingman’s business partner, Katy Foster. Capiche?
Katy’s Wine & Whiskey Bar 46 South Street, Glens Falls | website coming soon
Chef, where have you been since you left Farmacy in 2025?
I spent a busy summer working under Chef Jake Guay at Bistro LeRoux, a long standing Lake George staple that has been open for 15+ years and, shortly after that, a mentor of mine, Chef Dale Miller, reached out to me with an opportunity. He was consulting for a newly opening restaurant in North Conway, New Hampshire, and needed help getting the kitchen up and running. It was great to work alongside Chef Dale again after so many years. And little did I know, it would be the perfect learning experience and crash course in opening a newly constructed restaurant, developing a menu and building a team. Because fast forward a a couple of months and that’s what we’re doing here at Katy’s.
What should we expect on the Katy’s menu?
When Katy and Bill first approached me with their Wine & Whiskey Bar concept, we all loved the idea of leaning into smaller portions and shared plates, so the menu will feature some snack-like options like charcuterie and cheese boards, house-made potato tots, arancini and lamb lollipops. And there will be entree-like plated dishes priced more like half-portions than a traditional entree. Those will include chicken and waffles, house-made agnolotti, grilled scallops and my maple-cured duck (of course!)
The idea is that our guests will have a lot of flexibility. We wanted to create a menu that encourages people to mix and match, order a few things to share, maybe even try something they wouldn't normally order. The experience is meant to be relaxed, social, and fun. And the Glens Falls Farmers’ Market is right across the street, so I’ll definitely be taking advantage of that—building relationships and getting fresh products each Saturday morning to incorporate in the week’s features.
Wine & whiskey are in the bar’s name, but there’s a comprehensive mocktail program. Why was that important to the bar?
While it’s a Wine & Whiskey Bar, a lot of thought has also been put into developing our mocktail menu. As more people embrace mindful drinking, or just want a great cocktail experience without the alcohol, mocktails have become more popular. We wanted to ensure that every guest, whether they’re enjoying a glass of wine, a whiskey flight, or a spirit-free drink, has something creative and delicious to enjoy.
Can you describe the mood/vibe of the space?
Chris, Katy and their team have done an amazing job with the design of the restaurant. The space is warm, intimate and a little moody. It has maroon walls and dark wood booths, but also some contemporary lighting and really sleek wine displays. The real centerpiece is the gorgeous, U-shaped bar made of stone and granite. It was definitely designed to be a focal point of the space.
Thanks, Chef. Keep us posted with the opening date!
