COMING UP COFFEE — The return of ‘90s coffee culture
The arrival of Kha & Mel’s Coffee + Tea Room in Albany’s Delaware neighborhood; a new, larger Troy location for Jacob & Alejandro, the recent opening of Station Six in view of Albany’s Empire State Plaza cements the triumphant return of the nineties hang out coffee shop. And to that we’re adding the newly expanded nighttime weekend hours at Little Pecks in Troy.
Photo: Jamel Mosely/Kha & Mel’s Coffee + TeaRoom
These aren’t the living-room coffee shops of nineties’ javacore (IYKYK,) but coffee shop culture is back + we want to hang. Here are 3 the latest.
Words + photos: Susie Davidson Powell | June 2026
Nineties coffee culture rejected of 1980s neon and framed the “Friends” coffee shop as a third-space living room where the point was to while away the day or the evening, writing papers (with pens!), scouring indie papers for live gigs, meeting friends and squeezing onto thrift store couches for open mic sets. Thirty years later, they’re having a resurgence of popularity, this time rejecting the commercialization of Starbucks-style chains and answering a Gen Z call for contact and community centered on something other than booze. — SDP
KHA & MEL’S COFFEE + TEA ROOM
8 Kate St, Albany | @kmcoffeeandtearoom
It makes sense that the duo behind Upstate’s Cold Brew, a popular cold brew concentrate found mostly at the Troy Farmer’s Market, would finally open up their own cafe, but the arrival of Kha & Mel’s Coffee & Tea Room also adds to the expansion of the Delaware neighborhood near Whitehall, where Lil Thrift Ma, Bitchin’ Donuts + L’Roca Restaurant and Lounge have opened alongside staples, Delaware Supply + The Delaware Restaurant. With his Upstate’s Cold Brew business partner Khalid Miller, Jamel Mosely, who also owns Whiskey Pickle in Troy and co-owns Collective Effort, have tapped an unexpected location in the beautifully modern Love Albany Center, a community gathering space integrated inside Christ’s Church.
You no longer have to wait for that weekend Brown Sugar Oat Latte. Drop in Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m for their cold-brew and espresso coffee drinks, teas and fresh-baked artisanal pastries by fellow Troy market vendor, Nostalgia Bakery, another Black-owned small business. As regular fixtures at the Troy farmers market, Kha & Mel’s is closed Saturdays, but open Sundays from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. with a break for the Sunday church service.
Why go? Jazz and stained glass sets the vibe, Upstate’s Cold Brew sets the mood, and comfortable sofas and chairs encourage you to linger.
JACOB ALEJANDRO
9 First Street, Troy (in the former Slidin' Dirty) | IG: @jacobalejandrocoffee | jacobalejandro.com
When Alejandro and Jake Griffin-Diaz opened Jacob Alejandro in Troy in 2020, they had a quietly radical idea that you shouldn't have to travel to Los Angeles, Seattle, or New York City for exceptional coffee. Six years on, the couple have proven that point and Alejandro was named a 2026 Coffee Masters champion at the London Coffee Festival, earning the title with a drink called Golden Fantasy built on peanut butter-infused vodka, pecans, and edible gold. The newly relocated Troy flagship in the former Slidin' Dirty space on First Street has their signature racing green and gold chain decor, but orange cozy chairs, soft woven sofas, and velvet bar stools create inviting nooks for solo sips, coffee dates or small groups.
Artist Cara Hanley hand-painted coffee tree branches and cherries on the tall front windows, a kitchen in view behind glass suggests future plans to expand the food menu, and a natural wine bar called JAJA Natural Wine will soon open in the same spot making use of the rear coffee service counter for cocktails and wine. (A second JAJA Natural Wine Bar is also in the works next to their smaller Albany outpost JA Pequeno on Madison Ave in the former Downtube bike shop.)
The JA coffee program is proudly multi-roaster, rotating between Pennsylvania's Passenger Coffee, Barcelona's Nomad Coffee, and Netherlands-based Dak Coffee. Drinks lean into the same creativity that has won Alejandro numerous titles. The JA chocolate milk cold brew and iced toffee coffee have loyal followings, and the JA Coffee Club, a rotating 20-drink series of specialty beverages, includes exclusive drinks and discounts for members. Pastries and house-baked goods round out the menu alongside a coffee education program for anyone who wants to dive deeper into what’s in their cup.
Why go? The stylish new Troy shop, with its extra square footage, a parklet/sidewalk patio, and a cocktail license on the way is where Jacob and Alejandro’s full vision is taking shape, but their excellent coffee is the reason to go.
STATION SIX 125 Jefferson St, Albany | @station.six_
Jordan Cambron traded his design and architecture career in Morelia, Mexico, for a coffee shop in Albany’s Center Square. It’s given downtown Albany an exciting new spot in the former Engine 6 firehouse at the corner of Swan and Jefferson and in easy reach of the Empire State Plaza, El Loco and Cheesecake Machismo. The green overhead firehouse door, exposed brick, and industrial metal door are all still there, joined by a gleaming stainless kitchen for a (coming soon) café menu. The pastry case is loaded with house-baked croissants, almond croissants, spinach-feta pastries, cinnamon rolls, and apple turnovers, and Cambron’s first menu item — a breakfast sandwich with double cheddar, scrambled egg and bacon on buttery brioche — is already in high demand.
Why go? The real reason to make the trip is the cold brew, brewed for 22 hours at room temperature using dark-roast beans from Capital City Coffee Roasters, served with your choice of milks and syrup flavors, and sealed in clear cans with aluminum pop-top lids to keep every sip cold. But Cambron's Mexican hot chocolate—chocolate caliente—made with traditional spiced tablillas and melted and frothed with milk in a clay jug is another reason to go.
For The Dishing’s early opening review, click here.
🫒 BONUS
Little Pecks 211 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180 clarkhousehospitality.com/little-pecks | @littlepecks
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in June 2026, Little Pecks needs no introduction as the daytime anchor for Clark House Hospitality on Broadway in downtown Troy. But owner Vic Christopher has watched customer trends in recent years and while he originally imagined Little Pecks as 25% of overall business, embedded between Donna’s Italian and the Lucas Confectionery, it generates almost 50%. Now, responding to customer demand for coffee drinks and lattes later in the evening, he has expanded Little Pecks’ hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday nights.