BELOW GROUND: WHERE TO EAT—THE EMPIRE STATE PLAZA
With an art collection by the Museum of Modern Art (managed by OGS,) a food court packed with satellites of local, independent restaurants, The Egg’s recent 2026 re-opening, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani giving a shout out to our very own Herbie’s Burgers (which is about to open a location in Brooklyn), isn’t it time you took an art-inspired lunch break at the Empire State Plaza?
Albany, the Capital of New York State, has world class art and global cuisine in its belly. Is there really nothing to do?
The Empire State Plaza Art Collection + Where to Eat
Words + photos: Susie Davidson Powell
If you haven’t been underground to the concourse level of the Empire State Plaza in years, you’re in for a surprise. In winter, when the wind whips across the Plaza and skaters take to the ice, the weekday concourse is a hive of activity driven by office and government employees who work in the surrounding buildings, or coach loads of visitor to the NYS Museum.
You may be familiar with the large sculptures dotting the Plaza from the kinetic sculptures by George Rickey and Alexander Calder to the bright yellow curved “seed form” of Trio by George Sugarman. But, downstairs, walls are hung with a remarkable collection of modern art surrounding centrally located sculptural installations. The old McDonalds has gone; Au Bon Pain closed in 2024, but the food court is packed with outposts of much loved area restaurants offering a selection of international cuisine.
About the art collection: The Rockefeller collection “features the work of artists who practiced in New York during the 1960s and 70s, and is the largest and most important State collection of modern art in the country… The formation of the Empire State Plaza Art Collection has strong connections to the Museum of Modern Art. Governor Rockefeller (whose mother, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, founded the Museum of Modern Art along with two other remarkable women in 1929) was one of the young institution's staunchest supporters and one of its leading trustees and donors. Governor Rockefeller once quipped that everything he had ever learned about politics, he learned at the Museum of Modern Art!”
When to go? The Empire State Plaza Art Collection is available for public viewing Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Although you can walk in on weekends when the food court is closed.)
Park in P3 North Visitor Lot (free for 1.5 hours), the NYS Museum + Cathedral lot ($10 before 2pm, $5 after 2pm, free on weekends/holidays,) or park on Madison Ave (pay with the ParkAlbany app). Stroll the collection and end with lunch in the food court. With ample table seating, counter seating and armchairs, you could bring a book or your laptop and stay for a while.
🎨 Explore the artists in the collection, Alphabetical order, or 🖼️ Tour the art
🎥 Watch a video of the artworks from Jackson Pollock to Alvin Loving or find a map here.
Empire State Plaza Main Concourse Food Court, Albany, NY
🍔 Herbie’s Burgers
Location: Empire State Plaza Concourse — herbiesburgers.com
Herbie’s Burgers brings its cult-favorite smash burgers to the Plaza with a a large concourse location, the brand’s signature Herbie’s signage, and their counter-service menu of grass-fed beef burgers, vegan patties, fries and dairy or vegan shakes, popular for speedy, portable weekday lunches. A short(ish) walk up to Lark Street will take you to the original Herbie’s Burgers location at 196 Lark St., Albany, best loved for its late-night service. Herbie’s Burgers now has 5 locations around the Capital Region, a 6th seasonal location in Saratoga, and a 7th under construction in Brooklyn.
🥗 Honest Weight Food Co-op Café
Location: Empire State Plaza Concourse honestweight.coop
The Honest Weight Plaza outpost offers a pared-down version of the co-op’s café program, focusing on grab-and-go organic salads, soups, baked goods and prepared foods rooted in the co-op’s local, health-forward mission. The Coop’s primary grocery store location is at Honest Weight Food Co-op, 100 Watervliet Ave., Albany
🌍 Umana Yana
Location: Empire State Plaza Food Court
This Empire State Plaza outpost of Umana Yana, the popular eatery on Washington Ave, offers a condensed selection of the restaurant’s globally inspired Afro-Caribbean and Ethiopian-influenced dishes, adapted for take-out counter service. While the Plaza location is focused on lunch-friendly portions and quick turnover, it reflects the same cross-cultural cooking that defines the brand’s vision as a meeting place. For the full dining experience, head up the street to Umana Yana, 240 Washington Ave., Albany.
umanarestaurant.com
• Read The Dishing’s review
🍜 Pho Yum
Location: Empire State Plaza Food Court
Pho Yum’s Empire State Plaza stall delivers a concise menu of Vietnamese comfort food, including pho, rice bowls and fresh rolls for fast service while retaining the bright, aromatic flavors of the original restaurant. This location caters to lunchtime crowds looking for nourishing meals. For the complete menu and restaurant dining, visit Pho Yum at 475 Madison Ave., Albany
pho-yum.com
🌮 Taco Libre Express
Location: Empire State Plaza Food Court
If you’re missing Taco Libre following the closure of the Troy food court in the Hedley Building, you’re in luck. Taco Libre Express—a sibling of La Catrina Mexican at Monument Square in Troy—serves a simplified version of the brand’s Mexican-inspired menu, focusing on tacos, burritos and bowls built for speed and convenience.
tacolibreny.com
🍣 Kuma Ani Express
Location: Empire State Plaza Food Court
Kuma Ani Express is the fast-casual Plaza outpost of the Japanese-inspired Kuma Ani that started on Albany’s New Scotland Ave and moved into locations in Troy, Colonie (Wolf Road) and an soon-to-open site in Latham. Serving sushi rolls, ramen and rice bowls, Kuma Ani Express prioritizes speed and portability. For the expanded menu and dine-in locations, visit kuma-ani.com
kuma-ani.com
🥪 PBD Kitchen
Location: Empire State Plaza Food Court
PBD Kitchen (operated by Mazzone Hospitality) is as a straightforward deli-style lunch counter in the Plaza, offering sandwiches, wraps and classic quick service comfort food.
☕ Uncommon Grounds Coffee & Bagels
Location: Empire State Plaza Concourse
The Empire State Plaza location of Uncommon Grounds offers quick service version of the Capital Region coffeehouse, serving house-roasted coffee, espresso drinks, fresh bagels, breakfast sandwiches and baked goods geared to the morning + midday rush. Seating is in the main food court but there are armchairs right outside.
➡️ Full café menu & dine-in locations: Uncommon Grounds Coffee & Bagels, 1225 Western Ave., Albany + 6 total locations
uncommongrounds.com
In the concourse, beyond the main food court, you’ll also find:
🥪 Logan’s Deli & Market — a grab-and-go market with deli sandwiches, salads, rotating hot options, desserts and a mini convenience store. logansdeli.com
🥩 Prime at the Plaza — the Mazzone-operated weekday, lunch café offers fast-casual options including a salad bar, salads, sandwiches, pizza, burgers, po’boys and other daily chef specials for take out or dine-in.
🌱 Green Sugar Leaf — a small healthy takeout store with smoothies, teas, (plus an assortment of mugs, trinkets, coasters, tea) is a woman-owned collab between an herbalist & a personal trainer.
Where else to dine near the Empire State Plaza + NYS Museum?
Come above ground to the Empire State Plaza + you’re within strolling distance of these restaurants:
1.) El Mariachi Mexican, Hamilton Street, (2.) Cheesecake Machismo, Hamilton Street, (3.) Dove + Deer (Dove Street), 4. Albany War Room (Eagle Street), 5. Wellington’s at the Renaissance Hotel (Eagle Street), 6. City Beer Hall (Howard Street.)