Troy is the place to be in the Hudson Valley right now. Thanks to anchor destinations like the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, along with too-cool coworking spaces and gourmet dining and drinking options, the city is a day-tripping dream that entices visitors to stay awhile — or forever.
And it’s just getting started.
This summer, the Collar City welcomes yet another reason to stay and play indefinitely. Slated to open toward the end of June or July, River Street Market is the multi-vendor food hall the Hudson Valley will be buzzing about all year long. Like Hudson Valley Food Hall in Beacon, which is scheduled to open around the same time, the Troy destination features local vendors who offer something for every sort of visitor.
Don’t believe us? The Market, which sits on the first floor of Hedley Park Place, makes a point to curate its offerings to all customers, whether they’re looking for a shot of java in the a.m. or a place for dinner and drinks at night. Currently, there are six vendors and one coffee shop signed onto the space, with room for two or three more in the future. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find inside:
River Street Market Eats
Copper Pot
The Troy-based business has a reputation for healthy and fresh, a commitment to local employment training, and a unique “pay it forward” program. Head to Copper Pot when you crave cozy soups, fresh salads, and sweet homemade cupcakes and tarts.
Luka’s
It’s a slice of Italy in the heart of Troy. Swing by for prosciutto, provolone, salami, oh my! Get the works as an antipasto platter or load up your favorite charcuterie onto a fresh slice of focaccia. Luca’s serves craft cocktails and obscure wines too, so it’s a dream for TGIF drinks with friends.
Stacks Espresso Bar
If you’re lucky enough to live in Albany, you’re probably very familiar with Stacks, which maintains two locations in the Capital Region, plus one outside of Boston. Hedley Park Place is its first outpost in Troy, and Stacks brings true coffee culture into its new space, which is full-service and located at the very entrance of the food hall. Now open from Monday to Friday during the week, it serves drip, cold brew, and pour-over coffee, plus caffeine-packed espresso, milk drinks, and even frappes and smoothies.
Papa’s Best Batch
Hudson Valleyites may recognize Papa’s from its presence in local supermarkets (hello, scrumptious smoked nuts!) and its onsite sandwich shop at Greig’s Farm in Red Hook. At its new, second location in Troy, Pap’s brings its signature “sammiches,” which come packed with smoked brisket, salmon, and hummus, along with whatever Papa dreams up for the season.
Prime Burger
An offshoot of Albany’s 677 Prime steakhouse, Prime Burger has the potential to become a go-to spot for juiciest, drippiest, and meltiest burgers in Troy. The menu is customizable, which means visitors can pick and choose between different meat blends (vegan options included), then stack their patties high with toppings.
Don’t place an order without one of the over-the-top milkshakes, which are kind of a meal in their own right.
Hatch Test Kitchen
Hatch is the latest endeavor by Mazzone Hospitality, the pros behind The Lounge at Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia and Arts Dining at the Hall of Springs and Man o’ War at Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga Springs. At the test kitchen, innovative flavors and world ingredients thrive, allowing diners to experience new flavors they never knew they craved.
Maria’s
Hello breakfast! Maria’s tempts locals with the healthy breakfast and lunch dishes they always dream about creating at home but never have time to actually prepare. Go for the gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based bowls, which feature bases like acai, coconut, pitaya, and overnight oats. Pair them with a zingy kombucha for a probiotic-packed meal that will keep you powered all day.
In regard to the process of choosing the vendors, First Columbia LLC, the development firm behind River Street Market, sought out well-known brands powered by individuals who are passionate about their work and their presence within the Hudson Valley community. In selecting each vendor, the firm considered how each would harmonize with one another.
“We wanted to create a venue that has something for everyone — smokehouse one day, and a salad or acai bowl the next,” explains Nathaniel Bette, a partner at River Street Market.
Of course, complementing vendors are not the only harmonies at play within the food hall. Equally critical is River Street Market’s relationship with the community of Troy as a whole. Geographically, the space resides at a covetable location within the Collar City landscape. It’s minutes away from the waterfront and close to RPI and Monument Square. The location is of great significance to First Columbia, which has worked to develop and improve the city’s waterside region for more than 10 years.
In 2006, the firm bought its first collective of properties in order to develop them into The Waterfront District in town. More recently, First Columbia revamped a 300,000-square-foot office building with new tenants and opened the five-story Courtyard by Marriott. Once River Street Market debuts, the firm will dive headfirst into its next initiative: a rooftop event space, titled Loft 433, in collaboration with Mazzone Hospitality that is slated to open in January 2020.
As far as River Street Market’s development goes, it took First Columbia about a year to finalize the 12,000-square-foot complex. In addition to housing an assortment of vendors, the space also contains the Cluett Room, a private area that holds 20 people and is available for meetings and events. While River Street Market, the idea for which came to First Columbia’s owner and founder Kevin Bette during trips to similar markets in New York City, is a dynamic presence within Troy, it is also a grounding one.
With a central location in the heart of the industrial city, the food hall will serve as a meeting hub for creatives and innovators in the region. As visitors congregate for business lunches or meetings with friends, they can catch up over local fare, then stop by for community performances on the stage or educational programs in the test kitchen, both of which are soon to come following the opening.
“We want [River Street Market] to be known as the place to get delicious food with a great atmosphere,” Bette says. “[It] will not only be ‘the place to eat at’ for the 1500 tenants and employees located within The Waterfront, but also for the 29,000 college students situated within the city, the many growing companies and organizations in Troy, and the residents.”
See you at the Market?
River Street Market
Hedley Park Place, Troy
