At the heart of Albany’s lively Delaware Avenue is a restaurant that’s been making waves; the New World Bistro Bar. Conveniently located next to Tierra Coffee Roasters and the Spectrum 8 Theater, New World Bistro offers both indoor and outdoor seating, the former carrying a cozy and hip vibe throughout, laden with brick interior and ambient lighting.

After making a reservation, I was able to walk in to an immediate seat, being greeted and (later) served by a friendly and extremely helpful set of waiters. In fact, to simply say the service was great is an understatement.

There was constant replenishing of water and a seemingly endless flow of fresh bread, companied by olive oil and vinegar. Later, when asked about selection on the menu, my waiter described each bit of food with extremely vivid detail, making ordering an easier process after being faced with an initially confusing menu.

The New World Bistro has two distinct qualities: a keenness for spice and utilization of locally-sourced, organic ingredients.  The menu even has a heat scale (the Ric-Ter Scale, named after the executive chef Ric Orlando) for most dishes, ranging from 1 being the tamest, to 10 being for aficionados only. The menu also hosts a larger number of vegan and gluten-free choices as well.

Albeit not the most daring choice, I went to the New World pizza, because when doesn’t pizza taste good? The pie covered a vast plate, complete with a crunch flatbread crust, a rich, slightly spicy tomato sauce and a creamy blend of mozzarella and Romano cheese. The first bite certainly caught me by surprise, a flavor of its own, but by the pizza’s conclusion, each bite was like a slice of heaven.

Yes, the New World Bistro Bar may be a bit pricy (the pizza was $12, with other prices being similar and upward from there), and yes, the menu can be a challenge to navigate, but the resulting food and excellent service make it completely worth it. Have you made your reservation yet?