Gus's Hotdogs is known in New York for having some of the best hot dogs around, and there's no question why! You just can't beat that flavor. This is the classic American experience at its best. And it's so cheap! When you get there and look at the prices for hamburgers and hot dogs you simply won't believe it! They also have Italian sausage here, so you can indulge those cravings too. They're REALLY good! The only downside to this place is that they do not serve french fries, but you can make do with their potato chips! Those go so well with hot dogs anyway. Be sure to try the meat sauce! It's out of this world. Definitely one of our favorite places to grab a dog when we're in Watervliet.
212 25th St
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-8743

Bob's Diner is a cozy little diner on 19th Street, and we love to come in for a delicious hot cup of coffee and some delicious breakfast! It always arrives piping hot and everything is just so tasty. Great eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast. This is one of those places where everybody goes after getting drunk at the bars to sober up, so it's a great place to grab a hot meal that will make you feel much better after one too many beers. They serve really large portions too. If you have a love of greasy spoon diner fare, you will definitely want to come and check this place out. One last word of advice: Don't skip the gravy fries! Those are an absolute essential, and everybody loves them.
929 19th St
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 274-2393

The Purple Pub, despite the name, seems to be better known for its pizzas than for its brewskis or anything pub related!  At least in the daytime. Everybody raves about that wonderful pizza, and though we all openly admit that it's not much to look at here, the food makes it all worthwhile. We are big lovers of the mushroom pizza. It's just so good you'll want to keep coming back again and again for more. The wings are also a great choice in addition to that famous pizza, and they have some good Italian fare like baked ziti as well as some of your pub favorites such as burgers. In the evenings, the bar takes over and the drinks become the reason to be there, and the great service is also a plus. The service is good here too, and you feel like you're partaking in an ancient Watervliet tradition by hanging out here.
2 Cohoes Rd
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-9646

Spiaks Restaurant is a piece of the past that is still going strong today, and we just love it. We really enjoy coming in for lunch and getting "The Sally," which is a Reuben with their own spin put on it... corned beef, cole slaw, and cheddar, on delicious dark rye bread. Yum! The real signature dish here though is the pierogies, and they are cooked and served in a sizzling cast iron skillet just the way they were back in the day. The carmelized onions really set off the flavor of the pierogies. We also recommend their dumplings, which are large and very tasty. They have excellent pizza here with a milder taste than what you may be used to today in the "bolder is better" era, but we love it. There are also some more upscale entrees here like grilled fish and rice with vegetables. No matter what you get, it's going to be amazing. Best quality food in Watervliet and one of the best reasons to visit!
2 Archibald St
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-0037

The Rusty Anchor is another one of our favorite American restaurants in Watervliet, taking advantage of an old barge and turning it into an outdoor restaurant. We love coming in for a relaxed dinner along with a drink. The swordfish is one of our favorite things to have here, as well as the delicious pulled pork. They've got really tasty bruschetta, and if you love loaded fries they definitely do them right at this establishment! We've also gotten fish and chips here many times, and have always been very happy with the quality of the batter and the texture of the fries. It's true that the prices are some of the highest in the area, and some complain about this because it's not very upscale or fancy, but what you are paying for here is the quality of the food and the excellent service (and perhaps also the novelty of dining on a barge!), and we say it is definitely, without a doubt, worth it. We love this place!
1 Selke Dr
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-2920

Valente's Restaurant is a wonderful Italian restaurant, not too fancy and not too casual, just right! WE really love their pizza and wings as well as their calamari with maranara sauce. So good! They have chicken cacciatore marsala that has just completely blown our minds. Whoever thought of that combination deserves an award, and we have not been able to find it elsewhere either! (We do hope it catches on!) The eggplant and veal are really excellent, and we love their marinara sauce that's delicately sweet and very fragrant. The wine is very reasonably priced here so you can pair the perfect one with your meal and relax the night away. Definitely an essential in Watervliet.
315 8th St
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-3314

Ted's Fish Fry is a seafood lover's dream! They've got all your standard diner favorites here too, like hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, onion rings, etc., but for those who love seafood the focus is clear. Everything's good and greasy here, just the way diner food ought to be. Great golden deep fried goodness! Note that if you order a fry, you're getting a fish fry--a golden fried piece of fish in a hot dog bun. If you order a french, that'll be your french fries. They also have excellent calamari here that you should definitely try. Our insider tip would be to order a milkshake no matter what you get to eat.  That's the perfect thing to pair with any greasy spoon type of food as far as we are concerned! Excellent place to go in Watervliet for all your deep fried cravings!
447 3rd Ave
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-0232

Papa's Corner Restaurant & Pizzeria is a local favorite where the pizza is as famous as the restaurant itself. This is such a friendly place to go, and it seems like every family that's ever lived in the area loves to come with their kids and just enjoy a great hearty meal together. Now some of those kids are grown and are bringing their own kids here. The pizza sauce is just delicious here, very smooth and a little bit sweet but not overly sweet. The chicken marsala is another one of our favorite things to get here, and it's always so delicious and rich yet light, just the way it should be. We like the fact that they are open until 11:00PM on Fridays and Saturdays, but hate the fact thta they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays! But we only hate it because they're so good and we wish they were open. Love this place!
1297 Broadway
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 273-3270

Napoli Pizza & Subs is just a little takeout joint, just a small restaurant where you go and order your food at the counter, and we love it. Sometimes the simplest things are really the best. They're always so friendly here when we come in to order our pizzas, subs, calzones, pasta, salads, appetizers, wings, etc... we have tried them all and they are all so good. They hand stretch the pizza dough for the super thin crust, and it's just perfectly thin and crispy. We love the cheeses that they use for the calzones, mozzarella and ricotta, and the sausage, peppers, anchovies, and pepperoni is our favorite combination for the inside! Definitely get some of their delicious sauce so you can dip it too, it's so good that way. Always a quick meal in Watervliet, with incredibly fast service. We love it!
143 Troy Schenectady Rd
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 266-1100

The Old Polish Deli is a real favorite of ours in Watervliet, and we just cannot get enough of their delicious Polish delicacies! The pierogies that they make here are some of the best that we have ever had, and we are really hooked on their fabulous potato pancakes too. The golumbkis are just fantastic here too. If you are a lover of Polish food, you will definitely want to stop in to this place whenever you're in the area. They've got a nice shelf of goodies for you to buy here too, including lots of pickled items in jars, juices, desserts, and soups. You may not expect that they'd accept credit cards here, but they do, and that's another reason that we find it so convenient. Great pickles too!
600 3rd Ave
Watervliet, NY 12189
(518) 326-0943