Is brunch cool again in Saratoga?
BUT FIRST: Local real estate gets energy pop, and good/bad horse racing news.
📣I’m on the lookout for anything that’s cancelled because of Sunday’s storm, so I can inform our whole crew — so if you have any intel, send it my way. I’ll try to pull together a snowy special this weekend. Stay warm, everybody!
—Abby
🏠 Modest rate drops giving local real estate renewed energy
But challenges await, says Mary Wilson.
The Capital Region housing market is showing renewed energy as mortgage rates begin to ease, says Miranda Real Estate Group’s Mary Wilson. “Even modest rate drops have brought many buyers back off the sidelines,” she says, “increasing showing activity and multiple-offer situations across much of the region.”
The challenge? Inventory remains tight. “While demand has picked up, the number of available homes hasn’t kept pace,” Wilson says, “especially in popular price points under $500,000.”
For sellers, this continues to be a favorable environment. “Lower rates mean a larger pool of qualified buyers, and limited inventory helps support strong pricing,” she says. “For buyers, strategy matters more than ever. Understanding timing, local micro-markets, and negotiation options can make all the difference.”
Wilson says that as we head further into the year, the market isn’t slowing; it’s becoming more competitive. “This is the moment when sellers stand out,” she says. “Would you rather compete in a marathon with 50 homes, or 300 once spring inventory hits? Timing matters, and right now, the odds are in sellers’ favor.”
📰 IN BRIEF
Good/bad horse racing news
Saturday’s the first big horse racing day of 2026 — hooray! And Florida’s Pegasus is ready, with a $4.5 million world series, airing 4:30 p.m. on NBC and Peacock. Buzzkill here in New York, however, thanks to the incoming snow storm. NYRA has cancelled Saturday’s racing at Aqueduct due to “arctic temperatures and sub-zero wind chill values,” it announced earlier today. Sunday’s racing has been moved to Wednesday.
🍳 Is brunch cool again in Saratoga?
A wave of new menus and pop-up events is pushing brunch back to the center of Saratoga’s winter food scene.
Yes — in a word, brunch is having a moment here in Saratoga Springs. A wave of new menus, pop-up brunch events, and comfort-forward dishes has pushed brunch back to the center of Downtown’s dining scene this winter.
We’re talking a one-day-only brunch affair at Seneca, a new menu at Fillies on Phila, and Standard Fare’s launch of daytime must-eat comfort fare. These join, of course, the already-hot PDT Maison, Merc, and Sweet Mimi’s.
Yup, brunch is officially back in Saratoga.
Standard Fare is now serving brunch weekends 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to cover all types of brunchers, from the granola-crunching early birds to the day-drinkers looking for a Sex and the City-worthy gossip sesh.
“While our menu leans classic and wholesome, our hours are very intentionally designed for the late-to-rise crowd,” says co-owner Zac Denham of a menu that includes a cereal & milk parfait and an “Ultimate” breakfast sandwich. “For those looking for a little ‘hair of the dog,’ we offer our signature Brunch Bottle — a bottle of Bocage Everyday Cuvée paired with aromatic garnishes and a curated selection of juice mixers, including grapefruit, cranberry and passion fruit. So each table can craft the cocktail that fits their mood.”
While they are bullish on a future daytime schedule that includes a NYC-style DJ brunch, Seneca is focused on a one-day-only, all-in bash. “🥂 Brunch is back at Seneca 🔥,” it announced on Instagram — for Sunday, Feb. 8 only. “We’re bringing out a brunch lineup you won’t want to miss 😋 Wood-fired touches, bold flavors, and unforgettable cocktails 💙.” Think limited specials, and “Big Sunday energy 🍳✨.”
Fillies on Phila, meanwhile, this week launched a delicious new menu that includes breakfast pizza, ricotta pancakes and chicken fried bacon.
We’ll take one of everything, please.
📌 ICYMI…
Inside look: ❄️ High Peaks Resort
Bikini-clad 👙 horse named after...me?
Siro’s for $100 please: Miranda Rae Hart on shooting her film ‘Off to the Races’ in Saratoga
Fillies on Phila looks so tasty!
Love getting my newsy Saratoga Dispatch, I feel like I’m in the know!