Excellent food and lots of great menu choices😋. The best chowder in Saratoga county. Super nice,friendly people. Highly recommend cozy cafe.

I just saw your piece on Channel 6 news and your story is an inspiration to all. You are an amazing man and just wanted to say …Keep up your great work! I hope to stop by some time soon to support your awesome cause. Thank you!!!!

Excellent soup. Had a cup which wasn't on the menu. Very good tuna melt either gouda cheese and nice greens

Excellent Food! Friendly employees You have to try the chowder! Don’t pass on this place! Food is delicious! Let’s keep these businesses going!! Wish I lived closer

Absolutely wonderful place to eat. BEST chowder ever! Warm comfy friendly atmosphere!

Perfect for downtown Ballston Spa. There is a warm feeling amongst the pride. Looking forward to more visits, for the food, service and atmosphere. Support the support for a good cause.🤗

We enjoyed a nice lunch. The house made potato chips are great! Service was friendly and quick. I'll be back! Perhaps for breakfast.

Excellent food and excellent owner and staff! They give so much to our community and definitely deserve the recognition!

It felt like I was eating in my own home. Very welcoming staff, beautiful decor, and delicious food. I'll be sure to visit again!

We stopped here with some friends for a breakfast meeting. the food is incredible and great prices. I will be back again

Kevin always has delicious food. Christine makes delicious baked goods. Coffee is flavorful

First time my son I went to this cafe and we give it 5*. Sonya is a great hostess! The cafe itself is welcoming and clean. The story behind the name of the cafe is amazing. I tip my hat to the owner/chef. Keep up the great work!! We will be back soon!!

The food is excellent, staff is very friendly, prices are reasonable, locally owned and focused on giving back to the community. I have had several of their breakfast and lunch items and they are all delicious. Home cooked from scratch, including the meats.

It's a small place on a side street in Balaton Spa. Outdoor seating is available. The menu has versions of what you may expect but with additions to many selections you would not expect. You like grilled ham and cheese? Add in some homemade apple butter to compliment the ham and stand out from the cheese. Tuna melt on your mind? It's made with tomato, bacon, and smoked Gouda. The chef has won many seafood chowder festivals so when Molly suggested I try this chowder, I said sure. The first spoonful made me wonder if I was just hungry or is this chowder really that good. The second spoonful said yes, it is the best I have tasted. I finished the chowder before I started on a so good and perfectly cooked medium burger. I commented to the chef that everything is so fresh tasting. His return answer was " everything is home made - there is not a can in the place". Balston Spa has some good eating spots but go try the Ribbon Cafe - the man in the kitchen is a magician. Say hi to Molly for me.

Delicious food, Great Service, Good prices, Local Food, Support Small Businesses that Support the Community! The cook Kevin is so caring and generous! He has amazing chowder also!

Great food. Waitress Joanne was super friendly. Highly recommend.

One of the most delicious breakfasts I’ve ever had… “Holy shit” were the first words out of my mouth after trying the sausage gravy. Sooooo yummy. I also had the avocado toast breakfast, which was also “holy shit” worthy… The owner is super nice and even shared his pickled onion recipe with me! I will be back… many times!

Fabulous little place. Quaint atmosphere next to the historic chocolate factory in Ballston Spa. Delicious high quality food. Sliced roast beef sandwich with tasty fork tender beef. Fish and chips to die for. Excellent soups. Very friendly staff.

Just finished BFast and wanted to review. Breezed through a few Google reviews first... 93 @ 4.7 stars, VERY nice & there's a reason for that! I take my family and friends here, and they all keep returning. The food here is great, hot, & fresh. The service is just exceptional!! That starts at the top with the owner, and trickles down through all of his staff. Small town restaurant, giving back to Oncology centers and patients. You just can't go wrong here. Well done & proud to have them in my community!

Cannot fully explain how much I love the food and atmosphere here. I have come multiple times and each time i leave wanting more but end up being too full to actually eat anything more. Everything on the menu is amazing and the staff are so friendly! Make your way up there and try the award winning chowder. It will not disappoint!

I just want to say that it makes me angry when I read reviews that complain about delivery issues and the high prices of food ordered on third party apps like Door Dash or Grub Hub. Theses services charge considerably more than the restaurant charges. At $12 sandwich will cost you $14 using Grub Hub and trust me the restaurant is not getting the extra $2. It's no wonder that the restaurant owner may not be as cheerful as he used to be. This restaurant is known for their tasty food -especially their chowder. If you want to be helpful, order from them directly and pick the food up yourself. If you use third party delivery and are not happy, be fair, don't complain about the restaurant, complain to the service.

Wanted breakfast on the way to Lake George. We found a gem. Server/host was very friendly. Food was amazing. My girlfriend had the breakfast fries. Steak fries with ham, bacon, egg, and sausage gravy. Would be a great hangover cure! I had bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Pancakes were fluffy and filled with blueberries. We want to try lunch...award winning Southwest Chowder sounds amazing.

Best breakfast I've had in years. Everything is made fresh and you can really tell. One owner cooks while the other works the front and you can tell!! Drove 30 minutes to try to and it was more than worth it. Plenty of cool places to check out very nearby. Great place to start a Sunday in Ballston Spa.

Love the breakfast sandwiches. Satisfying diner food at a great price. Fast and fresh - food comes out hot. Friendly service and comfy atmosphere. With a fair amount of breakfast competition in town, the Ribbon Cafe is surely becoming our go to.

Enjoy Ed lunch here a lot. The shrimp-corn chowder was great, just the right amount of heat. Can see why it won at Chowderfest. My grilled cheese sandwich was done right. My husband got the Adult BLT and his only issue was the avocado kept sliding. But it tasted good enough that he just took a knife and fork to it 🙂

Fully enjoyed our lunch. First time ever eating Chowder. I am told I picked the best for my first by others dining with me. Everyone was friendly and invested in us having a great meal

This is our go to spot every weekend. Food is great and the owner and staff are wonderful people- feels like we are all family! Perfect little spot for breakfast and lunch- great baked good as well.

Went there with my girlfriend and had some of the best food I’ve ever had! The chowder was amazing and the cheeseburger egg rolls are something I will go back for time and time again. The staff was very friendly and the prices were very fair. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for some great food 👌🏻

I come here annually for their christmas pajama breakfast where we donate new pajamas for cancer patients. The breakfast fries are my absolute favorite. Service is great and such a pleasant atmosphere.

I would give out as many stars as possible. The food is scrumptious no matter what you order every single time. the staff are very kind and sweet. Must try if you haven't been yet!!!

First time here, my wife and I just moved to the area. Right off the bat we felt very welcomed here. Our waitress Dena was absolutely the best. Good was excellent. Decent prices, we are definitely looking forward to coming back to try lunch. Great food, great staff,great atmosphere!!

Been going here for years now idk why I haven't made a review till now bit have to say it. Great great place for food and a friendly atmosphere. Everyone is super friendly and nice to you and the Kevin the man in the kitchen the owner and more really is passionate about his cooking. Love your food guys and thank you for all the memories eating here. You guys have served up great eats with out fail every time!

The food here is delicious. And the staff is so friendly. We’ve visited for breakfast and lunch, and we have always been more than satisfied with the food. Great little spot!

My wife and I, visiting from NYC, stopped here for breakfast before Mass - it was exactly the homey, hearty, friendly environment we didn't even know we needed. The food was good, but the company was great - we had a wonderful chat with the owner, who was mindful of our schedule and made sure we were well taken care of. We also found out their business supports cancer research, hence the name. We split a massive cinnamon roll, served right in front of us from the pan they had just been baked in. Our food was fresh and delicious, the service was speedy and attentive, and the overall friendly atmosphere was a joy to dine in. This is a wonderful local business that I and my wife hope to find our way into many more times!

Delightful cafe. Delicious lunch special with generous cole slaw, pork ribs and fries. First time visit and will likely return.

Fabulous food. I’m a chef and a tough house. I had the “Avocado Toast:” poached eggs on wheat berry toast with avocado slices, tomato, greens, pickled onions, red pepper, and sriracha- a flavor festival. It was perfectly prepared, and the presentation was a work of art! I should have snapped a photo, but it looked so good that I couldn’t wait to dive in. The eggs and all the produce were fresh. The waitress was wonderful- pleasant, calm, and accommodating. If you are due to do yourself or a friend a favor, go have breakfast at the Ribbon Cafe.

Very friendly atmosphere, high-quality ingredients, and highly recommended you pay a visit!

This smaller venue and almost quaint atmosphere belies a large amount of talent in both the front and back of the house. We felt welcomed and comfortable from the moment we walked in until we left. The food was just excellent as well. Their chowder is award winning for a reason, but don't miss out on all the great offerings on the lunch menu as well. We'll definitely be back!

Kevin and Christine are excellent cooks/bakers. They are so kind and giving to customers and the community. Love their food and the eclectic menu. A must for lunch or breakfast!

Always greeted with a welcoming smile and hello as if I were a long-lost friend. This business struggles to keep good help but never lags in service. The dining room is small and intimate. Not noisy and good background music is not loud. Food is always hot out of the kitchen. And if you like chowder, it is award-winning.

Unique, delicious, a very special place. We were blown away by the amazing taste and remarkable quality of the food and the kindness of the staff. The award winning southwest shrimp chowder is unique and unbelievably delicious. I couldn’t get enough. We came to Ballston Spa from out of town for a quick weekend trip to Saratoga. The chowder here was so incredible that we decided we had to return again on Sunday on our way out of town to take a few quarts home. Our server remembered that we said we’d be back Sunday morning and greeted us like family when we came in and had it ready for us without even having to ask for it. Of course, we had to stay for breakfast too - which was amazing! Their house made sausage is top notch. Everything is made from scratch daily. They are incredibly accommodating. My brother in law said the pulled pork sandwich was the best he’s ever had - top quality meat and bun. I can’t speak highly enough of this wonderful place. They do great work to support breast cancer patients too.

Great local place for creative, delicious food. Staff r lovely. Quick service. & It's a nice, less hectic atmosphere than trying to get into a place on Front st. Parking is easy. You feel like the staff r really happy to be there. And then they bring you some a huge, crispy plate of French toast. Home fries r crunchy & nicely seasoned. Baked goods very good too. " Creamsicle cookies" made w real oranges!? Yum. As a cancer survivor, I appreciate the cafe' s theme & support of the cause.

This was a great experience for me. My wife and I had breakfast here and we really fell in love with the vibe. We both met the owner is was a very lovely woman, and she told us how the name of the business came to fruition. I'm fighting leukemia myself so I know of the struggles chemotherapy patients go through, I'm fortunate I can get out but many can't. We enjoyed the staff the food we even got a pound of chowder and coffee. We will be back for sure, and thank you for the experience.

This place is awesome food was fantastic I got the steak and egg breakfast which was cooked perfectly the service was outstanding and the vibe is really cute and cozy will 100% be coming back... Keep up the good work guys your doing a fantastic job

Cute little café. The menu was delicious. Highly recommend the breakfast fries. Generous portions

I was making my first visit to the Cafe and I was greeted very warmly and felt comfortable there right away. I had wanted to try the cafe seeing that my next door neighbor is the owners sister. I was throughly impressed with the food. The seafood chowder was out of this world and my grilled chicken sandwich was equally as delicious. I would highly recommend this place for lunch if you are in the area. I am going to definitely try breakfast there soon.

A Co worker and I had the Philly grilled cheese sandwich with pasta salad. It was very good. I'm not a huge fan of sweet pasta salad all in all it was pretty tasty. It's a very nice little place, decorated very lovely. Good atmosphere and very friendly service. Can't wait to try the breakfast menu next time.

Breakfast is our favorite meal to eat out. Ribbon Cafe ticked all our boxes and thet have a worthy cause to boot. Definitely recommend!

Happened to be in the area and stumbled onto this cafe with an amazing story. This cafe has great food and operates for an amazing cause. I bought a raffle ticket and won this amazing quilt to support children with cancer. What means even more to me is that I lost both my Grandma's from cancer when I was growing up. Having a blanket from someone who cares even if they are a stranger means the world to me. Thank you 💛

This place was incredible! Very friendly, very good service and the food was awesome! We stopped for a late lunch on the way home (~3 hours from where we live) and it was fantastic! The soup was so good, that we ordered a quart to take home for dinner. Panini's were very good too! I haven't had the cinnamon roll yet, but ... yeah ... I had to get one to go. LOL. We will definitely be back whenever we are in the area!

Kevin Myers holds a special place in my heart. I'm sorry I wasn't able to go on a Sunday to see Chrissy. Myers family are dear to me since I was a teenager.

Cute little place. Lovely people and a cozy environment

We got a reuben with steak fries. Was excellent, real hearty corned beef, fresh rye bread. Was so delicious. Also a café burger real beef patty cooked perfectly, caramelized onions, avocado, smoked gouda, Chipotle aioli. Fresh bun that was hearty. Everything was cooked perfectly. Fantastic waitress. Spoke with the waitress as well as the owners mom a portion of proceeds are donated for breast cancer. Excellent little cafe. Fresh food definitely try it out!! Will definitely be going back. Everything is made fresh!!!!

David B

Fantastic Diner. Food was great and the service was outstanding. Given that we showed up prior to closing, I'm grateful they hung around for us because everything was perfect! Would have loved to have had some more of that chowder, but I got the last of it!

Jenny

I’ve been here for both breakfast and lunch and the flavors never disappoint! No matter when you come- purchase a take home chowder! I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Jeannette Mastan Kyea

Karina was very helpful The service was wonderful the whole place is amazing. I have to make sure I get there for the auctions money still needed to cancer patients

Scott Moore

Stopped by here for wing fest. The staff were super friendly and they had a macaroni and cheese wing that was delicious. We'll stop by again if we visit Ballston spa for food.

Amy Friot

A Cozy Corner of Culinary Perfection: ​Stepping into The Ribbon Cafe felt less like entering a cafe and more like coming home. With an atmosphere so wonderfully cozy, the soft background hum of quiet chatter, and comfortable seating, make this place a genuine find. ​What elevates The Ribbon Cafe from a nice spot to a must-visit destination is the hospitality. The staff are genuinely friendly, attentive, and immediately make you feel less like a customer and more like a cherished regular. Their warmth contributes immensely to the whole experience, making it incredibly easy to settle in for a long, happy visit. ​The food, however, is the true star of the show. I am not exaggerating when I say the classic combination of Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich here is an experience that sets a new high bar. The tomato soup is, without a doubt, the best I have ever tasted. It is rich, velvety, deeply savory, and clearly made from scratch with a passion for flavor. The accompanying grilled cheese is its perfect partner: buttery, expertly charred on the outside, and delightfully gooey on the inside. It’s comforting food elevated to an art form. ​Just when I thought the meal couldn't be topped, the Cinnamon Roll arrived. Massive, warm, and practically dripping with sweet frosting, it was the ideal finale. The dough was soft and yielding, packed with cinnamon sugar, achieving that perfect balance between gooey indulgence and airy texture. The Ribbon Cafe is an encapsulation of comfort, excellent service, and flawless execution of classic comfort food. I highly recommend a visit—just be sure to order the soup!

Aubrey Allen

Food was excellent!! Service was also excellent!! Stopped in for lunch and really loved the place. We will definitely be back!

Becky Gurney

The food is so delicious we tried to abduct the owner/chef❤️❤️ Thank you for the delicious breakfast and great conversation you guys are always the best

Jay

My son and I have been coming to Ribbon Cafe for a little over a month now after his orthodontist appointments, and I have to say that the service and food have been absolutely on point every single time. The staff is always friendly, the atmosphere is welcoming, and the food is consistently fresh and delicious. It’s become our go-to spot, and now it’s a must stop after every appointment. If I could give 10 stars, I would. Highly recommended!

Rob Moran

We were greeted with a warm smile by Christine, who proceeded to seat use right away. Place was very cozy ànd had upstate charm. Once seated, Christine began to tell us about the Cafe and their specials. Well let me tell you after getting our food, definitely get the homemade sausage, we were so full and smiling after getting to know Christine. The food was amazing and thanks to the chef the food was above and beyond delicious. And I left with one of their famous cinnamon buns. When I got home and ate it, I was blown away. And sadly regretted i didn't get the homemade corn chowder to go. Thanks again Christine, we will most definitely be back to The Ribbon Cafe...

Lauren Perrone

We are new to the area and are trying local businesses. This was so good. The french toast felt like my mom made it. Service was so friendly. Can’t wait to go back! So cozy on a winter day

Katie Cooke

Classic breakfast restaurant feel and we loved it. The food was phenomenal and the service was amazing. We definitely will be going back!! Bonus they’re very supportive of local business and support cancer foundations.

Theresa St. John

Staff was very friendly, food was great. We went for breakfast. I had Avocado egg toast, which was delicious and there was so much I couldn't even finish it. My friend enjoyed biscuits and gravy with homefries, she said they're her favorite breakfast choice and that these measured up! We sat at a table, but there were also stools at the bar. Coffee was piping hot, there were scrumptious muffins for sale and the waitress had just made a special treat (which we brought home) of potato chips dipped in peanut butter and chocolate. OMG. Nice homey place, a local spot. Will go back when I am in the area.

+17

Dan Beer

Great breakfast. It’s like having a homemade meal made just for you. Had the eggs and toast with thick slab bacon. Fluffy Thomas Poultry eggs done just right and delicious,slightly spicy bacon. Very friendly service in a cozy atmosphere. Out of the way but a great place. Try it!

Our server was an extremely polite lady. The house chowder was exceptionally tasty, filled with shrimp, potatoes, and a creamy stock!

It was fine. It's always good to have alternate choices in a small village Like Ballston Spa. I had the southwestern chowder, and it was great, with just the right amount of spiciness.

Very good. We were next door getting gas, saw the sign and decided to give it a shot. Good call. Both the food and service were good.

The chowder is award winning. I did think it was a little thicker than I remember it being. The only thing that was off about my visit was the price of a bowl is 6 dollars, yet it is served in a "bowl" smaller than a coffee cup. My mom looked at me, I looked at our server, and she knew what we were thinking. She said that's the new bowl size. I think offer a cup for 6 dollars and a bowl for a buck or two more. That being said, I still ordered a third "bowl" to go to bring back to my father.

Nice little place, food was better than you find at an average diner. Some baked goods.

Mari Benitez

This place is small, food was good, service was okay—I just wasn’t a fan of all the banter between the waitresses that was happening while I’m waiting for my food and then trying to enjoy my food and well the place is small, you could hear a pin drop and every single table’s conversation. I recommend having some kind of music playing in the background, just loud enough so it’s not awkward between literally everyone. Otherwise, this place is fine, I’ll try this place again in a year.

Ryan Opp

Great food! Set up for a lot of on the go it seems with the paper cup coffee and water bottles but everything was great quality. Definitely worth a go!

Ppage

Would have given 5 stars but you can't get tap water, you have to buy bottled water. At least they charge a reasonable amount for it. Picture is their meatloaf sandwich with air-fried spinach and cole slaw. The server was pleasant and the food was above average, a decent price too.

Colleen Kimble

Such a cute café! This shop serves breakfast and lunch. I had a unique breakfast item- portobello and tomato eggs Benedict. The mushrooms were in place of English muffins. Yum! There were a number of home-baked goods that you could eat there or take home in a bakery box. I wish the coffee came in a ceramic mug instead of paper, but the up side of that is you can get a refill for the road. And there were plenty of refills during breakfast. Shout out to Christine who was so welcoming and attentive. Will be back!

Big D

Best Chowder in Ballston Spa! The food is equally good. Ordered breakfast fries, a cup of chowder and buffalo tacos. The fries were my favorite. The gravy was killer, the egg was cooked just right. The ratio of the ingredients is perfectly balanced. It's easy to spot the TLC oozing from the food. The service was exceptional as well. Our knowledgeable, friendly, and attractive waitress Sonya took wonderful care of us. She was attentive to our table yet patient while we made up our minds, offering insightful suggestions during the process. Prices are fair, place is clean, staff is friendly, the food is exceptional. Worth trying 👍

+1

Melissa Durand

Lovely little cafe run by folks who are constantly giving back to the community. The owner makes a seafood corn chowder that is award winning and delicious. The menu options change often. Everything I've tried so far is great including the made from scratch desserts and candies.

Well i have been coming here for over a year and it was absolutey amazing but now the owner which is also the cook always seems a little grumpy now and the food that i order which is always the exact same thing everytime ... just doesnt seem as good anymore quality wise like he doesnt care anymore and thats pick up and delivery, plus if you order through door dash its always cold no matter what! plus on door dash he charges 3$ for a CAN of soda thats just a scam i mean like really 3 dollars for a can of soda come on man today was my last day ordering from here officially sorry but then im not sorry! plus if you order his AWARD winning chowder for 15 bucks you will get about 2 tablespoons worth for 15$$$ yes its absolutely 10000% last time i order

PLEASE STOP ASKING ME HOW SOMEPLACE WAS WHEN ALL I DID WAS AS FOR DIRECTIONS!!!! STOP IT!!!

Foods good. Yet, another bspa restaurant that won't deliver unless it's the most inconvenient time.

Very friendly and attentive service. The breakfast food was just OK. Interesting and different decor.

Jamie G

Went out looking for lunch/brunch and we came across this cute little cafe. They had all the usual suspects of a luncheonette. Staff was pretty friendly but it seems they're not used to customers that aren't from the area. Food was decent though. Pictured: Garden Salad with Steak

I really wanted to like this place. Everything tasted "off" somehow. From the eggs not quite tasting right, to the home fries being over seasoned; as much as I want to like their food, I don't think I will go back. Service was great!!!

Love this place lately it has been very inconsistent didn't get what was ordered not even the bill was someone else's bill

The waitress spent more time talking to a table than checking on us s well. The homemade potato chips were greasy and being in the restaurant business as a head chef I can say that the potato chips were redropped -old chips refried again . And the oil was old as you could tell by the pools of grease on the plate. Never will I return and will share that with anyone who asks

Had very high hopes for this place. Only to be disappointed. I had a Bacon egg and cheese sandwich. The bun wasn't toasted, the eggs weren't seasoned at all, and the eggs were cooked over hard when I asked for them over easy. The home fries were good. My wife had the southwest avocado toast. The toast wasn't even toasted, the avocado was brown, eggs weren't fully cooked and there was some sort of a piece of wrapper in the eggs as well. The staff was very friendly. More than likely won't be back.

Went there today around 10:30 to grab breakfast. It was a nice day, so we wanted to sit outside. Plus it was very dark inside. Walked in, waited for the waitress/hostess, then we asked if we can sit outside, she said sure. I asked if I can have a menu to look at, she said they will bring it to us. We were sitting outside for more than 20 minutes, no menu, no one came out to check on us. So we left and grabbed food somewhere else. I wonder if she ever came out to bring those menus.

We went there for breakfast to try it as its under new ownership. The waitress put our order in wrong, then when it came out, we let her know. She argued with us and made us feel horrible. Then she acted like she wanted us to leave quickly. Too expensive for sub par food and terrible service

This place was something else. Went here after a doctors appointment because our go to spot was much busier than usual. Found this place and the reviews looked good so we decided to try it. I ordered breakfast fries which was essentially sausage gravy and biscuits but replace the biscuits with fries. This was the sweetest gravy I have ever tasted and the fries were under cooked and the sausage in the gravy was somehow cold. My wife had Steak and eggs. She thought it was ok but the homefries it came with were also undercooked. We waited sometime for the check due to the waitresses "getting to chatting" as we were told only for the check to be higher priced than the menu. I questioned this and they said that it was because eggs had risen in cost. I mentioned that should have been disclosed somewhere and was told it was on the specials board. The more experienced waitress tried showing me where it was on the board, but it wasn't there. She They did adjust after asking if "it was that big of a deal" but this, like the food, left a bad taste in my mouth.

Waited at our table for 10 minutes and no menu or drink requests. Another couple came in 10 minutes after us and were greeted and handed the menus right away. I reluctantly went over to the waitress who was talking at the bar and asked to see menus and she blamed the other younger waitress, saying she thought she was helping us. The place isn’t that big and it wasn’t that busy, they could’ve easily looked over and had seen we were just sitting there…just felt like we weren’t welcome there 😕 food was nothing to write home about and portions were small. My two year old liked his pancakes. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be back.