Albany, New York – Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 9:00 a.m. (ET) — The intense heatwave currently gripping the Capital Region is pushing temperatures well into the upper 90s°F (above 35°C) with high humidity, creating dangerous conditions in kitchens across Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, and surrounding areas. In response, many local restaurants are closing, shortening hours, or limiting their menus to protect staff and preserve food quality.
Some kitchens have become simply too hot to operate safely, with indoor temperatures far exceeding the outdoor readings. Here’s how several well-known eateries are reacting to the scorching conditions:
Poppy’s Pizzeria in Schenectady will delay opening until 3:00 p.m. today, adjusting its schedule to avoid the worst midday heat.
Jumpin Jack’s Drive-In in Scotia stayed closed on Monday, June 23, due to unsafe kitchen temperatures, and plans to reopen today at 4:00 p.m.
The Broken Inn in Niskayuna, located on Nott Street, remains closed as technicians work to repair a faulty bar air conditioner. Despite the closure, the hot dog cart and ice cream window will operate from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sons Deli in Clarksville will not be using ovens on June 23 and 24. The menu is limited to cold subs, fresh salads, panini press items, and selections from the fryer and grill.
Carson’s Woodside Tavern in Malta and Lizzie Keays in Warrensburg are both closed on Monday, citing high heat. Lizzie Keays will reopen Tuesday for BTrue’s Day and live music with Vinnie Leddick.
Ryan’s Famous Pizza & Ice Cream in Castleton-on-Hudson has opted to stay closed Monday and Tuesday, noting that keeping the ovens off helps preserve chilled inventory until they resume service on Wednesday.
42 Fusion in Ballston Spa remains closed Monday, grappling with both high temperatures and an air conditioning outage.
The Taco Shop in Burnt Hills shut its doors on June 23 and 24, citing the excessive heat as the main concern.
Maxon’s American Grill in Glenville will remain closed Tuesday, June 24.
In Vermont, the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington is also closed on June 23 and 24. Although the dining room has air conditioning, the kitchen does not, prompting a precautionary closure.
Kings Tavern in Saratoga Springs decided to close its kitchen on Monday, although the bar remains open for service.
Valente’s Restaurant in Watervliet will not operate today, Tuesday, June 24, due to extreme temperatures and staff welfare.
McGreivey’s in Waterford will also be closed on June 24, and will reopen for lunch on Wednesday, June 25, at 11:30 a.m.
Finally, Samson’s Restaurant in Castleton-on-Hudson will serve a limited menu today, June 24, choosing to pause the use of ovens and char grills to combat the sweltering heat inside the kitchen.
The Capital Region is expected to remain under a heat advisory through midweek, with high humidity levels and feels-like temperatures reaching over 100°F (38°C).
