Puzzles Bakery & Café

One of the best places to eat in downtown Schenectady. Not only is the food exciting and delicious, but proceeds go to a good cause. My favorite thing to get is the Orchard Salad that comes with chicken breast chunks, blue cheese crumbles, pecans, sliced green apple, thin red onion, and a pomegranate vinaigrette. My mouth is watering thinking about it right now! As a side you can get a piece of fruit, their delicious house-​made hummus with baby carrots, or a bag of chips for 50 cents more.

Salads with super fresh greens? An enclosed patio and easy street parking? Cookies bigger than the size of your face? A bakery café that supports opportunities for the developmentally disabled and raises autism awareness? What’s not to love?
Puzzles offers a creative menu on a mission. From a variety of salads to hot and cold sandwiches, soups to baked goods, they’ve got enough game for those who are seeking breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The meal deal is such an awesome combo (a half portion of a sandwich, salad, or soup & choice of side: fruit, chips, or carrots and hummus) as the price varies with items you choose to make that perfect pair.
My friend and I were on a foodie mission post-​hiking at Plotters Kill and decided to check this place out. We ordered the meal deal, Boylan soda, and dessert. I specifically got the half chicken bacon ranch panini, cobb salad, Boylan root beer, carrots and hummus, and a snickerdoodle cookie. The salad was the star of the meal, as the greens were out of this world crisp and fresh. The panini was the perfect size paired with the salad and the side. The carrots and hummus were also super fresh and we found out that the hummus is housemade. It was pretty good but I’d add some garlic to it… seemed like it needed more flavor. They have plenty of drinks to choose from plus a self-​help water station if you don’t thirst for anything else offered.
There were many baked goods out the day we went to explore the downtown area including cupcakes, brownies, cookies, linzer tarts, and more. For under $ 2, you can get a cookie larger than the size of your face! We chose to split the snickerdoodle cookie and that was seriously the best thing ever! I sure wish I got some of their baked goods to go to share with my friends and family that evening.
We will definitely come back and enjoy everything they have to offer in the near future! Not only are the staff friendly and efficient, the place is clean and spacious! We also noticed that they have separate waste baskets for recycling and regular trash, etc.

I just had my first meal at Puzzles and was more than pleasantly surprised. I just started working in the area and stumbled across the café. The interior has a great design with a nice patio for the upcoming summer months, very modern and we’ll done on the inside with a well thought out menu. Lots of options and some nice healthier options. I couldn’t resist grabbing one of their signature cookies on my way out the door for later. I would definitely suggest stopping in even for one of their great tea or coffee selections!

Well prepared, superfresh ingredients. I ordered the Cobb salad and it was generous and delicious. They use paper and cardboard too, no stryfoam or plastic. My collegues really enjoyed their sandwiches. The place has a great purpose, and I look forward to getting some lunch there again.

Puzzles is quickly becoming our favorite quick lunch and breakfast spot in downtown Schenectady.
The café itself is bright, clean, and charming. I love the tasteful primary color scheme, and the exposed brick walls. They also have a large patio for enjoying a baked good or sandwich al fresco in warmer weather.
The kids that work there are all great. Always courteous and attentive.
The menu is somewhat creative along the lines of Panera. But Panera is processed, and the food here is fresher and more wholesome, and we’re always pleased with it. Prices are reasonable for what you get. Food always comes out quickly too.

Good size coffee shop right in the heart of downtown Schenectady. I’m more of a tea person and was satisfied with their loose leaf selection, as well as the baked goods!
Was hoping that the actual puzzles/​games of the place would be out on the main tables but in fact there’s a backroom where all of that is contained, so that’s somewhat of a bummer.
Otherwise you can’t go wrong here.

I absolutely love it here. At first I was skeptical that Schenectady was adding another «café,» but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Puzzles has great sandwiches, bagels, tea, coffee, and so much more. The atmosphere is great. It’s always so clean and the classical music they play is so pleasant and makes for a great experience. Of course the cause they represent/​support is fantastic, but that only adds to everything they are already doing right. Job well done puzzles.

Total charmer. Tasty curried chicken soup served by a sweet and attentive young man in a clean, upbeat setting. I am won over and will return next time Schenectady beckons.

What a wonderful, hip place to eat in downtown Schenectady. It makes me feel like I’m eating in a trendy neighborhood in Manhattan. Great food, love the décor and everyone is super nice.

Clean cute place in town. I need to one back and try their lunch because they have so many salad and sandwich options. I got the banana chocolate chip bread which was to die for. I also got the brownie with peanut butter frosting. Omg. Sooooogood!

Nice and cozy environment to grab a baked good and cup of tea. The cookie I got is huge and tasty! I will definitely be back to try some of their other options like soup and salads!

I REALLY wanted to give this place more stars because I love their mission, but the food came up short. I ordered the ½ sandwich and soup. I chose the panini with turkey, brie, apple slices, and honey. Sounded amazing but was a huge letdown. It was the thinnest sandwich I’ve ever had. Had two slices of slimy turkey, 3 apple slices, and I couldn’t taste the brie — even though brie has a strong flavor.
The chicken chowder was just okay. Very thick and small portion.
You get a choice of side: Deep River chips, fruit, or carrots with homemade hummus. I was very excited for the homemade hummus. It had absolutely no flavor. No garlic :(
The silver lining is their baked goods. They’re great! Their cookies and scones are massive. I bought one of their blueberry lemon scones to go, cut it in half, and froze for two servings! I love the pumpkin snickerdoodles — nice and soft. Their signature puzzle piece sugar cookie is buttery and dense.
They also have a water dispenser with cups which is a nice touch. I’ll be back for more pastries but skip the paninis.

After going here for a few months now I have too say brava to the two ladies that run this unique café.
The bake goods are always different when I walk in. My favorite, the scones, are worth the stop but also checking out the themed cupcakes during certain awareness/​holidays of the month will show how creative one can be.
I recommend grabbing a panini or salad that will never disappoint before a show at proctors which is walking distance from the café. Even a nice place to have lunch.
Every time I walk into Puzzles its spotless like a showroom but has a welcoming environment for everyone. The staff alone is probably the most enthusiastic I’ve seen in years at any restaurant/​café. You can tell they love to work at Puzzles making them optimistic, hardworking and putting a smile on the customers face.
Overall, food is at a reasonable price that anyone can afford but also amazing quality. If you leave puzzles without a smile on then you were obviously at the wrong café.

Bright, clean, and airy café with excellent sandwiches, salads, and baked goods.

Awesome. Had the curry chicken soup, California BLT, and the hummus. The soup was absolutely amazing and on a cold day in upstate New York it was perfect. The place was clean and the staff was friendly … Will go back again for sure! Oh yeah also had the pumpkin scone (shared with my husband) and it was great. Not too sweet!

Puzzles is a great place for lunch, dinner or a snack. Sandwiches are very good and it’s nice to have a choice of an apple as a side. The apple offsets the inevitable cupcake, brownie, or cookie I get for after my meal or as a late night snack. The staff is wonderful, the owner is friendly and involved. The atmosphere is relaxed, not tense. I give kudos to the owner for this, she makes it her mission to hire folks with special needs. Have a child with Asperger’s I know how anxious she gets when faced with stress. When I place my order I make sure to let the person behind the counter know I’m in no hurry and don’t mind if there is an issue with the register or that the coffee is going to take a few minutes because a fresh pot needs to be made. LOVE this place!

I visited the café to have lunch with family. I support the cause and their mission is great. Place is very clean and food is good. Staff are nice and well trained with smile on their face. Price, food and menu are similar to the Panera bread.
As a mom, it is always nice to have a place I can dine with my kids without feeling out of place, but this place’s main targets are those business people who works around the café, not a family. Great place for kids free outing.

A great way to spend the afternoon. Awesome lunch. The portions are great along with the quality of food. The confetti cookie is outrageous!

Awesome food and awesome people! Thanks Pat for helping us select great sandwiches and soups as well as dessert! Kudos
! !!

I’ve had many baked goods from Puzzles and I always really enjoy them!
My mom and sister just recently came for lunch and rely enjoyed it as well. There was a great selection to choose from, the prices were quite inexpensive, and there was a very short wait time (probably took about 5 minutes). I ordered the caprese sandwich. I expected that it would be grilled, but it was just on plain white bread. It was good, but I would have preferred it warmed or toasted. The portions are also quite small, but very tasty! I wish the best of luck for this bakery & café!

The cupcakes were fantastic! My office also ordered lunch from here a few weeks ago. Everything was fantastic. Super pleasant people.

First, the place is very nice looking, and pleasant. I like the fact I can support this business. Interesting menu, baked goods are very good and wait staff are great. Cons — price of food, portions and wait time. I really hope this is something that they can improve on. I want this place to succeed.

Such delicious food and baked goods. Generous portions and very well priced. I can’t find a single thing to complain about! I love this place and hope it is here for years to come.

Friendly atmosphere and great tasting food. The outdoor seating is a nice touch. These are only a couple things that make the restaurant a great place. This restaurant has a great story behind how and why they started. I will definitely be going back.

I absolutely LOVE Puzzles, with a passion. They have the most delicious food. Like I’ll be going about my day and thinking about their food, and remembering the way it’s delightfully delectable. And then i end up craving Puzzles, and i try to go as soon i can find the time.
Puzzles, also has the absolute best energy, and atmosphere. You can just and enjoy your food and be completely comfortable, and at peace. And the staff are all WONDERFUL, and the owner is such a total sweet heart!
And what i absolutely LOVE about Puzzles, (other than they’re fantastic food) is that they benefit people with disabilities. And it gives a place for those who have loved ones with a disability to come out and enjoy without worrying about any judgement.
Which, makes me feel wonderful putting my money into a business that is both local and doing some positive social changes, and giving people a chance, where other places would probably discriminate against. We need more positive changes in our society. And i absolutely LOVE that Puzzles, is making wonderfully positive changes that our society is drastically in need of!