Thriving restaurants in Clifton Park positive sign for growing community

Buffalo Wild Wings, Bellini’s Italian Eatery, Wheatfields and Pasta Pane are booming places to eat on the weekends among the dozens of restaurants in town.

So many new restaurants have popped up over the last few years that there’s now a range of dining options that didn’t exist 10 years ago.

“The spectrum of dining options has expanded over the years, if anything,” said town planning director John Scavo.

As a result, restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings report busy weekends.

“It’s mirroring the growth of our community,” said Peter Aust, president and CEO of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County. “When more businesses or residents locate here, the next thing is to ensure that there are a lot of good places for them to eat.”

Aust said there’s a good balance of chain restaurants and local joints like Wheatfields, which was located in Saratoga Springs first and then opened a second spot in The Crossing last year.

“A number of independent owners have found that this is a great market to be in,” Aust said.

Pasta Pane was opened earlier this year in the Shopper’s World Plaza by Roslyn and David Zecchini, who own Chianti and Forno Bistro in Saratoga Springs.

The Saratoga Springs businesses see a summer boom and slower winter months, but Clifton Park restaurants have a steadier clientele.

“I think that’s helped to sustain a year-round client base for them,” Scavo said.

Chipotle Mexican Grill opened in January at 22 Clifton Country Road, and Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar opened next door in September in part of the former Steinbach department store space.

The wings joint was busier Wednesday afternoon than manager Chris Schleede expected.

“I guess that’s a good thing, right?” he said in a spare moment.

Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday are the family sports bar’s biggest days.

“There’s a lot of different restaurants right in this area,” Schleede said. “I think each restaurant brings a little something different.”

Bellini’s Italian Eatery opened several years ago in the Village Plaza Shopping Center.

“This is when we started to see more of the growth of some independent restaurants in addition to the chains,” Aust said.

Plans for a new Olive Garden at Clifton Park Center were well-received at the town Planning Board last week, Scavo said. The 7,500-square-foot restaurant would be similar to the other Olive Garden eateries, including the nearest one on Wolf Road in Colonie.

The new restaurant has a planned 2012 opening, if all goes as expected, and would sit at the north entrance to Clifton Park Center.

“The old dinner and movie thing is still very viable,” said Donald MacElroy of DCG Development, which is building Regal Clifton Park Stadium 10 at Clifton Park Center as well.

The new restaurants also allow Clifton Park-area residents to eat out closer to home, MacElroy said.

“We’re giving them a local option, and these days when you consider the cost of fuel and the difficulty of traveling the Northway at different times of the day, it’s certainly nice to have those options right here at home.”

Easy access off the Northway’s Exit 9 helps draw people who live near Albany, too, Scavo said.

“It’s almost like we’ve created a restaurant district in that area.”

All the business is good for town sales tax revenue, Scavo added.

“It just helps us tremendously, and a lot of these restaurants are located within the [Route] 146 corridor,” he said. “That’s where we want to promote our town center.”

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