New restaurants coming to Schenectady's State Street, Mohawk Harbor

Liza Morgan is the owner of the new Liza's restaurant at 508 State St. in Schenectady.

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SCHENECTADY — Two new restaurants are coming to Schenectady, one next week and one early next year.

Liza Morgan will open a second location of her self-named Troy restaurant — Liza’s — at 508 State St. this week, featuring health food and allergy-safe menu items.

Zio’s at the Trolley Stop is scheduled to open in Mohawk Harbor in early 2019, featuring a Southern Italian menu and a restored trolley.

DOWNTOWN

Liza’s takes the place of the Capoccia Wine Lounge, which closed earlier this autumn. It will occupy a high-visibility location on the ground floor of the restored Foster Building. Like the original Liza’s in Troy, it will be a health food cafe offering breakfast and lunch, coffee and espresso, smoothies and acai bowls, plus special events such as yoga and brunch.

In a news release, Morgan said: “Our generation has awakened a movement towards honest, sustainable, real, health foods and it’s what we at Liza’s care most about. The origin of our food, the simple ingredients and the reason behind it all. The investment in us promises investment in you and your health. Bite by bite. We are really looking forward to expanding to our second location. Most of all, we are excited to be part of the revival that is taking place in downtown Schenectady.”

The 2,600-square-foot space also will feature a retail space.

It is part of the landmark circa-1907 Foster Building, which with several surrounding structures has undergone extensive renovations at a combined cost of more than $8 million. Jeffrey Buell of Redburn Development Partners said the team plans to add another building to the Foster Block in coming months.

THE HARBOR

The new restaurant at Two Harbor Center takes its name from the Italian word for “uncle.” Owner Joe Bennett, an Ithaca native, is simultaneously building another Zio’s on River Street in Troy, and hopes to open eight more across the nation in the next four years.

Zio’s at the Trolley Stop will occupy approximately 4,400 square feet of space and include an outdoor patio with a restored dine-in trolley.

“I am impressed with all the new development happening at Mohawk Harbor and downtown Schenectady,” Bennett said in a news release. “The city is moving in a great positive direction and I just want to be a part of it.”

The menu will consist of simple Southern Italian fare and feature homemade pasta, pizza, craft beer and wine. “It’s going to be a place to come laugh, drink, and eat good-quality food.” Bennett said.

The new restaurant will further develop the live-work-play profile of Mohawk Harbor, which when complete will include harborside retail/dining establishments totalling 100,000 square feet; 70,000 square feet of office space; 206 apartments; 50 condominiums; 24 townhouses; two hotels; and one gambling casino/resort.