A Second Serving of Pepper Jack's in Albany

Mayor Jennings will be on hand today to cut a ribbon for a new location for Pepper Jack's, a well known college student staple for burgers, is opening a new location at 192 N. Allen Street, and bringing its special mix of sandwiches and burritos to even larger crowds.

The restaurant hopes this new and larger space will allow them to accommodate even more people, says owner Philip Stein. "It's a lot larger," Stein says. "The setup is more efficient." The menu will stay largely the same as Western Avenue, although he hopes to be able to deliver more hot meals and breakfast.

Stein and his partner Christopher Soden opened the Western Avenue restaurant in 2000. The two were interested in the restaurant business. Soden was born and raised in Albany, and Stein has lived here for 20 years. Stein was a UAlbany student and said he knew first-hand that there weren't enough dining options for students. They were "saturated with pizza and Chinese," he says. "We wanted to open an eatery that's more our style," he says. Pepper Jack's, with its wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and appetizers, was that eatery, he says. The two started the business as primarily takeout spot on the corner of Quail and Spring, and then moved to a larger space on the corner of Quail and Western. This new building at 192 N. Allen represents yet another expansion for the duo. "We'll be able to seat 25 to start, and we're hoping to expand from there," he says.

The new building is also more centrally located and offers more parking. Pepper Jack's has been around for 10 years, we would like to be around for 30 years," says Stein.

For more information, call 426-5505 or visit their website atwww.pepperjacksalbany.com