Febuary, 9 2026 by Daniel Hancock (‘26)
Febuary, 9 2026 by Elias Prodger (‘26)
Good old Saratoga Chowderfest, the city’s most cherished yearly tradition, where countless portions of steaming hot chowder are devoured while bundled up in at least eight layers. After navigating past a handful of drunken arguments and tipsy tourists who seemed determined to make the local breweries’ profits soar, here are our thoughts on the various chowders we sampled.
Elias: Hamlet and Ghost-Mexican Chicken Chowder
Hamlet and Ghost really toed the line of what we can consider chowder. While traditionally milk based and opting for a creamier texture, the restaurant’s Chicken “Chowder” was decidedly more brothy than its competitors, emulating a traditional Mexican stew known as pozole. Qualification questions aside, the green base of tomatillos and green chiles were able to create an impressive amount of depth intermixed with braised chicken and nixtamalized corn. The dairy element came from a crema garnish, as well as a salsa verde and tortilla strips to double down on the freshness and acidity of the tomatillos in the broth. The bowl served as an excellent pallet refresher amongst the inherently heavy chowders, but for a chowder competition, fell flat on premise.
Daniel: West Ave Pizza – Sausage Ravioli
My first chowder of the day was from West Ave Pizza. Their chowder was a pasta-style cup, with a thin tomato base. Instead of full ravioli, it came in smaller pieces of the pasta, which made it a lot more manageable and cohesive. The chowder came together nicely, with a classic pasta dish taste.
Elias: Taquero–Chicken Tinga Chowder
Taquero’s take on chowder was decisively creamier than its Mexican counterparts, opting to be influenced by Chicken Tinga, a central Mexican dish of braised chicken, a smoky tomato, and chipotle-based mole. In theory, this flavor palate has a lot of potential, but this chowder could have done more to connect to its influence. The chefs did a nice job of paying homage to a classic chowder, with Chile lime oyster crackers and a consistency of any quality New England chowder. If the chowder leaned more into the smokiness and robust qualities of its influence, it could have emerged as a top contender.
Daniel: Scallions–Chicken Pot Pie
The first thing I got from this chowder was the seasoning. To get the right pot pie flavor, the palette was influenced quite a bit by rosemary and thyme. Beyond the various herbs, their chowder was on the thicker side, adding to its comfortable feel. A nice inclusion was the piece of pie crust on top, to make sure a key component of the pot pie wasn’t lost. Overall, a solid chowder.
Daniel: Cantina – Chili en Nogada
Cantina’s chowder was big in contrast to some of the other cups I tried at The Fest. There were notes of both sweet and spicy, from the incorporation of a pomegranate topping against the chili-based chowder. They made sure to include a wide range of textures and elements, to correctly embody a chili. The somewhat abrasiveness of the Mexican-style corn worked really well with the tender proteins, where all together the chowder was rich and flavorful; one of the more unique ones of the day.
Elias: Sarah’s Kitchen-Chicken-Shawarma Chowder
Broadway newcomer Sarah’s Kitchen played with the flavors of the Levant and the Middle East with their Chicken Shawarma chowder. From an execution standpoint, the consistency and seasoning were well done, with the shawarma essence coming through in its spice blend and pita chip. While this spice was noticeable, the chowder didn’t explicitly scream shawarma as I wished it to, missing the sauces and pickles that are essential to the shawarmas of the region and their menu. If they were able to really double down on the concept and add other textural and acidic elements, this could have been a home run.
Daniel: Druthers-Smoky Corn Chowder with Lobster, Shrimp, Crab, and Candied Bacon
What had to be my favorite from the day comes from Druthers. Although the line was halfway across the street, it was well worth the wait. The best way to describe it would be rich. Everything from its classic chowder base with lobster and crab to the flavorful candied bacon embodied a richness that outshined the other bites of the day. Finishing the cup left me wishing for seconds, I couldn’t get enough.
Elias: Hatties-Smoked Chicken and Andouille Sausage Chowder
Hatties stayed well within their comfort zone, mimicking the flavors of their signature Gumbo in a chowder format. The holy trinity of Cajun food (bell pepper, onion, and celery), with an addition of smoked sausage really hammered home the Cajun flavors, with a well-crafted broth to ingredient ratio. While a slightly darker roux and a hint more seasoning could have really brought a greater depth, Hattie’s succeeded in utilizing what it does best and reaped its own rewards.
Daniel: Sweet Mimi’s-Chocolate Cherry Trifle “Chowder”
One thing that never fails is Sweet Mimi’s dessert chowder. This year the cafe-bakery put together a trifle reminiscent of a Black Forest cake; an unforgettable chocolate cake and bold cherry filling. The flavors work seamlessly together as they captured the heart of this popular cake and translated it to their trifle. There was a lightness to each bite, mainly because of the whipped cream topping, and a nice balance of sweetness that wasn’t overwhelming. While this most definitely does not fit the classic description of a chowder, the dessert was a great sweet component of the day.
