Have a Drink With a Ghost or Two: The Olde English Pub and Pantry

Back in the fall, while on my spooky road trip with my mom and sister, we passed through the city of Albany, New York, for the evening. We decided to have dinner at this lovely quaint pub, The Olde English Pub and Pantry. It was also our first ghost visit on that road trip, and being almost three centuries old, it would have a tale or two. 

Quackenbush Home To Today

This old building was built in 1736 and is unique for its Dutch brick Pattern. The front half of the building that faces Broadway St. is the oldest part. The first owner and builder of the house was Peter Quackenbush, who arrived in the area in the 1600s when it was still known as Fort Orange. Quackenbush bought land to turn into a brickyard, as the river right by it had rich clay that could be made into excellent bricks. Some of those bricks would make their way to the Quackenbush home. Over the years of the building’s existence, it has been involved with the Revolutionary War, had generations of Quackenbush to 1864, and housed businesses, including a bakery, drugstore, and tavern. In the 70s, it was slated to be demolished to implement a highway ramp until a preservation society stepped in. The building would be restored, and its owners purchased it in 2010. It would be called The Olde English Pub and Pantry. Not only did this building come with history and ghosts as well. 

Ghostly Activity

Many employees and patrons of the restaurant would report hearing someone call their name or seeing strange reflections in the mirrored ceiling in the pub looking back at them. Many staff also reported experiencing a lot of peculiar activity in the basement. There is one story on sites and blogs where an employee was waiting for his brother after closing and supposedly heard his name called from the basement. When he went to check, no one was there. His brother was not even in the building. 

I may be a little skeptical, but since this is an old building, it could also be that it’s old and specific noises from outside could echo easily. Also, one thing I will mention when I talked to one tour guide for Lizzie Borden is that I have interview transcripts( I plan to upload soon) that bring up a good point that after a while, it’s easy to get paranoid if you are alone. 

I’m not trying to discourage anyone from visiting, as it may be haunted. As stated, this building has been around for many years and many things have happened. If you are not in for the ghost stories, at least go for the food, history, or area. 

I recommend mac and cheese to any fan of the food! Also, my mom and sister enjoyed their beers during our visit.