nyc-1002279.jpgPorto Rico Importing Co. · East Village
Every time I tell someone to go to Astoria for food, I get the same response. “Queens? Really?” Yes. Really. Astoria is a 30-minute subway ride from Midtown Manhattan, and it has more genuinely great, affordable, authentic food per block than any neighborhood in Brooklyn or Manhattan. I will argue this with anyone.
The reason is simple. Astoria is one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the world. Greek, Egyptian, Colombian, Brazilian, Thai, Bangladeshi, Czech. Everyone’s here, and everyone brought their food. Meals cost $12 to $20 at most of these places, and the quality is staggering.
Let’s jump in!
Getting to Astoria
Take the N or W train from Midtown. From Times Square, you’re looking at about 25 to 30 minutes to the Astoria-Ditmars Blvd stop at the end of the line. Broadway station and 30th Avenue station are also good starting points depending on where you want to eat.
The main commercial strips are Broadway (not the Manhattan one, the Astoria one), 30th Avenue, and Ditmars Boulevard. All three are packed with restaurants. You could spend a full day here and not cover half of them.
The Greek Food. Start Here.
Astoria has been a Greek neighborhood for over a century, and the Greek food here is the best you’ll find outside of Greece. That’s not me being hyperbolic. Greek people I know have confirmed this.
Taverna Kyclades at 33-07 Ditmars Boulevard is the crown jewel. The grilled octopus ($18) is charred, tender, and perfect. The whole grilled fish (market price, usually around $25 to $30) is outstanding. Get the spreads to start. The taramosalata and melitzanosalata are excellent. There will be a wait. There is always a wait. Don’t let that stop you.
Bahari Estiatorio at 31-14 Broadway is less well-known and almost as good. It’s a little more upscale, the seafood is pristine, and you can actually get a reservation. The grilled branzino ($28) is phenomenal. If Taverna Kyclades has a 45-minute wait (likely), Bahari is your backup, and it’s a very good backup.
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Egyptian Food You Can’t Find Anywhere Else
Astoria has one of the largest Egyptian communities in the US, and two restaurants in particular are worth the trip on their own.
Mombar at 25-22 Steinway Street is unlike anything else in the city. Chef Moustafa El Sayed is an artist. The space is tiny and covered in his own mosaic tile work. The menu changes based on what he feels like making, but the mombar (stuffed sausage) and the duck are legendary. Dishes run $15 to $25. Call ahead, because he sometimes closes without warning. That’s part of the charm.
Kabab Cafe at 25-12 Steinway Street, right down the block, is run by Moustafa’s brother Ali. Same family, same talent, slightly different vibe. Let Ali cook for you. Tell him what you like and what you don’t, and he’ll make you something incredible. Expect to spend $20 to $30 per person.
Pye Boat Noodle. Thai Food That Wrecks You.
35-13 Broadway. The boat noodle soup here is served in small bowls for $3 to $4 each, meant to be ordered in multiples. The broth is dark, beefy, slightly sweet, and intensely flavorful. Most people order three to five bowls. I have personally eaten seven bowls in one sitting, and I’m not proud of it, but I’m not not proud of it.
The pad see ew and drunken noodles are also excellent. Get the Thai iced tea. A full meal here runs $15 to $20 per person, which is absurd for food this good.
Favela Cubana for Brazilian
33-18 28th Avenue. Good Brazilian food is hard to find in New York outside of the expensive Midtown steakhouses. Favela Cubana fills the gap with affordable, flavorful Brazilian and Latin food. The feijoada (black bean stew, $18) is hearty and perfect for colder months. The coxinha (chicken croquettes, $10) are crispy and addictive.
They also do great cocktails. The caipirinhas are strong. The outdoor seating is nice in summer. This is a neighborhood spot that happens to also be really, really good.
Arepa Lady. A Legend.
33-07 36th Avenue. Maria Piedad Cano started selling arepas from a street cart on Roosevelt Avenue in the 1990s. She became so beloved that she eventually opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The arepas de choclo (sweet corn arepas with cheese, $6) are the signature and they’re perfect. Crispy outside, warm and gooey inside, slightly sweet from the corn.
Everything on the menu is under $15. The bandeja paisa ($18) is a massive Colombian platter that could feed two people. This is one of those places where the story is great, but the food is even better.
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Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden
29-19 24th Avenue. This is the oldest beer garden in New York City, opened in 1919 by Czech and Slovak immigrants. The outdoor space is massive. Trees, picnic tables, string lights. It feels like you’ve been transported to a European beer garden, except you’re in Queens and the N train is rumbling overhead.
The beer list is heavy on Czech and European options. Pints run $8 to $10. The food is beer garden fare, meant to soak up alcohol, not win awards. The kielbasa ($12) and the schnitzel ($16) do the job. Come here on a warm Friday evening and you’ll wonder why you ever bother with Manhattan bars.
The Broadway Corridor
Broadway in Astoria (the N/W trains follow it above ground) is the main restaurant strip, and walking it from Steinway Street up to Ditmars is one of the best food walks in the city. You’ll pass dozens of restaurants representing every cuisine imaginable. Bangladeshi, Mexican, Italian, Japanese. Many of them are excellent and most of them are cheap.
Just walk and see what draws you in. That’s how I’ve found some of my favorite Astoria spots. The beauty of this neighborhood is that the floor is high. Even a random pick is usually good.
Socrates Sculpture Park
32-01 Vernon Boulevard. After you’ve eaten your way through Astoria, walk down to the waterfront. Socrates Sculpture Park is a free outdoor art space right on the East River with rotating installations and Manhattan skyline views. It’s a great place to sit and digest.
Open year-round, 9 AM to sunset. Free admission always. In summer, they do outdoor movie screenings and performances. It’s one of those free NYC activities that locals love and tourists never find.
Spoiler alert. Astoria is better than most of the food neighborhoods that get all the press. It’s cheaper, more diverse, less crowded, and the quality is just as high. Take the N train. Trust me.