Must-see restaurants in Queens

  • Ample Hills Creamery

    Queens

    There is only one Queens location of this storied Brooklyn-born creamery, which has been voted the best ice cream in the US by the Food Network. They…

  • Outside of Casa Enrique.

    Casa Enrique

    Queens

    Don't let the unassuming facade fool you: Cosme Aguilar, Enrique's Chiapas-born chef-patron, is classically trained, winning a Michelin star – Queens only…

  • HinoMaru

    Queens

    You won't stumble across too many Michelin-listed ramen houses but this casual Astoria noodle bar helmed by chef Koji Miyamoto deserves all the attention…

  • New World Food Court

    Queens

    Head to the basement to choose from 30 some-odd purveyors of Eastern culinary wonders, from hand-pulled Lanzhou noodles to Korean-style barbecue, deftly…

  • Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao

    Queens

    Juicy, savory soup dumplings; thick, sticky noodles; spicy wontons – everything you'd want from a dumpling house you'll find at cash-only Nan Xiang Xiao…

  • Pye Boat Noodle

    Queens

    Young Thai waitresses in matching fedoras greet you at this cute place decked out like an old-fashioned country house. The specialty is rich, star-anise…

  • Bahari Estiatorio

    Queens

    Locally loved Bahari is a cut above most Astoria Greek restaurants, offering a broad range of charcoal-grilled fish and meat and traditional casseroles…

  • Outside of the Rockaway Surf Club

    Rockaway Surf Club

    Queens

    Down in the Rockaways are some of the best tacos in the five boroughs. The Rockaway Surf Club draws inspiration from beachside California taquerias, with…

  • Golden Shopping Mall

    Queens

    A chaotic jumble of hanging ducks, airborne noodles and greasy Laminex tables, Golden Mall's basement food court dishes up fantastic hawker-style grub…

  • Addã

    Queens

    Sandwiched between a National Guard recruiting office and a 7-Eleven, you might not look twice at Addã, which is Indian slang for 'place to hang out.' But…

  • HK Food Court

    Queens

    This new Asian food hall – moved over from Flushing – is a cornucopia of 26 vendors that will transport you from Thailand to Taiwan. Choices include…

  • Mina's

    Queens

    Chef-fashionista Mina Stone took over this coveted spot inside the school-turned-museum MoMA PS1 in late 2019 (no need to pay museum admission) and calls…

  • Kabab Cafe

    Queens

    Chef Ali is a larger-than-life personality and an anchor on the Steinway strip known as Little Egypt – though his creative, earthy food, often served…

  • M Wells Steakhouse

    Queens

    Carnivores with a taste for decadence will appreciate Quebecois chef Hugue Dufour's satisfying take on steak. Try the showstopping New York strip, with…

  • Artopolis

    Queens

    Considered among Greeks in the know to be NYC's best Hellenic bakery, Artopolis – the City of Breads – drops the Aegean sweetness on Astoria. Greek…

  • Little Tibet

    Queens

    Little Tibet could be the nickname for all of Jackson Heights, where traditionally Indian shops and restaurants are slowly giving way to entrepreneurs…

  • Mombar

    Queens

    A legendary restaurant in the Steinway strip of Arab businesses, Mombar is worth a visit for the decor alone – its collage style of found objects was…

  • Cannelle Patisserie

    Queens

    A surprising source of flawless French pastry, this cafe sits on a slick block in new-build LIC – but one bite of a flaky croissant, a gemlike fruit tart…

  • Hunan Kitchen of Grand Sichuan

    Queens

    Work up a sweat at this respectable Flushing restaurant, best known for its specialties from Hunan province. Standout dishes include a deliciously salty…

  • Khao Kang

    Queens

    New-era Thai food at its best, where you can eat like a business-luncher in Bangkok, pointing at two or three hot, ready-made dishes – creamy-hot pumpkin…

  • A selection of items from the dim sum carts at Asian Jewels.

    Asian Jewels

    Queens

    Any food-savvy New Yorker will tell you that the city's most authentic Chinese food is in Flushing, and Asian Jewels has a reputation for Flushing's best…

  • The outdoor dining area at Rippers

    Rippers

    Queens

    After a long day enjoying the sun and surf there is nothing better than grabbing a juicy burger or some spicy cheese fries with jalapeño ($7.50). Rippers…

  • Inside of the Strand Smokehouse.

    Strand Smokehouse

    Queens

    This good old-fashioned southern-style BBQ restaurant is usually one large party. There is live music on weekends (Friday and Saturday at 8am, Sunday at…

  • Inside the Long Island Corner Cafe..

    LIC Corner Cafe

    Queens

    As its name suggests, the Long Island City Corner Cafe is on an unassuming corner across the street from a park in Hunter's Point, Long Island City, run…

  • Liuyishou Hotpot

    Queens

    This Chinese export – one of three US locations – has become Flushing's…ahem…hottest pot since its late 2018 opening. Pick your soup base (the animated…

  • Vesta Trattoria & Wine Bar

    Queens

    Vesta is one of those neighborhood secrets, with chatty regulars at the bar, local art on the walls and organic produce from a Brooklyn rooftop farm. The…

  • El Guayaquileño

    Queens

    The brick-and-mortar location of El Guayaquileño is famous for its encebollado (a fish stew made of tuna, yuca, cilantro, onion, cumin and toasted corn) –…

  • Szechuan House

    Queens

    Purported to be the oldest continuously operated Sichuan restaurant in Flushing, Szechuan House often finds itself at the top of NYC best-of lists for…

  • Soy Bean Chen Flower Shop

    Queens

    To find this easy-to-miss place on busy Roosevelt Ave look for the flower displays – the main order of business here. For foodies, though, the tiny tofu…

  • Rosario's

    Queens

    Rosario's is a fully stocked Italian deli, its meats and cheeses dazzling in their own right. But its brilliant secret is its flawless, crisp-crust pizza,…

  • King Souvlaki

    Queens

    Follow the scent of chargrilled decadence (not to mention the plumes of smoke wafting along 31st St) to this celebrated food truck, one of the best in…

  • John Brown Smokehouse

    Queens

    Red-checked tablecloths, local craft beers on tap and the heavenly scent of beef brisket and burnt ends set the stage for a carnivorous feast at this…

  • Cyclo

    Queens

    Set in a humdrum brick building just off Vernon Blvd, Cyclo has a cozy interior of wood-paneled walls and rustic tables – just right for noshing on warm,…

  • Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company

    Queens

    It may be in Queens, not Brooklyn, but there's little confusion about the caliber of the bagels here. With a good crust and a chewy interior, they come in…

  • LIC Market

    Queens

    Local creatives and office workers mix at this cool little cafe, trimmed in local artwork and cooking pots. Brunchy winners include the 'sausage and…

  • Taverna Kyclades

    Queens

    Kyclades is tops when it comes to Greek seafood – and repeat diner Bill Murray agrees. Simple classics include succulent grilled octopus and whole fish,…

  • La Esquina del Camarón

    Queens

    Hidden in the back of a rather nondescript deli (E Smoke and Convenience) you'll find a counter where skilled staffers whip up some of the best shrimp…

  • Fu Run

    Queens

    Fu Run has a cult following for very good reason: its northeast Chinese cooking is extraordinary – rustic, sometimes subtle, always impeccably fried…

  • Sripraphai

    Queens

    The first restaurant in NYC to serve Thai food for Thai people, no punches pulled. In some ways it has been outpaced by newer, more single-minded…

  • Tournesol

    Queens

    The kitchen rarely strays beyond the familiar ground of French bistro cooking, but that's just what devoted regulars come here for. Brunch dishes such as…