Must Eat In Astoria/Queens?

Question

I just moved to Astoria at the beginning of Feburary and I'm curious of where the essential digs are? I feel like I've scoped out all the good stuff already... but as I've not been here long figured I'd double check on where the best places for food are. I don't care much what kind of food... whatever you favorite places are for REALLY good food. Price can vary. I feel like I haven't found enough to make my palette happy yet. hehehe...

Answer

For some reason Malagueta on 36th Avenue and 28th Street is consistently overlooked as one of the best restaurants in Astoria/LIC. Brazilian food (not churrascaria) lovingly made, with fresh ingredients, reasonable prices, attentive service and a very mellow atmosphere with cool music. And of course there's the passion fruit mousse.
I'm moving to California in one month and pizza and Malagueta are the only two things I will miss. Enjoy Astoria...

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On the negative side, I'd avoid Bardolino's on Broadway - after a third bad meal recently I've discarded them from my list - wayyyy too greasy and horrible heartburn afterwards, overpriced and tiny servings - buy a jar of Ragu instead. Brick Cafe is like 2 blocks away and worlds better...

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lil bistro 33 has moved to ditmars blvd.

le sans souci has also closed.

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I object to L'Incontro. It's just horrendously pretentious and ridiculous. They put mascarpone on EVERYTHING including shrimp. The murals look like a Greek coffee shop. YUCK.

Piccolo Venezia is very old fashionned...you feel like you've stepped into Donny Brasco, so it's no surprise most diners are in their 50's & 60's. You got to favor red sauce and high prices. The service and host are incredibly nice and the drinks HUGE. Great wine list, just not very imaginative or delicate food.

S'Agapo at 34-21 34th Avenue. A greek restaurant serving the cuisine of Crete. All the movie people go there as well as a great group of local artists and interesting people. It's has a kind of casual South of France, Mediterranean chic about it without putting on any airs. GREAT owner who greets everyone and knows you intimately after 2 visits.

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I know it's not the best Greek...not by far. But you must visit Uncle George's, 34th and B'way, it's an Astoria institution. And much of it is quite good, authentic homestyle taverna fare, served with an attitude. Good people watching to boot.

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Zenon Taverna, 34-10 31st Ave., between 34th and 35th Sts., 718-956-0133.
Very tasty Greek Cypriot food. Casual ambience, very friendly service.

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i love sac's pizza on 29th street and broadway (or thereabouts). try to duck in for a slice at least! they cook their pizzas in a coal fired oven- can't beat that!

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I can't believe no one mentioned Mundo (32nd St and Broadway)

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Holy crap. Half of this just got deleted somehow - of course the good half. Oh well. I'll try to redo. EDIT: Aaaaand the entire most mysteriously disappears... glad I saved it. Guess I'll break it apart.

I'll reply to my own thread just over one year later to make some comments about my experience here so far with food. I've tried a great many of the suggestions here now - I'll comment on the ones I've tried. There's a peudo order of importance going on in this list:

My Favorites:

Fatty's Cafe - <3 Excellent. This is my favorite place in Astoria. Very laid back atmosohere and chill music. The brunch is an excellent value on weekend. I pretty much ALWAYS order the cubano (which is reallllllllly good) and sometimes with sweetpotato fries, but I always taste my girlfriend's entres, and I've liked everything I've tasted. The burgers are great as well. The grilled cheeses are suprisingly good as well.

JJ's - Really a GREAT experimental asian restaurant. Primarily Japanese inspired dishes. The fluke appetizer is the best thing that I've ordered. It's delicious. Sushi is excellent quality. A little on the expensive side for a full meal, but I feel you get your money's worth.

Mundo - I hand eatten here for almost a year untill last night, and it's really a great little restaurant - I'd forgotten how much I like it. Nice atmosphere. Friendly, welcoming staff. The menu is eclectic and versitle featuring a menagerie of dishes from all over the world. The vegetarian options are a feature and not an afterthought. The trukish meatballs and the milanesa are excellent. Also, the red sonja are quite good. I really should eat here more. Just a great little place. They update their menu diligently and do special dinner nights. Highly recommended.

Kebab Cafe - Enough has been written here about this place. It's great. The falafel plate is really tops. I wish I ate here more.

Los Amigos - VERY unassuming mexican place. I LOVE it. Very good food. Fresh chips, fresh salsa. The guacamole is delicious. The tacos are good and cheap. I order the cecina quesadillas pretty much every time. The cecina (salted beef) tacos/quesidillas/anything are good. This place is VERY VERY inexpensive and the food is fresh and delicious. I haven't had El Potro enough to compare... but I don't feel the need to make the trip because this place is so damn good. It's also open till the AM, which is great.

Rizzo's Pizza - Just got a flyer from them recently (apparently they just started delivering). The thin Scicillian pizza that they're 'famous' for is extremely good. It's very differet from alot of other pizza. The crust is very good. Really the best pizza I've had in NY so far IMO - though not NY style pizza.

Italian Bakery??? - Theres a small bakery right next to the drug store on the corner of 35th and Ditmars that has EXCELLENT personal portion deserts for dirt cheap. Mini mango raspberry creme tart, mini cheese cakes (oreo and plain I believe), and mini fruit tarts are all excellent (there are more I believe). There are full portion deserts as well, but these little ones are a fantastic deal. You'd easily pay 2x-4x as much in a restaurant for these things. Really worth checking out. Very nice staff. The place is VERY unassuming, but well worth your time.

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Agnanti is by far the BEST GREEK restuarant in Astoria. the moussaka is perfect and fresh, the swordfish kebabs bring tears to my eyes. the staff is warm and make you feel right at home.

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If you're looking for good Irish food, hit up Cronin and Phelan at Broadway and Steinway. Best Irish food in the city, and the best bartender I've ever met, Dave C. The guy is legendary. Not only is he a great conversationalist and bartender, he does some truly incredible magic. No joke here. Many of the Irish bartenders I know in Astoria eat here before they go to work for the night. You will not be disappointed.

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Hemsin, on 39th and Queens Blvd. (Sunnyside) -- excellent Turkish
Yamakaze, on the same block -- great, inexpensive sushi
Aliada, on Broadway in Astoria (I forget the cross street) -- solid, inexpensive Greek
Donovan's, in Woodside -- delicious, old-school burgers

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Cafe Bar on 35th Ave and 36th St. Much more eclectic and laid back than the euro-flashy cafes on 30th Ave with really great mediterranean and greek food. the requisite frappes and hummus, but they have a great brunch (try the cypriot breakfast with greek sausage), and it's a fun place to hang with a group on a hot day with a mint lemonade and play scrabble.

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I would highly recommend Cafe Triskell on 36th Ave between 33rd and 34th St. It's a tiny place, easy to miss, but they serve real french crepes and they are amazing! Their prices are also quite reasonable. Their website is cafetriskell.com.

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Created a list of most of the places mentioned here as I am moving to Astoria and wanted a handy list reference. Thanks for the suggestions ahead of time and please update anything that is no longer open.

http://www.chow.com/lists/8479

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what about the Afghan Kebab House? love it

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Pork chops at Nuevo Jardin on Broadway rocks!
No great sushi in Astoria yet. 
Chicken Rice cart on Broadway and 30th St. is great!

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Telly's Taverna has the best grilled fish. It's an outstanding Greek restaurant.

Aegean Cove is another great choice for Greek. 

All other Astoria Greek restaurants are distant thirds..... 

Piccola Venezia, Trattoria l'Incontro and Ponticello are all fine choices for Italian.

Christos for steak also is very good.

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Piccola Venezia
42-01 28th Ave, Queens, NY 11103

Trattoria L'Incontro
21-76 31st St, Queens, NY 11105

Telly's Taverna
28-13 23rd Ave, Queens, NY 11105

Ponticello
46-11 Broadway, Queens, NY 11103

Christos Steakhouse
41-08 23rd Ave, Queens, NY 11105

Aegean Cove
20-01 Steinway St, Queens, NY 11105

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My faves in the neighborhod are Bahari, Arharn Thai, Rioja and El Bouqueron for Tapas. I am Italian so I generally do not go out for that, as it is way too easy to duplicate or better it in my kitchen. The Sushi from Osaka is fantastic, but I usually have it delivered as the house itself in nothing special.

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El Boqueron
31-01 34th Ave, Queens, NY 11106

Bahari
31-14 Broadway, Queens, NY 11106

Arharn Thai
3205 36th Ave, Queens, NY 11106

La Rioja
33-05 Broadway, Queens, NY 11106

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Falafel King of Astoria! i love the mixed platter over rice. it's better than 53rd and 6th and sammy's in my opinion. i think it comes with very seasoned dark meat chicken, lamb, sharwma, and 1 falafel on top of rice and salad.

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King of Falafel & Shawarma
Broadway 30th St, Queens, NY 11106

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Must Eat In Astoria/Queens?

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