Astoria
Queens’ warm, hyper-diverse capital of Mediterranean dining and silver-screen history.
Just fifteen minutes across the East River from Midtown Manhattan on the N and W trains, Astoria manages to feel like a welcoming urban village while offering one of the deepest culinary benches in New York. Long anchored by its Greek-American community along Ditmars Boulevard and Broadway, the neighborhood seamlessly blends seaside fish tavernas, Little Egypt’s fragrant bakeries and hookah cafés on Steinway Street, a 1910 Czech beer garden, and the historic 1920 studio lot of the Museum of the Moving Image.
Must-Visit Spots
Taverna Kyclades
Astoria’s flagship Greek taverna, famous for tender charcoal-grilled octopus, whole Mediterranean sea bass, and complimentary halva.
35-07 Ditmars Blvd
Ditmars Blvd (N/W)
Museum of the Moving Image
Fourteen hundred historic cameras, interactive sound-design booths, a 70mm theater, and the permanent Jim Henson Muppets Exhibition.
36-01 35th Ave
36th Ave (N/W) or Steinway St (M/R)
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden
Founded by Czech and Slovak immigrants in 1910, NYC’s oldest walled beer garden seats hundreds beneath towering linden trees.
29-19 24th Ave
Astoria Blvd (N/W)
Astoria Park & Hell Gate Bridge
Sixty acres of East River shoreline framed by the monumental 1916 crimson steel arch of the Hell Gate Bridge and the Triborough Bridge.
19th St & Shore Blvd
Astoria Blvd (N/W)
King of Falafel & Shawarma
Freddy Zeideia’s beloved storefront (and curb truck) serving crisp, herb-packed falafel shaped like miniature footballs over spiced rice.
30-15 Broadway
Broadway (N/W)
The Noguchi Museum & Socrates Park
Isamu Noguchi’s serene indoor-outdoor basalt and granite sculpture garden paired with the free waterfront Socrates Sculpture Park next door.
9-01 33rd Rd (at Vernon Blvd)
Broadway (N/W) or NYC Ferry Astoria
Stories from Astoria
Astoria Untangled: Charcoal-Grilled Octopus, Silver Screen History, and River Sunsets
Ride the N or W train over the Queensboro Bridge into Astoria, where Greek seaside grills and Egyptian hookah cafés sit alongside a world-class film museum and a century-old Czech beer garden.
The $10 Five-Borough Feast: 8 Iconic NYC Lunches That Still Cost a Single Hamilton
Think the $10 New York lunch is extinct? From Jackson Heights and Astoria to Chrystie Street, these eight legendary neighborhood counters still serve an unforgettable meal for a ten-dollar bill.
Deals in Astoria
All deals →Free Thursday Afternoons at Museum of the Moving Image
Explore 1,400 historic cameras, interactive film sound booths, and the permanent Jim Henson Muppets Exhibition completely free every Thursday afternoon on historic 1920 studio grounds.
Astoria Seafood: Choose Your Catch, Charcoal-Grilled Free
Pick fresh whole Mediterranean sea bass, octopus, scallops, or jumbo prawns straight from the iced fish counter; chefs charcoal-grill or fry it on the spot at retail fish-market pricing (plus BYOB).