Moving to Queens? Here’s a list of
Our Favorite Queens Attractions,
Hot Spots, and Restaurants
- Queens Zoo – This 18 acre zoo features a Sea Lion exhibit, woodland trail, great plains trail, and South American trail with the unique wildlife that inhabits those areas.
- The Last Word (31-30 Ditmars Blvd, Queens): This intimate cocktail lounge is the place for craft cocktails and amazing oysters. With a 1920s vibe and free live jazz on Sundays, it’s the best mixology bar in Queens – and an impressive date-night choice.
- Gantry State Park (4-44 47th Rd, Queens, NY): Once an industrial wasteland, Gantry Plaza State Park has been transformed into a manicured 12-acre green space along the East River in Hunters Point. The park comes alive every day with strollers, picnickers, sunbathers, volleyball players, fishers, and admirers of the Manhattan skyline.
- Cunningham Park: Is the second largest park in Queens, next to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. A place to recharge your energy, feel at peace and have a relaxing time by yourself or with others. This is a great place to take a walk, ride a bicycle, get some exercise or have a romantic picnic with your loved one .
- Please Don’t Tell – This neighborhood Speakeasy is a unique place to kick back and have some cocktails. Just don’t tell anyone!
- Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden (29-19 24th Ave, Queens): This community-driven beer garden serves up Czech and Slovak cuisine – think grilled bratwurst galore – along with American favorites. There’s spacious indoor and outdoor seating, plus plenty to keep you entertained like sports screens, cornhole, and darts.
- Queens Museum – This art and education center provides the neighborhood with exhibits that showcase the unique history of Queens, one of the most diverse places in the world.
- Louie’s Pizza (8134 Baxter Ave #1, Elmhurst): Louie’s serves the best, most consistent grandma slice in Elmhurst, maybe even all of Queens. This is the kind of place where you don’t need toppings to make the slice great. But if you ask for them, they’re piled on and loaded.
- Bridge and Tunnel Brewery: This Ridgewood Brewery has been making beer in Queens since 2012. They are a DIY, Self Built, and Family owned microbrewery.
- Little Flower Cafe – 2535 36th Ave, New York, New York 11106: Little Flower is your go-to all-day halal cafe, whipping up exciting food and some of the best coffee around in Astoria. Feast on their legendary fried chicken sandwich, in a chic and industrial-style space.
- MoMA PS1 (22-25 Jackson Ave, Queens, NY): Located in an old public school building, this contemporary art museum is all about pushing boundaries. For over 20 years, MoMA PS1 has been taken seriously in the art world as the place for provocative and challenging exhibitions. Plus, it’s home to Warm Up, one of NYC’s trendiest summer dance party series.
- Evil Twin Brewing NYC: Gathering place offering local brews & bites in a relaxed setting with a beer garden & greenhouse.
- Lost in Paradise Rooftop (11-01 43rd Ave, Long Island City, NY): Party in style at this rooftop lounge which offers views of the Manhattan skyline, tropical cocktails, and Latin fusion tapas. Need more reasons to visit? Check out their weekly events like Taco Tuesdays and Karaoke Wednesdays.
- PreGame Sports Bar & Lounge: Snug bar with a wood-clad interior like a train car featuring sports on TV, plus happy hour deals.
- Queens Botanical Garden – Queens Botanical Garden offers over two dozen gardens, sections and features over its 39 acres. Be sure to check out the
- Long Island City (LIC) Springs!: This community street festival is a celebration of Long Island City, with live music, dance performances, interactive art lessons, fitness classes, outdoor dining, and pop-up activities. It’s free and open to the public, drawing major crowds each year.
- Rolo’s (853 Onderdonk Ave, Ridgewood): Rolo’s is a bar and grill in Queens that specializes in wood-fired cooking. Their menu features a selection of charcuterie, including paper-thin pastrami, that’s made in-house with no preservatives.
- Socrates Sculpture Garden– 32-01 Vernon Blvd, Queens, NY 11106: In 1986, abstract expressionist sculptor Mark di Suvero transformed this garden into a community-focused art haven. Today, Socrates Sculpture Park presents three major visual arts installations each year and supports artists from all stages of their careers.
- Gottscheer Hall: This German tavern serves Old World German cuisine along a lineup of beers and spirits from around the world. There are multiple function halls and rooms making it a great place for occasions.
- Potbelly Sandwich Shop (LaGuardia Airport, Terminal C, East Elmhurst): If you find yourself at LaGuardia’s Terminal C and need a bite before your flight, Potbelly’s pastrami sandwich will do the trick. Is it worth going out of your way for? Not really. But for airport food? Not bad.
- M. Wells (43-15 Crescent St, Long Island City, NY): M. Wells has been a neighborhood fixture in Long Island City for more than a decade—first as a diner, then a café inside MoMA P.S.1, and most recently, as Canadian chef Hugue Dufour’s avant-garde take on a steakhouse. The three-time Michelin star bistro will close at the end of 2024, so get in quick!
- Trans Pecos: Trans Pecos is on a mission to offer space for indie arts and the neighborhood’s musical community. It is a place where locals from the neighborhood can come together to be creative.
- Tony’s Beechhurst Deli (11-18 154th St, Whitestone): If you’re after a proper Italian hero, visit Tony’s. There’s no dedicated pastrami sandwich, but they sell it by the pound so you can always build your own. Grab a sandwich, head to Little Bay Park, and enjoy it with a view.
- Q.E.D. Astoria (27-16 23rd Ave, Queens): This intimate, community-driven space is made for and by creatives. It’s a performance venue, education center, and café all rolled into one, offering comedy shows, art classes, and more.
- Steinway & Sons Piano Factory (1 Steinway Pl, Queens): A must-visit for any musician, this historic factory offers tours that take you through the art of piano-making, from the raw wood to the final tuning. It’s a peek into the craftsmanship behind one of the world’s most storied piano brands.
- Rice Thief – 39-37 30th Street, Astoria, New York 11101: Once a viral sensation as a Korean crab delivery service, Rice Thief has now set up a permanent home in Long Island City. This spot is famous for its gejang—raw marinated crab—that has TikTokers and mukbang fans raving And with a beer and wine license, it’s the perfect catch!
- Sunnyside Gardens Park – This members-only park in the historic district of Sunnyside Gardens is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy some family time or time with your furry friends.
- Mira Sushi Restaurant Queens – Here you’ll find upmarket sushi, Japanese, and Thai dishes in a contemporary and upscale setting.
- John Brown Smokehouse (27-20 40th Ave, Astoria): Meats lean on the softer side at this Astoria restaurant that’s all about Kansas City-style barbecue and sweet sauces. Their John Brown Pastrami sandwich, piled high with coleslaw and Swiss cheese on rye, is worth the visit.
- Astoria Film Festival – 34-12 36th St, Queens, NY 11106: The Astoria Film Festival showcases global filmmaking and animation, plus works by local students. Held in person every May at Arri Rental LIC and Kaufman Astoria Studios, the festival also offers online webinars, panels, and networking events year-round.
- The Vander Ende-Onderdonk House: With two acres of beautiful gardens and historic architecture, the Vander-Ende Onderdonk House is a gem on the border of Ridgewood and Bushwick. It is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City.
- Drunk Shakespeare – A unique and fun theatre attraction where one professional actor downs five shots of whiskey and attempts to perform in a Shakespearean play.
- Mano’s Pizzeria (62-98 Forest Ave, Ridgewood): Home of the five-day fermented dough, which means every bite has a slightly tangy flavor and a chewy, airy crust. Mano’s Pizzeria nails the sauce-to-cheese ratio, too. Easily the best pizza in Ridgewood, which was just named TimeOut’s hottest neighborhood to watch in 2025.
- Museum of the Moving Image – 36-01 35th Ave, Queens, NY 11106: Housed in the historic Astoria Studios, The Museum of the Moving Image is the only museum in the United States dedicated to the art, history, and technology of the moving image. There’s always something going on here, with regular exhibitions, film screenings, and live conversations with industry icons.
- New Park Pizza (156-71 Cross Bay Blvd, Howard Beach): A Queens institution since 1956, New Park Pizza has been cooking up pizza slices from the same brick oven for generations. If you’ve got a JFK layover, New Park Pizza is under 15 minutes on the AirTrain (and worth the detour). Somehow, it’s still one of the most underrated slice joints in Queens.
- HinoMaru (33-18 Ditmars Blvd, Queens): This snug, buzzy ramen bar is all about authentic Japanese flavors and even earned a spot on the Michelin guide. Their lychee slushie is a summer favorite, while hand-crafted ramen and sushi are enjoyed year-round.
- Ramro– 30-93 38th Street, Astoria, New York 11103: Casual fine dining with a twist, Ramro offers a blend of Filipino and Nepalese dishes, crafted with French and Japanese techniques. Most of the menu is à la carte, but for a special occasion, try the tasting menu at the chef’s counter.
- Cachapas y Más: Since 2008, Cachapas y Más have made it their mission to offer New Yorkers a taste of Venezuela’s most iconic dishes. They’re dedicated to serving fresh, traditional Venezuelan fare.
- Porta23 (29-17 23rd Ave, Queens): This spot serves up hospitality as generously as their portions. Don’t let the unassuming exterior fool you—inside, it’s a 10/10 culinary experience with deals like a $20 burger, fries, beer, and shot combo.
- Rosario’s (22-55 31st St, Astoria): An old-school gourmet deli that welcomes you with open arms and is stocked with dry pasta, canned tomatoes, and olive oil. When it comes to the pizza, Rosario’s exclusively uses fresh, high-quality ingredients. The combination of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil is heavenly.
