Debi Z. 
Moving to Queens? Here’s a list of
Our Favorite Queens Attractions,
Hot Spots, and Restaurants
- Noguchi Museum – 9-01 33rd Rd, Queens, NY 11106: Founded and designed by the legendary American landscape architect Isamu Noguchi, this intimate museum and sculpture garden is a peaceful oasis for you to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City life.
- PreGame Sports Bar & Lounge: Snug bar with a wood-clad interior like a train car featuring sports on TV, plus happy hour deals.
- 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.
- Flushing Meadows Corona Park – First and foremost it should be noted that the park is about 1-3 miles away from Elmhurst. However, the proximity is still something to be taken advantage of, as this is one of NYC’s largest, most iconic, and most unique parks. The 1964 World’s Fair took place within the park’s 897 acres, and today the park offers every sport under the sun, from tennis to kayaking. The park is also the site of the following institutions:
- The Noguchi Museum (9-01 33rd Rd, Queens, NY): A serene escape designed by Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. This intimate museum and sculpture garden is perfect for a meditative afternoon, thanks to its ivy-covered walls, cream color palette, and biomorphic sculptures.
- Grill Point NY – Grill Point is an Israeli / Middle Eastern restaurant that serves up one of a kind lamb, chicken, and turkey shawarma. They offer pickup, and delivery within 5 miles.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sotto Le Stelle Pizzeria (44-07 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside): Sotto e Stelle makes fantastic Neapolitan-style pizza in Sunnyside, a welcoming and growing neighborhood in Queens. Don’t skip the “Star” pizza, where the crust is cut to resemble a star, and the dough is folded over and stuffed with fresh ricotta… a pizza and calzone all in one.
- Stray Vintage – Shop for vintage furniture, salvaged items, and antique goods in this neighborhood mainstay.
- Elmhurst Sculpture Garden – This public space is only 10’ x 10’, but its purpose is special and community oriented and reflects the values of Elmhurst as a whole. The space is meant to be an incubator for local artists to display their outdoor art and give back to the community by revitalizing overgrown lots into enjoyable city spaces.
- Mad Donkey Beer Bar & Grill – 32-07 36th Ave, Astoria, NY 11106. Feel like family in this relaxed taproom with weekend DJs, numerous whiskeys, jumbo cocktails, and pub grub. Loved by locals, it’s a must-visit spot in Astoria.
- Smile of the Beyond – This restaurant was open in 1972 when the vegetarian owner wanted to provide the neighborhood with a quality vegetarian experience. This is a good place to go and enjoy a good meal like breakfast, lunch or brunch . They also offer alternative options for vegans like, vegan tofu scramble, vegan cheese and soy bacon.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Steinway Street’s Spring Fest and Paw-rade: Springtime fun with a pet costume contest, on-site adoptions, and performances by the Afro-Latineers and Zabo Circus.
- Milkflower (34-12 31st Ave, Astoria): Milkflower is a must-visit for fans of Neapolitan pizza. The wood-fired pizzeria serves up pizzas that one would find on a trip to Naples, Italy. The crust is soft, charred in all the right places, and just the right amount of chewy, while the pizza itself is basily and floppy.
- 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.
- VR World NYC – This interesting attraction showcases the best of mixed reality and VR. Here, you’ll interact in a novel way with art, film, and games. The bar has some solid cocktails as well!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Ditty (3503 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria): A Ditmars hotspot any day of the week, this pub pairs craft beer and cocktails with bar bites, plus DJ nights, movie screenings, and late-night food.
- Taste of Sunnyside Restaurant Week – Sunnyside, Queens: Get ready to feast at Sunnyside’s ultimate flavor fest! Every March, the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District brings you a restaurant crawl, a rocking block party with live tunes, local art exhibits, and family-friendly fun. Over 40 restaurants and eateries roll out their best dishes right to the curb.
- 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.
- Ridgewood Reservoir: Highland Park and the Reservoir sit on a ridge that lends to dramatic views of nearby cemeteries, East New York, Woodhaven, the Rockaways, and the Atlantic Ocean. With the combination of many different types of habitats—forests, fields, and wetlands—the Reservoir is an opportune spot for wildlife viewing.
- Drinkology – 43-04 34th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101: Astoria’s newest cocktail and American fare hotspot, Drinkology, is just off 34th Avenue. Locals love this place for their lobster guacamole, creative cocktails, live jazz nights, and weekly brunch specials.
- Oh! Calcutta (10-57 Jackson Avenue, Queens, NY): Ruhel Amin, who’s already made a name with Indian restaurants in Harlem and Williamsburg, brings the flavors of Kolkata to Long Island City. Named after the risqué British revue, Oh! Calcutta is a creative twist on Indian and Bengali cuisine.
- USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center – Home of the US Open, one of the largest tennis arenas in the world.
- 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 .
- 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.
- 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.
- Soysauce Glatt Kosher Chinese – Soysauce has been serving Glatt Kosher Chinese food with high-quality ingredients since 2013. They offer takeout, catering, and even local delivery.
- 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.
- Super Pollo: Low-key, colorful eatery focusing on hearty platters of Mexican fare including rotisserie chicken.
- Thalia Hispanic Theater – This is the only Latin theater in Queens. Here, you can immerse yourself in the culture and vibrancy of the borough’s Latin community. Be sure to check out their virtual performances.
- Casa Enrique (5-48 49th Ave, Long Island City, NY): Once New York City’s most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant, Casa Enrique lost its star in November 2023, but it’s still a must-visit. Serving up traditional recipes from Chef Cosme Aguilar’s hometown of Chiapas, don’t miss the doña blanca enchiladas, mole, and the Aguachile Margarita.
- Matiz Latin Cuisine – This restaurant offers plenty of options for a variety of Latin American and Spanish flavors, from Colombia to Spain. They also have a special menu for vegetarians and vegans . If you want really solid, authentic flavors at a budget-friendly price, this is the right place to go .
- 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.
