Exploring Astoria, Queens: 15 Must-Visit Spots in This Cool NYC Neighborhood
One of the most common misconceptions about New York City is that there’s no sense of community. But here’s the truth: the city is simply a collection of neighborhoods. Most New Yorkers are fiercely loyal to their part of town, declaring local coffee shops, bodegas and bars as the best around. The more time we’ve spent in Astoria, the more we find ourselves championing it the same way a local would.
Why you should visit Astoria
Astoria has an interesting history that makes it a particularly fun area to explore. Here are some fun facts to help you get to know this unique neighborhood in Queens:
It was named after wealthy businessman John Jacob Astor to entice his investment in the area. He only made a small contribution and never set foot in it, but the name remained.
In the 1920s, it was home to the eastern location of Paramount Studios, and a quarter of the studio’s movies were made here.
The Dutch first settled here, but the area has had an influx of a variety of immigrants over the years from Italy (after World War II), Greece (after 1965) and a number of Muslim countries like Lebanon, Egypt and Syria (mid-1970s). This has resulted in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City.
These 15 cool spots in Astoria capture a nice cross-section of what it has to offer. We've loosely laid it out as a fun way to spend your day in this easy, diverse neighborhood of Queens. The map above highlights each one, and we’ve described them individually in more detail below. You can open a full-size map and use it as a starting point to explore the area.
Kinship Coffee Roasters
Pour over bar at Kinship Coffee Roasters
RFK Bridge and Manhattan skyline view from Astoria Park
If you’re anything like us, the day hasn’t begun until you’ve had your first cup of coffee. Astoria has no shortage of great coffee shops, and in the many years we’ve been visiting, the options have only gotten better. But one of Astoria’s tried-and-true neighborhood stalwarts is Kinship Coffee. The owners lived in Astoria when they first moved to New York City, and continue to invest in the community.
Their newest location on 21st Street is also where they roast their beans 4 days a week. The spacious café offers indoor and outdoor seating, but perhaps its most enticing feature is its proximity to Astoria Park. Grab your coffee of choice and head over to the park for a breath of fresh air and a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline.
Under Pressure Espresso Bar
Under Pressure Espresso Bar picks up the sensibilities of a local Greek cafe and transports them to a cozy corner space below the elevated subway line in Astoria. You’ll find excellently sourced beans, roasted on-site, and parlayed into uniformly excellent coffee beverages, including Greek-style favorites such as Frappes and Freddos. And to go along with that delicious coffee? Though Under Pressure Espresso Bar could collaborate with a multitude of local bakeries, they choose to import raw pastries directly from Greece and bake them freshly on-site. So grab a seat, a sip, and a bite. If you’re planning on sitting outside when the weather is nice, just make sure you bring some noise canceling earbuds for when the train passes by overhead.
Balancero Coffee Shop
Mini chocolate-filled donut at Balancero in Astoria, Queens
Balencero is a locally known secret. It’s one of those not-so-hidden, hidden gems, a shoebox-size establishment off the bustling streets, a distance from a busy corner. You could walk right by it without even realizing it–if it weren’t for the small crowd gathered around a coveted bench out front. Or perhaps it’s the consistent, though hardly intimidating, queue leading up to the takeout window that gives it away. There’s a bit of seating inside the cozy establishment, but most opt for casually talking and drinking their coffee outside.
The coffee itself is bold and complex, without being overbearing, and is, without exception, crafted with care, attention and pride. Service, either by the owners–two Serbian gentlemen, Shone and Zoran–or their excellent head barista, Mia, is friendly and efficient. Delicious pastries are also available, but we tend to stick with the miniature donuts–typically available in chocolate hazelnut or vanilla cream flavors–which pair perfectly with the coffee.
Pro Tip: Upon ordering, let them know you are a first-time visitor and start a Loyalty Card. If you’re lucky, you may get one of those donuts for free!
Socrates Sculpture Park
Socrates Sculpture Park is a neighborhood park founded by sculptor Mark di Suvero, whose work you’ve likely enjoyed in top museums and galleries, as well as at Storm King Art Center (another popular New York institution). The park is named in honor of the great Greek philosopher, but also as a tribute to Astoria, which is home to New York City's largest Greek community.
The former landfill was initially intended to be an outdoor sculpture laboratory dedicated to up-and-coming artists, but it's since evolved into much more. The park offers a variety of visual arts exhibitions that rotate year-round, as well as a number of cinema, music, fitness and education programs. Pop by for yoga, a screening of March of the Penguins, a crafting workshop or an outdoor jazz concert. Stroll around the park and take in the amazing waterfront views. Feeling brave? Weather permitting, you could try kayaking and canoeing from Socrates’ beach at Hallets Cove. Oh, and did we mention? It's all FREE.
Noguchi Museum
After spending some time at Socrates Sculpture Park, hop across the street to one of Astoria's gems: the Noguchi Museum. Internationally-renowned American artist Isamu Noguchi may have died in 1988, but his eponymous museum--one of his greatest achievements--is alive and well. The Noguchi Museum is filled with stone sculptures, but somehow manages to escape feeling cold and detached. You can instantly tell there is a deeply personal attachment between the artist and the space. Noguchi was living across the street when he purchased the 1920s industrial building with the express purpose of displaying his life’s work. He had exceptional insight when he conceived it, incorporating cohesive elements of nature and design.
At the Noguchi Museum you’ll find the lower level dedicated to Noguchi’s many works, curated by the artist himself. The upper level, however, includes temporary displays that pay homage to the design ideas and aesthetics he advanced. On one of our visits we found a beautiful display of hanging paper lanterns, as well as an oversized Akari light sculpture formed by stacking 2-foot by 2-foot pyramids. The entire museum creates an intimate portrait of the artist.
Comfortland
One of the casualties of the pandemic--and there have been many--was the announced closing of Queens Comfort, a beloved neighborhood brunch institution, back in October 2020. Gone would be the perpetually zigzagging line on weekends. Gone would be the playful, eccentric, New Orleans-style barking of local personality, James Avatar. Gone would be the pleasingly kitschy and idiosyncratic decor of its dining room. And, most importantly of all, gone would be the beloved over-the-top, Texas State Fair-meets-Saturday Morning Cartoons take on seemingly staid and predictable comfort food. Or so we thought.
But fans heaved a sigh of relief when owner D’Alessio announced that he would keep Comfortland, his doughnut shop, open. Bit by bit, Comfortland has grown to fill the void. It still commands lines at its window, and delivery guys hover nearby on their bikes. James Avatar’s vibrant personality is still a mainstay of the business, though you’re as likely to find him interacting with customers and taking orders at the window as you are to chat with him while on line. (And those who miss his Queens Comfort opening performance can still hear him bark orders to the kitchen.) Though there’s no indoor dining available, you can still find a healthy dose of the aforementioned kitchiness included in the storefront exterior and the outdoor dining section. The menu features many of Queen Comfort’s greatest hits, such as those enormous slices of Donut Diva’s Rainbow Cookie Crumb Cake. A delightful new twist, though, is the robust selection of vegan comfort food now available, like the Freakin’ Vegan, a double-patty fried “chicken” sandwich.
Compton's
The Spencer sandwich at Compton's restaurant in Astoria, Queens
Compton’s is Astoria’s modern take on the deli. When we first discovered it, we happily trekked to the corner store for its massive mouthwatering subs, enduring the scorching heat emanating from the oven in the tiny space. But it didn’t take long for everyone else to discover it as well, and now you can visit Compton’s in Astoria, Long Island City, and Greenpoint. The eatery expanded their menu to include breakfast sandwiches, smash burgers and wraps, and all locations feature bright subway tiles and snazzy new brand colors. But the perfectly toasted seeded semolina heros filled to the brim are, thankfully, exactly the same.
Museum of the Moving Image
We’re both huge movie buffs. We spent many a late night re-watching Young Frankenstein and The Princess Bride. We had countless movie dates at the Cedar Lee, a tiny independent film theater in Cleveland. And today, we're usually deep diving into our streaming platform libraries. So it seems pretty obvious that we would absolutely love the Museum of the Moving Image.
But here’s what you need to know about The Museum of the Moving Image: it’s fun. A lot of fun. Adults and children alike will find something to love. You can participate in public discussions, take advantage of educational programs, or spend hours perusing their vast collection of film, television, and digital media-related artifacts. You immediately get the sense that the curators here could name every Ingmar Bergman film ever made, but they could also give you an oral history of viral YouTube videos. And all of this comes through in short-term installations like the quirky GIF Elevator or permanent exhibitions like the much celebrated Jim Henson retrospective.
Your admission fee to the museum also gives you access to a same-day movie screening as long as the cost of the ticket is equal to or less than the cost of admission (subject to availability). So be sure to check their calendar, you might get lucky and score a double-feature!
AbuQir
Seafood Tagine at Abuqir restaurant in Astoria, Queens
Much has been written about Astoria's abundance of excellent restaurants, particularly those of the Greek persuasion. For almost a quarter of a century, Taverna Kyclades has been a popular destination for traditional Greek seafood. But, as is often the case, we’re fans of getting the most bang for our hard-earned buck. This is what led us to the Little Egypt section of Astoria and our decision to highlight AbuQir.
AbuQir, named for a town on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt not far from Alexandria, is housed in what was once a neighborhood butcher shop. It’s a no-frills, unfussy restaurant with an obsessive focus on fresh, excellently cooked seafood. From an icy display bed, you'll choose from whatever is fresh that day: whole fish, octopus, prawns, scallops, etc. Then you'll stipulate the cooking method: fried, grilled, or baked. There's no wrong choice here, including the sides, like the sublime eggplant, which, with an excess of bread, would make for a pleasant meal by itself.
Duzan Restaurant
DuZan Chicken Kebab Bowl
Another gem in Astoria’s Little Egypt is Duzan, a fast-casual spot offering delicious pitas, wraps and bowls. The restaurant is Insta-famous, with over 60,000 (and counting!) followers drooling over its hunger-inducing content. But regardless of its cult following, DuZan offers well-made food in generous portions at reasonable prices. The shawarma and falafel are both popular choices, and you definitely don’t want to skip the Duzan sauce. Because it’s always all about the sauce.
Little Flower Cafe
Firni doughnut and Sey Coffee cortado at Little Flower Cafe in Astoria, Queens
What you’ll find at Little Flower Cafe are Brooklyn’s delicious Sey Coffee and well-executed small dishes and pastries, with an occasional subtle nod to Afghani flavors. There’s a consistency, a dependability, to this modern, halal coffee shop and cafe, which is no surprise given its local pedigree. Co-owner Ali Zaman is the son of Sami Zaman, the proprietor of the beloved neighborhood Afghani joint Sami’s Kebab House, located on the same block. What first caught our attention about Little Flower Cafe was the consistent praise we were hearing for an Afghan version of a Boston cream doughnut, the Firni Doughnut. Never ones to say no to a doughnut, we headed over on a Saturday afternoon, only to be told they had SOLD OUT. But we persevered.
The yeasty doughnut, glazed with a dark syrup cap and sprinkled with chopped pistachios, is filled with firni, a traditional Afghani cream custard spiked with cardamom and rosewater. The pastry was balanced and delicious and absolutely worthy of the accolades. But don’t go there just for the doughnut. We’ve not been disappointed with anything we’ve tried on the menu, savory or sweet.
Somedays Bakery
Black Sesame Tahini Pain Au Chocolat at Somedays Bakery in Astoria, Queens
Though the primary focus at Somedays Bakery is the most famous French pastry of them all, the croissant, we wouldn’t dream of recommending it to diehard Francophiles, much less purists. That in no way detracts from its products or its very enthusiastic fanbase. These croissants are all about artful, eye popping presentation and the mixing of intriguing flavors in both sweet and savory varieties. Against type, we found ourselves favoring the savory varieties rather than the sweet. A Black Sesame Tahini Pain Au Chocolat was a touch too overwhelming for us, while a Spinach and Ricotta Escargot, spiked with hot honey, left us immediately craving a return visit. Fair warning, though: it’s pricey, and not just by Astoria standards. Come here when you’re ready to splurge.
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden
While a beer garden with abundant outdoor seating and oversized screens might seem like a college student’s dream, Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden is actually an important slice of Astoria (and New York City) history. Without delving too much into the complicated past of the Czechs and Slovaks, Slovaks were trying desperately to free themselves of Hungarian control after the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary was established in 1867. They found allies in the Czechs, who were trying to break free of the German liberals who held majority influence in Austria. Many Czechs and Slovaks found their way to America, and settled in Astoria. In 1892, they formed the Bohemian Citizens’ Benevolent Society, which is named after the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia, the predecessor of the Czech Republic.
The society purchased two adjacent lots in 1910 and went on to build the Bohemian Hall as a community center. It still owns and manages the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, which now welcomes customers from far and wide. Along with an extensive selection of beers that rotate throughout the year, you can also find Czech specialties on the menu. The Bohemian Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
World Artisan Market
Chicken Patacon Sandwich at Arepa Lady in Astoria, Queens
Though World Artisan Market has been bandied about as Astoria’s new food hall, that really does it a disservice. World Artisan Market is a collection of eateries, each with its own individual space, range of offerings, and full-service staff. But the repurposed warehouse area offers a cool, central location that highlights the diversity of the neighborhood through a variety of global cuisines. And let’s face it, we love options. Whether you’re in the mood for the freshly baked pastries at Elevenses or the piled-high patacon sandwiches at Arepa Lady (yes, originally of Jackson Heights fame), you won’t go hungry here.
Luna Asian Bistro
Luna Asian Bistro isn’t the kind of place you stumble upon. Located on the 6th floor of an unsuspecting professional and medical office building, Luna Asian Bistro is a destination for the lucky few who are in-the-know. The eatery offers a mashup of Asian dishes and drinks, with primarily Japanese offerings like sushi and sake. We can’t speak to the food, which is a sentence you won’t hear from us often. But we can speak to the real draw here, which is the rooftop. The incredible views of the Manhattan skyline offer the perfect nightcap, no matter what you order.
How to get to Astoria
Astoria is easily accessible by the New York City Subway. The trip from Times Square to the 30th Av stop in the heart of Astoria takes 20 minutes on the N and W trains. But our preferred method to visit this neighborhood is by way of the NYC Ferry. For the same fare as the subway, the NYC Ferry offers a completely different public transportation experience. On the Astoria Line, the ferry travels from Wall Street in Manhattan and drops you off at Hallets Point in Astoria, where you’re just a short walk away from Socrates Sculpture Park and the Noguchi Museum. Weather permitting, head to the upper deck for amazing panoramic views of the city and Randall’s Island from the East River.
Conclusion
Astoria is a paragon of New York City’s incredible communities. It has history, art and culture, not to mention an abundance of lively entertainment and incredible bars, bakeries, and restaurants. Those living in it will defend it to their last breath, and those who have left it, speak about it with reverence and nostalgia. If you are visiting New York City or if you live in another of its amazing communities, make sure you add a visit to Astoria to your to-do list. Missing it means you’ve only glimpsed a portion of New York City’s rich tapestry of communities.
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