35 Best Restaurants in Queens, New York City

With Indian dance music on the speakers and tabloid pages papering the walls, Adda broadcasts a hip, fun vibe, though the trendy decor almost belies what comes to the table: authentic Indian favorites packed with freshly-ground spices that draw inspiration from Grandma's cookbook and Mumbai street-style fare. The Chacha’s lamb chops, marinated with garam masala spices and grilled to perfection in the clay oven are a must-try, as well as the flavorful halka phulka (snacks) like dahi batata puri, a delicately fried puff pastry meant to be eaten in one bite and filled with yogurt, chutneys, and baby potatoes. The garlic naan and black dal are also noteworthy as sides (and also to cool the palate).

The Arepa Lady, originally known for slinging cheesy, golden arepas (stuffed corn cakes) from her famed street-cart on Roosevelt Avenue has since established three stand-alone restaurants across New York City. The Jackson Heights location is the original “mother restaurant” and keeps to the classics like arepa de queso (freshly ground corn flour mixed with cheese) and arepa de choclo, served with your choice of meat. Try the popular chichiron (smoked pork belly) or Colombian chorizo (which is sliced, rather than ground up). Expect to find Manhattanites, locals, and tourists alike sipping sangria and margs while getting their fill of savory cakes at this charming eatery.

There are plenty of great Thai restaurants in Elmhurst, but this oft-packed spot tops them all (in fact, it's opened a branch in Manhattan's Chelsea Market). Operating out of two side-by-side storefronts (you go wherever there's a table), Ayada serves fiery, flavorful Thai favorites, as well as some dishes you've probably never heard of before. A favorite appetizer is raw shrimp served with a slice of garlic, bitter melon, and chili paste that will knock your socks off. The e-sarn sausage (made with fermented meat) is served with sliced ginger and peanuts, and, for a table of four, the succulent whole fried fish is a bargain.

This quaint, plant-filled space is brighter and more stylish than your average dumpling-slinger in Queens. That makes sense when you look at the menu, which mixes creative takes on Himalayan classics like perfectly crimped momos (dumplings stuffed with meat or veggies) in a tomato and fenugreek sauce or thenthuk (pulled noodles), as well as American comfort food like buttermilk fried chicken, grass-fed beef burgers, and kale salad. The cocktails are similar global standouts, employing ingredients like masala, tamarind, or tajin spice mix, and there are natural wines on the menu.

Uruguay is known throughout the world for serving up heaping mounds of high-quality meat and this Jackson Heights corner spot does it just right. With a wide variety of marinated meats to choose from (including beef tongue and blood sausage), all cooked right on the open grill, expect large portions and classic side options like tostones (fried green plantains) and yuca frita (fried yuca). Ask for the homemade chimichurri dipping sauce (a vinegary delight with basil and garlic) that pairs well with just about any dish, or try their empanadas (stuffed with juicy beef or chicken) and the signature Chivito al pan (a decadent steak sandwich topped with ham, bacon, and egg) for a quick hearty meal.

Flushing has plenty of casual sit-down spots and street-style hawker stands, but Guan Fu is on another level, presenting legitimately tongue-tingling, lip-burning Sichuan dishes in an elegant, upscale environment. The mapo tofu, a staple of any good Sichuan restaurant, is impeccable over rice, and the boiled fish is a soupy symphony of spicy and sour flavors. What’s more, this restaurant pays homage to the classic Chinese American restaurants of old with its bamboo screens, elaborate metal serving ware, and two lion statues outside.

A long-beloved, cash-only Thai option, SriPraPhai (pronounced "see-PRA-pie") has a huge main menu as well as an equally expansive one for vegetarians. Although it's hard to go wrong, good bets include the crispy watercress salad, larb (ground pork salad with mint and lime juice), sautéed chicken with cashews and pineapple, kao-soy (curried egg noodles), or roast-duck green curry. If you go with a few people, order the delicately flavored whole steamed fish. But prepare your palate: your mouth might feel like a five-alarm fire by the time you're finished. In summer, the lovely back patio strung with lights somehow feels like a perfect setting for the spicy fare.

A neighborhood staple since opening in 2003, this corner café on Skillman Avenue serves up paninis, hearty soups, salads, and Irving Farm coffee in a lively, bustling environment. Their seasonal drinks are standout, with options like rose white mocha or toffee nut latte, and they have plenty of vegetarian dishes available on the menu, including mini quiches, homemade chili (a local favorite), and vegan burgers. 

The truck that launched a foodie craze, Birria-Landia specializes in Mexican birria, a rich, tomato-y savory stew made with traditional goat or beef. Here, it's served folded into double-layered tacos, between two crispy ones with melted cheese called mulitas, or in a bowl in "consommé" form (also serving as a dip for those tacos). There will inevitably be a line, but that also means a number of other businesses have popped up along the block to service the line with candy, snacks, and traditional Mexican drinks like horchata. The fall-off-the-bone meat is best paired with a few slices of radish, some cilantro and a spicy sauce, and ferociously gobbled, standing up near the truck the moment it's handed to you out of the window. 

If not for the pandemic, the folks behind this young restaurant might still be slinging saltenas (like an empanada, but hand-braided and filled with a rich, savory stew) out of the food hall in Manhattan's Columbus Circle subway station. But now, they've moved away from the office crowds to serve the work-from-home masses, with satisfying peanut soup, salad and grain bowls with barbecued meats or jackfruit, and inspired ice creams with purple corn and cherimoya. It's window-serve only, with a few outdoor picnic tables for seating in the front, so if the weather's nice just look for a small crowd mingling outside the venue to find it.  

With daily almuerzo (lunch) specials on the menu, as well as an assortment of fresh pastries, cakes, and savory baked goods, this classic panaderia has a homey vibe with festive, brightly-lit decor on the ceilings and Spanish guitar playing in the background. Try the buñuelos (cheese fritters), freshly squeezed juices, or the decadent tiramisu with a cup of Colombian coffee.

Goan cuisine is the specialty at this bare-bones yet comfortable restaurant, and many of the dishes served here employ its namesake ingredient in both sweet and savory formats. The Portuguese-inflected curries of the once-colonized region of Goa are brightly colored, bold in flavor and spice, and not quite like most of the Indian food in Queens. Try the Xacuti curry with fresh roasted coconut, or the smooth and silky fish curry.

Come for the tacos, stay for the margaritas: that's what a lot of local Long Island City folks do at this popular Mexican standout. The chef is from Chiapas, but expect pan-Mexican fare, with tacos crammed with slow-cooked beef tongue or rich chorizo, among other meat options; also worthy are refreshing fish ceviche and the tender meatballs wading in a spicy chipotle-tomato sauce.

This snug Lebanese café caters to locals with its popular vegan platters, mixed kabobs for two (with kofta, chicken, and lamb), shawarmas, and more. Seating is limited, but if you can snag a seat at lunch or dinner time, you’re in for a treat. Try the mint lemonade and falafel sandwich, a house blend of chickpeas and fava beans, topped with turnip and pickles.

As diners have become more aware of regional Asian dishes, hot pot has come to play a large role in cuisines that are more like communal experiences. Here, the whole idea is to go with a group, and the practice of gathering around the broth and chatting as you dip sliced marbled meats, seafood, tofu, and veggies into it to cook, achieves the status of ritual. The boiling soup is split down the middle, and it’s advisable to get both spicy and mild options, so you can alternate between fiery and soothing flavors.

New York has seen a proliferation of food halls in the past few years, but few are as sleek and modern as this LIC space. Fitting for its borough, JACX&CO offers a wide range of global flavors from independent chefs, including refreshing, vegetable-forward Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare from taïm, pastries from a James Beard award-winning chef at Ghaya, and Cantonese-style barbecue with create-your-own-bowl rice and noodle dishes from Lotus + Cleaver. Industrial lighting, exposed brick, and a plant-filled seating area make for a tranquil vibe that’s a far cry from your average food court, and the stylish bar allows you to pair your nibbles with a well-crafted cocktail.

Even among the overwhelming options in Flushing, this counter stall inside a minimall still feels new and unique. It’s namesake dish is cheong fun, a squidgy, chewy, slippery rice-flour roll beloved in Hong Kong, and you can also order egg crepes known as jianbing or Chinese pancakes with your choice of meat topping. Joe's Signature rice roll, a heaping portion that could easily feed two, comes with beef, dried shrimp, pork, eggs, and veggies.

Middle-Eastern restaurants are a dime a dozen in NYC, but Egyptian-Mediterranean spots are a rarer find, attracting celebrity chefs and TV personalities like Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern. This charming yet eccentric 16-seat café, which excels at interesting homestyle dishes, is a true hidden treasure. The menu changes nightly, but think of the fare here as Egyptian-accented comfort food: exceedingly tender lamb stuffed with pomegranate is always great. For the super adventurous eater, try the grilled lamb brain or lamb tongue. When it's available, the roasted goose in a saffron sauce is a must.

For freshly baked naan (Indian-style flatbread), grilled kebabs, and savory curries pop into this wee Jackson Heights take-out-only eatery churning out authentic Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi fare. Everything is made to order, so consider calling ahead to avoid a wait; it’s open late into the night.

If you're looking for an authentic Queens experience, there are few as true as eating an Italian ice from the Lemon Ice King of Corona on a hot summer day. A neighborhood institution for more than 70 years, this place has dozens of flavors to dig into (just note there are no seats).

From the team that made Long Island City a dining destination with M. Wells Dinette inside MoMA PS1 comes this mecca devoted to meat. Once you find the door—go through the gate, then walk across the courtyard—settle in at a table in the industrial space, order a cocktail (the Lucky Foot features cognac and Meletti amaro), and choose from the rotating menu of decadent appetizers like beef and scallop tartare with yuba (dried tofu skin) or foie gras, and tender steak entrées like the Bavette with shiitake butter.

Colorful plates and kitschy trivets adorn the walls of the tiny café off 31st Ave, and ample seating on the covered patio makes it a great stopover for a delicious latte and cheese danish. They also have chocolate soufflé and gluten-free almond ricotta cake on the menu for a quick sweet treat.

A hip, cozy place for pizza and small plates, all exposed brick and reclaimed wood, Milkflower certainly owes its popularity to Brooklyn mainstays like Roberta’s. Only here, you can actually get a table without a long wait, and what’s on offer is just as good, if not better. Neapolitan, 12-inch pies with charred crusts have playful names like “Chardie Sheen” and “Wu-Tang Clam,” and wood-fired veggies or tiger prawns are ideal accompaniments.

The multiyear winner of Jackson Heights's annual Momo Crawl, Nepali Bhanchha Ghar is an unassuming spot known for its jhol momo (juicy dumplings in a rich, tomato-y, chutney-esque broth) and other Nepalese fare. Also on hand are a spicy, crispy noodle dish that will remind you of packaged ramen (though in a good way), thali platters vibrant with fiery, colorful curries, and a special savory fried doughnut called sel roti, served with a spicy tomato chutney.

Step through a doorway beneath a Himalayan eyebrow-threading sign, head up a twisting stairway, and pass through a beaded curtain to reach this cash-only restaurant serving cuisine that is a delicious culinary anomaly: namely, Tibetan Sichuan. The traditional Tibetan momos are worth trying, as is the beef-studded yak-cheese soup (if you're adventurous), but it's the fusion of the two cultures that produces exciting dishes like spicy blood sausage or tofu in a fiery chili sauce. If the original upstairs restaurant is full, head directly across the street to the newer, expanded digs.

One of an increasing number of artisanal pizza shops, Philomena's serves both squares and slices, Neapolitan- and New York–style. You can depend upon expert ingredients, thinly sliced and thickly layered. The squares are chewy and bouncy while the crust on those slices is crisp and nearly caramelized, but your best bet might be the 18-inch classic round pies, which provide more than enough crunchy, tomato-y gooeyness for a satisfying meal.

This small, mostly outdoor eatery feels more like a beach destination oasis than a New York City dining spot. For the perfect post-beach pit stop, order some Mexican-style street tacos (try the fried fish) and a cold cerveza, and bask in the chill surfer vibes as the sun goes down.

The unassuming location and simple decor belie the elevated Greek classics served at this, the neighborhood's current powerhouse of Hellenic eats. Fried calamari, red snapper, and grilled octopus make appearances on the menu, as do more out-of-the-ordinary dishes like "caviar dip" and swordfish kebabs. Lamb chops drip with juice, and grilled sardines are so fresh, you'd swear they were just pulled from the sea. Be prepared to wait for a table at peak times, as this restaurant doesn't take reservations. There's also a Manhattan outpost on 1st Avenue and 13th Street in the East Village.

The northern side of the peninsula doesn't get nearly enough love, but Thai Rock is here to change that. The menu is pretty solid but standard, with your usual noodle dishes, spring rolls, and satays, but no matter: you're here for the cocktails at sunset, with views of Jamaica Bay and the Cross Bay Bridge, as well as the frequent live music (check the website for dates).