Queens is one of the most diverse places in the country—and probably so the world. With more than 138 languages spoken there and 100 countries represented, the food offerings are likewise dizzying.
Author Meg Cotner, herself a resident of Queens, has written “Food Lovers’ Guide to Queens: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings,” an essential reference for anyone looking to sample and taste their way through Queens.
Cotner achieved what seems impossible: from signing the contract to submitting the final manuscript in three and a half months flat.
“I had the advantage, though, of eating throughout Queens since I had moved here in 2005, and writing about Astoria/LIC since 2006,” she said via email. Cotner was also food writer for about seven years.
Her favorites? “Rudy’s Pastry Shop in Ridgewood (German pastries and baked goods); Woodside Cafe in Woodside/Jackson Heights (Nepalese food, especially the vegetable momos); Golden Palace in Flushing (Dongbei food—loved everything); Mi Bolivia in Sunnyside (chicken salteñas); Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen in Forest Hills (everything, reminded me of the food from home/SF Bay Area); Nita’s European Bakery in Sunnyside (Romanian cakes).”
The guide is neatly organized by Queens neighborhood and further broken down by foodie faves, landmarks (with a longtime following), specialty stores and markets, and street food, with useful appendices listing the eateries by cuisine, food events, and community-supported agriculture.
One word of advice: Don’t read it while hungry, unless you’re ready to dash to Queens.
