After years of eating in and out of the borough, I'll put my tongue to the test with my favorites restaurants in Queens. Sure, I haven't eaten everywhere, but my taste-buds have surveyed dishes in nearly every neighborhood and tried everything the borough has to offer from Guyanese curry to Top Chef-style appies.
There are the ones where I send folks who email me. These are the restaurants I bring friends. These are the restaurants that my family enjoys.
Did I miss your favorite taste of Queens? Tell us all about it in the comments.
Sripraphai's the Place for Thai Food
Photo (c) John Roleke
Sripraphai's modest exterior hides a pleasant dining room and outdoor garden where dinners come for some of the best Thai food in New York City. Sripraphai is well-known across New York City; and has expanded with a branch over the border in Nassau County. With success, it has retained its great service and great tastes. Expect to pay $10 for a meal without drinks.
- Sripraphai Thai Restaurant, 64-13 39th Ave, Woodside, NY, 718-899-9599
Best Vegetarian - Mumbai Xpress
Photo (c) John Roleke
For the best vegetarian food in Queens, you have to go almost to the last block in the borough. Mumbai Xpress is a Indian fast food and takeout joint that serves the street food of Mumbai, especially that of Chowpatty, a Coney Island-like area. It's hard to beat for satisfying potato-filled dosas.
Not interested in delicious dosas with coconut chutney? Or the buttered bread and spicy curry in a special pav bhaji? You can always order an "American grilled cheese" and a strawberry shake.
Il Toscano for Best Italian
Photo (c) John Roleke
Rich, savory, sophisticated, that's a meal at Il Toscano. This is a special celebration treat of a meal because it will cost you, but Il Toscano in Douglaston is worth it.
Best Italian in Queens - Trattoria L'Incontro - Wait a Second!
Photo (c) Judith Klein of Foodista
Yes, I already had a "best Italian." However, with so many great Italian restaurants in Queens, "best" is really hard to say, and I just couldn't leave out either of these.
The creative, ever-changing specials at this Trattoria L'Incontro in Astoria keeps me coming back year after year. This is a neighborhood favorite that keeps working at bringing new tastes to a classic cuisine.
Best Chicken Anywhere - Pio Pio in Jackson Heights
Photo (c) J. Roleke
I love Pio Pio. There are only a few simple dishes on the menu - roasted chicken, ceviche, fried seafood - but it's so darn delicious. Pio Pio has a lot of imitators that use a version of its name. Don't settle for the rest. Come to the original Pio Pio in Jackson Heights.
