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Queen of

Boroughs

By Adrienne Jordan

If you’re going to the city that never sleeps, take a trip into Queens, one of New York’s best-known and recently revived areas A view of the Queensboro Bridge from Long Island City.

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he borough of Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban area in the USA, being home to immigrants from all over the globe. It’s the second-most densely populated borough (after Brooklyn), with over two million residents in 2015, almost 50% of them foreign-born, so it deserves its designation as a “melting pot”, with its ever-growing variety of restaurants, boutiques, modern art museums and – of late – design-forward hotels. In fact, it’s fasttracked to becoming the hotspot of New York City (NYC) and offers something for everyone. A Czech-style, bohemian beer garden in Astoria lends itself to the hipster crowd, while Gantry Park in Long Island City begs a walk during sunny days and the variety of Indian restaurants in Jackson Heights is a magnet for Asian cuisine aficionados.

Here’s why you should visit Queens now:

JACKSON HEIGHTS

Known for its bustling and diverse food scene, thanks to various ethnic enclaves which include large Indian, South American and South Asian communities, Jackson Heights may be the most delicious-smelling destination in Queens. The area’s often a steppingstone for newcomers who migrate to NYC from other states and countries, according to Alan Lightfeldt, a data scientist at real estate listings site StreetEasy. “The network in Jackson Heights is very strong,” he says.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: L’al, a mezcal cockail from Mundo restaurant in Long Island City.

An Indian resident of the area. A Jackson Heights neighbourhood. Figurines from Butala Emporium in Jackson Heights. BELOW: A view of the Manhattan skyline from Gantry Plaza Pier.

Walking down one of the neighbourhood’s busiest thoroughfares, 74th St, it’s easy to see why it’s been nicknamed “Indian Row”. Men in traditional Indian garb chat on the sidewalks and heady spices emanate from the many eateries and grocery stores lining the block, from street vendors selling spicy Indian chaat to the inexpensive lunch buffet at Jackson Diner (37-47 74th St, www.jacksondiner.com) and the grand Patel Brothers grocery store (3727 74th St, www.patelbros.com), a source for Madras curry powder and other spices. On Sundays, foodies from around the city head to the Jackson Heights Greenmarket, a local farmer’s hub that sells seafood, bread, fruit, vegetables, meats, wines and other goods.

No neighbourhood would be complete without a local hangout, where millennials can sip lattes and do business on their laptops and tablets. Here, that place is Espresso 77 (35-57 77th St, www.espresso77. com), a cosy coffee shop known for its flavourful espressos and honey mint limonata. In the evenings and on weekends, you can see live performances and view artworks by local artists.

On 37th Ave, between 80th and 82nd Sts, there are a variety of boutiques and restaurants which are unique to this neighbourhood.

Emoji Burger (80-07 37th Ave, www.emojiburger.com) is a new joint offering a variety of burgers, with the meat patties consisting of organically sourced beef. The owner, Jarvis Fernandez, wanted to create an intimate space where people could enjoy high-quality burgers. The turkey burger, slathered with avocado, is also a winner.

One-of-a-kind shopping (mostly for ethnic wares) is also rewarding in Jackson Heights. Raj Jewels of London sells an abundance of gold jewellery, Butala Emporium (+1 718 899 5590, 3746 74th St) carries a range of icons and incense, while Lavanya offers jewel-toned saris. Near Jackson Heights’ main transit hub, Roosevelt Ave, say “hello” to the neighbourhood mascot: a penguin statue named Wink that’s always dressed up by a local.

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LONG ISLAND CITY

Once a prime manufacturing hub, Long Island City (LIC) is now home to one of NYC’s most exciting art scenes. The neighbourhood’s turn-of-the-century industrial buildings are adorned with graffiti designs and many have been transformed into galleries, museums and studios. What’s more, it’s easy to get there. A journey from midtown Manhattan to LIC is surprisingly fast, involving only one stop from Grand Central Terminal on the No 7 train. For a more scenic commute, you can also travel by water: the East River Ferry regularly operates straight from FDR Drive and East 34th St. LIC’s the place for both professional and amateur photographers, who can capture the high-rises across the Hudson River. Start by having brunch at the Ravel Hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Penthouse 808 (8-08 Queens Plaza South), which offers sweeping views of the Queensboro Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. While taking in the expanse, guests can enjoy the new brunch programme that features live jazz and a diverse menu offering items like breakfast pizza with eggs, cheese and bacon, Belgian-style banana waffles and juicy lobster Benedict on English muffins. The establishment’s signature cocktail, Pacific sangria made with Japanese coconut sake, will put you in

a good mood. “Watching an industrial area grow into a tourism hotspot over the past five years is what keeps me here,” says Benny Ramos, Penthouse 808’s Food & Beverage Manager.

Alternatively, visit Mundo (37-06 36th St), located inside the eclectically designed Paper Factory Hotel (painted fire hydrants, books forming walls and a British telephone booth are among its attractions). The restaurant is health-orientated and inspired by Argentinian, Turkish and other global cuisines (hence its name). “We serve alkaline water created using a medical device and raise the pH level just a little,” says co-owner Guillermo Lucerofabbi. Try delicious appetisers like the short rib sliders, falafel medley and chorizo à la planca.

To walk off a hefty midday meal, take a stroll around Gantry Plaza, a 5ha state park located on the river. The pier features dual striking, massive signs reading “Long Island” and there’s plenty of green space, punctuated by weeping willows and ideal places for a quiet moment or a picnic with a significant other.

For outdoor shopping, visit LIC Flea & Food (5-25 46th Ave), a weekend market open from 11am-6pm. Fetching vendors line the enclosed area, including Artisanal Twinkies, which sells gourmet treats and Andrew Nichols Art, where you can buy the eponymous local artist’s colourful, extravagant paintings of both people and nature.

MoMA PS1 (22-25 Jackson Ave), is worth a visit: it’s a public primary school-turnedmuseum offering no permanent collection, but rotating works with a very improvisational feel. The curators have used every available surface to display art, from the rooftop and stairwells to the boiler-room basement, where there’s a long-term exhibit featuring Sol LeWitt’s mesmerising Crayola Square, a crayon wall drawing.

“Watching an industrial area grow into a tourism hotspot over the past five years is what keeps me here.”

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Andrew Nichols’ art. A burger and chips at Boro Café. The lobby at the Boro Hotel.

Graffiti in the former Long Island City industrial area.

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At the East River’s Socrates Sculpture Park, there’s also an ever-changing assortment of sculpture and art installations, mostly by emerging artists.

One small section of LIC, Dutch Kills, has emerged as a new hotspot. Located just north of Queensboro Plaza, it reveals an industrial hamlet-turned-happening micro-hood. For visitors to this residential area lined with stately single-family homes, an unlikely establishment stands right in its centre. The Boro Hotel (38-28 27th St) is decked in minimalist design and has a rooftop offering views of the Manhattan skyline from Harlem to One World Trade. The Boro Café recently launched an all-day menu crafted by Chef George Mandakas and offering simple, healthy ingredients with unique preparations and presentations. The burger is a standout item, made in-house with chips – and don’t leave without trying the signature cocktail, made with spiced rum, orange, cranberry and Prosecco.

ASTORIA

A trip to NYC’s adjacent area of Astoria is always a joy. The destination’s also about 15 minutes’ commute from midtown Manhattan: the Northern and Western subway lines run through the heart of the neighbourhood, above 31st St. If you ask any long-standing residents about Astoria’s history, they’ll refer to it as a traditionally Greek area. There are at least half a dozen Greek restaurants and bakeries sprinkled along the intertwining blocks and most visitors come here for the food. One popular option is Psari Seafood & Restaurant (3210 36th Ave), which serves specialities like saganaki (lightly fried kefalograviera cheese) and moussaka (baked eggplant and potatoes with meat sauce). And there’s the Omonia pastry shop (32-20 Broadway), opened by John Arvanitis in 1977

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when he was a newly-arrived, 19-year-old immigrant from Greece.

The historic shop serves pastries and cocktails, and even the cake in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding was commissioned to Omonia.

However, there are also many other ethnic cuisines in Astoria.

At Leo’s Pizza, a nondescript corner establishment, people can pop in for beautifully arranged slices with fresh ingredients like eggplant and spinach. Get a taste for Japanese sake during the free tasting at Astoria Wine & Spirits and enjoy delicious Czech fare at old-school beer garden Bohemian Hall. With its shady trees, picnic tables, pitchers of icy beer and hearty meals, it’s a summertime must. If you visit at the right time, there may even be live folk music in the afternoons.

Before leaving Astoria, visit the innovative American Museum of the Moving Image (+1 718 777 6888, 36-01 35th Ave), which explores all facets of TV and film production, from their origins to the cutting-edge techniques used today. The attractions inside the museum include Thomas Edison’s kinetoscope (the precursor to the movie projector), classic Star Wars action figures and a small arcade where you can play vintage games like Donkey Kong and Asteroids in all their retro glory. The museum also screens hundreds of films a year which aren’t shown at mainstream theatres, including silent movies (often with live music), animated shorts, rock documentaries and international flicks.

A view of the Manhattan skyline and elevated subway during sunset.