Athens to Astoria
What this foodstroll is
Our favorite Greek food and things to do and see in Astoria, Queens.
Why this foodstroll works
Today Astoria is one of NYC’s foremost multicultural playgrounds, with communities of Arabs, Balkans, South Americans, and South Asians sprinkled throughout the neighborhood. But before it had all those communities, it had one - Greek. Demographics are constantly changing, but what doesn’t change, at least not in our 20+ years in NYC, are the concentration of Greek restaurants and markets in the Ditmars section of Astoria near Astoria Park. It’s a beautiful area to visit, and while Queens lacks the subtropical Mediterranean climate Greece is famous for, the food is befitting a country considered to be the cradle of western civilization.
Strolling
Astoria is centrally located for an all day Foodstroll, with The New York Hall of Science, The Queens Zoo, Queens Museum, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and plane spotting all nearby. But if you’re mostly in it for the food, simply stopping by Astoria Park or wandering the neighborhood work too. For bikers, there is a bike path that leads directly into and through Astoria Park, and it’s a nice way to visit.
There is a NYC Ferry terminal in Astoria, and while it’s not particularly close to any of the destinations in the Foodstroll, it’s a fun way to start an adventure. It puts you in the general vicinity but you still may want an Uber/Lyft.
Astoria Park is a 66 acre green space on the slope of Astoria that descends down to the east River from 19th Street. Dating back to 1913, it is said to be the first park in New York City to provide for organized, rather than passive, recreation. Originally it had two playgrounds, six tennis courts, three baseball diamonds, a wading pool, bandstand, and comfort station. Today it also has a skatepark and running track. Charybdis Playground (pictured) has clearly been renovated since 1913…
The Astoria Pool inside the park is one of eleven massive outdoor swimming pools constructed during the Summer of 1936 and funded by the Works Progress Administration, as part of FDR’s New Deal. The American Olympic Team Trials for the infamous 1936 Berlin Olympics were held here, and again in 1964. The entire pool area, including the Art Moderne ticket booth and Modern Classical pool house, is a NYC Landmark. Views from the top of the pavilion are excellent.
Those of you familiar with the Foodstrolls family, know our affection for War Memorials. This First World War commemoration from 1926 is just west of the pool and playground, and needs no further context.
Along the water’s edge you get great views of the RFK (Triborough) and Hell Gate bridges. Hell Gate was the longest steel arch bridge in the world when it was finished in 1916, and the Triborough (1936) was another Works Progress Administration project, overseen by the world’s most powerful Parks Commissioner of all time, Robert Moses. If you like graffiti, the columns supporting Hell Gate inside the park have some nice murals.
Typical row houses can be found throughout the neighborhood, including along the eastern side of Astoria Park. Queens developed much later than Manhattan and Brooklyn, not really urbanizing until after the arrival of the Queensborough Bridge (1909) and the IRT Flushing Line (1917), today’s 7 Train. While it doesn’t have nearly as many landmarked neighborhoods, it is easier to walk around and imagine the borough’s rural past.
The aforementioned NYC Ferry connects Astoria to Roosevelt Island in a single stop, which together make for a very nice afternoon. Roosevelt Island has a history unto itself, once home to a prison, insane asylum, and smallpox hospital.
For more things to do near Astoria, including airplane watching at LaGuardia, check out other articles like Plane Spotting and Pakistani Food.
Food Spots
1. Agnanti Meze
Agnanti is our favorite Greek restaurant in Astoria, and that’s no small feat considering the competition. Stuffed Calamari with feta, tomatoes and basil is a family favorite.
The smaller plates at Agnanti are like Greek tapas, great for when you want to try different things.
We make a habit of ordering Moussaka at every single Greek restaurant we visit. Agnanti’s version is the best we’ve had. Other must order small plates are Ravasaki, Spanakopita and Kolokythokeftedes Mykonos.
Aegean Pasta, appropriately named because it includes every living organism from the Aegean Sea, is a more substantial plate. We recommend showering it with the complimentary Graviera Cheese.
Telly’s is our favorite family style Greek restaurant in Astoria, and they have a lively outdoor dining setup. The Dip Combination, which comes with their incredible house pita, is the best way to start.
It doesn’t get any Greeker than Grilled Octopus served in olive oil and oregano. We have to ration it or else the adults would never get any.
The Beeftekia is a serious plate of food. You get 5 to 6 nice sized “burgers” with fresh cut fried potatoes.
Loukoumádes are essentially Greek doughnut holes. If you want your kids to eat anything else, we recommend keeping these a secret until after the main meal.
3. Titan Foods
As featured in our 10 Best Ethnic Supermarkets in NYC, Titan Foods is famous among Greeks in NYC, and with anyone in Queens looking for delicious takeout. They have a buffet, bakery, and deli, in addition to amazing prepared foods like Octopus straight from the mainland.
It is the number one spot to find aforementioned Graviera, the versatile Greek cheese used to make Saganaki. They also have a wide selection of Feta and other Greek cheeses.
The bakery prepares fresh sweets like Baklava, Melitinia, and Pasteli. In other words, they have lots of Greek pastries, pies, and cookies.
Other products include Olive Oils, Doulmas (grape leaves), Spanakopita, and Greek beer and wine. It’s a bit of a walk from the restaurants to Titan, but that’s a mere trifle for anyone committed to buying exceptional Greek products.
Transportation
The N train stops two blocks from Telly’s at Ditmars Blvd in Astoria.
Streetside parking in Astoria is pretty easy, especially nearer Astoria Park. There is a NYC Ferry terminal in Astoria, and while it isn’t close to the restaurants, it’s a fun way to get to the neighborhood.