Four years ago I found myself paying an arm and a leg for an 8′ x 10′ room without windows in the Financial District of Manhattan. As the lease renewal came up in August, I thought to myself, “What the heck am I doing?” My good friend Becca had been touting the benefits of her incredible (and incredibly cheap) house in Queens for a year so I decided to give the neighborhood a shot. Four years later, I’m the biggest advocate of this adorable and still-affordable neighborhood. I’ve convinced (with Becca’s help, of course) numerous friends to move to the ‘hood along with me and now I can safely say I have little to no reason to ever leave my borough.
Since I’ve got so many friends as new neighbors, I thought I’d pull together a list of my 5 absolute favorite takeout places in Astoria. If you’re new to the ‘hood or just need a change of pace, I hope this is helpful. #QueensRepresent
1. Petey’s Burger: As far as I’m concerned, this is the only burger place on the East Coast that rivals In ‘N Out. It’s worlds better than Shake Shack and I’ve never had to wait in line to get it. They even have a deliciously decadent side called California Fries, topped with caramelized onions and a “special sauce” that looks suspiciously like an In ‘N Out knockoff. Who cares. This place is the ish.
2. Napoli Pizza and Pasta: You couldn’t make an Italian meal for less money than you can spend for authentic Italian at Napoli. Lasagna the size of your head is $6.50 (and comes with garlic bread), baked ziti for two will have you unbuttoning your pants and napping by the end of the meal, and the entrees cost a couple bucks more and come with extra bread and a pasta on the side. When it’s cold outside and you want a filling, home cooked meal without the dirty dishes, you can’t beat Napoli.
3. Crave Astoria: Besides the delicious, fresh food at Crave, I’m always commenting on how punctual and friendly their delivery staff is. More than once I’ve commented, “Hey, it’s that well-dressed guy again!” when the food shows up. Call me crazy, but I like it. In addition to the lovely delivery staff, the food is top notch: fresh and healthy. It’s not dirt cheap, but it’s well worth every penny. My favorite dishes are the Greek salads and the burgers (huuuuuge burgers with freshly made fries on the side), and for a fun (not so healthy) dessert, the Crave bites: fried dough puffs served with warm honey sauce. They also make a killer, inexpensive lentil soup that I’ve had more than once.
4. Sanford’s Restaurant: The priciest spot I’m highlighting, Sanford’s is a classier delivery restaurant that is open 24/7 and offers takeout late and pickup all the time. The menu is full of real restaurant items like mushroom risotto and hanger steak but my personal favorites are the salads and breakfasts. I actually love their pancakes, and I rarely say that about anyplace that isn’t my own kitchen. The only thing I don’t get about this place is why their pulled pork gets such high ratings; I ordered it once and hated it. Everything else I’ve ever had there (and trust me, it’s been quite a bit…) is delicious.
5. Astoria Park Pizza: Best pizza in Queens, hands down. This is also the teeny tiny pizzeria where I buy the pizza dough for my homemade pizzas. The crust is thin and crispy, the cheese is never drippy but always perfectly melted, and the prices are super affordable: a large cheese is only $11! I love Napoli for my pasta dishes and meatball parms, but for pizza I’m an Astoria Park girl all the way.
Did I miss anything? Leave it in the comments!
Lauren E. is a food writer and recipe tester living in New York City. She is a regular contributor to Yumm.com and has been featured on The Martha Stewart Show.