Astoria: Home of Affordable and Delicious Dining
Eat around the world without leaving the comfort of home!
We all love Astoria, the laid back Queens neighborhood that is rich with small businesses, grassy parks, and, of course, delicious and diverse dining options! Much like the residents of the up-and-coming neighborhood, the restaurants are a vibrant and entertaining bunch. Craving some time away from the bustle of the city? Looking for a non-digital way to meet new people? Trying to break up the ham-and-cheese sandwich routine you’ve fallen into? Chances are, Astoria has just what you need with these 6 restaurants! And thanks to HungerPass, trying out some of Astoria’s delicious eats just got a little more affordable.
Tru Astoria
35-19 Ditmars Blvd Astoria, NY 11105
As evidenced by blog Tracy’s New York Life, Astoria is a colorful (and flavorful!) place to eat, drink, and be merry. But it’s perhaps most known for its Greek food, and boasts a serious array of Greek restaurants. Tru Astoria is one of the best, and offers Mediterranean food with a modern and European flair that will have you coming back for more.
For breakfast or brunch, try Tru Astoria’s authentic Frittata, made extra-delicious thanks to baby spinach, bacon, and goat cheese. One of its popular menu items is the Greek Guacamole, which is homemade guacamole served with seasoned pita chips. To really feel part of the Tru Astoria family, order Yiayia’s Meatballs, which is the chef’s grandmother’s traditional meatballs served with lemon yogurt sauce. For a tropical and sophisticated dish, try the Steak & Pineapple Salad, served with avocado, goat cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette. It wouldn’t be a Greek restaurant without a seafood option, and you can’t go wrong with Tru Astoria’s grilled Mediterranean Octopus topped with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. If you’re looking for real Greek cuisine at a price you can afford, then Tru Astoria may be your dream dining destination!
Activate your HungerPass for 15% off at Tru Astoria!
Bonjour Crepes & Wine
34-10 30th Ave. Astoria, NY 11103
So, maybe Greek food isn’t your thing–but French desserts must be! Styled like a cozy French cafe, Bonjour Crepes & Wine will help you start your morning right with its aromatic and eye-popping coffee bar. It offers all different kinds (and sizes!) of coffees, lattes, and teas, including the Italian Roast Espresso, Iced Matcha Green Latte, and Iced Dirty Latte.
Though the menu also offers more traditional cafe fare such as sandwiches, soups, and salads, it is dedicated mainly to crepes, of which you can choose from either savory, sweet, and house special options. You can start savory with the ham and gruyere crepe, which provides just enough smokiness and cheesy goodness to last you until dessert. There are also plenty of options from the house special menu if you’re looking for something more unusual, such as the tuna, arugula, spinach, and chili verde crepe.
The creme-de-la-creme of Bonjour Crepes & Wine, however, are its dessert crepes. The classic Crepe Suzette, one of the restaurant’s most popular crepes, is set aflame minutes before it’s placed in front of you in order to create a lovely golden crust. Though the flavor pairings of savory and sweet may seem odd, one QNS reporter said that “The sweetness and the savory playing around in my mouth alone earned Bonjour Crepes another visit in the future.” Pair the crepes with one of the restaurant’s carefully-selected wines, and you get the perfect meal for old and young lovers alike. As the owner of Bonjour Crepes & Wine said, “Crepes and wine go together like a marriage.” If you weren’t already sold on this restaurant’s romantic and inviting atmosphere, you are now.
Activate your HungerPass for 15% off at Bonjour Crepes and Wine!
Tufino Pizzeria Napoletana
36-08 Ditmars Blvd. Astoria, NY 11105
At Tufino Pizzeria, New Yorkers have acquired what Time Out NY calls their “latest weapon” in the battle for the country’s best slice of pizza. This family-owned Italian restaurant takes pizza-making to the extreme, creating dough in-house from imported flour and leavening dough according to the traditional Italian method. The menu features plate after plate of authentic Italian fare, including Arancini, Neopolitan fried rice balls stuffed with fresh mozzarella and sausage ragu. Pizza is Tufino’s star, of course, as well as one of We Heart Astoria’s top ten pizzas in Astoria, and the restaurant doesn’t shy away from classic and not-so-classic recipes alike: The Marinara Pizza is the tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, and basil pizza of your childhood, while the Quattro Stagioni Pizza, made with fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, artichoke, mushrooms, olives, and white truffle olive oil, will have you making all new wonderful and delicious pizza memories!
Tufino’s wouldn’t be an Italian Restaurant without some authentic (and cheesy!) pasta dishes, such as the classic Gnocchi sauteed in leek and white truffle cream sauce, as well as the Penne Alla Vodka housemade in pink vodka sauce. Tufino’s also has the perfect companion to any pizza you order in the form of its signature drinks. “This Little Figgy” is a cheerful mixture of bourbon, housemade fig jam, honey, and lemon topped with a morsel of prosciutto. For a sleek and sophisticated taste, try the “Sicario,” made with mezcal, creme de cacao, coconut vodka, honey, lemon, and fresh muddled mint.
Activate your HungerPass for 10%-15% off at Tufino Pizzeria Napoletana!
Kurry Qulture
36-05 30th Ave. Astoria, NY 11103
Enjoy food from the heart of India at home in the heart of Astoria! Kurry Qulture makes traditional and flavorful Indian fare accessible to even the most die-hard New Yorkers, all thanks to Chef Binder Saini’s dedication to providing as much personality and vibrancy as possible to every dish. Be sure to bring any vegetarian friends along, because Kurry Qulture has extensive vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus. For all the meat-eaters out there, try the Chopsticks and Marrow favorite Lamb Roganjosh, or the lamb shank made in the Kashmiri style. Something prepared in the Kashmiri style is heavily seasoned with Kashmiri chilies and spices like ginger, cinnamon, and fennel, so make sure you order a glass of ice water to go with it! For vegetarians, the Aloo Gobi is a comforting and classic dish to anyone familiar with Indian cuisine. Comprised of cauliflower and potatoes and covered with a generous amount of turmeric, this hearty and vegan-friendly dish is, advises The Guardian, “a recipe you definitely need in your repertoire.” Good thing Kurry Qulture can make it just for you!
As a staple of Kashmiri-style cooking, rice is on center stage at Kurry Qulture. Try the Jackfruit Biryani, a rice dish featuring what blog Saulisfood calls an “exotic vegetable,” the jackfruit, which is “meat-like” in its texture and flavor. At Kurry Qulture, this dish is also made with cauliflower and potatoes. To really get into the spirit of things, try Kurry Qulture’s signature cocktail “Astoria of my Life,” made with bourbon, sweet vermouth, thyme, and figs. As Forbes said, “Expect [Kurry Qulture] to transform your views on what is the latest and greatest in Indian food.” With all these traditional yet innovative Indian dishes, can you believe it’s all right in Astoria?
Activate your HungerPass for 10% off at Kurry Qulture!
Lunera Modern Mexican
3225 Steinway St. Astoria, NY 11103
If you feel more at home with a spicy taco than with spicy lamb shank, then Lunera is the restaurant for you! Lunera Modern Mexican offers traditional Mexican foods with a Spanish twist. It provides the delicious trifecta of Mexican cuisine–Tacos, quesadillas, and burritos–all of which you can order with either shrimp, chicken, carnitas, steak, or veggies. Lunera aims to provide the Mexican foods you know and love, such as the Crab Cake Pina, or crab cake served on caramelized pineapple with chipotle aioli and balsamic vinegar glaze–so basically, summer in your mouth!
Entrees such as the hot Red Snapper Fillet seared with Veracruz sauce will set your mouth on fire, while the Churrasco, or grilled Angus skirt steak in an ancho sauce with fried Latino rice, will only stoke the flames. Douse the fire with the cool and sweet Creme Brulee de Guayaba, or creme brulee with guava jam and vanilla ice cream.
Obviously, some nice cool drinks are a must at Lunera, and there’s a whole menu of margaritas, mojitos, and other beers and cocktails to be had. For both Frozen Margaritas and Frozen Mojitos, guests can choose between mango, passion fruit, blackberry, and tamarind flavors. The House Margarita is an electrifying blue color, made with 100% Blue Agave tequila, orange liquor, citrus juice, and agave syrup. If you’re feeling extra ~fiesty~, try “El Diablo,” one of Lunera’s serrano-infused signature margaritas. The bar closes at 2 A.M. at Lunera, so prepare yourself for a long, spice-filled night at what the Queens Gazette calls “a breath of fresh air on Steinway Street, perfect for dates, friends, small groups, and fun!”
Activate your HungerPass for 10%-15% of at Lunera Modern Mexican!
Katch Astoria
31-19 Newtown Ave. Astoria, NY 11102
International food is awesome, but you can’t go wrong with a classic burger and fries. Katch Astoria is home to some of the coziest and most delicious traditionally American dishes in Astoria. And you don’t just eat at Katch; you can participate in trivia nights, weekend bottomless brunch, themed event parties, happy hour specials, singles events, and live performances by artists and entertainers. As Aplez.com says, Katch “is the place to be when you want to be somewhere other than home alone.” It’s impossible to be bored at Katch!
Start your meal with Katch Fries, or hand-cut fries with cheddar cheese, bacon, and gravy. You can also choose your preferred preparation of everyone’s favorite comfort food, Mac & Cheese, which comes as Truffle Mushroom, Chili Mac, and Maple Bacon. The Katch Burger is another popular menu item and is made with a tantalizing combination of swiss cheese, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and rosemary aioli. Don’t worry, vegetarians, the Quinoa Veggie Burger with umami sauce, lettuce, and tomato is sure to hit the spot as well!
Specialty drinks such as Katch Punch is made with spiced rum, muddled cherries and strawberries, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and house cherry mash. Katch’s beer menu is particularly entertaining, as it’s divided into specifically-named sections with satisfying options for any guest, from “The Cool Dudes” (Stella Artois, Blue Moon) and “The Steady Eddies” (Brooklyn Lager, Heineken) to “Hipster Status” (Abita Purple Haze) and “Aromatic Snobs” (Allagash White), among others. As the blog Manhattan With A Twist describes, Katch Astoria is “a great place to enjoy gourmet food, craft beers, and a friendly, infectious atmosphere.” So why aren’t you there right now?!
Activate your HungerPass for 10%-15% off at Katch Astoria!
Written by Emma Patterson
