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A ham sandwich with alternating layers of pink ham and white cheese sits on a white plate next to a small green salad
A ham sandwich from Ghaya.
Ryan Sutton/Eater NY

15 Solid Restaurants in Long Island City

Mexican fine dining, excellent pastries in food hall, and soup dumplings are giving this low-key dining scene the attention it deserves

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A ham sandwich from Ghaya.
| Ryan Sutton/Eater NY

For years, Long Island City has been amassing a collection of sleeper farm-to-table spots, as well as standouts that lure diners from all five boroughs. From some of the best Kansas City-style barbecue in New York to Michelin-starred Mexican cooking to French Canadian cooking to Japanese small plates, these are the places that continue to make Long Island City an excellent place to dine.

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Beebe's

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This slick pizza parlor nods to New York classics like Patsy’s, such as one topped with stracciatella, tomato, arugula, and coarsely ground black pepper. Beebe’s also has floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing impressive views of the skyline, and there is courtyard seating for the warmer months.

A dining room with bar chairs and a view of a bar.
Beebe’s offers great skyline views from its dining room.
Beebe’s

John Brown BBQ

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Pitmaster Josh Bowen has been paying homage to the barbecue culture of his hometown of Kansas City since setting up shop in 2011. Although plenty of competition has crowded into New York since then, John Brown Smokehouse remains king when it comes to burnt ends. Regulars customers know to show up early before the kitchen runs out of these hunks of brisket covered in sticky-sweet, blackened bark.

Jacx & Co.

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Among the lineup of notables names at this Queens food hall, Eater critic Ryan Sutton cited Ghaya Oliveria’s pastries — the ham-and-cheese mille-feuille, in particular — from her all-day cafe as one of his best dishes last year. Other must visit spots include Lotus and Cleaver, a Cantonese barbecue bowl spot from the team behind Wayla and Kimika, as well as Einat Admony’s Taïm.

The dining floor of a food hall with tables and chairs set up around the space.
The Jacx & Co food hall.
Rachel Vanni/Jacx & Co

M. Wells

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The chef Hugue Dufour, who came to NYC more than a decade ago after working at Montreal’s famed meat-centric Au Pied de Cochon, brings more of a cool bistro than steakhouse vibe to M. Wells. While the menu is teeming with rich dishes — think foie gras katsu sandwiches, sliced legs of lamb, and New York “galbi” with fries — the space is stripped of the staid meat palace aesthetic of leather banquettes and white table clothes. Diners dig into Dufour’s creative dishes in a warehouse-like space that’s laidback and overall, just a fun place to hang.

The Inkan

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Chef Ezequiel Valencia — who worked as a private chef at the Mission of Peru at the UN in New York, as well as the Peruvian embassy in Nicaragua — is behind the Inkan, known for its Peruvian rotisserie chicken and sides. In addition to chicken, rice, and beans, there’s a selection of tangy and fresh ceviches and appetizers. Notably, the flaky, gooey Peruvian-style empanada is worth ordering. There’s an additional location in Garden City Park on Long Island.

French fries, salad, and rotisserie chicken on a square white plate
Rotisserie chicken with french fries and a salad at the Inkan.
The Inkan

Court Square Diner

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In operation since 1946, Court Square Diner stands out among the flashier restaurants and bars that have crowded into Long Island City in recent years. Not much has changed since brothers Steve and Nick Kanellos started running the joint in 1991 — the diner still serves oversized heroes and grilled cheese sandwiches 24/7.

Petey’s Burger

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Petey’s Burger borrows from the best elements of In-N-Out and upgrades the formula with hormone-free black angus beef. With the most simple burgers available for under $5 at both the Astoria and Long Island City branches, prices here aren’t much higher than the average fast food chain. Since opening in 2012, this location has built up a reasonable following, thanks in part to sides like the cheese-smothered fries. The veggie burgers won’t give Superiority Burger a run for its money, but provide a reasonable meatless alternative.

Bellwether

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The patty melt at Bellwether comes topped with a housemade riff on Velveeta — equally gooey, far more flavorful — and pretty much sums up the menu of new American fare. Most dishes here are not exactly revolutionary, but they are executed with care and locally sourced ingredients. The cozy 60-seater opened in 2018 with a wall of live moss.

An overhead photograph of multiple dishes on a white table at a restaurant in Long Island City, called Bellwether.
A spread of dishes from Bellwether.
Bellwether

Chairman Sun

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Jackey Sun, owner of Flushing restaurant Hunan House, opened Chairman Sun on one of the neighborhood’s busiest streets in summer 2019. Even with the many competing restaurants in the vicinity, this dining room, which features a fake cherry tree and a water feature, easily fills up at dinner time. It’s not hard to see why: The menu offers crowd-pleasing Chinese cuisine from multiple regions, primarily Sichuan, with a special menu for the fiery, customizable dry pot. A highlight is the xiao long bao, which checks off all the boxes: flavorful soup, thin skin, and tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat.

Casa Enrique

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Casa Enrique is one of Long Island City’s true destination restaurants, reliably packed since 2012 with customers willing to wait for knockout tacos al pastor. Chef and co-owner Cosme Aguilar’s cooking stands up to its many accolades, such as its Michelin star. It’s hard to go wrong, but one standout is the mole de Piaxtla, an alchemical marvel from Puebla made of seven different chiles, plantains, raisins, chocolate, and other ingredients simmered for four hours. A tequila- and mezcal-focused cocktail list rounds out the menu.

The sleek white interior of Casa Enrique and its metallic bar lined with white stools.
Casa Enrique’s dining room.
Daniel Krieger/Eater NY

Tuk Tuk

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Tuk Tuk has all of the standard Thai curries and noodles, as well as a signature menu offering Northern specialties. The eye-watering spicy sausage appetizer, served with sticky rice in banana leaf, could compete with any in Chiang Mai. The lunch special is a great deal, including items such as the $15 pan seared salmon over rice in a coconut turmeric curry. The sisters who own the place also opened Cyclo, a Vietnamese spot a couple of blocks over.

A circular sign with the word Tuk Tuk announces a Thai restaurant in Long Island City, Queens.
Outside of Tuk Tuk.
Tuk Tuk

Takumen

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This contemporary izakaya is the sort of place where ramen rests on the same table as guacamole, and it all somehow works. Bar Goto alum chef Kiyo Shinoki opened Takumen in 2017 with more interest in having fun than adhering to any particular culinary dogma. Sachiko Kamiya, his wife, designed the interior, which incorporates rotating works by local artists. Handmade bowls and plates by a Brooklyn ceramicist are the perfect foil for the eclectic menu.

Domaine bar a vins

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Pascal Escriout opened this unpretentious wine bar with Robert Gonçalves after his success with nearby Tournesol. An extensive selection of meats and cheeses, dim lighting, and regular live jazz make Domaine bar a vins popular both with couples on date night and other chefs looking for an after-work drink. The French expat bartenders are always happy to recommend something from the wide selection of wines by the glass.

Jackson's Eatery | Bar

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Owner Andrew Karistinos, who opened Jackson’s Eatery and Bar in 2016, emphasizes local ingredients wherever possible in American comfort food staples such as bourbon-marinated ribs and bacon-studded mac and cheese. The dependable neighborhood spot has modified its hours during the pandemic and is closed Mondays through Wednesdays. With its low-key, dark-wood interior and hangover cures like buttermilk fried chicken with sweet corn waffles, it’s also a solid choice for weekend brunch.

Tournesol

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Restaurateur Pascal Escriout and his sister Patricia took a risk opening a French restaurant in Long Island City back around the turn of the millenium. It’s a gamble that paid off, thanks to Tournesol’s menu of bistro stalwarts at affordable prices. There’s nothing trendy here, but with an impressive hanger steak plated with a puddle of bearnaise and a mound of skinny frites for $28, no one seems to mind. A thoughtfully composed selection of mostly French wines rounds it all out.

Beebe's

This slick pizza parlor nods to New York classics like Patsy’s, such as one topped with stracciatella, tomato, arugula, and coarsely ground black pepper. Beebe’s also has floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing impressive views of the skyline, and there is courtyard seating for the warmer months.

A dining room with bar chairs and a view of a bar.
Beebe’s offers great skyline views from its dining room.
Beebe’s

John Brown BBQ

Pitmaster Josh Bowen has been paying homage to the barbecue culture of his hometown of Kansas City since setting up shop in 2011. Although plenty of competition has crowded into New York since then, John Brown Smokehouse remains king when it comes to burnt ends. Regulars customers know to show up early before the kitchen runs out of these hunks of brisket covered in sticky-sweet, blackened bark.

Jacx & Co.

Among the lineup of notables names at this Queens food hall, Eater critic Ryan Sutton cited Ghaya Oliveria’s pastries — the ham-and-cheese mille-feuille, in particular — from her all-day cafe as one of his best dishes last year. Other must visit spots include Lotus and Cleaver, a Cantonese barbecue bowl spot from the team behind Wayla and Kimika, as well as Einat Admony’s Taïm.

The dining floor of a food hall with tables and chairs set up around the space.
The Jacx & Co food hall.
Rachel Vanni/Jacx & Co

M. Wells

The chef Hugue Dufour, who came to NYC more than a decade ago after working at Montreal’s famed meat-centric Au Pied de Cochon, brings more of a cool bistro than steakhouse vibe to M. Wells. While the menu is teeming with rich dishes — think foie gras katsu sandwiches, sliced legs of lamb, and New York “galbi” with fries — the space is stripped of the staid meat palace aesthetic of leather banquettes and white table clothes. Diners dig into Dufour’s creative dishes in a warehouse-like space that’s laidback and overall, just a fun place to hang.

The Inkan

Chef Ezequiel Valencia — who worked as a private chef at the Mission of Peru at the UN in New York, as well as the Peruvian embassy in Nicaragua — is behind the Inkan, known for its Peruvian rotisserie chicken and sides. In addition to chicken, rice, and beans, there’s a selection of tangy and fresh ceviches and appetizers. Notably, the flaky, gooey Peruvian-style empanada is worth ordering. There’s an additional location in Garden City Park on Long Island.

French fries, salad, and rotisserie chicken on a square white plate
Rotisserie chicken with french fries and a salad at the Inkan.
The Inkan

Court Square Diner

In operation since 1946, Court Square Diner stands out among the flashier restaurants and bars that have crowded into Long Island City in recent years. Not much has changed since brothers Steve and Nick Kanellos started running the joint in 1991 — the diner still serves oversized heroes and grilled cheese sandwiches 24/7.

Petey’s Burger

Petey’s Burger borrows from the best elements of In-N-Out and upgrades the formula with hormone-free black angus beef. With the most simple burgers available for under $5 at both the Astoria and Long Island City branches, prices here aren’t much higher than the average fast food chain. Since opening in 2012, this location has built up a reasonable following, thanks in part to sides like the cheese-smothered fries. The veggie burgers won’t give Superiority Burger a run for its money, but provide a reasonable meatless alternative.

Bellwether

The patty melt at Bellwether comes topped with a housemade riff on Velveeta — equally gooey, far more flavorful — and pretty much sums up the menu of new American fare. Most dishes here are not exactly revolutionary, but they are executed with care and locally sourced ingredients. The cozy 60-seater opened in 2018 with a wall of live moss.

An overhead photograph of multiple dishes on a white table at a restaurant in Long Island City, called Bellwether.
A spread of dishes from Bellwether.
Bellwether

Chairman Sun

Jackey Sun, owner of Flushing restaurant Hunan House, opened Chairman Sun on one of the neighborhood’s busiest streets in summer 2019. Even with the many competing restaurants in the vicinity, this dining room, which features a fake cherry tree and a water feature, easily fills up at dinner time. It’s not hard to see why: The menu offers crowd-pleasing Chinese cuisine from multiple regions, primarily Sichuan, with a special menu for the fiery, customizable dry pot. A highlight is the xiao long bao, which checks off all the boxes: flavorful soup, thin skin, and tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat.

Casa Enrique

Casa Enrique is one of Long Island City’s true destination restaurants, reliably packed since 2012 with customers willing to wait for knockout tacos al pastor. Chef and co-owner Cosme Aguilar’s cooking stands up to its many accolades, such as its Michelin star. It’s hard to go wrong, but one standout is the mole de Piaxtla, an alchemical marvel from Puebla made of seven different chiles, plantains, raisins, chocolate, and other ingredients simmered for four hours. A tequila- and mezcal-focused cocktail list rounds out the menu.

The sleek white interior of Casa Enrique and its metallic bar lined with white stools.
Casa Enrique’s dining room.
Daniel Krieger/Eater NY

Tuk Tuk

Tuk Tuk has all of the standard Thai curries and noodles, as well as a signature menu offering Northern specialties. The eye-watering spicy sausage appetizer, served with sticky rice in banana leaf, could compete with any in Chiang Mai. The lunch special is a great deal, including items such as the $15 pan seared salmon over rice in a coconut turmeric curry. The sisters who own the place also opened Cyclo, a Vietnamese spot a couple of blocks over.

A circular sign with the word Tuk Tuk announces a Thai restaurant in Long Island City, Queens.
Outside of Tuk Tuk.
Tuk Tuk

Takumen

This contemporary izakaya is the sort of place where ramen rests on the same table as guacamole, and it all somehow works. Bar Goto alum chef Kiyo Shinoki opened Takumen in 2017 with more interest in having fun than adhering to any particular culinary dogma. Sachiko Kamiya, his wife, designed the interior, which incorporates rotating works by local artists. Handmade bowls and plates by a Brooklyn ceramicist are the perfect foil for the eclectic menu.

Domaine bar a vins

Pascal Escriout opened this unpretentious wine bar with Robert Gonçalves after his success with nearby Tournesol. An extensive selection of meats and cheeses, dim lighting, and regular live jazz make Domaine bar a vins popular both with couples on date night and other chefs looking for an after-work drink. The French expat bartenders are always happy to recommend something from the wide selection of wines by the glass.

Jackson's Eatery | Bar

Owner Andrew Karistinos, who opened Jackson’s Eatery and Bar in 2016, emphasizes local ingredients wherever possible in American comfort food staples such as bourbon-marinated ribs and bacon-studded mac and cheese. The dependable neighborhood spot has modified its hours during the pandemic and is closed Mondays through Wednesdays. With its low-key, dark-wood interior and hangover cures like buttermilk fried chicken with sweet corn waffles, it’s also a solid choice for weekend brunch.

Tournesol

Restaurateur Pascal Escriout and his sister Patricia took a risk opening a French restaurant in Long Island City back around the turn of the millenium. It’s a gamble that paid off, thanks to Tournesol’s menu of bistro stalwarts at affordable prices. There’s nothing trendy here, but with an impressive hanger steak plated with a puddle of bearnaise and a mound of skinny frites for $28, no one seems to mind. A thoughtfully composed selection of mostly French wines rounds it all out.

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