Being in the World’s Borough means you will be spoiled for food choices. Most convenient is the dining hall (only open on Friday), but if you venture out across Kissena Boulevard you will find Gino’s, a classic NY pizza place (NYC English reserves pizzeria for a restaurant not serving slices). A Halal food cart (a more recent New York institution) is usually parked nearby at least on weekdays. Five minutes to the north, across the Long Island Expressway, you can find some inexpensive East Asian hole-in-the walls where you can contemplate the concept of authenticity over char siu or a wide variety of noodles. There are also various regional Chinese restaurants somewhat less hole-in-the-wallish on Main Street 10-15 minutes to the west also north of the Long Island Expressway. See Strictly Dumpling, Mike Chen’s review of Kung Fu Xiao Long Bao, which he claims has the best soup dumplings in the city. 

Less than a 15-minute walk south on Kissena, you’ll find Halal Afghan food at Pamir Kabab House & Grill. A few steps further is Mela’s, a Dominican diner. Kosher food (closed late Friday and all-day Saturday) is a 20-minute walk or 5 minute rideshare away on Main Street going south. Dairy is available at Naomi’s Pizza and Falafel; Shawarma and other meat dishes can be found at Grill Point on the corner of Main and Jewel. Also possible are Kosher Italian, Israeli, and Mexican.

Last two photos by Olivia Mignone (CUNY Graduate Center) from her Linguistic Landscape of Jackson Heights