Astoria
Astoria is a kaleidoscope of people. A unique neighborhood, home to over 100 ethnic groups, a trip to Astoria is a trip around the world in a few short blocks.
It is this kaleidoscope of people that makes Astoria the vibrant neighborhood that it is. Well-tended residential block crisscross an international street life. The pace is neither Manhattan’s hectic bustle not the steady routine of the suburbs. Astoria is truly a village within the city, ideal for strolling, shopping, dining, lingering, and living. In just a few hours you can stroll a wooded park, window shop a vibrant shopping district, see a museum, catch a bite to eat, and go home to a safe neighborhood.
Astoria's restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and food shops are as close together as pastries in a box or olives in a barrel along 36th Avenue, Broadway, 30th Avenue, the western part of Astoria Boulevard. Others are found on Steinway Street and tucked away on tree-lined side streets.
Large Greek-American and Italian-American populations have made Astoria a showcase of these cuisines, but many others are represented. A partial list would include: Adriatic, Afghani, Bangladeshi, Brazilian, Chinese, Colombian, Croatian, Cuban, Czech-Slovak, Ecuadorian, Egyptian, Filipino, Greek, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Lebanese, Mexican, Moroccan, Pakistani, and Thai, American and Continental restaurants, taverns, diners, and ethnic fast food outlets add to this culinary kaleidoscope. Don't wait to try them!
Shopping is another Astoria past time. On Central Astoria's four business districts, Broadway, 30th Avenue, 36th Avenue and Steinway Street, there is no lack of businesses from unique boutiques to national chains, hair salons to real estate, flowers to electronics, and everything in between. Visit our Shopping Directory to look for every kind of merchandise or service you can imagine.
Looking for green spaces to relax, exercise or be entertained? Visit Astoria Park. The scenic views, outdoor tennis courts, a track, multiple trails, basketball courts, and playgrounds lure visitors from the area and beyond. The park offers shoreline sights between the majestic Triborough Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge and sounds that make the benches along its perimeter popular spots year-round. Astoria Park is also the site of the Central Astoria Waterfront Concert Series and Movies on the Waterfront as well as many other events. Visit our events page.
Cafe-going is a special Astoria pleasure. Sip a refreshing beverage, eat a sweet or a snack, and read, chat, or simply observe fellow cafe-goers and passersby's (who will be doing likewise, in many languages). Astoria's cafes keep quite late hours and some offer live entertainment. Look for posted announcements as you explore. There are many opportunities to take home a little Astoria. Bakeries, groceries, and specialty food shops are chock-full of authentic delicacies, many hard to find elsewhere (including more than thirty types of olives!). Your eyes, nose, and taste buds will thank you.
Astoria's "Main Streets" are often the settings for festivals, street fairs and parades, visit our Events page.
Astoria is also the home to cultural and historical sites. Visit the one of a kind American Museum of the Moving Image,Kaufman Astoria Studios, Socrates Sculpture Park, the Noguchi Garden Museum, the Steinway Mansion and more. Click on places of interest.
Athens Square Park on 30th Avenue and 30 Street in Astoria, this park was restored in 1990 as a locus for neighborhood gatherings and to create "a little bit of Athens in Astoria." An amphitheater juxtaposed with statues of the Greek philosopher Socrates, Aristotle and the Greek goddess Athena give the park a Hellenic ambience. Many ethnic performances are held here, including Greek Night and Italian Night in the summer months.