A day out in Queens
Eating our way through Jackson Heights and Corona
Dear Readers,
Thank you to everyone who made it out on such a blustery, wet day on Saturday to explore Pakistani cuisine in honor of Roses in the Mouth of a Lion. Because of the bad weather, we changed our plans a little bit, but still managed to enjoy our food adventure in Queens. Couldn’t join us? No problem. I’m here to report on everything we did, places I’d originally intended on including, and to share some other personal favorites.
Al-Naimat Sweets and Restaurant, 3703 74th Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
While there are no longer any Pakistani restaurants in Corona, there are a couple in Jackson Heights. Through my research and on-foot exploration of the neighborhood, I found Al-Naimat, which has the widest selection of regionally-specific specialties and a case full of colorful sweets. We tried halwa puri, which is a breakfast dish that is mostly enjoyed on weekends. It includes fried flatbread, chana masala and halwa, which is a sweet dish made with semolina. It was served with onions and fresh green chiles and was spicy, sweet and fun to assemble. We also had: dahi puri and keema paratha, and finished our meal off with gulab jamun and kashmiri pink chai, which is made pink by the addition of baking soda and is often drunk with salt instead of sugar.
Kababish, 70-64 Broadway, Queens, NY 11372
This was a stop of my originally planned walk — a popular takeout counter that had delicious kebab rolls that are wrapped in paratha. Try the bihari kabab or the gola kabab (very spicy!).
Apna Bazaar, 7220 37th Rd, Queens, NY 11372
Apna Bazaar is a small chain of Indian and Pakistani grocery stores that sell everything! Look for the spice mixes, bottles of Rooh Afza (a sweet, rose scented syrup, from Pakistan), Chili Mili gummies, Pakola soda, cans of alphonso mango pulp, jaggery sugar, spiced teas — there’s so much to discover!
Samudra, 75-18 37th Ave, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
A friend brought me here for the first time last year and I’ve been back several times for their perfect South Indian dosa. They’re the best I’ve had in the city!
Seba Seba, 79-28 37th Ave, Queens, NY 11372
In Jackson Heights, you’ll also find lots of Colombian food, including pandebono, which is one of my all-time favorite snacks. It’s a cheesy bread made with yucca that’s totally gluten-free and has a very specific, mochi-like texture. You can find them in any Colombian bakery, and I’ve never had a bad one in Queens. The Seba Seba location on 37th Ave is no-frills and has a counter you can sit at to enjoy a quick coffee and pandebono.
Corona Plaza street vendors, by the 103rd St - Corona Plaza 7 train station
One of the most unique food experiences in this area of Queens can be found right when you get off the 7 in Corona. There’s a large community of street vendors who set up and sell foods from all over South and Central America. Read a recent article about how the plaza has brought the neighborhood together here.
Benefaremo, 52-02 108th St, Queens, NY 11368
Mentioned on the very first page of Roses is The Lemon Ice King of Corona, which is an old Italian ice shop run by the Benefaremo family. There are over 40 flavors to choose from, all of which are made in-house.
Empanadas Café, 5627 Van Doren St, Queens, NY 11368
There’s a line outside this empanada shop in Corona every day around lunchtime, and for good reason! It’s owned by sisters, and has an extensive menu of options. My favorite is the jalapeno and cheese corn empanada.
I hope you’ll feel inspired to plan your own day out in Jackson Heights/Corona and make some new discoveries on you journey. I’ll be back in your inbox later this week with an announcement for our next book!
Yours in fiction,
Caroline