Stroll down almost any east-west avenue in the community and you’ll find a thriving family owned restaurant from every country imaginable. The area is absolutely brimming with ethnic restaurants whose incomparable flavors and reasonable prices put Manhattan to shame.

In Astoria, national food chains have been almost completely pushed out by local ones, and despite the presence of a giant Costco chain store nearby, most locals still get their kitchen basics at the small, local grocers and butchers along these avenues.

In addition to its incredible food scene, Astoria is endowed with ample parkland; Astoria Park houses New York’s largest public swimming pool and boasts views of the Hell Gate Bridge and New York Connecting Railroad, and Socrates Sculpture Park is an internationally renowned outdoor museum that hosts annual parades, festivals, and other public gatherings, as well as hosting free arts education programs. Other notable attractions include St. Demetrius Cathedral, Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, the Lent Homestead, and 300-year-old Riker Burial Ground.

Astoria is:

Families Great food LGBT-popular On the rise