Long Island City 2020 Restaurant Round-Up

Does LICtalk have a ‘cover curse?’ Last year we bemoaned the difficulty many local restaurants have getting open, honing in on the travails of Mothership Meat Company and using a picture of the nearly completed R40 Argentinian restaurant as our cover photo. Fast forward a year and the latter has yet to open for business and no one answers the phone…

Nevertheless 2020 looks to bring a bounty of new restaurants to Long Island City, but before we dig in here’s a select role call of those who passed in the last decade for you nostalgia buffs: Lounge 47, Mario’s Deli, OpenDoor, The Riverview, Ihawan (yeah, LIC once had Filipino!), and The Crab House – v1., v2., a little latino and a head fake. Plus a special decadal award to the Most Resilient: The Shannon Pot, having existed at three different locations in the last ten six years. Then finally a look to the unborn of the new decade, most notably the future tenants of Dorian’s and that hole in the ground across the street from it?!? Oh to have 2020 vision.

RECENTLY OPENED

Chairman Sun – new Chinese #1 for you

Four Winters Ice Cream – ice cream, it’s not just for dessert any more. Or summer for that matter

Hupo – new Chinese #2 for you

Little Chef, Little Cafe – little space w/ the heart of gold

Mina’s at MoMA PS1 – recently opened, replaces M Wells Dinette

Pop’s Deli – replaced Sandwich King in the Fall

Rincon Melania – sure it’s been open since last January and may or may not be in LIC, but we didn’t know. Plus the NYT gave it the thumbs up only two months ago

Starbucks – all hail it’s arrival, even if a little out of the way

WeBagel – brings to life the former BreadBox location on 11th Street after being dormant for several years; the name might need a revision in light of recent events?

COMING SOON

American Brass – think ‘The Smith’ comes to LIC via the operator of Maiella. Lots of construction on site the past month, over/under St. Patty’s Day

Beanstalk Cafe – soon to open on 47th Ave

Daily Spoon – Modern Asian pop-up coming to Court Square from the owners of Destination Dumplings according to The Court Square Blog

Dan Kluger Helmed Restaurant – Jean-Georges alum in the JACX complex in Queens Plaza Spring 2020…

JACX Food Court – definitely Spring 2020 according to landlord rep, leases are out to tenants

Murray’s Cheese – another month or three until the good people of Queens Plaza can gorge on cheese and a whole lot more

R40 – at 5,000 kilometer’s from top to bottom in Argentina R40 is a long road, just like opening a restaurant on Vernon Boulevard

Tacombi – the ninth location of this taco purveyor, expected to open in Court Square early this year

Yin Traditional Hotpot – opening in the next week or two

Yumpling – all ready to go just waiting for the gas to be turned on, followed by week or two of training. So let’s say February, G-d and Con-Ed willing

COMING NOT SO SOON

Citi Tower Food Court – I’m going to call it ‘Citi Tower’ no matter who owns/rents it. There will definitely be a substantial food court here, the only question is will it be in one year, two…

Hana Noodle Station – new Chinese #3 for you, but you will have to wait

Mighty Quinns BBQ – fall 2019 a little too ambitious, 2020?

Pig Beach – originally expected this past Fall, there’s been no word from this bbq spot in Gowanus’ opening its 2nd location in former Studio Square space on Astoria border

Seafood/Extra Fancy/Mark Rancourt – arrival tbd but here’s the 411 on this joint