
Food, glorious food
What is there more handsome
Gulped, swallowed, or chewed
Still worth a king’s ransom
GIVEN the latest surge and enduring nature of the pandemic, let’s start 2022 off with a bang by publishing our highly anticipated annual LIC Restaurant Round-Up™1. I hear that Pete Wells prints it out each year on high quality paper and sheaths it in a 14k gold binder, Michelin refers to me as ‘L’Edituer’ in hushed tones, while the folks at Eater hand it out to all the newbies with the declaration “May this be your inspiration, and may you someday be half as good.” I hear.
Yet it’s for the simple folk back home, which is you, that I delve deep into the archives and labor until the wee hours every January in order to compile this compendium. Thus, most will agree that it is the definitive source when searching for a new local restaurant. Most.
In light of this, next year I will probably publish this directory in paperback between maroon covers with quippy summaries and extensive non-AI generated cross-reference lists that take up half the guide and charge $14.95. For now though…
RECENTLY OPENED
Black Star Bakery LIC #2 – expended menu. prominent location
DK PubLIC – cafe that replaced Dutch Kills Centraal, will eventually be a full bar/restaurant
Kyuramen – ramen in Court Square, or is it Queensboro Plaza?
Mango Mango Desserts – mini-chain offering Asian desserts on Vernon Blvd
Noodle Craft – nude dolls and more in Hunters Point
Penny Bridge – Dan Kluger’s re-imagined diner classics in a classier setting in the JACX building
Pig Beach – pigs on a beach = bbq
Tacombi Taqueria – in Court Square
Temakase Hand Rolls – each one is a jewel, in the JACX building
The Baroness – burgers, beer, & more on Vernon
Top Quality – mexican fare, brunch, cocktails, what more is there to say?
Tikka Masala – Indian food came to Hunters Point in 2021
COMING SOON
Lupo Rosso Pizzeria – on the corner of 11th St. & 43rd Ave
MogMog – premium fish & Japanese market on 51st Ave, should open any day now
Sami’s Kabab House – I hope it’s coming soon
Santa Chiara Cafe – cornets & gelato on Center Blvd
Serafina To Go – gnocchi w/o the air kisses
Sophra 2 – Turkish on Vernon
Sweetgreen – salad, salad, salad
COMING NOT SO SOON
Citi Building Food Court – maybe 2023?
Dun Huang – northern Chinese food in Court Square
Gamehaus Sporting Club – sporting club? haus = food in German
Meju – Korean market & restaurant in Hunters Point, should open in the Spring
Mito – asian fusion on Jackson Ave
R.I.P.
Corazon de Mexico
Dorian’s
Mu Ramen
Something Sweet
The Creek & The Cave
Vincenzo Cerbone – but Manducati’s is still open for business!
- trademark pending, once I scrounge up the fifty bucks to register it [↩]
Only mu ramen will be missed
Sophra 2 opened this week!
And it’s good, if a bit pricey!
BIAO Sugar in JACX&CO deserves a mention!
FYI, Kyuramen hasn’t opened yet. I went by on Saturday but it still says Coming Soon (permits on door, and paper on glass).