Returning October 13 for its 14th year, the Taste of Sunnyside is a massive open-air restaurant crawl of 60-plus eateries that highlights the wonderful diversity of Sunnyside. Here’s why you should get to know this Queens neighborhood, and why participating in Taste of Sunnyside is the best way to do it.
This post is sponsored by Sunnyside Shines.
As a food and travel writer, I am frequently designing food crawls for myself and my family when I travel. As a food tour operator in Jackson Heights, it’s my goal to curate a few hours of exceptional eating from five to seven restaurants and street vendors that really reflect the neighborhood. Visiting a handful of eateries in one day undeniably lets you get to know a place better, faster—it’s a crash course in a community, and almost always inspires return visits. And the Taste of Sunnyside restaurant crawl, during which 60-plus restaurants will open their doors for tastes for one day only, is the biggest crash course of them all.
Nepali food from Bajeko Sekuwa during Taste of Sunnyside 2023
From 1pm-7pm on October 13, more than 60 restaurants and breweries will set up on sidewalk tables right in front of their storefronts to offer tastes to the community. Visitors buy one all-inclusive pass (for the remarkably reasonable price of $55.09) and gain access to all the food, wine, and beer on offer, plus bus transport to help them get around. Showcasing the diversity of Sunnyside, participating eateries span a wide range of cuisines: Indian, Mexican, Italian, Filipino, Algerian, Salvadoran, Colombian, Romanian, Japanese, Nepali, Bolivian, Peruvian, American, and more. “We are so excited to host this annual Taste of Sunnyside,” says Dirk McCall de Palomá, executive director at Sunnyside Shines. “We love to highlight our amazing restaurants and help them connect to new customers, while deepening awareness of their specials with regular customers.”
Sotto Le Stelle at Taste of Sunnyside 2023
With 60-plus eateries, it’s almost impossible to visit every stand. You will get full—if you are thinking it is all small samples of food being put out, you are mistaken! But part of the fun is hitting up as many places as you can, being surprised at what each restaurant has to offer that day. With your Taste of Sunnyside card in hand, approaching each table is kind of like trick-or-treating for adults (though children are welcome too, of course: kids under 5 are free; kids 5-11 are half-price).
For anyone who knows and loves the restaurants of Sunnyside, getting tickets to Taste of Sunnyside each year is a no-brainer. There’s a reason this event is going on its 14th year this year—it’s a good one. But if you’re on the fence, not ready to commit, I also hear you! I am late to the Taste of Sunnyside game myself, having only attended in recent years. But now I’m a fan for life. And along the way I’ve become a big fan of many of Sunnyside’s restaurants.
Brookside Market during Taste of Sunnyside 2023
To that end, let’s look at some of our favorite restaurants in Sunnyside that are participating in this year’s Taste of Sunnyside on October 13. Please know that this list is nowhere near exhaustive, in terms of restaurants we like or those that are participating (see the full list here). It’s no easy feat to narrow down from 60-plus spots, and the good news is if you attend this event you won’t have to. Be sure to grab your tickets here before it sells out (it always does!).
Some Favorite Restaurants in Sunnyside
The following restaurants are some of our go-to spots in Sunnyside, organized loosely by location (grab the map here). For the Taste of Sunnyside crawl, it’s easy to hit up a bunch of these in a row, as many restaurants are grouped together. There will be lots of good stuff in between them too!
North Side of Queens Boulevard, near 46th St./Bliss St.
Cardamom Indian Restaurant
Cardamom: Owner Anil Amin says he always looks forward to Taste of Sunnyside, and stopping by Cardamom’s table last year, you could tell they were enjoying themselves being out in the community (see image at top of post). This Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant is well-known for its Indo-Portuguese specialties, like xacuti, that aren’t widely found in NYC, but attention to detail is noted throughout the menu. Take, for example, the brilliant little edible “dishes” placed under the dahi puri to prevent them from rolling around! Cardamom’s central location and great Indian food make this restaurant a must at Taste of Sunnyside. 43-45 43rd St, map
Newa Chhe in Sunnyside
Newa Chhe: Right around the corner from Cardamom is this Nepali newcomer, which specializes in Newari dishes. (For the uninitiated, Newars are an ethnic group primarily from the Kathmandu Valley.) Some of the menu will be familiar to diners who have eaten Nepali food before; other dishes may not be. “We want to go the authentic way,” Radip Shrestha, one of the four owners, told me. “We want to show what Nepal is.” Be sure to stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood this year! 43-01 Queens Blvd., map
Sotto Le Stelle
Sotto Le Stelle: This neighborhood stalwart, open since 2017, specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza, but has plenty more to offer as well. It’s the sister restaurant to two other great Italian spots likewise participating in Taste of Sunnyside (SoleLuna and Arcobaleno Gelateria NYC, the latter located right next door). Pictured is one of its signature wood-fired pies, the star pizza. Each of those star points conceals a gorgeous dollop of ricotta; in the middle lies a pile of prosciutto di Parma, arugula, shaved Parmigiano, and balsamic reduction. It’s absolutely delicious, but the chewy, charred dough is the real star, and you’ll find that on all of their pizzas. Don’t miss it! 4407 Queens Blvd., map
Kaprichos in Sunnyside
Kaprichos: A block north of this cluster of restaurants is Kaprichos, specializing in what it calls “Colombian cravings.” The Colombian-style hot dogs and potato chip-topped burgers are popular here, but I can never resist a cheesy arepa, and they’re very good at Kaprichos: handmade, griddled till crisp, with fresh corn flavor. Pictured is the pulled pork arepa, stuffed along with cheese and creamy rosada sauce for sandwich-like handling; it paired well with a tart jugo de mora (blended blackberry juice). 47-57 41st St., map
South Side of Queens Boulevard, near 46th St./Bliss St.
Tito Rad’s during Taste of Sunnyside 2023
Tito Rad’s: This 2006-opened Filipino landmark, owned by Susan Albenio and chef Mario Albenio, is a longtime participant in Taste of Sunnyside, and an absolutely essential neighborhood restaurant. The Filipino classics run deep here, from the delicious lumpia Shanghai, traditional fried pork-shrimp egg rolls that are honestly hard to stop eating; the great pork adobo and coconutty jackfruit ginataang; the garlic fried rice and crispy pata (fried pork knuckle); the breakfast silogs and the bikoy, a popular appetizer that’s a mass of deep-fried bean sprouts and shrimp. October 13’s event will be a great chance to sample from the vast menu. 49-10 Queens Blvd., map
Kora Bakery: The Insta-famous Filipino doughnuts that have been trending since Kora’s owners—Kimberly Camara and Kevin Borja—started selling them out of their apartment in 2020 are finally getting a new permanent home. For Taste of Sunnyside, Kora will be setting up in front of its new, not-yet-opened storefront on Greenpoint Avenue. Be sure to stop by to welcome them to the neighborhood, and see what the fuss is about, as Kora is participating in Taste of Sunnyside! Leche flan kalabasa (pumpkin flan) and fried ube brioche, anyone? 45-12 Greenpoint Ave., map
Avocado Sangwich at Curley’s Bagels
Curley’s Bagels: Since opening in early July, Curley’s Bagels has made a name for itself, thanks to its delicious, fresh-baked sourdough bagels and creative specialty sandwiches. The bagels come in flavors both traditional (sesame, everything, plain, etc.) and non (rosemary salt, za’atar), but it’s the sourdough that makes them stand out. “We have a unique fermentation with the dough,” explains Mark Curley, one of the three owners, when I interviewed him recently. “It’s a labor of love and a [several-day] process before we even get to the actual baking of the bagel.” For Taste of Sunnyside, Mark says they’ll likely put out a wide range of bagels and schmears for people to try. 4-304 47th Ave., map
Spicy Nepal in Sunnyside
Spicy Nepal: Participating for its second year, Spicy Nepal is owned by two brothers, Silvanus and Chef Rai, who are passionate about sharing and talking about Nepali cuisine. I really like the aloo jeera, potatoes with cumin (pictured), and the spicy tofu aloo chili here, as well as the thukpa, a comforting noodle soup with veggies (bok choy, carrot, broccoli, onions, ginger) in a light, chile-laced broth. Be sure to stop by for whatever Nepali snacks are put out for Taste of Sunnyside. 39-35 47th Ave., map
Italian sandwich at Empire Shop
Empire Shop: This sandwich and smoothie shop is a go-to neighborhood spot for a quick and casual meal. I don’t often get excited about sandwiches, but I loved Empire’s Italian: chicken cutlet, roasted peppers, burrata, pesto, and balsamic glaze on a warm-pressed hero. It’s an exceedingly well-built and balanced sandwich—not too overfilled, not too doughy. As owner Danny Astudillo once told me, he’s choosy about his bread, because “I want customers to taste what’s inside!”
The menu here comprises breakfast and lunch sandwiches and wraps, classics like chopped cheese and chicken Parm, a Cuban and a Puerto Rican sandwich (a riff on the tripleta), burgers, and more, plus açaí bowls, fresh juices, and smoothies. I tried a delicious coco loco smoothie, with pineapple, mango, banana, frozen coconut water, and coconut ice cream, that was nearly a meal in itself! 47-10 39th Place, map
South of 47th Avenue
Shah’s Halal Food (store), in Sunnyside
Shah’s Halal Food: This popular cart franchise has a year-old storefront in Sunnyside (by the same owner as the nearby cart on 46th Street), where you can find all the same delicious platters and sandwiches, plus some extra dishes, like burgers, fries, hot wings, chicken nuggets, cheesesteaks, and more. But our favorite remains the combo rice platter with chicken and lamb, accompanied by salad, black beans, peppers and onions, and the trio of sauces: fiery red, tangy green, creamy white. For Taste of Sunnyside, Shah’s will offer samples of a variety of its foods. 4202a Greenpoint Ave., map
Romanian dishes from Danubius
Danubius: There aren’t a ton of Romanian restaurants in NYC, but Sunnyside is lucky to have this woman-owned one, which Viorica Stanila opened just before the pandemic began. My family and I have feasted here on coltunasi (traditional dumplings filled with potato, meat, or cheese) and ciorba de pui (chicken soup shot through with parsley and dill); salata de vinete (eggplant spread); feta-rich Bulgarian salad; and traditional Romanian beans—all of which paired beautifully with a basket of sourdough bread. Meat lovers will enjoy the mititei, or housemade skinless sausages, a rich, garlicky mix of beef and pork. I loved the mamaliga, which is similar to polenta, as a side for that.
The platters are generous and the menu is vast, with many chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and fish dishes, plus other classic Romanian comfort foods like sarmale, stuffed cabbage rolls, and fasole cu ciolan, beans with slow-cooked smoked ham. Don’t miss stopping by Danubius for a legit taste of Romania! 47-57 41st St., map
Kasbah Cafe in Sunnyside
Kasbah Café: Walk a bit farther down Greenpoint Avenue to this Algerian gem and its inviting, turquoise-accented storefront. The daily specials are always going to be the right thing to order—this place is especially beloved for its weekend specials, like the Friday cousous—but don’t sleep on the spicy merguez sandwich, the homemade sweet treats (like almond baklava and makroud, a date-filled cookie drizzled with honey), or any of the daily soups, like the white bean pictured. Co-owner Amina Fekraoui says they’ll probably do a soup for Taste of Sunnyside. This is also a great place to try some Algerian sodas, like Selecto. 39-19 Greenpoint Ave., map
Maison de Gateaux
Maison de Gateaux: Detour onto 48th Avenue to reach this welcoming spot for the sweet tooths among us. Maison de Gateax was opened about two years ago by two brothers from Egypt. Its bakery counters are lined with all manner of cheesecake and mousse (I had my eye on the pistachio variety), Ferrero Rocher and chocolate fudge slices, Oreo layer and strawberry shortcake. Muffins, croissants, spinach pies, and baklava also vie for attention. Pictured is one of their specialties, the berry Napoleon, which deliciously layers banana cream and pastry with fresh blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Stop by Maison de Gateaux for something sweet during the Taste of Sunnyside! 47-53 43rd St, map
Bolivian Llama Party: Continuing on 48th Avenue, BLP always comes up on lists of Sunnyside favorites, and it’s no surprise—it’s such a dynamic, fun place, specializing in a cuisine we don’t see much of in NYC. The baked salteñas, stew-filled Bolivian pastries, are definitely a highlight, but the menu of sandwiches, soups, bowls, and juices is fantastic. There are wonderful vegan and vegetarian options here, like jackfruit BBQ (pictured) and quinoa kale salads. 44-14 48th Ave., map
De Mole (takeout pictured) in Sunnyside
De Mole: This popular family-run Mexican restaurant is rightfully beloved for its classic, deep-flavored chicken with mole Poblano. It’s also a dish that translates well to burrito form (I loved the burrito al pastor, too, and have heard praise for the carnitas burrito). The menu includes plenty of tacos, quesadillas, sincronizadas, fajitas, enchiladas, and more—there’s something for everyone, even a vegan version of that mole Poblano! Whatever owner Ramiro Mendez puts out for Taste of Sunnyside, it will be worth seeking out. 45-02 48th Ave., map
Masa Madre: This brand-spanking-new artisanal bakery—headed by chef Jose Luis Flores, who’s a co-owner and chef of De Mole’s Williamsburg location—specializes in a traditional and ancient bread-making method that involves pre-fermenting. Stop by for an early preview of its baked goods, which will include pan dulce, churros, croissants, sourdough bread, tamales, cakes, and more. 47-55 46th St., map
Ricas Pupusas y Más
Ricas Pupusas y Más: This casual Salvadoran eatery has been around a couple of years, and they’re best known, naturally, for its pupusas, griddled, savory-filled rice or corn cakes. (The más part of this restaurant’s name, by the way, includes tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tamales, and smoothies.) I love the menu here, because the pupusas are made to order with your choice of up to four fillings, and the mix-and-match options are near endless. There’s your classic revuelta, which pairs chicharrón with cheese and beans, but also loroco and chipilín—two traditional Salvadoran ingredients; the former a flower bud and the latter a leafy green—plus mushrooms, chorizo, jalapeños, squash, and more.
The rice pupusas have a chewier, crisper texture that’s lovely, while the corn ones impart that delicious warm corn flavor I associate with this dish. The pupusas go for $4.25 (with rice flour) or $3.99 (with cornmeal) apiece, but several options will be available during Taste of Sunnyside. 47-55 47th St., map
There’s a slew of other places we love that are participating, from Bajeko Sekuwa (Nepalese) and The Lowery Bar + Kitchen (American) to Mad for Chicken (Korean fried chicken), La Adelita de Woodside (Mexican), and Tangra (Indian-Chinese). See the full list here. Got your tickets yet? We will see you October 13!
The 46th St. arch in Sunnyside, Queens
