It is no news that Astoria is the home for different cuisines, especially quality Greek meals and enticing restaurants. You get to enjoy the beauty and taste of the famous Greek cuisine without visiting Greece – Astoria used to be a home for immigrants from Greece in the 70’s, which made it the Little Athens of New York City.
If you’re visiting NYC or you live here, and you need a plate or two of tasty Greek food, Astoria is unarguably the best place to be. However, knowing the right restaurants to visit for an unforgettable Greek cuisine experience is important because there are quite a number of them, and it could get really difficult to find the perfect one.
Best Greek Restaurants in Astoria
After trying out a couple of restaurants in Astoria in search of the best Greek cuisine, we found twenty restaurants worthy enough to be tried out without having to waste your time, energy, or money. Here are our favorite Greek restaurants in Astoria;
1. Taverna Kyclades
Taverna Kyclades is one of the most famous Greek restaurants in Astoria, and we’re not the only one who thinks so. A long line at the counter is just enough reason to convince you that you’re not the only one trying to have a nice Greek meal here. Their grilled fish seasoned with lemon flavor, oregano and, olive oil is worth all your time and money. A plate of Greek salad is also worth a try, for the full-on Greek experience.
2. Gregory’s 26 Corner Taverna
For a taste of traditional Greek meal, Gregory’s Corner Taverna is where you should be. They have a total of 20 seats and tables indoor and about 15 outdoor seating if you choose to enjoy the weather while downing on their delicious complimentary Greek dessert. Try out their saganaki, cheese-stuffed peppers, scordalia, fried whiting, and their tasty wine to satisfy your Greek food cravings.
3. Stamatis
Eating from one of the oldest and most authentic Greek restaurants is highly satisfactory. At Stamatis, you enjoy family-sized meals that are inexpensive and delicious. They’re open seven days a week, so you get to have Greek dishes on weekdays and weekends too. Their tender lamb meat, tomato-cucumber salad, charred octopus, Greek salad, wine and, beer menu are some of the few reasons why we love Stamatis.
4. Agnanti Meze
Located at the edge of Astoria Park is the famous Aegean style taverna in New York City. Their dishes are delicious and worth every penny spent. One of the reasons why we love Agnanti is the peace you feel, all thanks to its location. It is always a beauty to behold when the sun is setting. If you’re looking for a place to eat small portioned meals, this is the perfect spot.
Be sure to try out their grilled octopus, chicken souvlaki, and the warm spoon cake with semolina, orange syrup and, butter – they’ll keep you coming back for more.
5. Bahari Estiatorio
Firstly, we’d like to commend the hospitality and customer service of this taverna – top-notch, we must say. Dishes served here are twice as good as their customer service. They have an open kitchen by the left when you walk in, where all the magic meals are made. Eating at Bahari Estiatorio feels more like eating in a traditional Greek home than just another Taverna. Having their grilled squid or octopus is a must if you’re visiting here for the first time.
6. Ovelia
It is not a surprise that Ovelia is always filled up whenever you walk by, or you try to grab a nice Greek meal here. Famously known for its brunch menu with nice music and a tasty menu, Ovelia is the place to be. It has a bar, where you’d love to hang out with friends, and an appealing outdoor seating to enjoy the weather.
Menus are switched up just to suit the time of the day. For breakfast, they serve bacon, eggs, baklava pancakes, and for dinner, you can have a traditional Greek salad. At Ovelia, they also serve one of the best octopus and lamb in NYC.
7. Telly’s Taverna
Walking into the Telly’s Taverna takes you out of New York City for a moment and brings you to Greece right away. The smell of a deliciously made saganaki will knock you off of your feet in no time. You also get to taste one of the most delicious seafood in Astoria at Telly’s. You’d surely love the interiors – it is appealing, and having your meal here is soothing, with a backyard garden and comfortable indoor seating.
8. Akrotiri Seafood
Enjoying seafood and a deliciously prepared Greek meal is possible at Akrotiri taverna. It has a nice and relaxing atmosphere, where you can chill with friends while enjoying a traditionally prepared whole fish at the restaurant’s banquette. Eating here is inexpensive, and their orange cake is a must-try. It is a nice place to have a little celebration while enjoying the best plates of seafood in Astoria.
9. Loukoumi Taverna
If there’s one thing we love about Loukoumi Taverna, it is their consistency in making tasty Greek dishes for almost three decades non-stop. Their hospitality and customer care are also impressive – you’d be friends with their staff in no time. With a mouth-watering menu and the grilled octopus being one of our favorites, you’d have no regrets eating at this restaurant.
10. MP Taverna
MP Taverna is everything a customer in the twenty-first century would want a Greek restaurant to be. It is quite easy to tell that Chef Michael Psilakis made sure this Taverna was fancy enough to be a beautiful spot for lovers, with plush leather seats and windows that touch the floor and ceiling. We recommend Grandma’s Greek Meatballs, and Chicken soaked in a lemon sauce, so you get to keep your guts excited.
11. Zenon Taverna
At Zenon Taverna, there’s always an authentic Greek and Cypriot meal for you to feast on. They have one of the best mezes outside of Cyprus with daily specials every week. With a broad menu and various dishes to try, like the Cypriot meatballs, moussaka, or grape leaves, you’d always have a reason to come back for more. You also get to enjoy seafood here and a party room to accommodate your special events.
12. E Taverna
With a full menu of Greek classics, E Taverna remains one of our favorite Greek restaurants in Astoria. Having a taste of their grilled octopus and Greek salad is totally worth your visit to this Taverna. Eating at this restaurant takes you to Greece and you’d almost be convinced that you’re no longer in Astoria until you have to exit this Taverna.
13. Amylos Taverna
I must say, for a Taverna this new to the Greek dining world is quite impressive and has a lot to offer. They have staff who are always ready to work and satisfy their customers. It gives you the taste of modern Greece cuisine that is both tasty and mind-blowing. The meal prices here are not exactly pocket friendly, but they’re worth every penny spent. Enjoy a plate of delicious moussaka and grilled lamb chops anytime you want to at Amylos Taverna.
14. Christos Steak House
With a mixture of American and Greek cuisine, Christos Steak House is always ready to satisfy or your meal cravings. The idea of a Greek restaurant cooking steak seems strange at first, but a visit to this restaurant will pretty much change your mind. Treat yourself to some deliciously cooked steak, Greek salad, saganaki, and a lot more.
15. Elias Corner
What could go wrong when you have seafood cooked Greek style at Elias Corner? Nothing. At Elias Corner, you get to eat fresh seafood daily – all sea animals are caught every morning. Indeed, you don’t get to see a menu, but everything you need is at the counter, all you have to do is place your order.
16. Loi Estiatorio
If you’re looking for a nice spot to eat with friends, Loi Estiatorio is one of the best places you could go to. They have a pretty good menu with properly cooked meals. Although meals here a bit pricy, they are authentic and you won’t have any regrets.
17. Omonia
Looking for a Greek restaurant with mouth-watering desserts? Omonia is just the right place for you. You get to enjoy an aesthetically pleasing seating area and a bar area to quench your thirst. To treat your guts to some deliciously made Greek snacks, there’s nowhere you’d rather be than Omonia.
18. Oli Vine
For one of the best seafood recipes in NYC, Oli Vine never ceases to impress. Their adoption of Modern Mediterranean cuisine is impeccable. Oli Vine has one of the best appetizer menus in America and a try would keep you coming back for more.
19. Franky’s Souvlaki
Being the best and cleanest food truck in Astoria, it is totally safe to buy your souvlaki from Franky’s. You’d always find his truck on the corner of 31st Avenue and Steinway Street. It is affordable and absolutely delicious. The meat is grilled perfectly and arranged neatly on a stick to better your eating experience.
20. Nerai
Great lamb chops, excellent customer service and, a pleasant atmosphere, what more could you ask for? Nerai’s unique way of fitting in the Greek cuisine in a contemporary way is impressive, quite shocking too. Wash down a deliciously made black truffle pasta with a glass of wine or a bottle of beer – all sold at their full bar.
Conclusion
To enjoy the beauty of the famous Greek cuisine, you don’t have to go to Greece, Astoria has one of the best spots where you can enjoy Greek meals anytime you want.
You don’t need to worry about authenticity or poor customer service – you’d be enjoying the best of Greek cuisine whenever you visit the above-reviewed restaurants. Making a stop at one of these restaurants should be added to your bucket list too – whether you live in Astoria or not.
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