Taverna Kyclades, Queens

June 3, 2016

Like many other New York neighborhoods, Astoria in Queens is a multi-ethnic melting pot where old-school Italian delis share the sidewalks with Middle Eastern shawarma stands and hip cafes selling kale sandwiches and smoothies. What makes Astoria special though is the concentration of Greek tavernas unseen anywhere else, a culinary core that sits like a welcoming Greek archipelago in the middle of the city’s international food scene.

Stepping off the N train, you could almost walk into just about any restaurant and expect to find a nice display of flaky phyllo pastries or a sizzling grill with octopus curling up so perfectly. While there are more Greek establishments than you can shake a stick at, there’s truly one king reigning over the isles over there and it’s Taverna Kyclades.

The lively seafood staple has been drawing crowds to the neighborhood and is as famous for his fish as for his long waits for a table. I was lucky enough to be accompanied by a local friend and regular customer which got us to skip the line altogether and be seated immediately (the clubby community is part of the charm…J). Peak nights will have you easily wait for an hour or two so come prepared and enjoy the bustling spectacle of the rushing servers passing by with plates filled with some of the best grilled seafood you’ll eat this far of the Cyclades.

The menu is your straightforward Greek specialties and a few traditional items have gained cult status for their exquisite preparations. Don’t even dare coming here without getting the standout grilled octopus, as tender as a filet mignon, and the lemon potatoes to accompany your main. The spuds are cooked until super soft then doused in lots of lemons, the acidity brightening up the humble starch to new heights. The simplest dishes are the best so we ordered a whole grilled sea bass, lightly drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs, so sweet and moist it barely needed anything at all.

All meals end with a complimentary dessert which I imagine changes regularly though we loved our Greek yogurt topped with sour cherry preserves. There’s no lingering here as people are waiting (and Ditmars Boulevard is definitely not a match to Santorini’s seaside sunsets!) but the service and the food more than make up for any wait, trek, and noise you might have had to deal with. If you don’t feel like riding the N train all the way, note that they opened a second, identical restaurant in the East Village but the true vibe remains in Astoria…

Complimentary oregano bread, hot and crusty and doused in olive oil