What makes a neighborhood the best? What is best for you may not be ideal for someone else. We all try to gravitate to people that live our lifestyle. Single adults will rent where there are other singles. Young people raising a family will look for neighbors that are also raising a family. But there are some factors that are necessary for everyone to consider.

In looking for the best neighborhoods in Queens, we looked at the crime rate, the schools in the area, how clean and well-kept the properties are, if there are outdoor activities and parks, and if there was shopping, restaurants, and medical care nearby. From this, we came up with a list that we are happy with. You may be looking for something different, but this is a good starting point.

Astoria

This neighborhood is popular for young professionals. The neighborhood is only a few minutes from the city. The rent is lower here and they have a thriving nightlife. There are plenty of places to eat, shop, and play. The parks are filled with runners and sports lovers on the weekends and also, there are two beer gardens.

Jamaica Estates

This is the neighborhood to turn to if you have a family. The homes are larger and they have more open space. The neighborhood is quiet and safe. Residents are more affluent here, but access to the better private schools in the area makes it worth it. There is also easy access to the midtown area.

Forest Hills

The homes in Forest Hills are family-friendly. The neighborhood has a low crime rate and the homes are well cared for. There is plenty to do. The parks are amazing and there is golf, horseback riding, and plenty of walking and running trails. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Forest Hills is $2000.00 per month or less.

Sunnyside

If you need to be closer to Manhattan, you will like Sunnyside. It overlooks the East River and the rent is affordable. The middle-class feel lets you know this area is safe and neighbors watch out for each other. There are plenty of places to go for shopping and dining.

Long Island City

This area is a well blended and diverse area with something for everyone. There are plenty of boutiques, art galleries, museums, and shops. There are fancy restaurants and clubs for the weekend. You can be in the city in minutes via subway.

Bellerose

Suburbia, done New York style. This is for the upper-middle-class executive. The yards are big, and the homes run in the $400K range. There are homes to rent as well. This is for the established family. The schools are very good and the neighborhood is beautiful. This is more the “invite the neighbors for a drink” than the “neighborhood barbeque” kind of place. You have friendly privacy. The neighborhood has everything you need for comfort and fun.

There are many other very nice neighborhoods in Queens. Queens, NY has a large population and often areas will change as families change and grow. Overall, the crime rate is lower than the city and there are shops, museums, and outdoor activities. Queens has adopted the good things brought by city living while maintaining the quiet life of the suburbs.

You have to be really brave to open a pizzeria in Queens, New York. Why? Because if there is one thing New Yorkers are serious about, it is their pizza. New York was the landing place for many citizens of Italy and Sicily. These people make pizza like it was intended to be made. The crust is made by hand and is the perfect combination of crispy and doughy. The sauce must be perfectly blended. Mozzarella cheese has to be thick enough to give you the kick of flavor, but not so much as to overpower the pie. Toppings are optional, but if you add one, it must be fresh.

So, we did our best to narrow the list of best pizzerias down for you. Hey, it was tough, but somebody had to do it.

Note: These restaurants are in and around Queens, NY.

Louie’s Pizza

If we were forced to choose just one pizzeria, we would have to go with Louie’s. The pizza is hot and fresh. The toppings are of the highest quality. You can tell these are not frozen or prepackaged toppings. Someone cut them up fresh. The service is good and the prices are always fair.

Long story short, Louie’s Pizza is authentic, New York style pizza.

Margherita’s Pizzeria

This restaurant has been in Queens since 1966, and it is still a local favorite. The old-fashion style of standing at the counter and eating provides retrospective fun. You can order by the slice or buy a whole pie. Everything is fresh and servedquick. The service is always good.

Rosa’s Pizza

This is Sicilian pizza at its best. The crusts are thicker and the cheese is always perfectly melted. The pizza kind of has some kick to it. The price is about the same or a bit more than other places in the area. But, if you want authentic Sicilian pizza, you know it is worth it.

Amore Pizza

This pizzeria is not on the high traffic routes of Flushing. It is tucked away in a quiet shopping area and it is a delightful break from the busy city life. The pizza is delicious and we found the restaurant is calm and casual. It is a perfect way to recover from a tough day at the office.

Gino’s Pizzeria

Let’s face it. If you are going to open a pizzeria in the Queens area and name it Gino’s, it better be some good pizza. Gino’s never lets us down. The pizza is straight up perfect. The sauce is tangy and the cheese is just covering the sauce like any self-respecting Italian chef would make. Gino’s is a busy place, so go early.

Rizzo’s Fine Pizza

Rizzo’s has great pizza, but it is the other Italian dishes on the menu that make you say, “wow!” From the garlic knots to the cannolis, everything is delicious. The best part is the price!

This is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. There are so many more pizzerias in the area that probably should be on this list. You will just have to try them for yourself to see which is best.

You can tell a lot about a town by the restaurants that are built there. Mineola has a diverse population. Mineola has its share of upper-scale restaurants for those who expect the finest in life. There are plenty of homestyle restaurants for the blue-collar crowds and there is always a place for people to just hang out and have a drink and watch the game. No matter what your mood, Mineola, NY has a place to take care of you.

You will enjoy the laid back and casual feel of this Long Island Village. While the village seems to move at a slower pace than its neighboring city, there is no shortage of great food from the local restaurants.

Piccola Bussola

This family-style Italian restaurant is famous for its authentic dishes in a casual and relaxing atmosphere. The substantial menu has all of your favorites and you will be treated like family by our staff.

Davenport Press

Davenport Press is an upscale restaurant which is featured for fresh seafood and perfectly prepared steak. They feature many favorites on their menu to satisfy anyone. They are in a charming building built in 1862, and it is always inviting and pleasant. While you are there, you must sample some of their select wines from across the globe.

Churrasqueira Bairrada Restaurant

Are you ready for adventure? Try Churrasqueira Bairrada Restaurant for authentic Portuguese food. Their exotic menu is cooked over a wood-charcoal stove. If you love Portuguese foods prepared from select ingredients you will feel right at home here. Experience the all-you-can-eat buffet with ribs, turkey, chicken, sirloin, and other favorites.

Biscuits & Barbeque Cajun Restaurant

Nothing fancy, just good food and lots of it. Biscuits & Barbeque Cajun Restaurant is set in a converted trailer. They serve barbeque and Cajun style comfort foods. The food is spicy and hot, and the servings are plentiful.

Jonathan’s

This modern and spacious restaurant is the place to go for a wonderfully prepared American meal. They offer a selection of more than 30 cocktails and an extensive wine list. The dining area is beautiful and has recently been remodeled. For a wonderful evening with your spouse or a fabulous place to have a business dinner, you will love Jonathan’s.

Jonathan’s can seat parties from 25 to 100. Reservations are required for large groups and catering is also available.

Cornerstone

Since 1989, the owners of Cornerstone have been serving up the best foods on game night. Watch your favorite teams on one of their 10 television sets while you have an ice cold beer, chicken wings (consistent winner of the best wings in town), or any other traditional bar and grill items. This is where the gang stops after work or where the team gathers on the weekend. So come in, kick back, and relax.

There are many other places in Mineola to dine. This village has a diverse population and that shows in the flavors of the restaurants. Don’t take our word for it, try it for yourself.

It is almost impossible to list which of the restaurants in the Queens area, is the “best.” When you are trying to choose which are the best Italian restaurants versus which are the best American restaurants, how do you compare?

We have selected our favorite restaurants in Queens, New York. We based it on the authenticity of the food, the taste, the atmosphere, and the price. We hope you will enjoy trying to determine which restaurant is “best” for you and that you have quite the delicious journey.

Trattoria L’incontro

This is an upscale Italian restaurant and the food is supreme. Everything on the menu is fresh and perfectly prepared. The restaurant is beautiful and comfortable, and they provide excellent service. They serve all traditional Italian favorites and have wonderful desserts. They have been in business since 1999 and have the facilities to handle large and corporate events. Reservations are accepted.

Salt & Bone Smokehouse

This is a casual place that features barbeque. It is popular for family events. The restaurant is comfortable with lots of windows with wood accents. They serve traditional pulled pork, brisket, ribs and other barbecue favorites. This is a great place for group dinners.

Sugar Freak

This restaurant has the look and feel of dining in New Orleans. They serve authentic Cajun dishes that will blow your mind. They also feature breakfasts favorites like waffles and chicken and biscuits and gravy. This is like taking a trip down south.

Summer Vietnamese

We cannot give them many points for decor. This place is white. That is pretty much it. Everything is white. But, you really will not care if you love traditional Vietnamese food. They have pickled vegetables that they pickled in-house. They serve noodles and teas. If you want good Vietnamese food, this is a top choice. It is clean and the food is reasonably priced.

Desired Taste International

This Chinese restaurant is unique and wonderfully unusual. They specialize in Kao Yang Tui, which translates to Lamb Skewer. The owners are from Northeastern China and the restaurant is already on all of the hot spot lists. The skewers are the largest we have ever seen, as one can easily feed 4 people. Each of you will receive a fork and a knife, which are as long as your forearm. Unusual, authentic, and delicious all in one.

Kathmandu

Another wonderfully original restaurant with authentic Nepalese food. They have a lot of options on their menu. We recommend the pork dumplings and the Chicken Choila.

M. Wells Steakhouse

M. Wells Steakhouse serves steak and burgers. This is not even close to a traditional steakhouse, beef burger, restaurant. They have very odd combinations that are unique and delicious. For example, they offer a 24-ounce burger which is dressed with caviar and foie. This is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before, but you certainly will want to try it again.

Queens has restaurants for Greek, American, Mexican, Japanese and other cuisines. There is virtually a restaurant for any palate in this borough. Finding the best one will take some research (and eating) and still, it probably will end in a coin toss, because they are all really good.

If you love to go out for breakfast, you have some great places to choose from in Mineola, NY. This list takes into consideration how good the food tastes, the comfort and cleanliness of the restaurant, the costs, and the service. There are fine dining restaurants on Long Island, but we were not looking for those. They may or may not be on our list, but it depends on the food. Enjoy!

Thomas’s Ham & Eggery

This is a little place on an old country road and they make the top of our list! The food is excellent and there is a lot of it. The prices are very reasonable. You may not notice the place unless you are looking. But ask anyone, they are sure to know where it is.

La Bottega

Authentic Italian restaurant with breakfast, brunch, salads, and sandwiches. It is a very nice restaurant and the service is wonderful. This is a place to go for a nice meal, not a quick bite. You will want to relax and take your time.

Second Street Deli & Cafe

They serve breakfast and brunch. They are best known for their deli sandwiches, but there is a pretty good selection. They get extra points for being super friendly and polite. Nice to see old fashion customer service.

Garden City Bistro

Get there early or be prepared to wait. Garden City Bistro has the best wraps in the city. Good food, good serving sizes. There usually is a line, because they are so popular and because the food is that good.

My Three Son’s Bagel Cafe

Very good for something a bit different. The bagel with meats is a favorite and it comes with a salad. We don’t know how they serve that much food for the price, but we are not complaining. Give it a try.

Sarabeth’s

This is traditional American food at its best. They have a good selection and I think our group tried almost all of it. Good for breakfast and lunch but come back for a drink later.

Stella’s Cafe

Traditional American breakfast and brunch. The comfort level is off the charts with their big booths. The food was hot and served quickly. Yes, you will go back.

Park City Breakfast

Good breakfast selection and good lunch selection. They also have fantastic burgers. For a mid-morning group, this is the place to go. Everybody is happy. Prices are not great, but not bad either. Perfect for the folks who all want something different.

Chris’s Deli

American food, good breakfast, and very good sandwiches. The best part of the experience was the service. The staff treats you like family. They are always good to see you.

Mineola is not that big of a city, so it is amazing that there are so many great places to eat there. Mineola is a short train ride from New York, so maybe that’s where everyone comes from. All we know is that the restaurants are always hopping and the griddles are always cooking.

Every major city in the United States has colleges and universities. However, when you live near a large city like New York, the major university may not be the best choice for you. There are ample schools, colleges, and universities in the area near Queens, New York. They may be a better option to give you the education you need.

Often people thrive in a smaller setting with a smaller class to teacher ratio. Sometimes transportation is an issue and the costs could be out of their reach. Below we will provide you with a list of very good colleges and universities near the Queens, New York area. Perhaps this will help you decide, which program best suits your needs.

City University of New York (CUNY)

City University of New York is the largest urban university in the United States. By combining with 24 colleges spaced across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, this public university makes it possible for any resident to continue their education.

With their diverse programs, you can learn a trade in a technical school or go on to earn your PhD. This university has more than 500,000 students.

St. John’s University

This private, Roman Catholic university was founded in 1870.  St. John’s offers more than 100-degree programs including bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. It is arranged into 6-graduate schools and 5-undergraduate schools. In 2016 there were over 20,000 students enrolled.

Queens College

This 4-year college is part of the City University of New York system. There are students enrolled in this college from more than 170 different countries. The college sits on a site that measures 80-acres. The school has great reviews and is names as the number 2 college in the United States for giving the students the most value for their money.

LaGuardia Community College

This is a two-year college which offers associates degrees in arts the sciences. There is a wide range of technical degree programs available through LaGuardia as well. They are reasonably priced and offer financial aid.

Long Island University

Long Island University is a private college in New York. It has a co-ed student body. Long Island University offers more than 500 academic programs.  This university was founded in 1926 and now has two campuses in New York and offers non-residential programs in several other locations. There are courses/classes available online.

There are dozens of colleges and universities within reasonable travel distances from the borough of Queens. There are technical schools and business schools as well. Long Island Business Institute rates very high in the college field as well St. Paul’s School of Nursing,

Most of these schools have financial aid available to help students get the education they need to succeed. There are programs to allow students to take classes online to help them graduate sooner or to earn their degree while they work.

Anyone who feels they cannot pursue their degree should at least contact the school of their choice to inquire. You may be surprised at what is available to you.