• Culture  • A Perfect Saturday in Astoria, Queens

A Perfect Saturday in Astoria, Queens

This vibrant neighborhood in New York’s most expansive borough demands a thorough investigation, but a single day’s adventure is a start. Here’s where to explore.

Arrive by ferry. The East River landing at Hallet’s Cove is within eyeshot of Socrates Sculpture Park. Founded by artist Mark di Suvero and operated by the NYC Parks Department, Socrates, a riverside public space, is free to enter and mounts seasonally changing exhibitions. On weekends, the park is packed with locals picnicking and art lovers wandering its five acres. (If you feel like getting back on the water, there’s free kayaking at the tiny beach and inlet next to Socrates every weekend, courtesy of the Long Island City Boat House).

The Noguchi Museum.

Stroll down Vernon Avenue to the Noguchi Museum. Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi repurposed this low-rise industrial building to be his studio and then later as a museum to display his own work. In addition to indoor exhibition space, the museum has a serene garden within its walls where Noguchi’s stone sculptures rest in ivy, on gravel and under shade trees. The museum’s shop, too, is definitely worth a stop, with a selective inventory of useful and decorative items by artists, including marvelous Noguchi-designed lamps.

For a delicious intro to Astoria’s famous Greek culture, get an Uber to Agnantia mezze cafe about which my friend Nick commented, “If it got any closer, you’d need sunscreen and a passport.” Not only is the food authentic, fresh, and really tasty, but the cafe is at the corner of Astoria Park so there’s always something to look at. Nick recommends splitting a bottle of white wine, a ntakos salad, some saganaki, and a swordfish steak.

 

Sesame Street may be in Midtown, but the show is filmed at Kaufman Astoria Studios, a historic complex dating to 1920.

 

Work off your lunch in hilly and lovely Astoria Park. Check out the WPA touches in the park architecture — you may recognize its huge public pool from Depression-era photos (it was designed to hold more than 5,500 swimmers!). The park is dominated by the massive RFK and Hell Gate bridges overhead that frame spectacular views of the tumultuous waters of Hell Gate, a stretch of the East River.

Head for 10 minutes along mostly residential 24th Avenue to find another Queens institution represented at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. Opened by the capital-B Bohemian Citizens’ Benevolent Society of Astoria, this place goes back to 1910 — a century before Singlecut Beersmiths fermented its first hazy in the neighborhood’s Steinway section, effectively kicking off the Queens craft beer revolution. Bohemian, however, remains an authentic beer garden — think tents, trees, schnitzel, and shared tables, though you can also score a Sam Adams and some nachos.

Still got time? Wander south, beneath the soaring arches of the Hell Gate rail bridge, towards the Broadway subway stop, where you’ll find yourself in the vicinity of Kaufman Astoria Studios. Dating to 1920, this historic studio complex, home to the city’s only backlot, plays host to the Museum of the Moving Image, with its celebrated Jim Henson exhibition and countless artifacts from filmmaking lore. Once you’ve spent enough time with Kermit and the Mrs. Doubtfire suit, head a block or two over to Mar’s, a favorite for libations and bivalves with big Old Hollywood vibes.

If you’re thinking of staying longer, know also that the neighborhood has recently welcomed a slew of new construction homes — like Astoria West, a new amenity-laden rental on the waterfront, or the soon-to-debut Sophie, bringing 24 condo residences to Ditmars-Steinway.

 

Left: Astoria West, at 11-12 30th Drive.
Right: Sophie, at 20-08 Steinway Street.