Casa Enrique

Casa Enrique is one of Long Island City’s true destination restaurants, reliably packed since 2012 with customers willing to wait for knockout tacos al pastor. Chef and co-owner Cosme Aguilar’s cooking stands up to its many accolades, such as its Michelin star. It’s hard to go wrong, but one standout is the mole de Piaxtla, an alchemical marvel from Puebla made of seven different chiles, plantains, raisins, chocolate, and other ingredients simmered for four hours. A tequila- and mezcal-focused cocktail list rounds out the menu.

Beebe’s

This slick pizza parlor — currently led by chef Pascual Gonzalez, an alum of Speedy Romeo — nods to New York classics like Patsy’s, such as one topped with stracciatella, tomato, arugula, and coarsely ground black pepper. Beebe’s also has floor-to-ceiling windows showcase impressive views of the skyline, and there is courtyard seating for the warmer months.

Blend on the Water

A modern restaurant & lounge featuring cocktails, gourmet Latin-inspired eats, presenting authentic cuisine inspired by all Latin countries & expansive water views.

Bellwether

The patty melt at Bellwether comes topped with a housemade riff on Velveeta — equally gooey, far more flavorful — and pretty much sums up the menu of new American fare. Most dishes here are not exactly revolutionary, but they are executed with care and locally sourced ingredients. The bar similarly turns out some very respectable cocktails like the wombat, with rye whiskey, ginger, lemon, and smoked maple syrup. The cozy 60-seater opened in 2018 with a wall of live moss.

John Brown Smokehouse

Pitmaster Josh Bowen has been paying homage to the barbecue culture of his hometown of Kansas City since setting up shop in 2011. Although plenty of competition has crowded into New York since then, John Brown Smokehouseremains king when it comes to burnt ends. Regulars customers know to show up early before the kitchen runs out of these hunks of brisket covered in sticky-sweet, blackened bark.

LIC Market

Every neighborhood needs a go-to brunch spot and LIC Market is the one to beat here. Buttermilk pancakes with pumpkin seed butter and duck hash with dried cherries, red onions, and pine nuts mean the small, sparse space fills up fast on weekend mornings. Dinner features the same mostly organic, locally sourced fare accompanied by natural wines.

The Inkan

Chef Ezequiel Valencia — who worked as a private chef at the Mission of Peru at the UN in New York, as well as the Peruvian embassy in Nicaragua — is behind the Inkan, known for its Peruvian rotisserie chicken and sides. In addition to chicken, rice, and beans, there’s a selection of tangy and fresh ceviches and appetizers. Notably, the flaky, gooey Peruvian-style empanada is worth ordering. There’s an additional location in Garden City Park on Long Island.

Petey’s Burger

Petey’s Burger borrows from the best elements of In-N-Out and upgrades the formula with hormone-free black angus beef. With burgers available for under $5 at both the Astoria and Long Island City branches, prices here aren’t much higher than the average fast food chain. Since opening in 2012, this location has built up a reasonable following, thanks in part to sides like the cheese-smothered fries. The housemade veggie burgers won’t give Superiority Burger a run for its money, but provide a reasonable meatless alternative.

Mu Ramen

When Per Se alum Joshua Smookler opened this cult favorite in 2014, he was careful not to call it a traditional ramen shop. Mu Ramen, with its intensely porky, full-bodied tonkotsu, is a distinctly American restaurant with a dry-aged burger and foie gras-stuffed chicken wings. Order the signature tonkotsu ramen made with the bones of acorn-fattened Iberian swine. Earlier this year, Smookler expanded the menu and slashed the infamous wait times by doubling the number of seats from 22 to 46. Cash only.

Takumen

This contemporary izakaya is the sort of place where ramen rests on the same table as guacamole, and it all somehow works. Bar Goto alum chef Kiyo Shinoki opened Takumen in 2017 with more interest in having fun than adhering to any particular culinary dogma. Sachiko Shinoki, his wife, designed the interior, which incorporates rotating works by local artists. Handmade bowls and plates by a Brooklyn ceramicist are the perfect foil for the eclectic menu.

Café Henri

Cafe Henri, an unfussy French brasserie run by the folks from Casa Enrique, serves up classics like escargot, coq-au-vin, mussel fries, and a salad Nicoise with grilled tuna. Open breakfast through dinner, it’s also a decadent place to stop in for dessert for the extensive dessert crepe menu and a rich, boozy hot chocolate.

Jackson's Eatery | Bar

Owner Andrew Karistinos, who opened Jackson’s Eatery and Bar in 2016, emphasizes local ingredients wherever possible in American comfort food stapes such as bourbon-marinated ribs and bacon-studded mac and cheese. The dependable neighborhood spot has a happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with discounts on craft beers and wines from around New York. With its low-key, dark-wood interior and hangover cures like buttermilk fried chicken with sweet corn waffles, it’s also a solid choice for weekend brunch. 

Tournesol

Restaurateur Pascal Escriout and his sister Patricia took a risk opening a French restaurant in Long Island City back around the turn of the millenium. It’s a gamble that paid off, thanks to Tournesol’s menu of bistro stalwarts at affordable prices. There’s nothing trendy here, but with an impressive hanger steak plated with a puddle of bearnaise and a mound of skinny frites for $24, no one seems to mind. A thoughtfully composed selection of mostly French wines rounds it all out.