In honor of the momentous occasion that looms before us – the start of a new decade! – here at “BEST OF THE BEST” we figured the best way to usher in 2010 would be with 20 “10’s”, that is, a list of 20 “Top 10’s,” including a great many of our all-time faves. (For telephone numbers and addresses for those listed here, please make sure to check out our business directory online at www.QueensLedger.com. Just click on the tab at the top that says “businesses” and search, search, search away!)
BEST Breakfast
WOODSIDE CAFÉ in Woodside; ESPARKS COFFEE in Glendale; MATSON’S DELI in Middle Village; GARDEN GRILL in Williamsburg; GLENDALE BAKE SHOP BAKERY in Maspeth; IGLOO ICE CREAM CAFÉ in Astoria; NEW YORK DINER in Long Island City; FAME DINER in Maspeth; RIDGEWOOD EATS in Ridgewood; ADAM’S BAGEL & DELI in Rego Park.
BEST Sandwiches
Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella Panini at TIRAMISU CAFÉ in Middle Village; Tuna Sandwich at PHOEBE’S CAFÉ in Williamsburg; Ultimate Warrior (Roast Beef, Melted Cheddar) at MIKE & MARIA’S in Ridgewood; Tortas Milanesas at YOLA’S CAFÉ in Williamsburg; Roast Top Sirloin of Beef (Hot) at BLINK’S DELI in Long Island City; Matson’s Best (Thinly Sliced Ham, Prosciutto, Smoked Mozzarella) at MATSON’S DELI in Middle Village; Congressman Weiner (Roast Beef, Bermuda Onion) at BEN’S BEST in Rego Park; Black Forest Bacon Club at MANOR OKTOBERFEST in Glendale (The Shops at Atlas Park); Fried Catfish Po-Boy at MARDI GRAS in Forest Hills; North Sea (Roast Beef, Cole Slaw, Horseradish) at WALTER’S DELICATESSEN in Maspeth.
BEST Burgers
DONOVAN’S in Woodside; DIRTY PIERRE’S in Forest Hills; DANNY BOY’S in Middle Village; PETER LUGER in Williamsburg; 67 BURGER in Fort Greene; RED STAR BAR in Greenpoint; FIVE GUYS BURGERS and FRIES in Glendale; CHEEBURGER, CHEEBURGER in Forest Hills; THE HABITAT in Greenpoint; McCANN’S PUB & GRILL in Astoria.
BEST Pizza
MOTORINO in Williamsburg; NICK’S PIZZA in Forest Hills; ANDREW’S PIZZERIA in Middle Village; SAN MARCO PIZZERIA in Williamsburg; CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN in Glendale (The Shops at Atlas Park); O’NEILL’S in Maspeth; VERTUCCIO’S PIZZA ON THE PARK in Williamsburg; CARMINE’S PIZZERIA in Williamsburg; PIZZA CLASSICA in Glendale; BAROSA in Rego Park.
BEST Wings
RED STAR BAR in Greenpoint; KELLYS in Middle Village; SUNSWICK 35/35 in Astoria; O’NEILL’S in Maspeth; McCANN’S PUB & GRILL in Astoria; DANNY BOY’S in Middle Village; TEDDY’S BAR & GRILL in Williamsburg; HOOTERS in Fresh Meadows; DILLINGER’S in Astoria; YER MAN’S IRISH PUB in Glendale.
BEST Diners
RIDGEWOOD EATS in Ridgewood; GARDEN GRILL in Williamsburg; FOREST HILLS DINER in Forest Hills; SHALIMAR DINER in Rego Park; FAME DINER in Maspeth; GEORGIA DINER in Elmhurst; NEW YORK DINER in Long Island City; MARK TWAIN DINER in Jackson Heights; JACKSON HOLE DINER in Jackson Heights/Bayside; POP DINER in Elmhurst.
BEST Gift Ideas
BROOKLYNSKI in Williamsburg; THE LITTLE RED STORE in Forest Hills; THE FAIR in Glendale (The Shops at Atlas Park); ROYAL COLLECTIBLES in Forest Hills; TIVOLI JEWELERS in Williamsburg; ART WORLD in Forest Hills; THE BROOKLYN KITCHEN in Williamsburg; GREENPOINT TOY CENTER in Greenpoint; LAFYES JEWELRY in Maspeth; CELTIC TIGER IMPORTS in Maspeth.
BEST Service
HOW CONVENIENT in Maspeth; CARMINE’S PIZZERIA in Williamsburg; K&R; AUTO REPAIR in Rego Park; MASPETH DRY CLEANERS in Middle Village; CITIBANK in Forest Hills; GLENDALE BAKE SHOP BAKERY in Maspeth; DESTEFANO’S in Williamsburg; KEW GARDENS CINEMAS in Kew Gardens; PHOTOPLAY in Greenpoint; SUDDEN IMPULSE HAIRSTYLING in Middle Village.
BEST Bakeries
FORTUNATO BROS. PASTICCERIA in Williamsburg; GLENDALE BAKE SHOP BAKERY in Maspeth; CATANIA BAKERY in Ridgewood; LA GULI PASTRY SHOP in Astoria; BLUE STOVE CAFÉ in Williamsburg; MARTHA’S COUNTRY BAKERY in Forest Hills; SETTEPANI BAKERY in Williamsburg; LA DOLCE ITALIA in Forest Hills; RUDY’S PASTRY SHOP in Ridgewood; PARISCIEN BAKERY in Middle Village.
BEST Gourmet Produce
HOMESTEAD GOURMET SHOP in Kew Gardens; CHEESE OF THE WORLD in Forest Hills; LORIMER MARKET in Williamsburg; IAVARONE BROS. in Middle Village; BEDFORD CHEESE SHOP in Williamsburg; DURSO’S in Flushing; KARL EHMER MEATS in Ridgewood; SAPORI D’ISCHIA in Woodside; S.S. NATURAL in Forest Hills; MEDITERRANEAN FOODS in Astoria.
BEST Steaks
PETER LUGER in Williamsburg; UNCLE JACK’S in Bayside; DESTEFANO’S in Williamsburg; CHRISTOS in Astoria; LA FUSTA in Elmhurst; O’NEILL’S in Maspeth; AUSTIN’S STEAK & ALE HOUSE in Kew Gardens; DIRTY PIERRE’S in Forest Hills; BOCA JUNIOR’S in Elmhurst; PAMPAS ARGENTINAS in Forest Hills.
BEST Taste Treats
Cevapi at CEVABDZINICA SARAJEVO in Astoria; Falafel at PAHAL ZAN in Forest Hills; Masala Dosa at THE DOSA HUTT in Flushing; Steamed Pork Buns at AA PLAZA in Flushing; Mexican Corn on the Cob at EL LOCO BURRITO in Williamsburg; Kielbasa at RADEGAST HALL & BIERGARTEN in Williamsburg; Shrimp Toast at EAST MEETS WEST in Rego Park; Sweet Potato Casserole at BOSTON MARKET in Forest Hills; Beer Milk Shake at 67 BURGER in Fort Greene; The “Pickle Back” at BUSHWICK COUNTRY CLUB in Williamsburg.
BEST Dining Experiences
DESTEFANO’S in Williamsburg; UVARARA in Middle Village; BOB’S PLACE in Floral Park; Q-THAI BISTRO in Forest Hills; BAMONTE’S in Williamsburg; LONDON LENNIE’S in Rego Park; MANDUCATI’S in Long Island City; SAPORI D’ISCHIA in Woodside; KUM GANG SAN in Flushing; DANNY BROWN in Forest Hills.
BEST Places for a Party
JOE ABBRACCIAMENTO in Rego Park; CONNOLLY’S CORNER in Maspeth; GOTTSCHEER HALL in Ridgewood; LA LOCANDA in Williamsburg; STUDIO SQUARE in Astoria; BOB’S PLACE in Floral Park; WOODHAVEN HOUSE in Rego Park; GIANDO ON THE WATER in South Williamsburg; RAVEL HOTEL in Long Island City; DOUGLASTON MANOR in Douglaston.
BEST Hotels
RAVEL HOTEL in Long Island City; NU HOTEL in Downtown Brooklyn; HOTEL LE JOLIE in Williamsburg; HOLIDAY INN LIC-MANHATTAN VIEW in Long Island City; COMFORT INN & SUITES AIRPORT in Maspeth; FAIRFIELD INN NEW YORK LONG ISLAND CITY/MANHATTAN VIEW in Long Island City; NEW YORK LaGUARDIA AIRPORT MARRIOTT in East Elmhurst; SHERATON LaGUARDIA EAST in Flushing; HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS QUEENS/MIDTOWN TUNNEL in Long Island City; NEW YORK MARRIOTT AT THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE in Downtown Brooklyn.
BEST Cultural Destinations
BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC in Fort Greene; MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE in Astoria; QUEENS MUSEUM OF ART in Flushing Meadows Corona Park; BROOKLYN HISTORICAL SOCIETY in Brooklyn Heights; FLUSHING TOWN HALL in Flushing; P.S.1 MoMA in Long Island City; THE NOGUCHI MUSEUM in Long Island City; QUEENS THEATRE IN THE PARK in Flushing Meadows Corona Park; LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE MUSEUM in Corona; MoCADA in Fort Greene.
BEST Places for Pets
MUDDY PAWS in Williamsburg; CRAZY FOR ANIMALS in Glendale; THANK DOG in South Williamsburg; FOREST HILLS CAT HOSPITAL in Middle Village; METRO PUPPY in Forest Hills; K-9 CATERERS in Glendale; RAINBOW PET CLUB/SPA in Woodside; CAMP BOW WOW DOGGY DAY CARE in Long Island City; PETLAND DISCOUNTS in Glendale; ELMHURST ANIMAL EMERGENCY HOSPITAL PC in Elmhurst.
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BEST Places for Kids
A PLACE TO DANCE in Maspeth; KIDS FUN HOUSE in Ridgewood; FRANKIE’S PLAYCE in Middle Village; GREENPOINT YMCA in Greenpoint; THE CAGE in Middle Village; PRESS START CAFÉ in Maspeth; LIC YMCA in Long Island City; ELMJACK LITTLE LEAGUE in Elmhurst/Jackson Heights; QUEENS FALCONS in Maspeth; NY HALL OF SCIENCE in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
BEST Ice Cream
FORTUNATO BROS. PASTICCERIA in Williamsburg; EDDIE’S SWEET SHOP in Forest Hills; TIRAMISU CAFÉ in Middle Village; MAX & MINA’S in Flushing; TIMMY O’S in Corona; LA GULI PASTRY SHOP in Astoria; UNCLE LOUIE G in Forest Hills; LEMON ICE KING OF CORONA in Corona; SWEET SPOT in Ridgewood; ISABELLA’S in Maspeth.
BEST Health Options
W FITNESS CLUB in Rego Park; SEDONA FITNESS FOR WOMEN in Forest Hills; NEW YORK SPORTS CLUB in Glendale (The Shops at Atlas Park); ASTORIA SPORTS COMPLEX in Astoria; CURVES in Middle Village; LUCILLE ROBERTS in Forest Hills; FORCE FITNESS CLUB in Ridgewood; PLANET FITNESS in Jamaica; SUNRISE TO SUNSET TANNING & SPA in Middle Village; BIKRAM YOGA in Rego Park.
And with that, dear readers, please allow me to take this opportunity to ride off into the sunset. Or actually sun-RISE I should say, as I look to the future and 2010 with eyes wide open – and with a whole new set of challenges and opportunities about to present themselves just over the horizon. Thank you to everyone at the QUEENS LEDGER-BROOKLYN STAR for such a great opportunity here, and thanks so very much to all of you out there as well for such a loyal following – and for your comments, your quibbles, your suggestions. “It’s all good,” as they say, and sure has been a heck of a lot of fun. May the blessings of this holiday season fill you and your family’s hearts and carry over well into the New Year, and as my K-F Latin teacher was often so fond of telling us, “Ave atque Vale.”
