Astoria

From The Peopling of New York City: Indian Communities

Astoria is a popular neighborhood in northwest Queens whose profile has risen sharply in the last few years. It is the heartland of the Greek-American settlement in New York City, said to be the largest Hellenic city in the world except for the ancient city of Athens.

• Transportation and Location

The elevated N and W trains run like a spine up the center of Astoria, ending at Ditmars Boulevard. The R, V and G stop at Steinway Street, named for the piano company headquartered in Astoria since the 19th century. The M60 bus makes for an easy commute across the Triborough Bridge and to La Guardia Airport.

• Demography

In numbers, Greek-Americans may be a minority in the area, which is intensely and increasingly cosmopolitan, with Italian, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Croatian, Serbian, Ukrainian, Portuguese and Spanish sharing the Greek -- and, yes, English -- speaking space on the busy thoroughfares.[1] Astoria has a sizable Bangladeshi Muslim population, mostly around 32nd street and 34th avenue. It was known as “Little Bangladesh” at one point, but this name has faded due to the population’s extension into Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Church and MacDonald streets in Brooklyn, and more recently, the Bronx.

• Attractions

Astoria convenient to Manhattan, it's urban but with space and greenery, and has plenty of rental options. Dining and cultural options have grown, moving beyond ethnic eateries; many local residents still prefer to buy their lamb chops at neighborhood butchers and handpick their produce out of vegetable stalls. Astoria's main attractions are 30th Avenue, Steinway, Ditmars, and Broadway. Ditmars and 30th Avenue are Greek and Cypriot areas. Broadway has more Latin American influence. Steinway just south of Astoria Boulevard is a Little Egypt with lots of Middle Eastern cafes, markets, and shops. Steinway is the main shopping street.[2]