COURT SQUARE
John Brown Smokehouse
This is the home to serious barbecue (we agree with their URL) in LIC. Kansas City is their style of ‘cue and it is delicious times a thousand. Try the burnt ends, which are nice and meaty with a beautiful crust. You can get sandwiches (pulled pork, burnt ends, or the PBLT made with pork belly) or simply platters of beautiful meat like brisket and ribs. For sides, we’re partial to the porky collard greens and mac and cheese. And though the main event here is meat, they also offer salads, with or without meat (upon request); the Jackson Salad is particularly good.
John Brown Smokehouse, 10-43 44th Dr, Long Island City, NY 11101; (347) 617-1120, johnbrownseriousbbq.com (GMAP)
LIC Market
This is another spot in LIC that likes to focus on seasonal eating. They also work with local farmers – like Brooklyn Grange – to source the ingredients for their menu items. When you first enter the restaurant, you’ll see jams and pickles for sale on the right (that’s the Market part of the place). Beware that their hours are a bit unorthodox – on weekdays they are always open for lunch, on weekends for brunch, and dinner takes place until 10pm only on Wednesday-Friday (dinner is not served any other days of the week). Particularly tasty is their Market BLT (which comes with avocado), the roast chicken, and pulled pork. The slow roasted duck hash at brunch is also delicious.
LIC Market, 21-52 44th Dr, Long Island City, NY 11101; (718) 361-0013, licmarket.com (GMAP)
Sage General Store
Sage is more of a restaurant than a store, though they do have a few things for sale like Brooklyn’s Nunu Chocoaltes and McClure’s Pickles. The owners at Sage like to work with local farmers and purveyors to get the freshest ingredients that are out there. Brunch is a particularly popular meal there – we are particularly fond of the chilaquiles and the BLT. Their cupcakes are also some of the best in Queens; try the
red velvet.
Sage General Store, 24-20 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101; (718) 361-0707, sagegeneralstore.com (GMAP)
QUEENS PLAZA
Buttercup Bake Shop
This is one of LIC’s more hidden gems, in part because of the short hours — Tuesday through Friday from noon to 3:30pm. But if you can make it there during those days/times, you are in for a real treat. This is not an outlet or a seconds shop associated with Buttercup Bake Shop, the progeny of Magnolia Bakery, but a second location where the goods are baked and prepared. Everything is a little bit cheaper here compared to the Manhattan location, too. The cupcakes are lovely, the banana pudding rich and creamy, and they also have a different cake on special each day they are open: Amaretto Bundt Cake, Tuesday; Chocolate Sour Cream Cake, Wednesday; Apple Walnut Cake, Thursday; and Carrot Cake, Friday.
Buttercup Bake Shop, 41-21 28th St, Long Island City, NY 11101; (212) 350-4144 (GMAP)
Dutch Kills
Image source: goodiesfirst on Flickr
Cocktail connoisseurs know that Dutch Kills is the place to be for an expertly made, beautiful cocktail. They’ll either make something for you to order containing ingredients and tastes you’re looking for, or you can order one of their specialty cocktails developed in-house. Try the Bayflower cocktail, made with Genever, St. Germain, fresh lemon and grapefruit juice, and a bit of simple syrup. Or try their Aperol-based cocktail, the Bloody Knuckle, made with the Italian liqueur, whiskey, sloe gin, and some bitters. The space is dark, and there are booths where groups of
varying sizes can enjoy the pleasure of each others company and the joy of a fabulous mixed drink.
Dutch Kills, 27-24 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101; (718) 383-2724, dutchkillsbar.com (GMAP)
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