Long before Astoria became synonymous with Greek cuisine in New York, the first wave of Greek immigrants arrived on Ellis Island in the 1890s, settling first on Manhattan's Lower East Side. By the 1960s, they had established Astoria in Queens as America's great Hellenic enclave—although Anthora's blue “We Are Happy To Serve You” coffee mug had already become a New York ceramic icon, thanks to Leslie Buck's design of 1963.
The story of Greek food in New York is constantly rewriting itself. When ships like the Nea Hellas brought thousands more Greeks to New York Harbor in the 1940s, many opened traditional Greek tavernas in Astoria. Now, their grandchildren work in kitchens in the city, picking olive oil from family farms in the Peloponnese while tasting natural wines from Macedonia. The old guard still cooks up the perfect fish in Astoria, where you'll find the best Greek food in town, but a new generation is redefining what Greek food can be, from midtown lunch spots to hidden gems in the West Village. .
As winter descends, these restaurants offer more than just a Mediterranean escape. They showcase a deeply traditional and surprisingly contemporary cuisine. Some still serve the classics just as you remember them, while others push the boundaries while maintaining the essential Greek hospitality—that warmth philoxenia– strong. Here is where you can find your place at the table.
