At the heart of Astoria’s “Little Egypt” neighborhood, this brightly lit, Middle Eastern shop is our go-to for baklava. Unlike its Greek cousins, the baklava here isn’t super syrupy so you won’t have to worry about your fingers getting sticky. How to choose from the array of pastries? Start with the plain baklava with walnuts. We’re also fans of the crisp, tightly wound “belly button” baklava topped with pistachios and the “cigar” rolls, too.

Many from the Balkans make a beeline here for the burek. Fresh from the oven, these spinach, cheese, or beef pies are fantastically flaky thanks to the labor-intensive family recipe of hand-stretching layers upon layers of phyllo. The bureks are so beloved Djerdan sells them frozen across the US. In Astoria, you also get to dig into Bosnian cuisine made by the owners, a trio of Sarajevo siblings. Think cevapi, Balkan grilled beef sausages, red pepper dip and meaty stuffed cabbage.

Take a trip to Greece at this out-of-the-way restaurant. First stop, the islands, with grilled sea bass or a heap of crispy fried smelts. Then, head to the mainland with roast pork and lamb souvlaki. Whet your appetite with tirokafteri, a spicy feta dip, or skordalia, a garlic mashed potato spread with grilled veggies. Whether in the ship-filled dining room or the outdoor patio, each table gets free halva at the end of the meal. A gracious Greek tradition continued in Queens.

The “N” is a nod to the N train, but the rest of the name refers to delicious Greek donuts: loukoumades. Dense and chewy inside, each golden orb comes drizzled in honey, coated in cinnamon and sugar, or adorned with various toppings like Nutella and pistachios. Our favorites are filled with strawberry jam and dusted in sugar, so you can truly taste the dough. The owners, childhood friends, opened shop when Covid-19 slowed electrician work. A golden, er, silver lining for the community.

From the first step in this temple of meat, you’ll be blasted with smokehouse aromas from the delicacies hanging in hooks overhead. Think cured Istrian pig’s neck, spicy Hungarian salami, and Bosnian ćevapi ready to throw on the grill. Everything is made in the back of the shop or a nearby facility. Interestingly, half of the staff helms from Latin America. Watching them chat in Spanish and Serbian illustrates how much Muncan embodies NYC’s most diverse borough.

A standout for its bright dining room and sunny disposition of its owners, Bahían sisters Elzi and Erli. Need help navigating this pay-by-the-pound spot? At the hot buffet, scoop up feijão tropeiro, a mess of collard greens, pinto beans, fried egg, bacon and pork sausage. At the churrasco station, sprinkle rotisserie meats like sausage, top sirloin, and chicken hearts with farofa, toasted cassava flour. Save room for the homemade desserts. Every bite will bring you closer to Bahía.

Line up at this deli counter for one of Astoria’s best slices. “We start from good ingredients,” shares Rosario, the jovial, bearded owner who hails from Italy. “If it’s not good enough for me, it’s not good enough for you.” That means hand-pulled mozzarella made fresh that morning. House-simmered tomato sauce. Italian sausage, provolone, and one of our favorite white garlic pies. Though he bakes pizzas all day, Rosario’s slices never last long. His brick oven is too small for his big following.

Home to a stalwart Greek American community for more than half a century, Astoria is souvlaki heaven. Our favorite spot for the spit-roasted meat is at Elpida Vasiliadis’ blue and white striped cart. Choose from a sandwich, a skewer, or on a platter with fries, onion, tomato, and tzatziki. The Souvlaki Lady explains the “real Greek” way to dress souvlaki is simply lemon and salt. After serving regulars for over a quarter of a century, she knows her stuff.