Welcome to the Neighborhood: Jackson Heights, Queens

In the name of small scale adventure, I’m spending one day each month exploring an area in or around New York City that I’ve never been to before. Welcome to the neighborhood. 

This was my cheat neighborhood. When I made my long list of potential places to explore in this city, I had to rule out Manhattan nearly in its entirety, a result of living and working there since I moved to New York in 2016. But in 2024, I moved to Queens and my map expanded. I’ve been to Jackson Heights a few times—to the bookstore twice, to dinner with a friend once, just for funsies another. But I didn’t feel I really knew it. And for that reason, it made the list. And when two of my favorite people expressed interest in making it a date, I was sold.

Queens is often cited as one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world and Jackson Heights is no exception, with around 60% of the residents being born outside of the U.S. According to the Queens Chamber of Commerce, “[Jackson Heights] is home to a large population of South Americans, especially Columbians and Ecuadorians… also houses a large South Asian population including Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis. With enclaves like little India, little Bangladesh, and little Columbia, Jackson Heights’ diverse culture is unmatched by any other place in New York City.” 

I first heard about Jackson Heights many years ago, after a few dates with someone from the neighborhood who claimed it was one of the best kept secrets in New York. Diverse. Beautiful. Quiet. Connected. 

Jackson Heights is what is referred to as a “garden city” which explains the wide, courtyards, and shared green spaces. The Garden City movement is all about balancing density with greenery ensuring sunlight and ventilation. You feel the effects of this as you wander through the space. My friends and I couldn’t stop commenting on the spring foliage. 

Before development began in the 1910s, the land was open farm, meadows, and woodlots. When the Queensboro Bridge was completed in 1909 and when the IRT Flushing Line (aka the 7 train to modern audiences) was extended in 1917, this commuter suburban dream became attainable. Co-op housing, private gardens, and strict design covenants were tenants of what would become one of the most ambitious planned communities in the United States. 

Throughout the 20th century, Jackson Heights flourished. By the 1980s and 1990s, it had become one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the world. This is a direct result of an easing of immigration restrictions after 1965 and of newcomers from Latin America, South Asia, and East Asia reshaping the community. I love this quote from City Neighborhoods, “...microcosms of global Queens: sari shops besides tacqueries, halal butchers besides Colombian bakeries, and travel agencies serving every continent.” How lucky we should be to have the world at our doorstep. Another reminder that immigrants make our communities great. Today, more than 150 languages are spoken in Jackson Heights. 

Usually, I’ve walked to Jackson Heights—it takes about an hour depending on where I’m headed—but because we had a full day ahead, we hopped on the train and by mid-morning were at Cafe Catmandoo, a cozy Nepali coffee shop. They were out of matcha (my usual go-to) but the Nepali black tea was delicious. The staff were super lovely and the place was packed which means I now have to go back for brunch.

The next stop was a spontaneous drop in to Lety’s Bakery and Cafe. I didn’t get anything—a result of a giant plate of pumpkin pancakes I’d made at home early that morning—but the entire shop smelled divine and the pastries my friends picked out looked delicious. 

From there, we wandered past Lockwood, a gift store with several locations. We almost didn’t stop (having all been in Lockwoods before) but I’m glad we did. It was fun to see the slight differences between stores (including way more things that say JACKSON HEIGHTS) but also to spin the lever on the Quick Brown Fox Letterpress tiny print machine. With new prints in our hands (a pizza rat, a store front, and a pigeon with sunglasses), it was time for a familiar spot—the bookstore.

The World’s Borough Bookshop had been on my radar since I moved to Queens (a friend of mine is friends with the owner) and was the first reason I walked to Jackson Heights. This small, corner bookstore is a masterclass in what thoughtful and intentional design looks like in practice. The shelves are curated—in their words—to “reflect the richness of our communities, uplifting voices that have too often been overlooked, celebrating global storytelling, and making space for readers to discover something new, something meaningful, and something that feels like home.” 

The bookstore staff is so quick to support with recommendations as well which I needed as I sorted through dozens of books I wanted to buy. We also had the opportunity to share a little love. My friend is the founder of Mosaics by Pen, which aims to share whimsy, joy, and connections with the world through handmade watercolor art. She’d created some bookmarks for the store which they allowed us to hide in select books. If you happen to visit, let us know if you find a bookmark in your purchase!

Books in hand (I picked out, and have already finished reading Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas), we took a slow meander through the neighborhood to lunch at Angel, an Indian restaurant. Panipuri is a must. Portions were huge and delicious as we family style passed bowls of chana masala and aloo gobi.

Of course, no meal is complete without dessert, so by the afternoon, we were ready for our bakery crawl. We started at Canelle Patisserie which had come recommended to my friend. It was a little bit of a walk from where we’d been but it was so fun to stroll the sidewalks of this garden city, taking in the architecture and blooming flowers on every corner. I also will never say no to the game of going shelf by shelf at a bakery case and ranking which look the best. My baker heart was happy.

My choice for bakery and our next stop was Parva Coffee, a Colombian-owned bakery that I’d heard had vegan rainbow cookies. (They also had a vegan empanada so bookmarking that for another day too.) It took everything in me not to buy their whole stock of rainbow cookies, but given that I was leaving on a 2 week trip the following day, wisdom prevailed.

Sweet treats in hand, we walked down to Travers Park. Just shy of 2 acres, Travers sits in the heart of Jackson Heights and is a perfect place to lounge in the grass, read a book, or eat a rainbow cookie. After all the walking, it was nice to sit for a minute and visit with my friends. 

The final stop of the day was Gorkhali, a Nepalese restaurant. Just like I’d done on my Ridgewood Neighborhood Day, I was picking up dinner to bring home. And, just like on Ridgewood Day, I really just wanted momos (but ended up leaving with a lot more). When I did get around to eating all my Nepali food, it was excellent. And frankly, typing this now has me wondering if I’m in delivery range for some more momos. Our true final stop was Patel Brothers, an Indian marketplace where we stocked up on treats fresh and frozen. 

Finally, as we made our way back to the train, we passed a festival taking place in Diversity Plaza. Diversity Plaza is sort of an outdoor community center where vendors set up to sell food, clothing, crafts, and more. When we arrived in the morning it was quiet, save for a few people who appeared to be setting something up. On the return, we figured out why—music, dancing, and crowds so dense you could hardly squeeze through. My best guess, writing this 2+ weeks later and going off some internet sleuthing, is that it was the 4th Annual Bangla New Year Festival, celebrating the vibrant spirit of Bengali culture, literature, and heritage with a 3-day Boishakhi Festival. If anyone has more information, please do share! 

When I began planning Jackson Heights Day and collecting recommendations from friends, I realized I was truly only scratching the surface of everything this neighborhood had to offer. We had a half dozen personal recommendations for every meal we ate. All this really tells me is that I need to come back. That’s one of the many beautiful things about this city, isn’t it? You can spend a whole day wandering and wondering about and leave so much unexplored. Even my “cheat neighborhood” with which I had some familiarity before showing up unfurled itself in unexpected ways. 

May this be your reminder to keep exploring… even if you think you know a place. You never know what music might be waiting around the corner. 

Welcome to the Neighborhood:

• January: Ossining, New York [Blog & Video]

• February: Ridgewood, Queens [Blog & Video]

• March: North Shore of Staten Island [Blog & Video]

• April: Jackson Heights, Queens [Video]