31st St, Ditmars | Steinway

My appreciation for Astoria is typical of someone visiting from Manhattan: I immediately remark on the quiet streets, lined with mom and pop shops of all kinds, and populated by charming two-and three-story residential buildings. Astoria is a place you can raise a family: it is car-oriented, it is middle class, and it offers a higher quality of life than the stress-filled madness of Manhattan. I also remarked how 31st Street in particular is an important ingredient in all of this, offering the staples of convenience and commerce, like hair salons, doctors' offices, eateries, and some really nice little bars and shops. It's obvious that this is a street with a pulse, and very much anchors the outlying residential streets. It also makes the area accessible from Manhattan, via the elevated train tracks that run down its length. There's a high price to pay for this convenience, however, and you notice it once one of those trains passes overhead. Unbearable noise! I can only hope that residents along this street get steep rent discounts, having to put up with the thunder and shaking and rattling of those trains every few minutes! A prime example of a great street to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there.

The majority of 31st Street runs underneath an elevated train line (N,W), so it is easily accessible and convenient. Having worked on and lived near this street for years, I can say with confidence that it is one of the most important stretch of blocks in Astoria.

Using 36th Avenue as the western border of Astoria and 19th Avenue as the eastern, we see just how diverse the neighborhood really is. Towards 36th, you have Brazilian hangouts such as Made in Brazil, then downwards to Broadway, bakeries, restaurants, and banks. Residences line the street, and major construction is going on along it up to 30th Avenue or so to bring in more businesses and even more apartments. There is a gym between 31st Avenue and Broadway (Dolphin Fitness), and near 30th Avenue, you have Greek restaurants like Opa Opa, Czech fare at Zlata Praha, and cafe/restaurant Zodiac. There is a major Greek supermarket (Titan) and music/video store (GMV) towards Astoria Boulevard, and one of the best diners in Queens (Neptune) on corner of 31st and Astoria Boulevard south. The best part of 31st Street begins on 24rd Avenue, where just around the corner lies the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. A public school lies in between 24th and 23rd, and on this avenue lies the wonderful Lefgos Pyrgos cafe, where you can find the finest Greek pastries and many of the locals hanging out to chat or even play a board game or two. Towards Ditmars are some of the best places to eat, including Mexican food, diner fare at Igloo, Mike's Diner or Last Stop, burgers, Southwestern dishes at Mojave, etc. The only remaining comic store in Astoria (Silver Age comics) lies upstairs on the Ditmars train stop, as well as other small offices and businesses. The Rock gym and Soho health food eatery are downstairs.

Where the train ends at Ditmars and 31st street is where activity begins to slow down for the avenue. However, one of the best Italian restaurants at the L'Incontro Trattoria is near the corner, and you can find some great Thai food down near 21st. It is primarily residential until you reach the end, which is 19th Avenue at the start of Con Edison.

There are negatives to the street, as it is extremely noisy not only due to the subway, but do to the car traffic that remains constant because the entrance to the highways and RFK bridge are on Astoria Boulevard and 31st Street. You must be extremely careful of crossing this intersection if you are traveling by foot. However, overall, 31st Street is an integral part of the neighborhood and must be visited if you are in the area.

31st Street runs right under the above-ground subway in Astoria, so it's convenient for transit, but it can get a little loud and always feels a little dim. That being said, there are some great blocks. Around 36th Ave, there are some killer restaurants, and a couple of fun clubs that feature anything from Karaoke to dance, to olde-tymie pub feel.

20th Road is filled with various small businesses and shops. I really enjoy this area of Queens near the park. It was very easily accessible to the midtown Manhattan train and was very walkable and convenient. The entire neighborhood would lend itself perfectly to a family or young couple. I really like this area and think it should be considered on a move to Queens.