Food & drink · Astoria

Taverna Kyclades

On a stretch of Ditmars Boulevard that feels more Thessaloniki than Queens, Taverna Kyclades has been pulling weekend queues out the door for years — and every single person in that line will tell you it is completely worth the wait.

The Original and the Best

Taverna Kyclades at 33-07 Ditmars Blvd is the original location of what has grown into a small NYC institution, with outposts in Bayside and the East Village — but Astoria is where the soul of the restaurant lives.

The kitchen leans hard into the Cycladic islands tradition: pristine whole fish grilled over charcoal, calamari that shatters at the touch of a fork, and grilled octopus finished with olive oil and oregano that is, by near-universal agreement, the dish to order first.

What to Order

Start with the grilled octopus and the horiatiki — a traditional Greek salad piled with thick-cut tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, and a slab of brined feta that makes supermarket versions seem fraudulent.

For mains, the whole branzino (sea bass) is the perennial star: ask for it deboned tableside. Supplement with a plate of saganaki — pan-seared cheese flambéed at the table — and a carafe of chilled Assyrtiko white wine from Santorini.

The Neighbourhood Context

Ditmars Boulevard and its surrounding streets form the densest concentration of Greek restaurants and markets in New York City, with Titan Foods — a vast Greek supermarket and deli with a buffet, bakery, and prepared octopus flown in from the mainland — just a short walk away for a daytime snack or picnic supplies.

The area near Astoria Park has retained its Greek character for decades, making a meal at Taverna Kyclades the ideal anchor for a full afternoon exploring the neighbourhood's waterfront, markets, and coffee shops.

Watch