A number of noteworthy businesses have opened their doors in Sunnyside in recent months, bringing new flavors to a neighborhood already boasting a diverse selection of global cuisines.
From Ethiopian-Eritrean fusion dishes to Peruvian-Chinese cuisine, several new businesses have caught the eye throughout Sunnyside.
Often replacing former beloved neighborhood staples, these new restaurants will look to make their own mark in the neighborhood and become staples in their own right. Others have rehabilitated long-vacant spaces, providing valuable additions to corridors throughout the community.
Here are some of the standout restaurants to have opened their doors in the neighborhood over the past year.
Makina, 46-11 Skillman Ave.
Keysir Salata and injera bruschetta at Makina. Photo by Shane O’Brien
Few restaurant openings have had as much hype in Sunnyside as Makina’s did when the Eritrean-Ethiopian joint opened its doors shortly before Christmas.
The restaurant, which stands as the only brick-and-mortar Eritrean-Ethiopian restaurant in Queens, was initially launched as a food truck by Eden Gebre Egziabher in 2017 before expanding to a site on Governor’s Island.
Makina has proved an instant hit in Sunnsyide, offering a variety of Eritrean and Ethiopian staples such as sambusas, a flaky Ethiopian pastry filled with beef or lentils. Operating from a space that was long vacant, Makina also offers staples such as lamb alicha, a slow-cooked stew; berbere-spiced prawns; fish tshebi, a fish dish cooked in a spicy tomato-based berbere sauce; and awaze tibs, a vegan sampler featuring spiced lentils, turmeric cabbage and string beans.
Simple Peruvian, 45-06 Greenpoint Ave.
Photo credit: Simple Peruvian
Simple Peruvian added to Sunnyside’s strong Peruvian presence when it opened its doors on Greenpoint Avenue last year. The restaurant, which offers a selection of Chinese-Peruvian fusion dishes, pays homage to the popularity of Chinese cuisine in the Peruvian capital of Lima.
The menu features traditional dishes such as Lomo Saltado, Pollo a la Brasa, Ceviche, and Picarones, as well as rotisserie chicken, wonton soup, dumplings and Peruvian-inspired Chinese dishes such as arroz chaufa.
Sunnyside Up Café, 45-16 Queens Blvd.
Egyptian-inspired Walk Like an Egyptian breakfast sandwich. Photo courtesy of Sunnyside Up Café
Opening in the site of the shuttered Alpha Donuts, Sunnyside Up Café strives to bring elevated breakfast and lunch options to the neighborhood.
The new café, a joint venture by Sunnyside businessman Mircea Pirvu and chef Jason Potter, celebrated its grand opening on May 19 and has been providing a range of delicious specialty breakfast sandwiches ever since.
Sunnyside Up’s specialty breakfast sandwiches include an Egyptian-inspired creation featuring lamb sausage, feta eggs and hummus; a breakfast burrito packed with turkey sausage, quinoa, scrambled eggs, avocado, feta and pico de gallo; and a Japanese-inspired egg custard sandwich with miso mayo, gruyére and chili crisp.
Mriga, 46-10 Skillman Ave.
Located opposite Makina on Skillman Avenue, Mriga is one of the newest restaurants on the scene in Sunnyside. The restaurant, offering a mouthwatering selection of breads and light bites, has replaced the shuttered Quaint on Skillman.
Mriga opened at the beginning of May and has been offering a broad selection of wines to accompany its food menu.
Locals Deli, 47-02 48th Ave.
Locals opened its doors on 48th Avenue at the beginning of April, promising to bring an elevated deli experience to the neighborhood.
Promising to use “fresh food and better ingredients,” Locals is aiming to stand apart from the thousands of New York City-based delis through its selection of burgers and sandwiches. Locals also offers a range of empanadas, quesadillas and fried chicken dishes.
Döner Haus, 45-21 Greenpoint Ave.
Photo credit: Döner Haus
Döner Haus opened its third Queens location when it opened its doors on Greenpoint Avenue in February.
The restaurant offers authentic German-style Döner Kebabs to yet another corner of the world’s borough, made 100% filler-free with organic halal beef and chicken, marinated and cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
Döner Haus is know for menu items such as the signature Döner Sandwich piled high with beef, chicken, or both if customers like, accompanied by lettuce, tomatoes, onions, red cabbage and creamy garlic sauce in a custom-made crispy toasted Turkish pide bread pocket.
El Sabor del Rancho 2, 44-20 Greenpoint Ave.
A recent expansion of the Woodside-based El Sabor del Rancho, this new Greenpoint Avenue-based Mexican eatery offers a range of staple dishes, including tacos, quesadillas and burritos.
Popular dishes at the new location include tacos al pastor – featuring marinated pork topped with pineapple – and torta de pollo – featuring seasoned grilled chicken between layers of Oaxaca cheese and talera bread.