20 Best Things to Do in Flushing, Queens, According to a New Yorker
Cherry blossoms at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Photo by gigi_nyc
From places to get dim sum and hot pot to bookstores where you can immerse yourself in Chinese culture, Queens’ Flushing neighborhood is a paradise for foodies, culture buffs and everyone in between. It was even frequently visited by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, so you know it’s a must-visit. Just 25 minutes by Express 7 Train from Midtown, Flushing makes for a great weekend getaway when you crave Asian food. Plus, there are plenty of museums, parks and toy stores, as well as immersive cultural happenings.
1: M Tea
Location: 36-56 Main St, Flushing, NY 11354
This bubble tea spot might just be the most adorable cafe in all of NYC, with pink cloud walls, pastel pink couches, and mini pink and white hot air balloons hanging from the ceiling — it is pink, pink, and pink! There’s even a giant hot-air balloon couch. Located at 36-56 Main Street, M Tea has not only an Insta-worthy setting but also a wild variety of bubble teas and desserts, from refreshing passion fruit green tea to matcha tea with creamy cheese foam. M Tea also has a reputation for creating drinks without using fruit syrup.
2: Prince Tea House
Location: 36-39 Prince St, Queens, NY 11354
This Asian-European spot serves fresh teas imported directly from France, from green and black tea to white and oolong. Don’t forget to pair your tea with one of their desserts, like green tea brûlée or strawberry shortcake parfait, or savory treats like takoyaki — a ball-shaped Japanese snack filled with minced or diced octopus — or beef sukiyaki sandwich, with marinated beef and crispy onion. Prince Tea House also caters to private events like tea parties, birthday celebrations, baby showers, and anniversaries!
3: Sweet Cats Cafe and Arcade
Location: 35-21 Farrington St, Queens, NY 11354
Claw machines at Sweet Cats Cafe in Flushing.
This pink cafe on Farrington Street serves all kinds of bubble tea and cakes, complete with plush-filled claw machines and explosions of pink. Test your skills to win an adorable plush, and grab a shopping cart to carry all your prizes as you move throughout the cafe. Try specialty drinks like Tinkle Bell, Purple Paradise, and Frozen Volcano, and their milk tea and crepe cake selection is practically endless. Then, snap some Instagrammable photos in the all-pink ball pit or on the swinging chair under a blooming sakura tree.
4: TESO-X
Location: 13355 41st Ave, Queens, NY 11355
Lulu the Piggy figures on display at TESO-X.
TESO-X is a toy store dedicated to the enchanting world of toys and the Japanese anime culture. The aisles are brimming with an eclectic mix of blind boxes, anime figures, and model kits, from officially licensed Bandai Gundam model kits to Hot Toys figures that capture the imagination. For those with a penchant for nostalgia, the claw machines in the back offer a chance to win plush toys of Pokémon to Marvel superheroes. Each play costs $1 to $2, and the best part is that people are actually winning prizes at a decent frequency.
Read More: The Coolest Toy Store TESO-X in NYC Is a Test of Your Self-control
5: Eggcellent Pancake
Location: 135-15 40th Rd, Flushing, NY 11354
Hong Kong egg waffles are a popular street food served crispy and hot, and Eggcellent Pancake definitely does it right. This cozy spot, tucked away at the back of a mini-mall, is known for its melt-in-your-mouth pancakes shaped like playful eggs that come with fillings like matcha cream, fresh berries, yogurts, and red bean paste. The wait time can be long — for 30 minutes, but it is definitely worth it. We love the crème brûlée flavor. Eggcellent Pancake opens from noon to 7:00 PM or 8:00 PM and closes on Wednesday.
6: Witch Topokki
Location: 146-13 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354
America’s first all-you-can-eat topokki restaurant recently opened in Flushing, where they let you be the curator of your own meal. Topokki, also known as tteokbokki, is a wildly popular Korean dish. These chewy rice cakes drenched in a spicy, flavorful sauce are considered “Korea’s national treasure” and are a staple comfort food amongst Korean generations. Beyond the traditional topokki, the menu also has other Korean favorites, from crispy fried chicken to steaming hot kimchi stew. All-you-can-eat starts at $23.95.
7: Xiang Hotpot & BBQ
Location: 146-13 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354
Xiang Hotpot’s adorable bear made out of mala soup and butter.
The Flushing location of this popular BBQ and hotpot chain is hidden inside the 165,000-square-foot Flushing New World Mall, where traditional dipping ingredients and new ideas collide. Start with hot pot classics like sliced beef, pork or lamb, seafood, mushrooms, or handmade noodles. There are 6 broths and 4 types of oil, as well as unique ingredients like their signature fish head, ox tripes, bone marrows, and wild bamboo fungus. Their spicy broth also comes with an adorable bear made from mala soup and butter.
Read More: Best Hot Pot Restaurants in New York City
8: Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
Locations: 39-16 Prince St #104, Queens, NY 11354
Xiao Long Bao, also known as soup dumplings, originated from Nan Xiang County of Shanghai, China, and Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao opened its doors in Flushing back in 2006. They quickly gained popularity among New Yorkers and have been selected as Michelin-recommended Shanghainese food for 9 consecutive years since 2007. You’ll also find other delicacies like braised beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes with sliced beef, soybean milk with youtiao, and fried udon noodles, as well as more unique tastes like spicy beef tripe.
10: The Attic
Locations: 136-93 37th Ave, Queens, NY 11354
The Attic is a speakeasy oyster and cocktail bar in the heart of Downtown Flushing that specializes in craft cocktails. Looking for the perfect spot for an intimate date night or to unwind after a long week? This is where to be. Dollar Oysters runs from Monday to Friday, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, when oysters are just $1 each. There is also quite a variety to choose from, including Blue Point, Copss Island, James River, and Tuxedo. You’ll also find lobster rolls, short ribs with bone marrow and wagyu beef burgers on the menu.
11: Moon Bar Rooftop
Location: 137-72 Northern Blvd, Flushing, NY 11354
Soak in panoramic skyline views as you dance the night away to live DJs at Moon Bar Rooftop. Located on the 9th-floor rooftop of The One Hotel, this stylish lounge is the perfect place to sip the finest craft cocktails while soaking in the sun or gazing at the stars. The place is never too crowded, and drinks are decent, especially during happy hour, but otherwise, they are a bit overpriced. Also, be aware that the music is loud here — seriously, it was louder than the front row at most concerts when we were there last month.
12: East Buffet
Location: 4207 Main St, Queens, NY 11355
Fresh, steamy dim sum from East Buffet in Flushing.
This spacious restaurant deserves recognition for its daily freshly steamed dim sum, served in fast-moving carts. This place has a vibe of the early 1960s, which is part of the appeal. When you enter the room, there might be a wedding reception going on or a birthday party you can pretend to be a part of. Observe it all as you sit around a big table with many other friends eating spring rolls, shumai or shrimp dumplings, braised short ribs, and custard buns — be sure to arrive before 11:00 AM on weekends to beat the crowds.
Read More: Best Dim Sum Restaurants in NYC to Try
13: Queens Museum
The 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs played a big part in the shaping of Queens, and you can learn all about them at the Queens Museum. Its permanent exhibit features over 6,000 artifacts related to the fairs, including the Panorama of the City of New York, a room-sized scale model of the five boroughs built for the 1964 World’s Fair. There are also plenty of non-World’s Fair-related exhibits, like the Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, a beautiful array of floral and geometric lamps, as well as landscape and figural windows.
14: Voelker Orth Museum
Location: 14919 38th Ave, Queens, NY 11354
Located inside an immigrant family’s 1890s home, the Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary, and Victorian Garden preserves the cultural and horticultural heritage of Flushing, Queens. Opened to the public in 2003, visitors can wander through its period rooms, rotating exhibitions, and gardens to indulge in stories and explore their connection to the local environment. Guided tours of the rooms are offered for up to 12 people at a time, with a suggested donation of $5. Voelker Orth Museum is open on weekdays and Sundays.
15: New York Hall of Science
Location: 47-01 111th St, Queens, NY 11368
Built for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, NYSCI is the city’s only hands-on science and technology center, with over 450 exhibits focusing on biology, chemistry, and physics. Aspiring scientists are welcome to get their hands dirty with the interactive displays. Highlights include the Science Playground, Maker Space, where you’ll explore stop motion animation with everyday technology and materials, and Rocket Park Mini Golf, a 9-hole course that helps you learn science concepts like propulsion, gravity, and escape velocity.
16: Flushing Meadows Corona Park
As the 4th largest park in all of NYC, Flushing Meadows is 879 acres of fascinating sites and attractions. It’s home to some of Queen’s most popular museums, including the New York Hall of Science and Queens Museum, as well as USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Citi Field. The park also appears in Men In Black and Half Nelson. You can play soccer or baseball at the park’s south side, take your peddle boat to Meadow Lake, hike around Willow Lake, or have a picnic at one of the BBQ stations.
17: Queens Botanical Garden
Location: 43-50 Main St, Queens, NY 11355
This 39-acre park dates back to the 1939 New York World’s Fair and, since its creation, has been a tranquil oasis for New Yorkers to escape to for nature and peace of mind. Stroll around the park and stop by Herb Garden, Rose Gala, Crabapple Grove, and Oak Allée. The park features works from local and international artists in its visitor center, while larger installations are scattered throughout the garden. There are also events like Bird Walks with NYC Audubon, Harvest Fest, and Halloween at the Garden.
18: Queens Zoo
Location: 53-51 111th St, Queens, NY 11368
Meet the furry residents of the city at the 18-acre Queens Zoo, which is home to over 75 species from North and South America, including bears, pumas, alligators, bison, and sea lions. There’s even a dedicated area for the little ones to get up close and personal with farm animals like sheep, donkeys, cows, and alpacas. Then, stop by Sea Lion Pool for a live sea lion feeding, which takes place daily at 11:15 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM, or the cafe for gifts or a bite. You can also bring your lunch and eat at one of the picnic tables.
19: New World Mall Food Court
Location: 136-20 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11354
This sprawling basement food court in New World Mall opened 8 years ago and quickly became an exciting and popular spot, best known for its diverse range of Chinese and Asian cuisines and affordability — a meal for two costs no more than $50. Despite occasional challenges like turnover and a lack of updated information on the website, New World Mall remains a bustling hub. Popular vendors include Chong Qing Xiao Mian, Lanzhou Handmade Noodle, Zheng Zhou Noodles, Sichuan Fish, and Laoma Malatang.
20: J-mart Supermarket
Location: 136-20 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11354
With over 30,500 square feet, the J-Mart Supermarket offers the convenience of fulfilling all of your grocery shopping needs in one place: seafood, meats, fresh produce, and snacks — American, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese — you name it. We recently became so obsessed with all the international snacks it sells, especially the Peanuts Snoopy Chocolate Egg, each of which comes with an adorable figure from the Peanuts family, as well as Orion Yait Potato Sticks and Eight Treasure Congee.
