Layover at Kennedy? Go for Indian, Latin Meal
Jackson Heights, Food Heaven, is 10 Miles from JFK Airport
Oct 5, 2009
Instead of moping around JFK airport on a long layover, have a food adventure. It’s possible to get out and exercise near JFK, or visit a dozen interesting restaurants within a ten-mile, half-hour cab ride of Kennedy airport. Here are just three recommended restaurants in the fabulously interesting neighborhood called Jackson Heights, home to one of America's largest Indian immigrant populations. But, because this is New York, and specifically the borough of Queens, visitors will be surprised by the rich ethnic diversity of the neighborhood (and its eateries). Forget glitzy Manhattan. Places like Jackson Heights, Woodside and Flushing (all filled with ethnic eateries) are where the real people of New York live.
Over a hundred languages are spoken in Queens, quite a few of them right here. Food-wise, one can find Brazilian, Peruvian, Indian, Thai, Bangladeshi, and Italian cuisines.
Travelers on a same-day flight should allow four hours, to be on the safe side. That will cover one hour of transportation from Kennedy Airport to Jackson Heights, 90 minutes for a meal, a half hour to walk around and check out Jackson Heights' many ethnic clothing and jewelry shops, and another hour to check back into the airport before the flight (That assumes a domestic flight; allow longer for international).
Recommended Jackson Heights Restaurants for JFK Travelers
- Argentinean Beef, Seafood. (lunch, dinner). It’s romantic, small, European and low key, in a local sort of way here. This small restaurant combines Italian and Argentinean specialties. Try “gaucho beef” or the “carreras” soup of vegetables, chicken and rice. For starving souls not expecting to eat for a week, try the huge mixed grill. Large portions. See online menu for prices. La Portena Restaurant and Argentinean Steakhouse. 74-25 37th Ave., bet. 74th and 75th Sts., (718) 458-8111 Daily, 11am – 11 pm.
- Peruvian Chicken (lunch, dinner). Get huge portions of Pio Pio’s famous chicken and addictive green sauce. Travelers alert: reservations recommended, not because its fancy (anthing but), but to avoid a line. Pio Pio. 84-13 Northern Blvd. bet. 84th and 85th Sts. (718) 426-1010. Daily, 11am-11pm.
- Indian (lunch, dinner, especially Sunday brunch). Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian . There are a half-dozen Indian restaurants on colorful 74th Street in Queens, but NYC cabbies (some of whom may live in this area) are most likely to know the name of the Jackson Diner. It’s not a diner at all, and it might as well be called Curry Diner, because there’s nothing even vaguely Anglo about the North Indian menu. Dress down; this is a local place, with Hindi soap operas playing on the TV. Order mulligatawny soup, tandoori chicken, delicious naan bread, murgh masala (curried chicken), puris and wonderful flavored rice. Jackson Diner. 37-47 74th St. bet. Roosevelt Ave. and 37th Ave., (718) 672-1232. Daily 11:30am-10pm.
How to Get from JFK to Local Indian, Peruvian, Argentinean Restaurants
A cab will take a half hour each way from Kennedy Airport to Jackson Heights. Getting there by public transportation isn’t easy, but can be done, allow an hour each way. Use the Web site "Hopstop" to plot the route. Ask the restaurant to call a cab for the return to JFK.
Rendezvous with Friends from Manhattan in Jackson Heights
Friends who live in Manhattan can easily get to Jackson Heights to share a meal. (But don't be surprised if they've never been there before, either; chalk this up to Manhattan-centricity.) Transportation from Jackson Heights into Manhattan is plentiful (subway lines # 7, E, F, G, R and V run there).
Luggage and Street Safety when Leaving JFK for Ethnic Meal in Jackson Heights
Check it through, leave it at the airport hotel, or ask your airline about storage.
Is it safe in Queens? Yes. Is NYC a city? Also yes. So don’t flash jewelry and watches.
It's fun, easy, and an eye-opener to detour from Kennedy Airport for lunch, dinner or brunch at a local restaurant in ethnically diverse Jackson Heights. Choose from moderately-priced eateries specializing in authentic Indian, Peruvian and Argentinean cuisines. It's all just a cab ride away from JFK airport.
Select Airlines at Kennedy Airport
- Aer Lingus
- Aeroflot
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aero Mexico
- Air Europa
- Air China
- Air France
- Air India
- Air Jamaica
- Alitalia
- American
- ANA (All Nippon)
- Austrian Airlines
- British Airways
- Caribbean
- Cathay Pacific
- Cayman Airways
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- Czech Airlines
- Delta
- Egyptair
- El Al
- Emirates
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Icelandair
- Japan Airlines
- Jet Airways
- JetBlue
- Jet Blue
- KLM
- Korean Air
- Kuwait Airways
- Lan Chile
- Lan Ecuador
- Lan Peru
- L'Avion
- Lufthansa
- Mexicana
- North American
- Northwest
- Olympic
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- Sun Country
- Swiss International Air Lines
- TACA International
- TAM
- United Airlines
- US Airways
- US Helicopter
- Uzbekistan
- Virgin America
- Virgin Atlantic
- XL Airways
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