Astoria, Queens Food Crawl Highlighted in NYC

- The "Secret Eats of Astoria" food crawl includes tastings from a variety of cultures, such as baklava, soft Colombian sweet bread, and flaky Greek Spanakopita, reflecting the neighborhood's diverse immigrant history. - Astoria's reputation as a food destination is built on waves of immigration, starting with Dutch and German settlers in the 17th century, followed by Irish and Italian immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. - The neighborhood is particularly renowned for its Greek food, with a large influx of Greek immigrants in the 1960s establishing numerous tavernas, bakeries, and cafes, especially in the Ditmars area. - Beyond Greek and Italian cuisine, Astoria is a melting pot of global flavors with significant populations from Egypt, Brazil, and Eastern European countries like Bosnia and Albania, all contributing to the diverse food scene. - A section of Steinway Street is unofficially known as "Little Egypt" due to the concentration of Arabic shops and restaurants that began to appear in the 1990s. - The tour also touches on Astoria's cultural history, including its ties to the film industry with the presence of Kaufman Astoria Studios and the Museum of the Moving Image. - The tour concludes near the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, the oldest beer garden in New York City, which was established in 1910 by the Czech and Slovak communities. - The neighborhood's name itself has a historical footnote; it was named after wealthy merchant John Jacob Astor in the mid-1800s in an effort to attract investment, though he only contributed a small amount to the area.