If you’re craving something sweet, savory, or perhaps both this holiday season, check out these local spots offering the best selection of comforting foods to warm you up. Astorians are turning to beloved local favorites, both new and old, for a taste of comfort and joy.

Blue Sea Taverna

This taverna provides high quality Mediterranean delights. Soul satisfying items include rib-eye streak, lamb chops, (their signature dish), salmon or seafood pasta. Enjoy baklava or Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts for desert. Blue Sea Taverna has been proudly serving the Astoria community since 2023. The beautiful ambiance and friendly staff adds to the enjoyment of this new local hot spot.  

29-20 30th Ave., www.blueseataverna.com IG: blueseataverna Yelp: 4 Stars 

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The Barn Coffee Shop

The slogan for this quaint coffee shop is, “All you need is love… and coffee.” This charming boutique location serves heartwarming holiday treats, including their signature empanadas with mouthwatering fillings like ham and cheese, beef, chicken, and spinach ricotta. Hot chocolate and café au lait make perfect additions to your holiday drink menu. You can also enjoy seasonal favorites like homemade bread pudding and a delicious toasted croissant with peanut butter, jelly, and fresh banana. The Barn Coffee Shop is a cozy spot with a casual outdoor seating area—ideal for meeting up with friends.

Shop – 26-08 Hoyt Ave S., thebarncoffeeshop.com Yelp 5 Stars. Instagram: @thebarnqueens

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Mom’s Kitchen and Bar

If you’re looking for a home-cooked meal this holiday season, look no further than Mom’s Kitchen and Bar. Enjoy comforting options like their signature crispy chicken and gravy plate, steak and eggs, or chicken and bacon served on a warm waffle drizzled with spicy honey. Fans of this popular local spot also love the mac and cheese pancakes and pancake burrito. Mom’s will be open on Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. As the temperature drops, the food here is sure to “stick to your bones,” as they say.

33-01 31st Ave., www.eatatmomsnyc.com  Instagram @momsastoria  Yelp 4 Stars.

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Astoria Provisions

This cozy spot offers hearty selections that are sure to please as the weather gets colder. Popular menu items include hot honey chicken biscuits, grilled cheese with tomato soup, and French onion soup. However, it’s the hot drink menu that truly shines at this casual establishment. Fan favorites include the coconut latte, pumpkin latte, boozy hot chocolate, rum coconut latte, spiked cider, and of course, Mexican and Irish coffees. Other delights feature a lavender honey latte, peppermint mocha, and rose petal cappuccino.

12-23 Astoria Blvd.; astoriaprovisions.com, Yelp 4 Stars; Instagram @astoriaprovisions

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Stand Alone

In neighboring Jackson Heights, there’s a place that will make you feel right at home for the holidays—and nothing says “Happy Holidays” quite like cheese. Welcome to Stand Alone Cheese, your local neighborhood cheese shop! Family-owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Steffen and Jenny, who met while attending a course on cheese, they continually curate the shop’s selection of fine food products. The shelves are packed with a wide array of cheeses, meats, and specialty foods. Each cheese is carefully selected, and the shop offers some of the best European and domestic options available. Stop by this fantastic local shop to pick up the perfect charcuterie board for yourself or for family and friends this holiday season, and give the gift of cheese.

79-07 37th Ave., Jackson Heights; standalonecheese.com  / Yelp 5 Stars  / @standalonecheese  

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Bench Flour

This online and in-person retail/wholesale enterprise offers the best in organic, all-natural, and beautifully executed cross-cultural treats, such as sweet red bean pop tarts with cinnamon icing, everything brioche filled with cream cheese, and dark chocolate sweet bread loaves dripping with Chinese five-spice glaze. Bench Flour Bakers is a seasonal bakery that prioritizes organic, fresh, and local produce and grains whenever possible. The orange marmalade cheesecake is a signature dish, and patrons can also enjoy freshly homemade hot cocoa with vanilla marshmallows, an apple cheddar danish, and a pistachio pastry cream & fraises des bois danish.

43-18 25th Ave., benchflournyc.com, Instagram @benchflourbakers  / Yelp 4 Stars.