Just a few feet from the subway station at Broadway, Gata Golosa Astoria serves as a one-stop shop for both your morning coffee and a bite to eat after work.

Owner Max Castro saw potential for something special coming out of the pandemic lockdown. He explained, “We got involved in the business in 2020. The original place was already there ten years, and I saw an opportunity to keep the same food and kind of liven up the place.”

Castro felt that renovations would be necessary to keep up with the growth of the neighborhood. It was also important to expand the menu and drink offerings, “We decided to brighten up the place and get a liquor license. In a lot of cuisine, not necessarily American, there’s a drink component to eating. You might have a glass of wine or a beer. I was really trying to get away from the idea that it was just a bakery.” The project finished in 2021.

As for the look, Castro describes it as a fusion of industrial and wildlife. He noted, “That’s where the grays and the greens come together; they don’t clash. The lighting isn’t set in just one area, it goes around the whole place. It’s doesn’t feel like a dining room.”

Unlike a bakery, there’s seating inside, so you can take the time to enjoy your food. There’s even a small bar-like area where you’ll feel right at home nursing a frozen margarita after a long day. “We have a revolving cocktail menu. We just came up with a drink based on a poet which is called the pocas palabras. In Spanish it means, “in a couple of words,” and that’s with eggplant. It changes the drink a little bit. It has a bright flavor profile too and a dab of acidity, like tamarind. So, it’s great for the summer.”

There are tasty treats all over this menu, but Castro conceded that one item stands out among all others. “People love the cheese bread,” he admitted. “People will come in just for the cheese bread – the pan de bono. I always find it a little funny, but most people have a tough time even pronouncing it.” (Pro tip: say “pan” like it’s frying and “bono” like it rhymes with “solo,” and you’ll be fine.)

But there’s so much more here to dive into. Say you’re famished and you’ve decided cheese bread was just your first course. You’re in the mood for a little of everything – Gata Golosa has you covered. Order up the bandeja paisa. Castro elaborated on this popular item, “You get pork rind, steak, corn cake, rice, beans, two eggs, avocado, sweet plantains, and sausage. All that comes on one dish.”

As for Castro, he’s working on expanding Gata Golosa’s reach while also enjoying his time here. “We just opened a new location in Jackson Heights. We don’t have a liquor license over there, but it’s a smaller place and the focus is on pastries and bread. Astoria is already a great mesh of various communities. It’s got a big heart. Yes, you’ve got Flushing and you’ve got Jackson Heights, but there’s a lot to be said about Astoria.”

30-18 Broadway / Phone: 718.806.1493 / gatagolosaastoria.com / Yelp: 4.1