Six of Queens' Most Delicious Desserts
Reporting by Kat Odell
Queens, the world’s borough, is no stranger to unique desserts from around the globe. With a substantial Italian, Greek, and Asian population, and myriad restaurants representative of each, of course desserts follow suit. From perfectly creamy (not icy!) Italian ice to addictive Greek doughnuts to trendy Japanese soufflé pancakes, here’s some of the most delicious ways to tame one’s sweet tooth in Queens.
Astoria
Think of La Guli Pastry Shop as the quintessential Italian bakery. Here, refrigerated shelves are packed with cannoli, sfogliatella, cubes of tiramisu, pine nut cookies, rainbow cookies––all the usual suspects. A neighborhood fixture since Sicilian-born Paolo Notaro opened the place in 1937, La Guli––whose façade and interior floor and shelves haven’t changed since inception––has remained in the family, currently overseen by Notaro’s son Rosario Notaro and granddaughter Maria Notaro. Drop in for traditional Italian pastries like the house-favorite cannoli, which one can order in two sizes: small or large. Each comes filled with a not overly sweet, rich ricotta cream that’s flecked with mini chocolate chips.
Photo Credit: Kat Odell
Astoria
Ample Hills––the Brooklyn-based sweets brand lauded for its quality-mined, made-from-scratch ice cream––has been on a tear, opening 11 locations in the last decade between New York, New Jersey, and California. Though founded by husband-and-wife team Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna––and now under control of larger corporation Schmitt Industries––Ample Hills nonetheless continues it plight, offering whimsically-flavored ice creams, all produced in its 15,000 square foot Red Hook factory. But, the good news for Queens denizens is that Ample Hills counts a location in Astoria, and it’s here one will find some of the best ice cream in the borough. Don’t miss Ample Hills addictive Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, a chilly riff on the classic St. Louis, Missouri butter-spiked cake. To make its ice cream flavor, Ample Hills begins with a super rich and chewy cream cheese ice cream, and swirls in chunks of house-made gooey butter cake. The end result is a dense vanilla ice cream with hits of toast and caramel.
Photo Credit: Liz Clayman
Astoria
Don’t overlook this modest Greek café. Here, owner Panagiotis Peikidis’ mother Lemona Peikidou bakes all savory and sweet items in house, such as the spinach and feta spanakopita, and sticky walnut studded baklava. But the must-try bite is the made-to-order loukoumades or yeasted Greek doughnuts. When Café Boulis opened in 2012, its original owner hailed from the Greek island of Chios, which explains why the loukoumades here are shaped like an American doughnut as opposed to doughnut holes, the most commonly-found loukoumades shape. And while loukoumades can be found all over Greece, the Chios version is made from a lighter, more aerated batter, and the doughnuts are tossed in a lighter honey syrup. At Café Boulis, Peikidis––who took over the business in 2016––continues to offer these excellent Greek doughnuts, topped with the patron’s choice of honey syrup and cinnamon, Nutella, sour cherry syrup, or with walnuts and powdered sugar.
Photo Credit: Kat Odell
Corona
When The Lemon Ice King––with its stainless steel, old fashioned diamond plate exterior––debuted in 1964, proprietor and chef Nicola Benfaremo planned it as such to coincide with the Flushing Meadow Corona Park World’s Fair, which more than 50 million people attended. Likely a wise business decision, Benfaremo had already been selling sweetened, flavored Italian ice out of his garage for twenty years prior just a stone’s throw away. Today, The Lemon Ice King is under watch of Vincent Barbaccia and Michael Zampino, who both worked there throughout their childhood, and to this day The Lemon Ice King’s recipes remain unchanged from day one. Here, fruit flavors are made with fresh fruit, some with chunks of that fresh fruit mixed in, but what makes the ices here so special is their terrific creamy texture, despite the fact that the team does not add any dairy. Don’t miss the signature lemon ice, made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and just a bit of sugar to balance the fruit’s acidity.
Flushing
Jiggly, Japanese-style soufflé pancakes––essentially a cross between a pancake and a soufflé, which yields a super light and airy pancake that gets its height from whipped egg whites and sits about an inch-high––have been all the rage in Tokyo for the last few years, and now the trend has hit New York via a number of Asian cafes. Two-year-old Asian dessert counter Eggcellent Soufflé Pancakes, as its name suggests, excels at just that, along with another dessert popular in Hong Kong, bubble waffles, which contain more egg than traditional waffles and have somewhat of a custardy texture and flavor. Founders Francesca Lui and partner Toby Wong both hail from Hong Kong, and the duo was keen to share Asian desserts with America. Their popular take on Japanese soufflé pancakes incorporates a tribute to Italy via their signature tiramisu pancake: two pancakes blanketed in a pillowy coffee cream, topped with cacao powder. Note: The pancakes are made fresh to order and take 15 minutes to prepare.
Photo Credit: Eggcellent
Forest Hills
Eddie’s Sweet Shop represents the epitome of a classic ice cream parlor. Clad with a long marble counter and bar stools, kids and adults sidle up for loaded sundaes stacked with house-made ice cream in flavors like vanilla fudge and coffee chip, topped with house-made sauces like hot fudge or caramel, freshly whipped cream, and a cherry. In fact, Eddie’s––which opened in 1925––is now the oldest scoop shop in New York, a relic of the past that has been passed down through ownership four times since its inception. Current owner Vito Citrano inherited the ice cream shop from his father, who purchased it in 1968. And today, Citrano continues to serve parlor classics, like milkshakes and ice cream sodas––which patrons can customize from thin to frosty to thick––using similar recipes to what was served when the place opened nearly 100 years ago.