Sunnyside Queens Field Trip

A couple of weekends ago a friend who lives in Sunnyside invited us to lunch in his neighborhood. We  met up at a restaurant called the Turkish Grill, and had a feast. Our friend is Turkish, so he knows his stuff, and it was fantastic. We way overordered because everything sounded so good--make sure you get the Shepherd's salad, and their version of pizza, which is called Lahmucun. The tea is a must.

After stuffing ourselves, we walked around the corner to what looked like a very unassuming market from the outside, but was so great on the inside, we would have made the trip just for it. 

It was a smoked meat lover’s paradise. We bought a ham hock, some venison summer sausage, and a selection of other things the Romanian owner recommended. They have their own farm in New Jersey, and smoke the meats themselves.

Just around the corner from Sunnyside Market was another market, that had an amazing selection of feta cheeses. And close by is a great spot to get coffee, Baruir's Coffee.

A couple of blocks away from there is the historical development of Sunnyside Gardens, where two story houses all have a common garden area in the back, and alleys you can walk through...very English style. There's also a playground in the vicinity, called Lawrence Virgilio Playground--we didn't go because we were too cold, but it looks nice. One of the most intriguing things about this area is that there's a members-only park which seems amazing. It's a real community spot for families--read the link--you just might consider checking out Sunnyside as an option for moving. You get a lot of space for what you pay, you're right off the 7 train, in the middle of one of the most diverse communities in the world, 10 minutes from La Guardia, but—the planes don't fly over Sunnyside, so it's quiet!