Where to Eat in Queen Village (2024)

Little Fish [official photo]

Nine essential restaurants for pasta, ramen, seafood, steak frites, and more

by Sarah Maiellano Sep 19, 2019, 2:19pm EDT

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| Little Fish [official photo]

A few different chefs have run Little Fish over the years, but now that owner Alex Yoon, a Philly native with experience working at Le Bec-Fin, Benu in San Francisco, and Mirazur in the French Riviera, is at the helm, it’s better than ever. The tiny BYOB uses a chalkboard menu for its ever-changing lineup of fresh seafood, often prepared with flavors from different Asian cuisines. There’s always a mix of raw and cooked fish, along with pasta and seasonal focaccia.

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Make like a Parisian at Peter Woolsey’s Bistrot La Minette, where all the French touches are just right. On a nice night, dine al fresco at one of the bistro tables out front or step into the narrow dining room with its art-lined walls and petite bar. It’s hard to go wrong with the tried-and-true menu here that includes escargot, foie gras, ratatouille, and pot de creme.

Whether it’s breakfast, brunch, or dinner, Fabric Row’s all-day cafe Hungry Pigeon is always bustling. In the morning, snag one of co-owner/pastry chef Pat O’Malley’s croissants, or a mile-high egg sandwich layered with a thick hash brown. It’s co-owner Scott Schroeder’s turn to get creative in the evening with a menu that changes frequently based on what’s in season.

Marina de Oliveira and Chris D’Ambro bought neighborhood standby Southwark a few years ago and refreshed it with a spot-on bar program and a menu of locally sourced new American dishes. A charming garden and friendly staff help make it a perfect neighborhood spot. Following that success, the couple developed a mini-Queen Village restaurant empire that includes the intimate, tasting menu-only Ambra, family-friendly Olly, and coming soon, pizzeria Gigi.

Casey Robinson

Two couples with decades of experience in the restaurant industry joined forces to open this busy corner restaurant. It’s not totally clear what a 1990 John Waters/Johnny Depp movie has to do with Italian food, but it’s well executed and reasonably priced here and the vibe is always festive. Go for the chicken francaise, grilled sardine bruschetta, tortellini en brodo, and any of the pastas, like the spaghetti pomodoro or smoked chicken rigatoni.

Kory Aversa

Chefs and other foodies-in-the-know flock to this snug, counter-service ramen shop that offers several different styles of the dish, including shoyu (chicken broth with soy sauce), shio (chicken broth with sea salt), iekei (pork and chicken broth), tantan (spicy pork and chicken broth), a mushroom-based vegan option, a brothless version, and a chilled ramen.

Jesse Ito’s Japanese destination in Queen Village is a two-in-one deal. The dimly lit pub in front is a great spot for ordering yakitori and rainbow rolls with a glass of Hitachino. Or make a reservation for the 18-piece omakase ($130 per person), which is served at a serene chef’s counter set behind a thick curtain in the back and includes dishes like bluefin toro with Ossetracaviar. Nearby in Queen Village, newcomer Sakana also offers omakase, for $58 or $108.

The beautiful Front Street space that’s now home to Fiore deserves a restaurant as lovely as Justine MacNeil and Ed Crochet’s three-in-one. The daytime cafe, amaro bar, and full-service restaurant is as good in the morning, when sous chef Gina Nalbone’s pastries are the highlight, as it is at night when the wood-fired grill gets going. Don’t miss the delicate pastas and house-made gelato.

Fiore [official photo]

A few different chefs have run Little Fish over the years, but now that owner Alex Yoon, a Philly native with experience working at Le Bec-Fin, Benu in San Francisco, and Mirazur in the French Riviera, is at the helm, it’s better than ever. The tiny BYOB uses a chalkboard menu for its ever-changing lineup of fresh seafood, often prepared with flavors from different Asian cuisines. There’s always a mix of raw and cooked fish, along with pasta and seasonal focaccia.

• Open in Google Maps

Make like a Parisian at Peter Woolsey’s Bistrot La Minette, where all the French touches are just right. On a nice night, dine al fresco at one of the bistro tables out front or step into the narrow dining room with its art-lined walls and petite bar. It’s hard to go wrong with the tried-and-true menu here that includes escargot, foie gras, ratatouille, and pot de creme.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Whether it’s breakfast, brunch, or dinner, Fabric Row’s all-day cafe Hungry Pigeon is always bustling. In the morning, snag one of co-owner/pastry chef Pat O’Malley’s croissants, or a mile-high egg sandwich layered with a thick hash brown. It’s co-owner Scott Schroeder’s turn to get creative in the evening with a menu that changes frequently based on what’s in season.

• Open in Google Maps

• Open in Google Maps

Matt Uhlman

Marina de Oliveira and Chris D’Ambro bought neighborhood standby Southwark a few years ago and refreshed it with a spot-on bar program and a menu of locally sourced new American dishes. A charming garden and friendly staff help make it a perfect neighborhood spot. Following that success, the couple developed a mini-Queen Village restaurant empire that includes the intimate, tasting menu-only Ambra, family-friendly Olly, and coming soon, pizzeria Gigi.

• Open in Google Maps

Casey Robinson

Two couples with decades of experience in the restaurant industry joined forces to open this busy corner restaurant. It’s not totally clear what a 1990 John Waters/Johnny Depp movie has to do with Italian food, but it’s well executed and reasonably priced here and the vibe is always festive. Go for the chicken francaise, grilled sardine bruschetta, tortellini en brodo, and any of the pastas, like the spaghetti pomodoro or smoked chicken rigatoni.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Kory Aversa

Chefs and other foodies-in-the-know flock to this snug, counter-service ramen shop that offers several different styles of the dish, including shoyu (chicken broth with soy sauce), shio (chicken broth with sea salt), iekei (pork and chicken broth), tantan (spicy pork and chicken broth), a mushroom-based vegan option, a brothless version, and a chilled ramen.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Jesse Ito’s Japanese destination in Queen Village is a two-in-one deal. The dimly lit pub in front is a great spot for ordering yakitori and rainbow rolls with a glass of Hitachino. Or make a reservation for the 18-piece omakase ($130 per person), which is served at a serene chef’s counter set behind a thick curtain in the back and includes dishes like bluefin toro with Ossetracaviar. Nearby in Queen Village, newcomer Sakana also offers omakase, for $58 or $108.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

The beautiful Front Street space that’s now home to Fiore deserves a restaurant as lovely as Justine MacNeil and Ed Crochet’s three-in-one. The daytime cafe, amaro bar, and full-service restaurant is as good in the morning, when sous chef Gina Nalbone’s pastries are the highlight, as it is at night when the wood-fired grill gets going. Don’t miss the delicate pastas and house-made gelato.

• Open in Google Maps

Fiore [official photo]

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