Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in Astoria (North)-Ditmars-Steinway
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Watawa Sushi
Neighborhood sushi bar with creative special rolls and consistently fresh fish.
Notable Picks
#1
Watawa Sushi
8.7
Watawa Sushi is the go-to Ditmars sushi bar for creative special rolls, generous sashimi platters, and a long track record of consistently fresh fish. It balances neighborhood comfort with destination-level sushi, drawing steady crowds for birthday dinners, date nights, and delivery orders.
Must-Try Dishes:
Watawa Roll, Dynamite Roll, Chirashi
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood sushi bar with creative special rolls and consistently fresh fish.
#2
The Bonnie
8.6
The Bonnie is a gastropub and cocktail bar where elevated bar food shares the spotlight with one of Astoria’s more talked-about wing programs. Since 2014 it has built a reputation for creative comfort cooking, strong drinks, and a backyard setting that works for both dates and groups.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dry Nashville wings, Smash Burger, Buffalo Brussels Sprouts
What Makes it Special: Cocktail-focused gastropub with serious wings and a beer garden.
#3
VIA VAI
8.6
VIA VAI is a chef-driven Roman Italian restaurant where house-made pasta, thin-crust brick-oven pizza, and a focused Italian wine list anchor a small, reservation-heavy dining room. It balances rustic warmth with polished execution, making it one of the most consistently praised Italian options in Ditmars-Steinway.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e pepe pasta, Squid ink pasta, Margherita pizza
What Makes it Special: Chef-owner Antonio Morichini brings Michelin-trained Roman cooking to a cozy Astoria dining room with house-made pasta and thin-crust pizza.
8.5
A high-volume Greek seafood taverna where whole grilled fish, lemon potatoes, and meze anchor some of the most talked-about plates in Ditmars. Locals and visitors alike treat it as a destination for generous portions and lively, always-busy dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grilled octopus, Whole grilled branzino, Lemon potatoes
What Makes it Special: High-energy Greek seafood spot famous for whole grilled fish and meze.
8.3
King Souvlaki has been grilling pork and chicken souvlaki on Steinway Street since the late 1970s, serving stuffed pitas and fries from a corner cart. It’s a go-to for quick, char-grilled Greek street food where you can eat well for well under twenty dollars.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pork Souvlaki Pita, Chicken Gyro Pita, Greek Fries
What Makes it Special: Long-running Greek street cart known for char-grilled souvlaki and gyro pitas.
#6
Agnanti Meze
8.2
Since 2002 this Aegean-style taverna near the park has focused on meze, grilled seafood, and island dishes served in a cozy room with a patio. It’s a go-to for groups who want a long, shared meal that feels relaxed rather than formal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grilled octopus, Seafood pasta, Saganaki cheese
What Makes it Special: Long-running Greek meze house by Astoria Park with a true taverna feel.
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Sweet Treats Escapes
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Victory Sweet Shop, founded in 1968, anchors an attached garden café where Greek pastries meet full Mediterranean meals in an indoor-outdoor setting. Guests come both for bakery cases filled with classic sweets and for celebratory dinners and parties in the back garden.
Must-Try Dishes:
galaktoboureko, baklava, kourabiedes
What Makes it Special: Historic Greek bakery with an attached garden café built for celebrations.
8
Opened in 2024, Ambrosia Garden brings a slightly more polished, modern take on Greek cooking to a courtyard-style space off 23rd Avenue, with heaters and greenery framing the patio. The menu leans on spanakopita, grilled meats, and seafood, and the staff explicitly welcomes dogs on the outdoor terrace, drawing both date-night crowds and families.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spanakopita, Grilled lemon chicken, Lamb chops
What Makes it Special: New-school Greek cooking served in a lush, string-lit garden.