Jackson Heights: A lot to love...and eat

By Diane Shaw and Nina Watkins

We admit it, a lot of us slightly reluctantly moved here from Brooklyn or Manhattan when we finally had squirreled away enough money for a down payment only to realize we couldn’t afford to live in our old hoods, especially with kids. But, and this is the truth, now we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Mostly we are thankful for the amazing community of people, the awesome apartments and yes, what you are all tired of hearing about, the food. Here is a bit more on all that…

People. No one complains about stroller Nazis here because this is truly a family friendly neighborhood. It’s not made up of hipsters who decided to spawn but rather it is a community of families that come from all over the world (and other boroughs). It feels really old New York, more like a village than a city. You know shop owners and they give your kids lollypops (whether or not you want them to), there are neighborhood characters, the playground is teaming with parents ready to pick up a crying kid and people are there to help you at the drop of a hat. You can always hop on the subway (for about 15 mins) and head to Manhattan for your shot of anonimity but here you will find yourself surrounded by friends.

Housing. There's a reason why so many young couples, with or thinking about kids, move to Jackson Heights. It is one of the few neighborhoods in the city where you can still find affordable and spacious 2 and 3-bedroom apartments. Combine that with beautifully maintained historic prewar buildings, convenient access to six subway lines and a genuine sense of community and you start to see why Jackson Heights has been experiencing a major migration in recent years.

As the West Village and Brooklyn Heights are identified with the brownstones, Jackson Heights is the only New York neighborhood distinguished by the garden cooperative apartments. Jackson Heights was the first garden coop community in the us -- inspired and modeled after similar neighborhoods in England. These pre-war coops are built around a private garden -- approximately the size of a city block. Many of these buildings, including The Chateau, The Towers, The Greystones, and Hampton Court have been landmarked and are part of Jackson Heights prestigious historic district. The hidden gardens tucked away between buildings offer a quiet respite from busy Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard. Because most of these co-ops have remained owner-occupied since they were built, you will find charming apartments in good condition with historical details and original fixtures still intact.

The average price for 2-bedrooms range from $350–450,000 depending on the condition of the apartment and the building though since the real estate market in Jackson Heights went through a surge in the last few years it is often difficult to say exactly what you will get for a particular price. As always a variety of factors influence the value (building condition, proximity to the subway or shops, amenities such as garden or elevator, co-op financial management) but what you get for your dollar will be significantly more than most New York City neighborhoods.

Food. We get a lot of press about food in Jackson Heights and for good reason. There are some great restaurants which serve up a huge array of authentic food and even more authentic street vendors. You can check out the food board on Jackson Heights Life for endless conversations about where to find the best Ecuadorian food or tastiest tacos. But, when you actually live here, the thing you begin to appreciate is the supermarkets which are significantly cheaper than what you will find in Manhattan and endlessly entertaining. If you like browsing products chalk full of foreign alphabets and unknown contents then this is the neighborhood for you. I challenge you to find an ingredient that can't be found in this neighborhood.

Patel Brothers - 74th St. between Roosevelt and 37th Ave
When I first moved to the neighborhood I was completely enchanted with this supermarket and I can still pretty easily loose myself for an hour here. Catering to the Indian community here, they have everything you could possibly need to make an Indian feast including their own line of spices and frozen foods. There are veggies you have never seen or heard of, a great selection of nuts and my personal favorite, the toothpaste section.

Pacific Market – Broadway between 75th and 76th
An enormous Chinese Supermarket with a full fish counter (some of the stuff is still living so it must be fresh though beware the smell), you can also find homeade noodles, fresh tofu, aisles and aisles of sauces and fruits and veggies.

Chong Hap – Broadway between 72nd and 71st
A big Korean Market with a similar line of things to Pacific Market though their fish counter omits no smells and they have the added benefit of having an amazing kimchi counter where you can get many varieties of homade kimchi as well as a section near the cash registers with prepared Korean delights. And, they have a pretty decent selection of organic goods as well.

Trade Fair - 37th Ave between 75th and 76th
While this supermarket often feels very crowded to me because of the small aisles, there are some yummy things hidden inside that are worth the trip. Their selection of Middle Eastern foods is great, you can buy falafel all ready to be fried and choose from a huge selection of tahinis. They also have a good cheese counter - we are really into the French feta and they have one of the neighborhoods best selection of organic fruits and veggies.

Met Food - 37th between 76th and 77th
While just a regular supermarket, it is for some reason the one that I most often use. In addition to all regulars, they have a huge selection of Latino foods with more arepas and tortillas to choose from than you thought possible and lots of Columbian hot chocolate and Argentinian mate.

Jackson Heights Health Food - 37th between 83rd and 84th
Everyone was very happy when this place expanded last year, its all that you can expect from a health food store with the added benefit of an outrageously nice and accommodating owner and staff who are ready to order whatever you need.

Phil Am Food Mart - Roosevelt and 70th
This corner establishment in Little Manila is a small but well-stocked Filipino market filled with a variety of condiments, snacks, and lots of prepared foods including giant steamed chicken buns, marinated beef, homemade sausage, and coconut rice cakes. Always crowded with expats hungry for a taste of home.

Farm Spot and the Farmers Market
From late spring through fall we have an amazing weekly CSA and farmers market. And even with all these supermarkets, nothing makes us happier then picking up our bundle of dirty fresh veggies, fresh eggs, local honey, free-range meats, cheeses, breads….

Neighborhood Resources

Jackson Heights Life - community discussion and conversation board
JH Families - yahoo email list
Jackson Heights Beautification Group - grassroots community organization dedicated to preserving the neighborhoods character. The site also has a great listing of restaurants.
NY Hall of Science - Great place to bring kids on a rainy day, either a long walk or a short subway ride away.
Espresso 77 - wi-fi and kid friendly cafe