While Townsend Harris students have more leisure time to spend with their friends with half days on Fridays, as a freshman, it can be difficult to find the best place to eat. From food courts to ethnic cuisines, here are some popular places Harrisites recommend.
Food Courts:
Queens Center Mall – Elmhurst
The last stop on the Q88 bus brings students to Queens Center Mall (QCM), one of the biggest malls in Queens. Friends can eat at the food court on the lower level or the restaurants on the first level, go shopping, and take pictures around the area. Sophomore Faith Grinion recommends that students “ hang out at QCM, in particular, the food court because they have good,… affordable [food] and is also a nice place to get good pictures if anyone plans to do so.” In addition, Senior Nicole Woszcyna suggested that if students want to splurge, they should “go to Shake Shack or Cheesecake Factory.”
Queens Crossing – Flushing
A short ride on the Q44 bus to the center of downtown Flushing leaves students near Queens Crossing, which has a variety of foods and activities. Sophomore Alexandra Yick said, “Queens Crossing is in the middle of Flushing, so it’s pretty close to other really cool places. There’s Taiyaki Ice Cream, but it was only a pop-up so it’ll be closing, but there’s also a karaoke place downstairs and other foods since its a food court.” Senior Wilma Aung added, “Queens Crossing has a lot of different food shops to hit up if you’re indecisive on where you wanna go to eat like I am.”
Closest to the School:
Bakhtar Halal Kabab
Bakhtar Halal Kabab is a great eatery for Muslim students as there aren’t many authentic halal restaurants around the school. It also allows other students to experience different cultures. Senior Khadiza Sultana said, “Bakhtar Halal Kabab is a good place for my friends and I to hang out [because] it’s close to the school and our bus stops…. The food is good…and the prices are affordable for the students. The meat used is halal, which is a plus for the Muslim students at THHS.”
Gino’s
Right across from Queens College’s campus, on Kissena Boulevard, students can enjoy a hot and fresh slice of pizza. Senior Ruth Rajcoomar stated, “I like Gino’s because their pizza is always hot and fresh. [The restaurant is] clean and spacious, so you can bring a lot of friends. The workers are also very nice to everyone.” Sophomore Lynda Irizarry also mentioned Gino’s as a place to hang out since it’s “close [to the school] and [has] good food…so it’s nice to hang out there.”
East Asian Food:
The Coop – Korean Restaurant
Students can take either the Q44 or Q20A buses to eat at The Coop. Sophomore Cherry Leung mentioned that her favorite is the “Korean fried chicken,” and Sophomore Lisa Felson agreed and said that the restaurant has “really good soy garlic chicken.” If you’re craving Korean food, then this should be one of your go-to spots!
TSAoCAA – Taiwanese Café
This bubble tea shop caught students’ attention through a soft opening promotion on Instagram.. From this, they are known now as an “Instagramable” store and easily accessible through a short ride on the Q44 bus. As Sophomore Fatema Jaynab explained, “Bubble tea places or cafes are pretty amazing to hangout because you can grab a bite to eat while you either study or de-stress from school work.”
With these recommendations you can enjoy a meal without having to travel far or spend too much money. Often, it is a struggle to find food that is both enjoyable and affordable but these tasty options recommended by fellow Harrisites will leave you coming back for more.
Photo by Jasmine Shum.
