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City Living: Woodhaven, Queens

By Miranda Siegel | Special to amNewYork

September 13, 2007

Nearly 200 years ago, Woodhaven was "Woodville" -- the name was later changed to distinguish the area from its upstate New York counterpart -- and home to two racetracks, drawing in tens of thousands of onlookers.

Now that the tracks are gone, Woodhaven's bustle is mostly limited to Jamaica Avenue, a commercial strip shielded by a ribcage of elevated train tracks. The surrounding area has a suburban feel characterized by a close-knit, familial atmosphere.

Although the area's ethnic makeup -- Guyanese, Jamaican, Chinese, Indian, Eastern European and black, among others -- qualifies the neighborhood as one of Queens' most diverse, locals are proud to say that everyone gets along.

The proximity to the lush, well-maintained Forest Park is also a plus.

"I'm a tennis player and I love the tennis facilities over in Forest Park," said Joseph Cruz. "I use them all the time."

Residents also laud the neighborhood's well-connected transit system, which includes the J and Z trains and various buses.

"I love that the train is right here," said Samantha Sukhraj, who came to Woodhaven with her husband two year ago. "It's convenient, and you can get anywhere in the city fast."

Despite the connections to other parts of the city, many locals are content to spend their days in and around Woodhaven.

"I simply enjoy watching people along Jamaica Avenue," said Josephine Giuseppe, an Italian immigrant who has lived in Woodhaven for 45 years. "This is just what I do here."

Find it
Woodhaven is defined by Park Lane South in the north, Woodhaven Boulevard in the east, Atlantic Avenue in the south and Eldert Lane and Dexter Court in the west.

TO EAT
Packed into Jamaica Avenue is a dizzying array of inexpensive Chinese restaurants, pizzerias and Spanish sit-down restaurants and bars.

New Pop's Restaurant
Open since 1907, this neighborhood diner features giant stained-glass signs emblazoned with words such as "soda" and "candy" in all caps, ice cream floats erupting with whipped cream and waitresses who call you "sugar." What's not to love?
85-22 Jamaica Ave. 718-846-2037

Queens Buffet
Here's a place where you can really chow down: a "Chinese, Japanese, Italian and American" all-you-can-eat buffet housed in a former factory. Prices range from $7.35 to $13.45 for adults and $4.99 to $7.35 for children -- provided they're younger than 10 years old and less than 5 feet tall.
90-10 Atlantic Ave. 718-323-7799

La Flor del Paradiso #4