Old World Meets New
at Irish Pubs Across Astoria
14 MARCH 2 0 1 9
Photos by Claire Leaden/BORO
LOCAL LOVE
FOOD + DRINK
It’s that time of year — when Americans
fully embrace their Irish roots,
no matter how small of a percentage.
But whatever your heritage, if
you want to travel to Ireland for St.
Patrick’s Day this year without the
cost of a plane ticket, Astoria is the
place to be. Traditional pubs that have
been in the neighborhood for ages are
crossing paths with more modern bars
opened by the next generation of young
Irish owners. The neighborhood offers
classics like the best pour of Guinness in
New York, to the brand-new Frozen Irish
Coffee — and everything in between.
Like most Irish immigrant history in
America, the Great Famine — when the
entire potato crop in Ireland (the main
part of their diet) was completely destroyed
by disease — is also what led
many Irish people to escape to New York
City. In the beginning of the 20th century,
immigrants began moving out of Manhattan
for a better quality of life. Cheaper
and more stable apartments, an extended
subway to Queens, and more job opportunities
brought the Irish to Astoria.
You can see the influence in the neighborhood
— perhaps now almost as much as
the first influx. Irish pubs have always been
a staple, but more and more have been
opening as a population of young Irish increases,
who pay homage to their heritage
while also taking it up a notch for the next
generation. A quick Yelp search places over
20 in the area, at the least.
BY CLAIRE LEADEN
@CLAIRELEADEN @CLAIRELEADEN
Cronin
and Phelan’s
Cronin and Phelan’s, off Broadway between Steinway and
38th Street, may remind visitors of a traditional Irish pub from
back in the day — and that’s because it is one. It opened in
1960, and the current owner Michael Peacock, a fellow Irishman
from Laois County, took it over in 1990 from the restaurant’s
namesakes. It always had a good reputation for the
neighborhood, bartender Louise Egleston said, so Peacock
kept the name, but he decided to bring classic Irish food to
the table since it was previously just a bar.