Queens Together released an online guide to culinary and culinary institutions in Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District. Courtesy Kaufman Arts District
Queens Together launches online Kaufman
Arts District guide to food, culture in Astoria
BY BILL PARRY
Queens Together, a restaurant
advocacy group
launched in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic, has
launched a new effort to support
local support of cultural
institutions, shops and eateries
in western Queens with
its “KAD Passport,” an online
guide to 15 of the very
best attractions in Astoria’s
Kaufman Arts District.
The KAD Passport features
the neighborhood’s culinary
and cultural institutions
such as the performing
arts high school founded by
Astoria’s favorite son Tony
Bennett; New York City’s
only ukulele emporium; and a
host of restaurants, including
Mexican cantinas, late-night
Desi kebab stands, a bistro
featuring French crepes from
Brittany and Astoria’s only
Nigerian eatery. The guide
was written and compiled by
Joe DiStefano, a local food
guru, tour guide and the author
of “111 Places in Queens
That You Must Not Miss.”
“This is home for me. I
moved to Astoria in the mid-
90s and immediately started
doing craft service and catering
for film and TV studios
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | NOV. 13-NOV. 19, 2020
in New York City,” Queens
Together Executive Director
Jonathan Forgash said.
“For 25 years I worked in and
around Kaufman Astoria Studios.
They are an anchor in
the neighborhood. Kaufman
provides jobs, supports families
and sponsors events for
all to enjoy. The district and
its cultural and culinary institutions
are living, breathing
history. I’m excited to
share it.”
The online KAD Passport
is available to download
for free at queenstogether.
org. Participants are encouraged
to start their KAD tours
at the Kaufman Astoria Studios
iconic Main Gate at the
corner of 35th Avenue and
36th Street.
“As Queen’s first cultural
district, we have always banded
together to support the
arts and our neighborhood,”
Kaufman Arts District Board
of Directors President Tracy
Capune said. “Today, as many
restaurant owners struggle in
our district and around Kaufman
Astoria Studios, we are
happy to join Queens Together
to promote and provide assistance
to unique restaurants
that you can only find in the
Kaufman Arts District.”
The district is home to a
community of cultural institutions
that support emerging
artists. Founded by the
Kaufman Astoria Studios,
the Museum of Moving Image
and the Queens Council
on the Arts, KAD spans more
than 24 blocks and serves to
advocate for the arts in the
neighborhood.
For more information visit
the Kaufman Arts District
website.
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4538.
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