New York City - Dinner in/near LGA?

Looking for some advice/suggestions.

Headed up next month and am arriving on a Sunday evening DL flight around 7pm, then staying at the Hampton Inn next to the airport before heading into Manhattan the next morning.

What are my options for dinner that evening? There's no food at the HI until breakfast, and it doesn't look like there are really any restaurants within walking distance. Should I grab something inside the DL terminal? Head over to central terminal and get something landside (will they be open around 8pm on a Sunday?)? Pop into the Sky Club and fill up on carrots and olives?

Would love any suggestions y'all have. I'd prefer to not have to take a cab to anywhere once I get to the hotel (until I check out, of course).

Thanks!

Figs (http://www.figslga.com/) in the Central Terminal is supposed to be pretty decent (never actually eaten there myself) and I believe it's landside.

If it were me, though, I'd go visit Ali at Kabab Cafe (http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/kabab-cafe/). Just call ahead to make sure he'll be open. It's not really walkable, but you can take a cab there and if you can't find a black car in the area to take you back after dinner, you can hop on the M60 or Q19 around the corner for the trip back. Just be sure to bring $2.25 in change with you for the bus (or buy a metrocard at LGA when you arrive).

You can also get some of the best Thai and Sichuan food outside Asia in Woodside and Flushing, respectively (see, e.g., Sripraphai for Thai and Spicy & Tasty or Little Pepper for Sichuan). These are a little farther, but can be reached by bus or taxi from the LGA area.

Looking for some advice/suggestions.

Headed up next month and am arriving on a Sunday evening DL flight around 7pm, then staying at the Hampton Inn next to the airport before heading into Manhattan the next morning.

What are my options for dinner that evening? There's no food at the HI until breakfast, and it doesn't look like there are really any restaurants within walking distance. Should I grab something inside the DL terminal? Head over to central terminal and get something landside (will they be open around 8pm on a Sunday?)? Pop into the Sky Club and fill up on carrots and olives?

Would love any suggestions y'all have. I'd prefer to not have to take a cab to anywhere once I get to the hotel (until I check out, of course).

Thanks!

Your are fairly limited. I would just grap something in the DL terminal and take it with me. Of course if you want to save $10-$15 bucks and can make a meal out of the DL SC offerings (much better than what you get for free at the AA AC) I'd do that. Personally, I'm not a huge food person, I'd probably save my $$ for something better.

My suggestion would be to take the Q33 bus from the main terminal at LGA to the glorious :cool: neighborhood of Jackson Heights, Queens. Once you're on the bus, it shouldn't be more than a 15-minute or so ride.

JH is a really ethnically diverse neighborhood filled with some of NYC's best Indian food, as well as a diverse mix of Latin restaurants (Colombian, Mexican, etc.) There are also cool shops to check out - lots of South Asian jewelry stores, tropical fruit stands, and the like. If you're into architecture, JH has some beautiful and prestigious garden apartment buildings on the side streets as well.

Also, if you're getting in at 7pm there's nothing at all to stop you from taking the subway into Manhattan and having a night in the city if you're so inclined.

However, if you go to JH (and if you like Indian food), I'd recommend the Jackson Diner. It's generally regarded as one of NYC's best Indian places, and it's quite reasonably priced as well. It is, however, cash only: http://jacksondiner.com/

Yeah, I'm spending the entire following week in Manhattan, so getting into the city that night isn't a particular inclination. Most of my trips involve going straight from LGA to my office, I'm just getting the night here due to an early AM meeting the next day. So, mainly just looking for basic nourishment and then a quiet night of channel surfing.

Intriguing so far are the basic eats in the central terminal (I'm always on DL so wasn't familiar with whats in central terminal - sounds like decent options landside), or exploring Queens a little bit.

Should I decide to venture out, what are folks' thoughts on using the hotel shuttle to go back to the airport in order to more reliably get yellow cabs and MTA buses from there? Some threads from a couple years ago seem to indicate that it can be hard to get a non-gypsy cab from the airport hotels.

BTW, thanks for all the quick/detailed/varied suggestions. This is exactly why I love FT!

Yeah, I'm spending the entire following week in Manhattan, so getting into the city that night isn't a particular inclination. Most of my trips involve going straight from LGA to my office, I'm just getting the night here due to an early AM meeting the next day. So, mainly just looking for basic nourishment and then a quiet night of channel surfing.

Intriguing so far are the basic eats in the central terminal (I'm always on DL so wasn't familiar with whats in central terminal - sounds like decent options landside), or exploring Queens a little bit.

Should I decide to venture out, what are folks' thoughts on using the hotel shuttle to go back to the airport in order to more reliably get yellow cabs and MTA buses from there? Some threads from a couple years ago seem to indicate that it can be hard to get a non-gypsy cab from the airport hotels.

BTW, thanks for all the quick/detailed/varied suggestions. This is exactly why I love FT!

If you want a really nice view of the airfield, there is a fairly nice restaurant on the bottom level of the Central Terminal (sorry can't remember the name.) IIRC not too pricey either. I suggest taking the inter terminal bus to the Central Terminal so you can get some good views before dark (assuming your flight is on time.) Also, I'm not sure how late the place stays open given that by 9PM LGA outgoing is pretty much rolling up.

You could then take your hotel shuttle after dinner.

Should I decide to venture out, what are folks' thoughts on using the hotel shuttle to go back to the airport in order to more reliably get yellow cabs and MTA buses from there? Some threads from a couple years ago seem to indicate that it can be hard to get a non-gypsy cab from the airport hotels.

I think that would probably be doable. In any event I expect the hotel staff could tell you what particular buses pass by the hotel - it's probable that there will be a bus or two, either to the subway or maybe even directly to JH or Flushing.

I would definitely recommend leaving the airport for dinner. Personally, after a flight of any duration I like to stretch my legs and feel attached to the earth again, and if you're arriving at 7 everything in the neighborhoods will be open, so why not get something decent in a pleasant environment?

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I haven't been there in a while, but you used to be able to get a decent meal at the LGA Marriott, across the street.

The two buses that stop near the Hampton Inn are the Q48, which goes to Flushing, and the Q23, which goes to Forest Hills via Corona. In Forest Hills (about a 25-30 minute bus ride), you can find lots of restaurants, including a world-class pizzeria (Nick's), an upscale steakhouse ("aged"), decent Greek (Taverna and Corfu), a good bistro (Bonfire), as well as a variety of other chain and non-chain restaurants.

Should I decide to venture out, what are folks' thoughts on using the hotel shuttle to go back to the airport in order to more reliably get yellow cabs and MTA buses from there? Some threads from a couple years ago seem to indicate that it can be hard to get a non-gypsy cab from the airport hotels.

If you want cabs, I'd skip the hotel shuttle and just call a local car service. Ecuador-to-door (http://www.yelp.com/biz/ecuador-corp-car-service-astoria) and New Enrico's (http://www.newenricos.com/) are two services that have been mentioned in this forum in the past for Astoria pickups, and my guess is that they'll pick you up on-demand at the Hampton Inn, too. If not, the hotel may have the name of another service, or you could always take the hotel shuttle and get a yellow cab if one doesn't happen to be passing the hotel.

Also, the Q48 runs in both directions on Ditmars right outside the Hampton Inn, and ends smack in the middle of Flushing's Chinatown (get on the bus on the same side of the street as the hotel to go to Flushing). Within a block or two of the last stop you'll find foodie favorite Sichuan places like Spicy & Tasty and Little Pepper as well as all kinds of other Chinese restaurants from giant banquet halls to tiny holes in the wall and subterranean warrens of food stalls selling all manner of snacks and street food. It's the most China-like place I've ever been to outside China and is a ton of fun to explore. Check chowhound for other specific recommendations.

The other buses (Q33 or Q49 to Jackson Heights for Indian and Latin cuisine; M60 or Q19 to Astoria for Egyptian or Greek) are a little farther away, so it might be worth taking the hotel shuttle to get the Q33 or M60 if you're not in a rush. But it might also be worth spending the $15 or so for a car to just take you where you're going.

Thanks for the car info! For whatever reason, my company refuses to pay for anything that's not MTA or yellow cab, so I try to stick to that when I can. I may go for one of the buses that comes by the hotel - cheaper than the cars and simpler than the shuttle.

Of course, now that I've found all this out, watch me just fall asleep when I get there. :p

Just updating the thread. At LGA now and decided against exploring - a little tired and a bit of work to do before the morning.

So, I made my way over to the Figs restaurant landside at the Central Terminal. Nothing fancy, but I'm currently eating a pretty solid chicken parm. Not bad for some hot, fresh comfort food for under $20. Plus, there's a nicely stocked bar and a great view of the tarmac.

Thanks for reporting back in!