Ridgewood's Food Scene Keeps Growing
Photo: Rublov / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ridgewood has long been known for its neighborhood character, but its increasingly diverse food scene is giving New Yorkers another reason to explore this corner of Queens.
One of the newest arrivals is Cloud Tea, which opened this month at 7-87 Seneca Avenue. The café specializes in tea and jianbing, the savory Chinese street-food crepe, adding another distinctive option to a stretch of Seneca Avenue that has seen a growing concentration of cafés and neighborhood gathering spots.
And more is on the way. Bambino's, a new Italian restaurant from a team that includes former Baby Blues Luncheonette chef Andrew DeLuca, is expected to open this fall at 17-02 Gates Avenue, just a block from the Seneca Avenue M station.
Woodward Avenue is evolving too. The teams behind Ridgewood favorites Mama Yoshi Mini Mart and Decades Pizza have signed a lease at 6-85 Woodward Avenue for a new concept planned for early 2027. The still-unnamed space is expected to operate as a bakery during the day before transitioning to dinner and a bar in the evening.
Taken together, these openings reflect something that has been happening gradually across Ridgewood: its commercial streets are becoming home to an increasingly varied collection of independent cafés, restaurants and bars, while the neighborhood's distinctive residential streets and historic architecture remain close by.
For residents and visitors alike, Seneca and Woodward Avenues are becoming particularly interesting streets to watch — places where Ridgewood's established neighborhood character and its newer businesses increasingly meet.