Heirloom Tomato Salad (La Flor Woodside)
Feb. 11, 2025 by Shane O’Brien
Sunnyside Shines and Woodside on the Move will host the inaugural “Restaurant Week of the Sides” starting this Sunday, celebrating a diverse range of culinary options in both neighborhoods situated along the 7 line.
The new Restaurant Week concept, which runs from Feb. 16 through March 2, features over 40 businesses across Sunnyside and Woodside, with participating businesses offering three-course specials for $35 in addition to other discounts.
Woodside on the Move, a non-profit that aims to maintain and improve the quality of life in the neighborhood, and the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District have joined forces for the new restaurant week, which seeks to foster a deeper connection between the two adjacent neighborhoods.
The event aims to highlight the proximity between the two Queens neighborhoods while also providing a boost to local businesses at a slow time of year, according to Woodside on the Move Executive Director William Jourdain.
Jourdain praised Sunnyside Shines for hosting its successful annual restaurant week, which typically takes place at the end of March, stating that the event has become a staple among the Queens community.
He added that he hopes the newly-formed Restaurant Week of the Sides, which will take place in addition to the Sunnyside Restaurant Week, will help encourage people to “continue moving down the line” and see “exactly what Woodside has to offer.”
Jourdain added that Woodside on the Move felt that it was “imperative” to support local businesses at a difficult time of the year for restaurants and bars.
“January, February is when restaurant owners and small business owners will see a steep decline in revenue and sales,” Jourdain said. “It just felt very critical and imperative for us to really do something, just to help redirect the pedestrian flow of traffic traffic.”
Dirk McCall de Palomá, executive director of Sunnyside Shines, similarly said the new Restaurant Week concept was an opportunity to drive business to restaurants at a time when restaurants typically struggle.
McCall de Palomá believes the new event is an opportunity for people to try new restaurants in the two different neighborhoods, adding that he expects Restaurant Week of the Sides to be “hugely successful.”
He added that Restaurant Week represents an opportunity to introduce new customers to existing businesses in both neighborhoods, showcasing local eateries to people who may not even know they exist.
“There’s a chance for people to get some butts on seats and get some people through the doors,” McCall de Palomá said. “It’s a chance to talk about themselves.”
He added that Sunnyside Shines and Woodside on the Move will be sharing stories about each restaurant on social media in the lead-up to Restaurant Week of the Sides.
Jourdain, meanwhile, spoke of the importance of small and independent businesses to the character of the two neighborhoods, stating that small businesses play a vital role in the make-up of the local area.
He added that a thriving small business community can help reduce the number of quality-of-life issues in the neighborhood. Woodside on the Move cannot perform its duties as a youth development education organization that advocates for equality and housing justice in New York City if the local economy is not thriving.
“We want folks to engage in commerce here in Woodside so that the community itself can be vibrant and we can stay true to our mission, which is to make Woodside and surrounding communities a thriving place to live, learn, and do business in,” Jourdain said.
Provisional list of participating Woodside and Sunnyside restaurants
La Adelita de Woodside (Woodside)
Ariyoshi (Sunnyside)
Bajeko Sekuwa (Sunnyside)
Belo (Sunnyside)
Bliss 46 Bistro (Sunnyside)
Brookside Market (Sunnyside)
Café 52 Restaurant (Woodside)
Cardamom Indian Cuisine (Sunnyside)
Chakra Cafe (Sunnyside)
Chihuahua (Sunnyside)
Cool Beans (Sunnyside)
Costa y Mar (Sunnyside)
De Mole (Sunnyside)
Empire Shop (Sunnyside)
Floribella (Sunnyside)
Kathmandu Fusion Kitchen (Woodside)
La Flor (Woodside)
Limena Pisco Bar and Restaurant (Sunnyside)
Mad for Chicken (Sunnyside)
Maison de Gateaux (Sunnyside)
Masa Madre Bakery (Sunnyside)
Natures Vida (Woodside)
Newa Chhe (Sunnyside)
Oasis Pizza and Gyro (Sunnyside)
Pete’s Grill (Sunnyside)
Purple Dough (Woodside)
Ricas Pupusas y Más (Sunnyside)
Romanian Garden (Sunnyside)
Sean Og’s (Woodside)
Spicy Nepal (Sunnyside)
Spot Cafe (Sunnyside)
SoleLuna (Sunnyside)
Sotto le Stelle (Sunnyside)
Station Bar (Woodside)
Tacos el Guerro (Sunnyside)
Takesushi (Sunnyside)
The Skillman (Sunnyside)
Zirve Grill (formerly Turkish Grill) ((Sunnyside))
Woodside Café (Woodside)
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