Zohran Mamdani Kicks Off His Mayorship by Dining at Queens Restaurants

"He talked about supporting New Yorkers "who feed us biryani and beef patties, picanha and pastrami on rye." He named-dropped his favorite pizza spot in the city, Morningside Heights Koronet Pizza. And then he succinctly expressed the wonders of the city: "Where else can you hear the sound of the steelpan, savor the smell of sancocho, and pay $9 for coffee on the same block? Where else could a Muslim kid like me grow up eating bagels and lox every Sunday?""

"And for that inauguration ceremony, Mamdani ordered catering from one of his favorite restaurants, the 24/7 Jackson Heights spot Kabab King. A feast of chicken, samosas, and biryani paired up with tea and coffee from Yemeni coffee chain Qahwah House (which has locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens). For Mamdani's second day as mayor of New York City, he grabbed dinner from Astoria Bangladeshi restaurant Boishakhi. He got chicken roast and aloo (potato bortha) from the steam table joint."

"Then, at some point during Mamdani's first mayor week, he returned to one of his favorite restaurants, Elmhurst Thai spot Zaab Zaab. He ordered the popular duck larb as well as sticky rice and skewers, per the restaurant's Instagram post. Queens restaurateur Tozammel Tanzil ( Hello! Bangladesh) runs this halal Astoria Bangladeshi restaurant. The casual restaurant is a steam table affair, slinging hilsa fish, chicken roasts, and kebabs"

Zohran Mamdani became New York City's mayor and visited multiple independent eateries across the boroughs during his first week. He frequently highlighted street food carts and mom-and-pop operations while serving in the State Assembly and during the mayoral campaign. He referenced diverse cuisines in his inauguration remarks and ordered catering from Jackson Heights 24/7 Kabab King with Yemeni coffee from Qahwah House. On his second day he ate at Astoria's Boishakhi, choosing chicken roast and aloo (potato bortha). He later returned to Elmhurst Thai spot Zaab Zaab for duck larb, sticky rice, and skewers. Boishakhi operates as a halal steam-table restaurant serving hilsa, chicken roasts, and kebabs.

Read at Eater NY