With a population of 2.2 million, Queens is the tenth most populous county in the United States. Were it an independent city, it would be the fifth largest in America. But Queens is unique because we think local. Ask us where we live, and we’ll say “Woodside.” “Astoria.” “Sunnyside.” At its heart, Queens is a collection of small, tight-knit communities with distinct identities and fierce local pride that together make up New York’s most diverse, dynamic and vibrant borough.

Edible Queens is the first quarterly magazine to celebrate the food cultures of our communities. Our passion is to explore the tavernas of Astoria, the food stalls of Flushing, and the pubs of Woodside. To savor the traditional flavors of Thailand, Korea, Cyprus, Colombia, Ecuador, and more. To relive a foreign adventure right in our own backyard. To travel the world, for the price of a roundtrip metrocard.

In each issue, you’ll meet the people of Queens who strive each and every day to please your palate. The street vendors who rise before dawn to stock their carts with the freshest halal meat. The restaurant chefs and home cooks who honor their heritage by serving authentic meals, every dish a reflection of who they are and where they came from. The butchers, fishmongers, spice merchants and bakers who insist on the highest quality. You’ll also meet the visionaries: the men and women who are changing the way New Yorkers eat by teaching us, bite by bite, where our food comes from, and why that matters.