{"id":12311,"date":"2026-09-15T22:52:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T22:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/12311\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T22:52:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T22:52:10","slug":"in-zohran-mamdanis-nyc-these-restaurants-are-the-supporting-cast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/12311\/","title":{"rendered":"In Zohran Mamdani\u2019s NYC, These Restaurants Are The Supporting Cast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"It\u2019s<\/p>\n

Laliguras Bistro in Jackson Heights, NYC | Image credit: zohrankmamdani\/Instagram<\/p>\n

Summary<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re building a must-eat list or just enjoying a little civic curiosity, here are the NYC restaurants Zohran Mamdani has been spotted at.<\/p>\n

We have reached peak Zohran. Since being sworn in as Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026 (and making a few policy moves after his midnight oath), there is simply no avoiding it. The effect of the American politician has rippled through everyday life in the city since he formally announced his candidacy in 2024 \u2014 streams of Bollywood anthems like Dhoom Machale spiked, residents re\u2011romanticised public transit, and the Western population suddenly discovered Rajnigandha mints.<\/p>\n

Perhaps most surprisingly, he has become known almost as much for his impeccable taste and restaurant picks as for his policy. Who would have thought? Across New York City, locals and online observers have already begun tracking his restaurant sightings, informally mapping a dining trail. Not in pursuit of an encounter, but out of curiosity about how a mayor moves through the city\u2019s food landscape, and what those choices reveal about place, habit, and taste.<\/p>\n

Also, check out our conversation with Kyle Hotchkiss Carone, who shares stories from his travels and how they inspired his NYC restaurants.<\/p>\n

Where Zohran Mamdani loves to eat in New York City
\nSami\u2019s Kabab House, Astoria<\/p>\n

In September 2025, Mamdani treated fellow progressives Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to lunch at Sami\u2019s Kabab House, the namesake Afghan spot in Astoria where owner Sami Zaman brings a true taste of Afghanistan to Queens.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Urban Vegan Roots, Astoria<\/p>\n

Plot twist: the master plan may have been vegan. Urban Vegan Roots, the plant-based restaurant and bar, has confirmed that Mamdani and his team have stopped by several times, lingering over meals. It was here, according to State Senator Jabari Brisport, that Mamdani first \u201chatched his master plan\u201d for a mayoral run.<\/p>\n

\u201cSame restaurant we had gone to about a year ago, when he was first telling me he was planning to run for office, before he announced, and I was expressing doubts. I was like, \u2018Will New York vote for a socialist, Zohran? I don\u2019t know. Will this campaign work? I mean, I\u2019ll support you, but I don\u2019t know. Is this the best use of your time?’\u201d Brisport told CBS News. \u201cTo have dinner there with him again a year later after he won the primary was pretty funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Also, follow the cast of Bling Empire: New York to their favourite places in New York.<\/p>\n

Moka & Co. Coffee, Astoria<\/p>\n

\"NewImage credit: Zohran Kwame Mamdani\/Facebook<\/p>\n

He\u2019s publicly called Moka & Co. Coffee one of his favourite coffee houses, regularly stopping in for traditional Yemeni brews and praising their rich, complex flavours. The cafe also doubled as a political nerve centre in 2025, hosting Mamdani\u2019s election night watch party, where supporters gathered to celebrate his mayoral race victory. It later reappeared as a pop-culture waypoint when Hasan Piker joined Mamdani on a livestreamed walk around Astoria, stopping by several of his favourite neighbourhood spots.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Little Flower Cafe, Astoria<\/p>\n

The New York Times\u00a0highlighted the cafe as a key stop on a \u201cscavenger hunt\u201d tied to his campaign and praised their menu, specifically mentioning a firni doughnut and a merguez breakfast burrito that \u201cruled\u201d.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Pye Boat Noodle, Astoria<\/p>\n

Zohran Mamdani is a devoted fan of Pye Boat Noodle in Astoria, regularly spotlighting it as a must-visit in the neighbourhood\u2019s diverse food scene. His go-to order? The koy nua, a spicy raw beef Thai salad that\u2019s essentially a raw take on larb. Mamdani has mentioned Pye Boat Noodle in multiple interviews, often alongside other local favourites, cementing its status as one of his top Astoria picks.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Kabab King, Jackson Heights<\/p>\n

Mamdani\u2019s connection to this 24-hour Pakistani-Bangladeshi restaurant runs deep, so much so that The New York Times even called the place the \u201cbeating heart of the Zohran Mamdani foodieverse\u201d. His usual order is the biryani, goat or chicken, often followed by a paan from the shop across the street. He has been coming here since high school, stopping by after cricket practice long before politics entered the picture.<\/p>\n

The restaurant has also played a role in his cultural life. Before his political career, Mamdani filmed a music video here for his rap persona, Mr Cardamom, using the top floor as a set. During the 2025 mayoral campaign, it became a gathering place for supporters, with Mamdani serving food to cab drivers late into the night. After his election victory, the restaurant marked the moment by adding a \u2018Mamdani Biryani\u2019 to the menu.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Also, learn about the best places to savour biryani in India.<\/p>\n

Zyara, Astoria<\/p>\n

Zyara counts as one of Zohran Mamdani\u2019s go-to restaurants in New York City, and he\u2019s been very specific about how to order at the Steinway Street spot. The move is to get the lamb adana laffa, a hand-minced, spice-packed grilled lamb wrapped in flatbread, paired with mint lemonade, hummus, and pita. After he praised Zyara in interviews, including The New Yorker, the owner confirmed the shout-out translated into an immediate bump in customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I gained more customers after the video. He will help to highlight cuisines from cultures of all directions and from all countries,\u201d Zyara\u2019s owner, Feras Al Zughier told BBC.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Mokaf\u00e9, Astoria<\/p>\n

The community-focused coffee shop with several locations (Astoria, Paterson, Times Square, etc.) also debuted a \u201cMamdani cardamom matcha\u201d in a cheeky nod to his support.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Laliguras Bistro, Jackson Heights<\/p>\n

\"NewImage credit: zohrankmamdani\/Instagram<\/p>\n

Zohran Mamdani enjoyed momos and chai alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Nepalese restaurant for the first meal as NYC Mayor-elect. Sharing on social media, he wrote: \u201cA busy first day as your Mayor-elect: early morning interviews, transition announcements and meetings. More to say on all of it tomorrow. But a highlight was lunch chilli chicken with tingmo bread and aloo dum with @aoc at Laliguras Bistro in Jackson Heights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Mahmoud\u2019s Corner Halal, Astoria<\/p>\n

Joking about the rumour that he\u2019d make everyone eat halal if elected on The Daily Show, Mamdani quipped that for anyone genuinely craving it, they should just hit up Mahmoud\u2019s at 34th and Steinway.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Also, check out our guide to the best halal food in Bangkok.<\/p>\n

Boishakhi Restaurant, Astoria<\/p>\n

Last night I took @hasanthehun on a walk around Astoria. We ate, we drank mufawar coffee and adeni chai, we talked. For more than three hours. He streamed the whole thing.<\/p>\n

Our stops:<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf38 Little Flower Cafe
\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde9 Boishakhi Restaurant
\u2615\ufe0f Moka & Co
\ud83c\uddfe\ud83c\uddea MOKAF\u00c9 pic.twitter.com\/MXZTM7oVbY<\/p>\n

\u2014 Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) April 7, 2025<\/p>\n

In April 2025, Mamdani took Hasan Piker, a prominent American Twitch streamer, political commentator, and former journalist, on a three-hour Astoria food crawl, streaming the whole thing. Their stops included Boishakhi Restaurant, a Bangladeshi spot that describes itself as a \u201cno-frills nook serving traditional halal specialities from Bangladesh till late at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

AbuQir, Astoria<\/p>\n

\"NewImage credit: AbuQir<\/p>\n

In an interview with Bon App\u00e9tit, Zohran Mamdani name-checked AbuQir on Steinway for great Egyptian seafood. Here, you can pick your own fresh fish, and choose your prep, from grilled to fried or garlic-and-lemon. Expect a lively, sometimes loud atmosphere and long waits, a scene only amplified by the Mayor\u2011Elect\u2019s own visits.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Bahari Estiatorio, Astoria<\/p>\n

In the same Bon App\u00e9tit interview, Mamdani highlighted Bahari Estiatorio, a restaurant that draws its inspiration from \u201crustic, cosy, and inviting family gatherings reminiscent of Greek hospitality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

Chamoun\u2019s Way, Upper East Side<\/p>\n

\"NewImage credit: Zohran Kwame Mamdani\/X<\/p>\n

Zohran Mamdani was spotted at Chamoun\u2019s Way in Brooklyn and even posted a photo from the visit on social media in November 2025. If you find yourself here, go straight for the shawafel on markook (a clever mashup of chicken shawarma and falafel) or the braised lamb shank marinated in the restaurant\u2019s special spices, served with rice, peas, and a beef-and-carrot stew.<\/p>\n

Find it here<\/p>\n

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Shop the best travel experiences here <\/p>\n

(Feature image credit: zohrankmamdani\/Instagram)<\/p>\n

Related: Taste Of India In NYC \u2014 Your Guide To New York City\u2019s Best Indian Restaurants<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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Written By<\/p>\n

\"Sneha <\/p>\n

Sneha Chakraborty<\/p>\n

Sneha Chakraborty is a journalist and photographer covering how travel intersects with food, culture, ..Read Moreand identity. Her reporting has appeared in National Geographic Traveller India, Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue India, and Hindustan Times, where she spent two years on staff as a correspondent covering travel and culture. She is an alumna of the University of Westminster`s Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design. Currently based in Delhi, she grew up in various cities across India and has lived in Amsterdam, and London. Read Less<\/p>\n