One Of New York's Most Diverse Neighborhoods Is A Lively, Garden-Filled Culinary Melting Pot

New York is so much more than Broadway shows, skyscrapers, and the Statue of Liberty. It's the patchwork of people and cultures that makes it so unique. It's a city of contrasts and connections, where each neighborhood offers a different slice of the world. And no neighborhood in the tristate area exemplifies this quite like Jackson Heights. 

Nestled in Queens, the borough known as NYC's most multicultural hub, Jackson Heights is one of the city's most diverse melting pots. Home to immigrants from Southeast Asia, Latin America, Tibet, and other regions, the neighborhood is chock-full of stories, traditions, and cuisines from across the globe. Take a stroll down any one of the main streets and you're likely to find vivacious Colombian bakeries and Peruvian cevicherias alongside Indian spice stores and Tibetan noodle spots. Spending an afternoon in Jackson Heights feels like taking a world tour, all condensed into just a few city blocks. It's a culinary wonderland where cultures don't just coexist; they intertwine. Jackson Heights is a place where you can experience the world with the swipe of a subway card and that could really only exist in a city like New York.

To fully understand how Jackson Heights came to be one of the most diverse neighborhoods in NYC, we have to start from the beginning. In the early 20th century, the neighborhood was designed as a garden community with Tudor-style homes (and you can still find many of these gardens, private parks, and other green spaces today). The passing of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 initiated an influx of immigrants to the area, marking the beginning of the transformation of the multicultural hub that exists today. People from Asia, Latin America, and other far-flung places began to settle in the quaint Queens neighborhood in an attempt to rebuild their lives. Today, it's one of the country's most diverse neighborhoods, with over 160 languages spoken by its residents.

Each nationality that arrived in Jackson Heights brought with it its own culinary traditions, quickly transforming the neighborhood into the foodie paradise we know and love today. Latin Americans introduced favorites like arepas, tamales, and tacos, while South Asians brought the flavors of chaat, biryani, and samosas. Other delicacies in the area include Tibetan momos, Nepalese curry, and Bangladeshi kabab. The melding of these diverse flavors all coexisting in one neighborhood is unlike anything you'll find elsewhere, making it a must-visit locale for gastronomic lovers visiting New York.

A food crawl is a must if you want to fully immerse yourself in the culinary delights that Jackson Heights has to offer. The trick is to start with snacks or shared appetizers if you want to make it through the entire tour. Begin your journey at the iconic Arepa Lady with a flawlessly crispy arepa de queso before heading to Phayul or Amdo Kitchen for momos (plump little Tibetan dumplings that pop perfectly into your mouth). Then, head to Diversity Plaza to grab a mango lassi and some chaat before hitting the Indian markets for something to bring back home.

Next up, you'll want to stop at La Gran Uruguaya Bakery for some of the city's best empanadas before popping over to the taco trucks (Los Tacos de la Jefa is a favorite, but there are loads of options between Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard). If you're still hungry (which, to be honest, at this point we're impressed) Delhi Heights is an amazing option that boasts a massive menu with Indian fusion flavors across different regions, from Punjabi curries to Indo-Chinese chicken chili. Reward yourself for making it through the crawl with a sweet treat from Lety's Bakery and Café (the tres leches and lobster-tail pastries are to die for) — you deserve it.

If touring the world via treats is your thing, you're in luck because NYC has so many little pockets to take your taste buds on a global tour. Hop on a train to a Brooklyn neighborhood called "Little Caribbean" for jerk chicken and roti, or head north to the Bronx to drown yourself in pasta in New York's "Real Little Italy."