Al Naimat Sweets & Restaurant

"Al Naimat is the sort of place where we’d unironically stick a “Good Vibes Only” sign on the wall. Everything about the bustling dining room, with its chalkboard full of colorful illustrations, and sparkly glass case of sweets makes this place a good hang. Start with some crispy pakoras and chaat before moving on to a kebab roll, daal gosht, and falooda with kulfi for dessert. Adding to the fun is a fusion menu with things like chicken tikka tacos and naan burgers, which consist of two adorably small rounds of fluffy naan with a beef patty between them." - bryan kim, neha talreja, hannah albertine, carlo mantuano

"This Pakistani halal café and sweet shop occupies the original storefront of the sainted Jackson Diner, and the diner atmosphere persists. Save the Bengali sweets in the refrigerated glass cases near the entrance for later, while you first chow down on tandooris and curries. The palak paneer is particularly lush with fresh cheese, while the chicken keema is exceedingly smooth and mellow." - Robert Sietsema

"The menu at Al Naimat in Jackson Heights has the word count of a novella, with every new chapter more intriguing than the last. If you skip ahead to the kathi roll section, you can try a few of their strongest dishes in one neatly wrapped package. We’re partial to the kebab roll, a perfect paratha wrapped around a tender beef kebab with enough herbs mixed into the meat to count as one of your daily servings of vegetables. Whatever you go with, get it to stay. With its bustling orange dining room and friendly chalkboard illustrations, Al Naimat is the sort of place where we’d unironically stick a “Good Vibes Only” sign on the wall." - neha talreja

"Al Naimat is the sort of place where we’d unironically stick a “Good Vibes Only” sign on the wall. Everything about the bustling dining room, with its chalkboard full of colorful illustrations, and sparkly glass case of sweets makes this place a good hang. Start with some crispy pakoras and chaat before moving on to a kebab roll, daal gosht, and falooda with kulfi for dessert. Adding to the fun is a fusion menu with things like chicken tikka tacos and naan burgers, which consist of two adorably small rounds of fluffy naan with a beef patty between them." - neha talreja

"Al Naimat is the sort of place where we’d unironically stick a “Good Vibes Only” sign on the wall. Everything about the bustling dining room, the chalkboard full of colorful illustrations, and the sparkly glass case of sweets makes this place a good hang. They’ve also got a menu with the word count of a novella, so there’s something for everyone. Start with some crispy pakoras and chaat—we always get the golguppa platter with crispy puris and perfectly spiced water—before moving on to a kebab roll, daal gosht, and falooda for dessert (ask for it with kulfi). Adding to the fun is a fusion menu with things like chicken tikka tacos and naan burgers, which consist of two adorably small rounds of fluffy naan with a beef patty in between. Al Naimat does a better job with their traditional dishes, but we appreciate the novelty. photo credit: Kate Previte" - Neha Talreja