COMPTON'S

"Known for over-the-top, Italian-inspired sandwiches, Compton’s is full of things that are designed to be photographed, whether they're smothered in stretchy cheese, vodka sauce, or Mike’s Hot Honey. While some places specializing in social media stunt dishes skip the part where they make sure everything tastes good, this is hype food at its most delicious. In addition to doing fascinating things with chicken tenders, Compton’s also makes some of our favorite parms and breakfast sandwiches. The Greenpoint location (there are others in Astoria and Long Island City) has counter seating inside, as well as a covered outdoor seating area, which is great for getting those natural light shots of your cheese pull." - Carina Finn

"An unusual hip-hop themed sandwich shop has opened in a relatively obscure location in Astoria. Named for founder Alex Compton, Compton’s plays with the ability of its name to evoke a famous neighborhood (and movie) in LA, facetiously hanging a neon sign that says, “Straight Outta Astoria.” Priced from $9 to $12, the sandwiches tend to be elaborately conceived. An example is the Christopher: roast beef, cheddar, beer battered onion rings, lettuce, tomato, and horseradish aioli on a semolina hero. Lots of hot heroes, too. My favorite so far is a breakfast sandwich that tangles two runny eggs, sausage, cheese, avocado, hash browns, and bright orange Sriracha mayo on a roll. Reflecting the terroir of the neighborhood, there are also good Greek french fries with ricotta and a tzatziki dipping sauce." - Robert Sietsema