Dera Restaurant

"This counter-service restaurant in Jackson Heights is one of the city's best places to experience celebratory Pakistani food and culture. Dera’s known for their halwa poori, a perfect sweet and savory weekend brunch item. It contains two pieces of poori, savory chana, and sweet halwa. If you want a bite with meat, get the nihari: stewed beef shank with tons of gravy that’s served with lemon on a wide plate that we’ve been tempted to lick clean before. You can also order some freshly made naan instead of poori." - neha talreja

"This Pakistani restaurant in Jackson Heights is one of the best places to experience celebratory Pakistani food and culture in the whole city. And during Ramadan, it’s packed with locals and travelers all coming to break fast, making the experience even more lively. They are known for their halwa poori, which is perfect for weekend brunch, but is also a great choice really anytime. It contains two pieces of poori (fried puffed bread), savory chana, and sweet halwa. If you want a bite with meat, we recommend trying the nihari: stewed beef shank with tons of gravy that’s served with lemon on a wide plate that we’ve been tempted to lick clean before. You can also order some freshly-made naan instead to mop everything up." - Jiniya Azad, Tahirah Baksh, Sameen Choudhry

"This Pakistani restaurant in Jackson Heights is one of the best places to experience celebratory Pakistani food and culture in the whole city. And during Ramadan, it’s packed with locals and travelers all coming to break fast making the experience even more lively. They are known for their halwa poori, which is perfect for weekend brunch, but is also a great choice for breaking your fast. It contains two pieces of poori (fried puffed bread), savory chana, and sweet halwa. If you want a bite with meat, we recommend trying the nihari: stewed beef shank with tons of stew gravy that’s served with lemon on a wide plate that we’ve been tempted to lick clean before. You can also order some freshly-made naan instead though." - Jiniya Azad, Tahirah Baksh & Sameen Choudhry