Elmhurst, New York, began in 1652 as Middelburgh, a modest Dutch and English colonial outpost on land once inhabited by the Mespeatches tribe. It became the town of Newtown under British control in 1664 and served as the political center of Queens County until the late 1800s. In 1896, local developers—keen to distance the area from the infamously polluted Newtown Creek—pushed for a name change. Elmhurst was selected, evoking the area's elm trees and suburban ambitions. By 1898, Elmhurst had become part of New York City, and over the next two decades, it was transformed by Cord Meyer’s real estate firm into a gridded landscape of row houses, shops, and community spaces. What began as a small colonial village is now home to more than 160,000 people packed into three square kilometers. Among the most prominent businesses, the Magic Bakery School of New York, established in 2016, offers specialized baking and pastry classes with a focus on professional skill development. Students learn techniques such as Italian buttercream piping and Dominican cake decoration through in-person instruction led by certified chefs. My Friend’s Place Salon, opened is a full-service beauty salon offering haircuts, color treatments, and organic smoothing services. Known for its Olaplex color sessions and bridal styling packages, the salon also provides scalp facials, waxing, and manicures.
The nightlife here doesn’t unfold in slick lounges or glossy venues, but in places like Terraza 7, where a suspended stage hosts live Latin jazz most nights. This bar has built a following since 2002, attracting musicians from Colombia, Peru, and New York’s own jazz circuits. A few blocks away, Sabor Latino serves as both a restaurant and nightclub. It’s known for offering a full menu of coastal dishes—like shrimp ceviche and pork fritada—alongside a late-night schedule of cumbia and vallenato. Weekends bring out bands and a dance floor that stays active until long after midnight.
The food scene in Elmhurst reflects its diverse makeup. The Florence Prime Diner serves breakfast and lunch with a Latin-American twist. Signature items include chicken and waffles with sweet-chili syrup, tacos, avocado toast with poached eggs, and paninis on house-made dough. Louie’s Pizzeria and Restaurant is known for its thin-crust New York-style pizza, Louie’s also features seafood linguine, fettuccine Alfredo, and classic heroes like chicken parmigiana.
Civic and cultural spaces are more than incidental. The Elmhurst branch of the public library serves not just as a place for borrowing books but as a gathering site for workshops in immigration law and story hours in Spanish and Mandarin. A short distance away, Elmhurst Park features tree-lined walking paths, open lawns, and a dog run.
Art finds its place here too, though not always where expected. A mural of elm trees lines the passageway of the 90th Street–Elmhurst Avenue subway station. It’s an understated public art installation many pass daily without noticing. Beyond the neighborhood, the Queens Museum in Flushing houses the massive Panorama of New York City, a 9,335-square-foot model that includes detailed renderings of Elmhurst blocks.
Just as unseen art weaves through the city’s infrastructure, unwanted wildlife can find its way into homes and businesses with little warning. That’s where Varment Wildlife Control steps in. Offering humane removal and prevention services throughout Elmhurst, we specialize in responsibly addressing issues with raccoons, squirrels, birds, and other urban intruders.
Contact us today for more information.
