Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Photos: Inaugural Queens International Night Market Boasted Noodles, Fried Chicken & Squid On A Stick
By
Nell Casey
Published Apr 27, 2015
Modified Apr 27, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 35
By
Nell Casey
Published Apr 27, 2015
Modified Apr 27, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
On Saturday, the Queens Night Market kicked off its inaugural evening of food, art and other wares in the parking lot of the NY Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Though it was a pared down version of organizer John Wang's initial vision, that didn't stop thousands of hungry New Yorkers from descending on the market, making for long lines at food stands and some traffic snarls as people tried to find parking. Once inside, there was much to choose from, from squid skewers to grilled corn to noodles—plus some rogue vendors who setup on the perimeter to help thin out some of the crowd.
"We knew that if more than a few thousand showed up that there'd be lines, but it was at least five or 10 times more people than we expected," Wang revealed. "A lot of complaints were how long the food lines were, which partly was a consequence of us not expecting as many people to come as they did. So we’ll obviously have more vendors signed up for next time, including more food vendors which will hopefully mitigate some of the long lines." Wang says that every single one of the vendors had sold out by the end of the night.
The most recognizable face of food was probably Karl Palma, who runs Karl's Balls, serving octopus-stuffed takoyaki topped with bonito flakes and kewpie mayo. The Tei Nei Ya stand was offering griddled noodles, yakitori-style skewers with chicken and salty pieces of fried chicken. Also on skewers, griddled squid tentacles and bodies, dressed in a savory seasoning and nibbled directly off the stick. The Burmese Bites stand was offering a Burmese version of roti, gossamer thin sheets of flatbread cooked on a flattop, stuffed with a meat and egg mixture, and then hacked into handheld portions.
Wang says that the overwhelming response has also led to a massive amount of applications for future iterations of the Market. "We had a limited number of vendors the first time, only the ones who were willing to take a blind risk with us," Wang said. "We've had 50 to 100 applications in the past 12 hours, which is almost more than we had when we first started."
The market has already confirmed 15 Saturday nights at the NY Hall of Science through October, with an additional eight or nine dates they're leaving open to visit other parts of the borough. The next market will be back in the park this Saturday, with even more food and hopefully a fully functioning 7 Train.
Tagged
food vendors
hall of science
queens
queens international night market
original
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .