A Secret Door Will Take You To An Underground Restaurant In New York That's Beneath A Hindu Temple
By Lisa Sammons|Published February 17, 2022
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Lisa Sammons
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Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
It’s human nature to be attracted to businesses that are more visible. It’s why chains like McDonald’s tend to focus on bright colors that catch the eye and draw diners in. When we discuss hidden gem restaurants in New York, we tend to mean places that are slightly less flashy and off-the-radar. It’s not often that we mean places that are literally hidden, but in today’s article, we’ll feature a restaurant that is quite literally underground. The Temple Canteen in Queens is located beneath a Hindu temple, and it serves up delicious, massive portions.
The building that the restaurant is housed in is in itself quite notable. The Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam is reportedly the first traditional Hindu temple in the Western hemisphere.
Downstairs lies the tasty temple canteen. This restaurant was established in 1993, primarily to prepare food offerings, but it soon became a dining site for worshipers and visitors alike.
You can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. Everything served is vegetarian, and this is one of the best spots for authentic South Indian food in New York.
The dosa is a popular choice. It's a hot thin pancake made from fermented batter made up of rice and lentils. They are typically savory, though the canteen serves plenty of sweet treats as well.