What an exciting couple of weeks it's going to be between now and July 11th! I'm referring to all the FIFA World Cup soccer coverage from South Africa. It's not only thrilling to watch and support the United States in this major sporting event, but you'll also witness people's allegiances to their home countries abroad. Mine is Slovakia and I'm excited for them to compete.
But part of all the fun is the atmosphere and where you choose to watch each match. Here are a couple of my suggestions in no particular order. Feel free to add in your own picks in the comments.
Testaccio - There's no secret about where Testaccio's allegiances lie - with Italy of course. They'll open each day at 9:30 a.m. and will broadcast all the soccer games. Italian pastries and coffee will be served until noon and you can enjoy a Peroni on the house each time Italy wins. Cin-cin! 47-30 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.937.2900
Yolo - Although they're not open for all the early morning games, they will be featuring brunch this Tuesday for the 2:00 p.m. game. Beer will be on special (i.e. $15 pitchers) as well as morning cocktails such as Bloody Mary's and Mimosas. They'll also have discounted food such as $8 burgers and wraps. 22-55 31st street, Astoria NY 11106. 718.777.1177
Athens Cafe - This is the perfect place to watch the World Cup if your loyalties lie with Greece. You certainly won't miss the games with up to 9 plasma TVs showcasing all the action. Enjoy a delicious frappe while rooting for your favorite players. 32-07 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102. 718.626.2164
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden - It's just our luck that they started "Happy Hour" today, in time for all the World Cup games. That means $10 pitchers and dirt cheap shots for $2-$3. Enjoy great soccer in this big outdoor space. 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102. 718.274.4925
Studio Square - Take advantage of this large outdoor (and indoor) area for all major games. See schedule here - games start really early and although there are no specific food & drinks specials, it still promises to be boisterous and fun. 35-33 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106. 718.383.1001
Sunswick - World Cup action goes strong all week with $1 off beers, $16 pitchers and $4 bottles. Enjoy the games in this quaint, friendly atmopshere that serves really good bar food. 35-02 35th Street, Astoria NY 11106. 718.752.0620
Grand Cafe - Another great venue to watch the World Cup if you're a fan of Greece, this place is usually buzzing, but even more so now with all the hard-core soccer fanatics. Food & drinks remain regularly priced and I recommend trying the brunch. 37-01 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11103. 718.777.7321
El*Ay*Si - They're ringing in the World Cup with different specials every day. I like that the food & beer specials are themed to the country that's playing each day. They won't be showing the really early morning games, but you can count on 9:30 a.m. games and 2:00 p.m. games to be available. 47-38 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City NY 11101. 718.389.8781
Mojave - Mojave will also show the later games, as they open at 11:00 a.m. Although no specific specials are in place just yet, they're certainly working on it and I'll report back with more details. They have a great outdoor garden to enjoy during warm weather. 22-36 31st Street Astoria NY 11105. 718.545.4100
Astoria Brewhouse - You can watch all the games in this cozy, neighborly bar with a fun outdoor seating space with a retractable roof. They'll feature their usual $4 beer special. 28-50 31st Street, Astoria NY 11102. 718.728.0050
We had a great time at YOLO on Saturday for the England/USA game - it was packed and just a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteAstoria is one of the best neighborhoods for Brazil games. Favela and Barril might be the best bets. Check out the WSJ article on where to watch world cup in NYC by country. I think Astoria gets at a least four mentions (Spain, Brazil, Greece, Slovakia). I have to imagine it's probably the best neighborhood for Serbia/Slovenia too.
ReplyDeleteGlad that Yolo was fun Meg - it's a convenient place to watch these games for sure.
ReplyDeletePork - good input. Your suggestions are appreciated.
Has anyone been to wunderbar for the german games? If so, are there a lot of german fans?
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