FIFA World Cup - Best Places to Watch & Munch

Image by fifa.com

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

Athens Cafe - A Strong Coffee Break

Athens Cafe - 32-07 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102
718.626.2164
N/W Train to 30th Avenue

Coffee is one of the best things you can get in Astoria, and there certainly isn't a shortage of it, especially on 30th Avenue. We took a stroll down the avenue last weekend and stopped at Athens Cafe for strong Nescafe and Frappes - both enjoyable and of great quality.

Frappe - A signature coffee drink in Astoria, it comes in a tall bamboo shaped glass with coffee foam on top. I think the foam is its best feature, and it's almost as strong as the coffee. Sipping this drink is an experience and I suggest that you go slow, unless you want all the caffeine to hit you at once--not recommended. This drink is wonderful to get on a really hot day when all you want to do is cool off and relax.

Nescafe - The hot version of the frappe, it's more comforting. Nice and strong, it had great foam on top and the beauty of it is that it came sweetened. Not 100% sure about this but I think that they sweeten it with simple syrup instead of sugar, as there was no excess on the bottom--it was all perfectly blended.

Service and Cost:
Our waiter was wonderful. For a big group of eight, he was patient with us and explained the differences between the many coffee options. He made strong recommendations and really knew what he was talking about. With so many variations on the coffee menu, he put things in perspective and was able to help us narrow down some choices.

The costs are on the expensive side with certain specialty coffee drinks costing up to $8.50. I couldn't believe that they would actually charge nearly $10 for a cup of coffee.

Naturally, we stuck with the more economical options, both coffees that I mention above in the $4.95 range--still pricey but a good indulgence for an authentic experience.

3 Mmmms