Forest Hills

Liquor Licenses

176

Sidewalk Cafes

109

Forest Hills is one of Queens' most affluent neighborhoods, and its commercial character reflects the Tudor-style, low-density planning of Forest Hills Gardens—the private, garden-city-inspired enclave at its center that has kept the surrounding area's scale intentionally small. Austin Street is the neighborhood's commercial spine, a charming, walkable strip of restaurants and boutique retail that feels closer to a small town's main street than a typical Queens corridor.

FWDRE tracks every storefront along Austin Street and the surrounding blocks individually—the live counts on this page refresh each morning. The Continental Avenue subway station, served by the E, F, M, and R lines, gives Forest Hills direct access to Manhattan in roughly 30 minutes, a real advantage that has kept the neighborhood attractive to professionals who want suburban scale without leaving the subway system. The West Side Tennis Club, former home of the US Open before it moved to Flushing Meadows, adds a layer of institutional prestige to the neighborhood's identity.

The customer base is affluent, family-oriented, and genuinely loyal to local businesses—Forest Hills has less renter turnover than most Queens neighborhoods, and that stability shows up in a storefront base that skews toward established operators rather than fast-changing concepts. Concepts that succeed on Austin Street are polished but approachable: quality-forward casual dining, boutique retail, and services that a family-anchored, higher-income customer base will pay a premium for.

The landlord landscape is largely small, long-tenured local ownership, and vacancy on Austin Street is relatively rare given the corridor's stability and demand. Rents sit meaningfully below Manhattan and even below Long Island City for a customer base with comparable spending power, making Forest Hills an underrated position for operators who want affluence without downtown competition.

Best For in Forest Hills

Current market rates for commercial space (annual rent per square foot)

* Rates are estimates based on recent market activity. Actual rents vary by specific location, condition, and lease terms.

Demographics (Census Data)

Notable Businesses in Forest Hills

What is the average rent for restaurant space in Forest Hills?

Restaurant space on Austin Street generally runs $50-$90 per square foot annually—below Manhattan and even below Long Island City for a customer base with comparable spending power, thanks to the neighborhood's low-turnover, small-local-landlord structure.

Is Forest Hills mainly a residential neighborhood or a dining destination?

Primarily residential and neighborhood-serving—Austin Street's charm comes from its walkable, small-town feel rather than citywide draw. Concepts should target the affluent, family-oriented local customer rather than expect borough-wide destination traffic.

How's the subway access from Forest Hills?

Strong—the Continental Avenue station serves the E, F, M, and R lines, putting Manhattan roughly 30 minutes away. That access is a real part of why the neighborhood has stayed attractive to professionals who want suburban scale without leaving the subway system.