Queens is home to some of the most authentic ethnic food destinations in New York City. Amidst all this lies Sevan, a gem amongst the very few Armenian restaurants in the city.

Family owned and run by Arthur Matevosyan since 2004, the restaurant was born from of a passion for purveying the freshest of ingredients. Adjoining the restaurant, is a grocery store and bakery that’s sells a marvellous array of Armenian and Middle Eastern goods. One can buy everything here from fresh cheeses, to cured meats, nuts, spices, grains, paklava and so much more.

However, lets talk about the food! The menu at Sevan offers a plethora of options – some of which are familiar such as hummus, babaganoush and so on. Others though are unfamiliar and really worth trying such as the “Bastruma” thin strips of cured beef sirloin with spices or the “Sujukh” which is an Armenian sausage.

The salads at Sevan are outstanding! Even in the dead of winter when fresh raw vegetables are not at their peak, they manage to make it taste so good. The secret is that Matevosyan is a stickler for using only the freshest ingredients and the best. He uses spices that come directly from Armenia so as not to dilute any of the flavors.

The recipes used to season the meats have been passed on to him from his father and to this day, Matevosyan marinates all the meats himself. The Sevan steak is dry aged for 12 days before it is grilled – the proof in its nuanced flavor.

Do leave room for dessert as they serve a delicious “Paklava” and more.

Sevan is not just a restaurant but also an amazing destination for all kinds of events and catering needs. They have a really elegant dinning room with an entire enclosed backroom and an outdoor patio for larger parties and events. The grocery store next door is chockfull of wonderful foodstuff and more.