Dining near JFK Airport

[DonRocks]

Does anyone have any lunch recommendations within an easy Uber of the airport? I'm looking for high-level cuisine and low-level formality - a casual atmosphere. I don't care if it's something like ramen; I just want it to be top-notch, and I'm just not that familiar with this area.

Much obliged in advance.

[silentbob]

For what it's worth, the Michelin Guide has good things to say about O Lavrador and Spicy Lanka.

[Steve R.]

My opinion of this is that there really is no such thing as an easy drive from & back to JFK.  You can't predict how long it will take getting from JFK to any point in Queens &, even worse, you might spend a lot of unexpected time trying to get back if the traffic backs up (as it regularly does).  Secondly, there is not any place with high level cuisine in the area.  There's an iconic old style red sauce place on Lefferts (Don Peppe) that I don't think is good but was always a CH favorite 20 years ago but nothing else is on that side of Queens -- even Rego Park/Forest Hills' down home Russian places or Flushing C'town's small regional places (that wouldn't be considered high level but are rarely found in other cities) are at least 25 minutes away by car without much traffic (as if you wouldn't get "much traffic" at lunchtime).  Sorry.

Instead, maybe read the following and pick something: 

"Where To Eat at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)" by Marguerite Preston and Serena Dai on ny.eater.com

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Dining at JFK Airport (DonRocks)

[RWBooneJr]

How much time do you have?  The Airtrain will take you to the subway (E/J/Z at Jamaica or A at Howard Beach), which opens up a lot of possibilities and avoids traffic issues.  You can also catch the LIRR at Jamaica station if you want to head into Manhattan.