Tiny Pumpkin, a new Korean spot devoted to desserts and teas that are all pumpkin-flavored, has landed in Queens. Tiny Pumpkin has quietly opened its doors in Bayside, not too far from the restaurants we love in Flushing like White Bear and the New World Mall food court.
If you're looking to celebrate the changing of seasons or the upcoming Halloween?it is October 1st, after all?head to the new spot for all things orange in the cucurbitaceae family. Tiny Pumpkin hails from South Korea, where they've come to be known for being the only Korean teahouse to focus on a pumpkin-only menu. Tiny Pumpkin first opened its doors back in 2012 in South Korea at Jeongja-dong Cafe Street, followed by an expansion to Seoul's Dongwon Mall a few years later. In addition to its small chain of bakeries, it sells boxed tiny pumpkin-shaped and flavored pastries on its ecommerce platform, recipes for which they've been granted a patent.
Photograph: Courtesy of Tiny Pumpkin
Photograph: Courtesy of Tiny Pumpkin
With its first expansion to New York, and, what appears like its first location in the United States, Tiny Pumpkin won't just have your regular pumpkin spice offerings we've become accustomed to in the fall. The shop focuses on the health benefits of pumpkin (unlike the syrupy and ultra-sweet versions you can find in pumpkin-flavored drinks at places like Starbucks). According to its social media, they've positioned themselves as a "one-stop nutrition station," branding the orange food as something that can strengthen liver function, among other alleged health benefits.
At this new Bayside spot, the majority of the items are devoted to pumpkin-flavors, entirely focused on high-quality fresh produce rather than canned or artificially-flavored versions. On the drinks side, there's a pumpkin latte ($4.25, and, yes there are non-dairy options), pumpkin tea ($4), pumpkin sikhye ($5.75; a traditional Korean fermented rice drink) and a pumpkin smoothie ($5.45). On the dessert side, there's pumpkin bingsu, the Korean shave ice treat similar to Japanese kakigori, which has become a growing trend amongst the city's top restaurants. In addition, you'll find pumpkin ice cream ($3 per scoop) and a pumpkin porridge known to Koreans as hobak-juk. You can also get Tiny Pumkin's patented boxed scones and cookies ($7.50 per dozen). There are a few non-pumpkin options, like regular coffee and vanilla ice cream, but you probably won't be headed there for those.
True to theme, the menu and space are dotted with orange design details; save for some pretty tacky pumpkin paintings, the interior vibe appears to be modern. And we love the very twee logo, of yes, a tiny pumpkin.
The shop hopes that you won't just crave them in the fall, but be your one-stop-shop for all things pumpkin even when pumpkin spice and pumpkin picking mania dies down. If you hate pumpkin though, this may be your personal nightmare.
Tiny Pumpkin is located at 216-21 Northern Blvd, Bayside, NY 11361. Open daily from 7am to 10pm.
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