Walk down any of the main shopping streets in Elmhurst and experience a mix of cultures that is unprecedented even for Queens, a borough known for its multi-ethnicity.

Stroll along Broadway or Roosevelt Avenue and it's not uncommon to see a Japanese cosmetics store, a Halal meat market, an Ecuadorian restaurant and a Korean movie rental shop in one block's space.

And the pedestrians bustling along the sidewalks reflect the diversity of the shops and restaurants.

The neighborhood had its beginnings as a melting pot. After Native Americans pushed British colonists out of Maspeth, the Brits headed to a small town where Dutch colonists already lived. The two groups formed Newtown in honor of getting along.

Newtown is now known as Elmhurst, and it's also a modern day example of cultures getting along. Elmhurst's zip code is known as the most diverse zip code in the country.

TO FIND IT:

Elmhurst is roughly the 11373 zip code, which is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue in the north, Eliot Avenue in the south, 74th Street to the west and Junction Street to the east.

TO BUY/RENT:

Brick pre- and post-war apartment buildings, many are one- and two-family homes, dominate the landscape. But plenty of older wood-framed single and two-family homes also dot the area, lending a suburban feel. But recently, more and more developers are building multiple-family condo and apartment buildings. Here's a sampling of what it will cost you:

To rent:
-$750-$800 to rent a studio 624 sq.-foot or less
-$700-$1,200 to rent an approx. 624 sq.-foot one-bedroom
-$1,300-$2,000 to rent an approx. 1,000 sq.-foot two-bedroom

To buy:
-$250,000 to buy a 624 sq.-foot one-bedroom
-$365,000 to buy a 1,000 sq.-foot two-bedroom
-$750,000 to buy a two-family home on an 18-foot by 40-foot lot

Recently Sold:
-Feb. 9: $365,000, 1,000 sq.-foot condo, 40-35 Ithaca St., Apt. 3-D.
-Jan. 17: $392,000, 1,003 sq.-foot apartment, 94-02 45th Ave., #3883.
-Jan. 5: $317,000, 800 sq.-foot apartment, 94-02 45th Ave., #16B1.

-- from Adriano Hultmann, associate broker with Corcoran Group

THE BUZZ:

As rents rise in Astoria and Long Island City, Elmhurst remains one of the more inexpensive places to live in Queens that's not too far from Manhattan.

Developers have realized there's a big interest in the neighborhood and have responded with more and more multiple-family dwellings, which are getting taller and taller and making the population denser than ever. Rents are also beginning to rise, causing some families to double up in small apartments, said Richard Italiano, the district manager for the local community board.

The increasingly denser population has put a strain on city services, especially schools.

"They can't build schools fast enough out here," he said. "There's also a lot of traffic around here."

TO EAT:

You can eat your way around the world in Elmhurst. From Afghanistan to Colombia to Vietnam, Elmhurst is a place to travel the world gastronomically. And don't be fooled by appearances. Many of the tiny, storefront restaurants offer good eats and cheaper prices. But don't count out fine dining. Elmhurst has plenty of linen-draped tables at quality restaurants that suit a special night out.

Bahar Restaurant
A huge glass chandelier marks the elegant ambience of this two-story Afghan restaurant specializing in kebabs and fragrant rice dishes.
82-19 Queens Blvd.
(718) 426-5822

Tomo
Light wood paneling and candlelit tables add to the natural ambience at this Japanese restaurant that specializes in sushi, noodle and teriyaki dishes.
89-14 Queens Blvd.
(718) 803-9799

East Manor
Neon signs and strings of lights hang outside this elegant, if not over-the-top, d‚cor of this casino-looking Chinese restaurant and buffet that also touts a two-story waterfall in the dining room.
79-17 Albion Ave.
(718) 803-1111

My Uncle's Steak House
Uruguayan and Argentinean-style grilled meat is served up in the warm and airy dining room of this steak house. 89-08 Queens Blvd.
(718) 426-8080

TO PARTY:

Nightspots that don't cling to the outer borders of Elmhurst are hard to come by. The Jackson Heights neighborhood is walking distance and hosts supplemental nightlife to Elmhurst.

KTV
This dark, small place is a karaoke Mecca for Mandarin and English speakers, and has private rooms for the shy singer. 86-22 Broadway
(718) 507-7878

Post Time
This longtime neighborhood pub is firefighter friendly and has televisions for those who can't separate themselves from the game of the day.
86-34 Broadway
(718) 429-8806

Nuves Bar Lounge
This modern looking bar is one of the newest "hip" places to hang out in Elmhurst.
77-14 Queens Blvd.
(718) 476-1881

Grandstand
This neighborhood Irish pub and restaurant has cozy booths for a family night out or a friends (later) night out and has live entertainment and karaoke on the weekends.
85-35 Grand Ave.
(718) 478-9633

TO SHOP:

Unlike any other place in New York, or in the rest of the country for that matter, one Elmhurst shopping spot is the most profitable mall per square foot. If that doesn't satisfy your compulsive shopping habit, there's a second mall a block away. There's also plenty of other stores in Elmhurst, but do you really need more?

Teenagers flock to the Queens Center Mall, that's the one known for its profits located at 90-15 Queens Blvd. With two floors each of Urban Outfitters, H&M and Bath and Body Works, it's no wonder. Macy's and JC Penney anchor this shoppers' paradise. Guess, Coach, United Colors of Benetton and Banana Republic are some other familiar names here.

The Queens Place Mall, 88-01 Queens Blvd., is a bargain hunter's paradise. DSW, Daffy's, Best Buy and two floors of Target are the larger stores offering competitive prices.

Two huge Asian markets, Hong Kong Supermarket at 82-02 45th Ave. and Kam Lun Bakery at 86-18 Broadway, offer everything from exotic fish and unique fresh flowers as well as inexpensive and attractive cookware and dishes.

Several furniture stores line a stretch of Queens Boulevard just before the two malls, including Levitz Furniture at 88-12 Queens Blvd.

Inexpensive clothing and accessory stores line the floors of the compact Roosevelt Shopping Center at 84-02 Roosevelt Ave.

To see:

Find inner peace at the city's only Thai Buddhist temple. Wat Buddha Thai Thavorn Vanaram, at 76-16 46th Ave., is open to the public for meditation in front of its Emerald Buddha, actually a green jade 29-inch statue dating back to the 1400s. The temple also hosts a large Thai New Years festival on April 16 this year.

Two churches that sit on Broadway are some of the few remaining signs of the original Dutch settlers of Elmhurst. The Reformed Church of Newtown, at 49-20 87th St., is one of the oldest wooden churches in the city and dates back to 1834. The original parish settled there in 1731, which is considered late by the standards of the St. James Anglican Church. That parish originally settled in 1704. That church that stands at 86-02 Broadway dates back to 1734, making it one of the oldest Dutch colonial churches in the country.

The Jackson 123 movie theater, at 40-31 82nd St., offers matinee prices of $5 a pop every weekday before 5 p.m. and for the first show on Saturday.

The Elks Local Lodge 878 building at 82-10 Queens Blvd. once held Elks meetings and soirees. It also once held a 50-foot bar and wrestling ring. Now the nearly 100-year-old building is home to the New Life Fellowship Church, which does community outreach programs.

One of the neighborhood's few pop culture claims to fame is the Wendy's at 85-07 Queens Blvd. That's where Eddie Murphy worked as an incognito prince in "Coming to America."

The gorgeous 100-year-old Carnegie library in the center of Elmhurst offers a place to check out books and check out Tai Chi and ballroom dance classes. The Elmhurst Library, at 86-01 Broadway, also has a garden in front for pondering the latest book you've read or a restful place after dance class.

Q & A:

John Browne, part-owner of the Grandstand, an Irish-American restaurant and pub in the neighborhood for 17 years.

What is a hidden neighborhood gem?

Grand Avenue is kind of a busy, ethnic strip. It's a very versatile neighborhood. It used to be just Irish, English, Polish, well, mostly European. Now there are a lot of different types of restaurants from all parts of the world.

What's your favorite place to eat or drink?

Of course I'll say the Grandstand, but all of the restaurants on Grand Avenue are good. You have Chinese restaurants, Vietnamese restaurants, Peruvian restaurants, any kind of restaurant.

What's so great about the area?

The two largest shopping area's malls are right next to us. The restaurants are diverse and go from Argentinean to Outback Steakhouse. The area is also very low on crime.

What's not so great?

It used to be very lively in the evenings. Most of the stores are shutting down earlier, so you don't have a lot of light. So you don't see a lot of people walking around anymore. Queens Boulevard is a very congested place. The traffic can be quite bad.

What type of person would like the area?

We have clientele from every nationality. The neighborhood is a very nice neighborhood. It's convenient to the subway and the buses. We see a lot of singles in the restaurant. It's also a good neighborhood for families.

How has the neighborhood changed?

Our clientele used to be mostly Irish, and also English and other European backgrounds. Over the past five years, most of them have moved back to Ireland. Our population has moved backed to Ireland because the economy is booming and the minimum wage over there is 10 dollars an hour.

THE BASICS:

Crime: The 110th Precinct covers Elmhurst and Corona. That area experienced a decrease in overall crime similar to the city's approximately 70 percent decrease in the past 15 years. So far this year in the 110th Precinct, there were no murders, nine rapes and 63 robberies. In 2005, there were eight murders, 39 rapes and 496 robberies. In 1990, there were 36 murders, 42 rapes and 1,814 robberies.

Transportation: The G, R, V and 7 subway lines run through Elmhurst, offering an approximately 20-minute ride into Manhattan.

Schools: The Walter Crowley Intermediate School IS 5, 50-40 Jacobus St.; Elmhurst PS 89, 85-28 Britton Ave.; and Newtown High School, 48-01 90th St.

Post Office: Elmhurst Branch at 59-01 Junction Blvd. and Elmhurst A Branch at 80-27 Broadway.