New York City is famous for its thousands of bodegas across the city, and while they may not look like much from the outside, these small stores are hidden gems of the city.
When you arrive in New York City, sights such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building might be first on your bucket list.
But for me, drinking in the real city meant a trip to some of the city’s corner bodegas – a New York term for local convenience stores combined with delis that have become an integral part of the NY city furniture.
A small corner shop selling essentials might not sound overly interesting, but in many of New York’s neighbourhoods, the local bodega is a hub for the community. Bodegas are also silver screen stars. They have provided countless backdrops for New York-shot TV shows and films, including modern comedy classics Broad City and Master of None.
There is, I’d suggest, no better way to get under the skin of a new destination than by visiting its supermarkets and finding out how much space a given community devotes to crisps; if a nation is yet to discover the meal deal; and whether everything just smells a bit odd.
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For the duration of my NYC trip, I stayed in Moxy Lower East Side, which is in the heart of Downtown. Luckily, Don Juan Grocery and Deli, one of the city’s better-known bodegas, was just a four-minute walk away.
I can say for certain that neither of them was like my local Tesco Express back home. When I stepped into the tiny store for a much-needed bottle of water away from the city’s summer heat, the Latin music was booming just like we had arrived at a cocktail bar.
A rustic lottery ticket station greeted me, with chocolate snacks locked up above the cashier rather than out on the shelves. Sat across two other wooden shelves was everything you would possibly need, not for a light lunch or Central Park picnic, but if a full-blown disaster struck. Even on the packed streets of New York, a spot of prepping is possible.
I jumped for my life when a man popped out of a metal hatch from the ground. Happily, he meant no danger, but instead had just clambered down into the shop’s store room.
One thing that has put NYC bodegas on the map is their deli sections.
From pastrami to roast beef, Don Juan store had fresh meats, cheeses and fish on the menu in the corner of the store – where a small kitchen set up neighbours the till counter. Don Juan has created a name for itself in the area for their tasty sandwiches, burgers, and breakfasts, with its bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich garnering fame.
Their food is so popular that many skip out on heading to cafes and restaurants in favour of grabbing a traditional sandwich from the deli. The store has even teamed up with food brands across the city to host pop-up food events during the summer, a side gig to the general running of Don Juan.
With around 13,000 bodegas across the city, what started as a local place for essential buys and quick eats are rising in popularity. Sky Deli, formerly Haji’s Deli, in Harlem, has achieved nationwide acclaim as the origin of the chopped cheese sandwich. Famed as one of the city’s best bites, the sandwich includes chopped ground beef, onions, American cheese, and lettuce on a long hero roll.
Queens spot Datz Deli is another of the city’s best-known bodegas. The store is known for its quirky menu, which includes pancakes with hot sauce. Having garnered 120,000 followers on Instagram, Datz is also home to the “macpatty,” which blends macaroni cheese with beef and oxtail in a burger. This dish has been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Sunny and Annie’s Deli in the East Village isn’t famous for its extravagant menu items but for its community feel. Open 24 hours a day, the store has become a staple in the neighbourhood for locals to catch up, grab some food, or just stock up on the essentials.
As TikTok rises, many influencers and food bloggers are testing out food in bodegas across the city for content, meaning what used to be a community spot for locals is now turning into foodie spots for tourists.
My advice is not to overlook a breakfast or lunchtime fix from a local bodega; while it may not look glamorous, it could be your new favourite spot.