Bodegas might be a New York City phenomenon. These small grocery stores offer convenience to countless neighborhoods, and they share similarities that go beyond cereal offerings. So for all of the non-New Yorkers (and locals who still don’t quite understand), here we answer the question “What is a bodega?” once and for all.

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East Village

317 East 3rd Street

$2,800 No Fee

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East Harlem

434 East 115th Street

$1,859 No Fee

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Carnegie Hill

163 East 92nd Street

$2,750 No Fee

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Gramercy Park

132 East 17th Street

$2,550 No Fee

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1

Yorkville

328 East 93rd Street

$2,850 No Fee

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Midtown

57 West 58th Street

$2,480 No Fee

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1

Lower East Side

95 Orchard Street

$2,595 No Fee

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1

Murray Hill

535 Third Avenue

$2,495 No Fee

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1

Yorkville

214 East 85th Street

$2,650 No Fee

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1

Upper West Side

203 West 85th Street

$2,990 No Fee

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1

Central Harlem

137 West 137th Street

$2,300 No Fee

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West Village

496 Hudson Street

$2,800 No Fee

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The History of NYC Bodegas

The name bodega originates from the Spanish word — which can mean “storeroom,” “wine cellar,” or “grocery store.” The majority of them were opened by Latinx immigrants who came to New York after World War II and desired a local convenience store that they could run to daily. New Yorkers as a whole took to the idea, and these small shops multiplied.

What’s a Bodega?

A bodega is a small convenience store that sells staples like chips, candy, coffee, sodas, lottery tickets, and over-the-counter remedies, along with household items like laundry detergent and trash bags. Some have a deli counter, some sell beer, and some have neither, but what defines them goes beyond any one product.

Most are open 24/7, ensuring that you’ll always have access to ramen and detergent in even the direst situations (e.g., if you’re doing laundry while hungry in the middle of the night). They’re also ubiquitous, with more than 8,000 bodegas spread across New York’s five boroughs. The number isn’t 100% certain, because the health department only recognizes 7,104, but the number is probably much higher. Thanks to all those bodegas, if you need to pick up something after a night out, you can do so at 4 a.m. without leaving your neighborhood. 

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Crown Heights

1140 Saint Johns Place

$2,500 No Fee

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Clinton Hill

104 Washington Avenue

$2,500 No Fee

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Bedford-Stuyvesant

140A Lexington Avenue

$2,700 No Fee

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Clinton Hill

104 Washington Avenue

$2,300 No Fee

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1

Bushwick

1054 Bushwick Avenue

$2,900 No Fee

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1

East Flatbush

35 East 52nd Street

$2,495 No Fee

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Flatbush

2709 Clarendon Road

$1,999 No Fee

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Ditmas Park

777 Coney Island Avenue

$2,900 No Fee

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1

Kensington

135 Ocean Parkway

$2,500 No Fee

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1

East Flatbush

1630 Brooklyn Avenue

$2,635 No Fee

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Bushwick

1054 Bushwick Avenue

$2,900 No Fee

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Kensington

242 Newkirk Avenue

$2,850 No Fee

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What’s a Bodega Cat?

As all NYC locals know, many bodegas also have cats. Although some shoppers don’t appreciate their presence, bodega cats actually serve a larger good: exterminating rodents, whose presence (trust us) is less favorable than even the grouchiest feline.

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Astoria

32-16 Crescent Street

$1,650 No Fee

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Astoria

2-24 26th Avenue

$2,995 No Fee

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Bayside

47-09 215th Street

$2,800 No Fee

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Jackson Heights

34-06 82nd Street

$1,995 No Fee

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Astoria

26-12 4th Street

$2,625 No Fee

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Flushing

143-40 41st Avenue

$1,750 No Fee

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Ditmars-Steinway

23-46 29th Street

$2,600 No Fee

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Ridgewood

306 Onderdonk Avenue

$2,600 No Fee

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Astoria

30-40 21st Street

$2,850 No Fee

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Astoria

25-20 42nd Street

$2,195 No Fee

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Briarwood

140-21 Burden Crescent

$2,000 No Fee

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Briarwood

140-35 Burden Crescent

$2,100 No Fee

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Can I Send Packages to My Local Bodega?

But perhaps the strangest concept for visitors to understand is that bodegas are neighborhood landmarks. Locals often know the owners and workers, and can sometimes count on these stores to accept packages and hold onto keys for visitors in lieu of a doorman. They’re open 24/7, and therefore very reliable. Many of these store owners are more than happy to help, and it’s common practice to pay a small thank-you fee for any not-strictly-bodega-related activity.

Other Things to Know About Bodegas

Many of them usually have a credit card minimum, so make sure to bring cash, or you’ll find yourself doubling up on ice cream and cookie dough — not a tragic outcome by any means, but good to remember. Also, you can’t assume that most of these shops stock beer, as some simply sell soft drinks and juices. Luckily, there’s usually another bodega right down the block with everything else you’re searching for. And if you’re new in town or need some help finding an electrician or handyman, think about looking to your local bodega team for advice. As mentioned above, they can often help with receiving packages, and their local knowledge can extend much further than you might expect.

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Fordham

372 East 194th Street

$1,840 No Fee

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Crotona Park East

1169 Hoe Avenue

$2,950 No Fee

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Mott Haven

329 East 132nd Street

$2,042 No Fee

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Woodstock

749 Jackson Avenue

$1,900 No Fee

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North New York

459 East 135th Street

$2,999 No Fee

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North New York

532 East 142nd Street

$2,070 No Fee

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Mott Haven

276 Grand Concourse

$2,414 No Fee

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Mott Haven

40 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,348 No Fee

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Mott Haven

40 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,403 No Fee

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Mott Haven

40 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,343 No Fee

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Mott Haven

40 Bruckner Boulevard

$2,348 No Fee

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Kingsbridge

4582 Manhanttan College Pw

$2,600 No Fee

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The Future of Bodegas

Although bodegas are an NYC staple, that doesn’t mean they’re thriving; in fact, the opposite is unfortunately true. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a slew of bodegas and other small businesses have closed. In the previous few years before the pandemic, many local stores have been forced to close due to rising rents and chain store competition. And in 2017, two ex-Google employees began a startup app, “Bodega,” which involved selling convenience store items from automated boxes. Many reacted angrily, criticizing the team for appropriating the bodega name and trying to put these mom-and-pop shops out of business. Even after rebranding to “Stockwell” in 2019, the brand went under in 2020. After all, locals love these shops; they’re a crucial part of the New York neighborhood landscape. And despite the hardships and competition facing them, they’re not going anywhere any time soon.