Ever wondered why small neighborhood stores are called “bodegas”? The word feels so tied to city life today, especially places like New York—but its story actually stretches back centuries through language, culture, and migration.

The chopped cheese originated in Harlem, New York City, with many accounts pointing to the bodega Hajji's (now Blue Sky Deli) as the birthplace, likely in the early or mid-1990s.

The chopped cheese sandwich originated in New York City. Traditionally, it is made on a flat-top grill and is not spicy.

A bodega is a small store or market that sells groceries and other items, similar to a convenience store. Bodegas are often located in urban areas, particularly in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods of large cities. They can sell a variety of items.

Bodega is the Spanish word for a small neighborhood store, but in New York City, it’s a small store that plays a very large role in the community. Maria Hinojosa of NPR visits a few of the 10,000 family-run businesses that dot the city.