Food Guide
The Chopped Cheese
New York's Best Bodega Sandwich
The chopped cheese was born in Harlem bodegas and for years it stayed there — a neighborhood sandwich that locals ate and visitors never found. That has changed. The chopped cheese is now one of the most searched NYC food experiences. Here is where to get the authentic version.
Hajji's (Blue Sky Deli)
This is the original. Ground beef and onions cooked on a flat-top, chopped with a spatula, covered in American cheese, served on a hero roll from the bodega counter. There is no menu on the wall. Say "chopped cheese" when you walk in. They have been making this sandwich for decades and it has not changed.
Associated Supermarket Deli
The Associated on 8th Ave is one of the most cited spots for a proper chopped cheese outside of East Harlem. The ratio of beef to cheese is generous and the hero roll is always fresh.
Kennedy Fried Chicken
Kennedy Fried Chicken is a Harlem institution that also makes a solid chopped cheese at the deli counter. Less famous than Hajji's but consistently good and easier to find a seat.
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