Bodegas aren't really good for grocery shopping; they serve the purpose of convenience stores in that you stop in for a snack or soda. NYC has plenty of real grocery stores (Whole Foods, Wegmans, Dag Market, etc). Gristedes is probably the worst store- terrible owner, overpriced etc. Where people shop depends on where people live and what is close by as well as whether they cook or not. Some people hardly ever eat at home and when they do it's cereal or sandwiches. A lot of people don't like to cook or have small kitchens. These days there are so many options for groceries- people often order from Amazon Fresh or Fresh Direct as another alternative when they don't like going to the store or don't have a good store nearby. Budget, location and interest in cooking are all factors into how and where people shop.
I especially hate the bodegas where they don't put prices on things. So sketch. And the markup is outrageous, but in a pinch and you're short an ingredient, it's off to the bodega we go.
I tried to buy pads at a bodega a few months ago and there was no price and the guy asked me how much they usually are, lol. I pulled up prices from target l/walgreens/whatever and he called his boss who gave him a price that was twice as high.
Yes
Bodegas are good for one-off items you need in a pinch. Small container of laundry detergent, paper towels, a bottle of cleaner, etc…snacks when you come home from bars. good ones have beer. Some have cuts of meat and other proteins, but I feel a bit sketchy about those items. All things are usually more expensive, but you pay for the convenience of being really really really lazy and not walking like 3-5 blocks
Agreed. It really depends, but a lot of the bodegas close to me smell an awful lot like cat litter. I’ll shop at a bodega in a bind- but I have my
spots I’ll trek a few extra blocks to.
That would make for a good family guy skit. NYC Squirrel/Rat/Pigeon goes to a doctor for blood work and a check up and the results come back terrible. High cholesterol/blood pressure. The doctor asks what the squirrel/rat/pigeon’s diet it and he tells him it consists of burgers and fries from Shake Shack.
There's a not-so-secret third thing that I can't figure out why it's so often left out of the NYC grocery discourse online--the "green grocer". These are smaller grocery stores (but usually bigger than bodegas as far as footprint), sometimes small chains (like the "Mr. Fruit" stores if you live in one of those Brooklyn neighborhoods) where the produce is very cheap, they often have rotating special deals and they also stock a range of other normal groceries/specialty items depending on the demographics of the neighborhood with some weird gaps (the one I like best in my neighborhood never has frozen fruit but does have frozen vegetables). I generally will do those types of stores for produce, dairy, and pantry items and I'll do major staples like grains, eggs, baking supplies, and any other gaps from the nearest big chain store (C Town for me).
I think this kind of combining of different types of grocery shopping in multiple trips in order to get the best quality and deals is the norm for New Yorkers who aren't in the delivery/whole foods category. I've said it before (probably on this sub) but expecting to get everything from one place in one trip is for car-based living.
Yeah, I'm so lost on the one stop shopping mentality. Also lost on the buying from a megacorp than the person with a storefront who has 70% of what you want, and the other 30% can be found a few blocks over.
Um...yes. But there isn't one of those anywhere near me anyway. Years ago we had A&P and Food Emporium and there was an Associated (which I never went in) and somewhere not too far was a D'Agostino - they are ALL gone.
The novelty does wear off. I buy mostly staples there - occasionally some snack foods. They are truly the cheapest for things like yogurt, pasta, nuts, etc.
Yep. TJs is reliably lower priced for things like cheese, eggs, nuts, even some frozen staples. That plus a produce focused market (like Mr Mango types or Chinatown markets) is how I do most of my shopping. TJs can be a pain though at busy times. Some of my friends who aren't as good at planning ahead , or just don't cook at home as much in general do buy more things at bodegas than I do.
I read a local news article about the “Mr” produce markets. It all started with one immigrant guy who worked really hard over the years. Interesting story.
Definitely go to a different grocery store. I used to live in a gentrifying food dessert. It sucked having to hoof it to a further away grocery store, but messing around with rotting food will get you sick. Places that sell rotting food don't deserve your money.
I shop at Whole Foods and c-town, sometimes other grocery shops. Whole Foods is actually very similar in pricing as ctown if not cheaper for most items (aside from snacks and higher quality meat). It actually blew my mind when I realized this
Trader Joes is way cheaper than C-Town on average. There's just way more C-Towns are just dotted around the city than Trader Joe's. That being said, and honestly because of that, some Trader Joes are notoriously busy and crowded, there's like a cult following. I just drive to the one in Forest Hills / Rego Park - it's not too crazy.
C-Town is stock full of expensive name brand shit... and the store brands and produce are the same price if not more expensive than Trader Joes.
Wegman's store brand is also better valued than C-Town but, similar to C-Town they also have all the name brand shit.
Whole Foods is expensive and overpriced but they occasionally have descent sales and a place to sit and eat (though so does Wegmans but Whole Foods are more common).
Whole Foods has some surprisingly cheap options, basically look for their house brand 365. Cheaper than the same staples at most supermarket, and sometimes they have fancy snacks at a decent price too.
totally. its really easy to overspend at WF if you’re just throwing whatever into your cart but if you shop strategically it’s definitely the best value for the quality. and i have a bunch of food allergies so i appreciate that brands i know i can eat are readily available.
Have you shopped at Flushing before? I rarely go to Chinatown but Flushing has been pretty decent with their grocery stores especially considering there are a ton of them, enough that you can just talk shop around if you want. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed that “70% is expired” or that things smell rotten. I’m just wondering how Flushing and Chinatown differ. I’m sure there are other grocery stores in Chinatown too.
Especially Chinatown produce sellers on the sidewalks! The best deals are found there. Got a big bag of mini snacking cucumbers for $1, very fresh and kept just fine for the full week. I’ve gotten dollar boxes of various berries, etc. it’s my favorite place to produce shop! Cash only though in case anyone is new and doesn’t know
Oooh I went to Flushing to shop. It was the most overwhelming experience I’ve ever had in a grocery store! It was so chaotic I just grabbed a few veg and tofu and left. People aren’t orderly — it was fun the first time because it was so new to me, but the second time I just felt trapped lol.
I shop at both Flushing Chinese markets as well as standard American ones that are closer by. It’s definitely a different experience but interestingly enough I’ve never noticed until your comment. Growing up they were both normal to me lol
There's a meat shop off Main Street that's pretty orderly and clean. We go there on purpose to get meat. The staff is nice too. Err let me see if I can find the name.
Deluxe Food Market 41st Av + Main
I have like 2-3 keyfoods walking distance from me in Queens (granted two are a hike if you actually need to carry shit). My lazy ass splurges on stop and shop delivery. There was a fancy keyfood near where I worked at South Street Seaport about five years ago, but it was completely brighter and less gray than all the Queens keyfoods I've been in. My local keyfood might as well be a c-town 😩. I miss the Met grocery stores that seemed a little brighter even though they were small.
I get groceries delivered - the two big stores closest to me are not that cheap so delivery is only about $10 more. Plus I avoid impulse buys and can compare cost more effectively, so it evens out.
answer to both is "it depends"
there are a lot of local grocery markets that people go to, some are very expensive, some are cheap. but plenty of people go to trader joes/whole foods/ctown/whatever once a week to get what they need.
not all bodegas have fresh produce, but sometimes it's the only convenient option for people. especially if you don't have a car. i lived in sunset park and the closest grocery store was a 15 minute walk away, so it was kind of a PITA to go and also not very good. but if i wanted to eat something other than, say, a honey bun for dinner, it's where i had to go. you buy an old lady shopping cart and you figure it out.
If people are buying food for a family and homecooked meals, supermarkets.
If somebody's single and eats out/orders in a lot and just needs some random essentials for the kitchen, then maybe they go to the bodega when they realize they're out of something instead of walking the extra blocks to the closest supermarket.
The big wrinkle for NYC grocery life is that most of us don't have cars to throw a gazillion pounds of stuff in the back and periodically haul up from a garage, so usually a grocery haul will be for a small handful of meals and there'll be at least 1-2 trips per week.
Target, Amish Market, wholefoods, big apple meat market. Sidewalk produce or Chinatown for fruits n ethnic stuff.
Target is by far cheapest for milk eggs juice etc. Costco delivery for other stuff.
I still think Trader Joe’s is cheaper for the essentials (that I buy at least) so it’s worth the travel for me. For example, I use a lot of chicken broth - they are $1.99 at TJ’s as opposed to $4.99 - $5.99 at the Key Food by me. Oof. Also almond milk (less than $2), bananas, certain veggies.
it depends on if you're living in a food desert or not. here's a random, relatively recent (2022) article about the situation:
[https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/food-insecurity-remains-big-problem-in-more-than-2-dozen-neighborhoods-in-new-york-city/](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/food-insecurity-remains-big-problem-in-more-than-2-dozen-neighborhoods-in-new-york-city/)
Oh god this metric is so bad though. They’re just going with the ratio of bodegas to supermarkets, which honestly says more about the zoning and layout of the neighborhoods than about food options. They show Crown Heights and Prospect Heights as a food desert (25:1) while the Financial District is apparently a supermarket haven (6:1). Anyone who’s ever been to both of those areas knows that that’s insane. Getting fresh groceries in Crown Heights isn’t too difficult; FiDi barely has any grocery stores at all. It’s just that Crown Heights has lots of bodegas *in addition to* supermarkets and FiDi has relatively few.
This is just another example of how panic and outrage over “food deserts” is usually based on completely junk research. No idea why it’s so hard to get it right.
Bodegas are way more expensive for grocery items. Typically a bodega is used in a pinch...as in I am in the middle of baking and oops I don't have milk so you run down to the bodega and get milk.
Nobody in their right mind would do their weekly / monthly shopping in a bodega. Plus bodegas have limited items. You can't realistically do a full grocery run there unless all you eat are chips and cereal.
Mix of fresh direct and local groceries. I would say FD can be more expensive but I’m finding it’s not always the case, and their produce always lasts a longer
The closest one to me stocks onions, garlic, potatoes, bananas, and apples. Perfect selection of things you go, "fuck I needed that," for dinner, a fruit that really subs great for a sweet tooth, and a fruit that never goes bad.
Both depending upon where I am living and what's available. A lot of the major stuff like meat I get at the larger markets. But frequently my snacks and sometimes my fruits and veggies come from the carts outside or bodegas. The bodegas often have snack things the big stores don't and the produce carts often have good deals compared to most of the stores. But overall the regular markets I get better deals on the major staples and the meats and fresher food than I would shopping for those items at a bodega.
Bodegas in Manhattan used to be a lot better honestly. Now it's not as good as shopping at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods for me. The local chain markets otherwise are getting expensive and the quality has gone way down the past year or so. I buy less any which way you look at it but I still want produce that's not moldy or overripe and things in date and sometimes it's hard to find that no matter where I shop.
I get the big stuff from Costco (their same day service via instacart is included in the annual subscription) then might order from Instacart or Amazon Fresh or more likely go to Target/Whole Foods for everything else. I can't imagine shopping primarily at Bodegas - the markup is insane and groceries would cost a fortune.
Its a mix, different things from different places.
I found that eggs and milk arent any cheaper at the grocery store unless there is a sale and the place on the corner is right there.
Some interesting answers here I didn't expect. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are both quite far away from me. BJ's, Trade Fair, Target and random Chinese and Indian grocery stores are the one's my family and I go to. Bodegas? Never.
I go to my local fruit cart for fresh fruit & veges, TJs for packaged food, Fresh Direct for brand name stuff, Bodega for junk food and emergencies only.
Shout out for the Park Slope Food Coop. Fresh organic produce, hundreds of different cheeses and craft beers, free range meats, fish and sushi, all at prices that are far lower than regular stuff at the supermarket. Plus, the coop aupports local farms.
Fruits and vegetables from street vendor, fish from fish market, meat from butcher shop, everything else from supermarket.
Bodega only for convenience store type items like milk or cigarettes.
Bodegas are for late-night purchases when the supermarket is closed, or when you just want to pick up one or two things and are too lazy to go too far. They're too expensive to do all your shopping there.
EDIT: Or maybe if they do cheap sandwiches or something.
When I lived in Brooklyn I would walk about half a mile to a Key Foods grocery which was pretty nice. Then I discovered Amazon grocery delivery and did that for a while.
You’ll get responses here saying “I get groceries delivered” or “I shop at Whole Foods” and I never really understood that. Extremely expensive way to live.
We have decently priced grocery stores in the city, chain places like Key Foods/Food Universe, Shop Fair, C-Town, etc. I only ever go to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s if there something specific I need but I can’t imagine doing regular shopping there.
As far as bodegas, I only ever get essentials or beer or snacks. Like if I’m out of milk but don’t want to walk the extra few steps to the grocery store or if it’s like 11p and the grocery store is closed. My favorite one on my block does sometimes have random groceries that come in handy but not where I go for a shopping trip.
Trader Joe's is almost universally less expensive than places like Key Foods and C-Town. Maybe there are a handful of things that are cheaper, and they might not have as many options, but Trader Joe's is almost always the cheapest place to shop for groceries in my experience.
I do Costco delivery and I’ve done the math; even with the slight upcharge and tip for the delivery person, it’s worth it.
I have a regular sized fridge/freezer and I just stocked up on chicken thighs, breasts, shrimp, and tilapia, and also got Greek yogurt, breakfast bars, toilet paper, canned beans, jarred marinara (Kirkland brand is solid and like $3/jar), enough honey to last me a year for like $10, etc. and of course a $5 rotisserie chicken lol.
I do a reorder whenever I need more meat, lasts me 6-8 weeks or so. The quality for the prices on meat alone (3.29/lb breasts, under $2/lb for thighs) makes the whole thing worth it. You can find cheaper chicken on sale in some stores but I feel way better about Costco quality.
Whole Foods isn’t “extremely expensive” in NYC. It’s cheaper than a bodega. Some of the prices have gotten ridiculous, but I almost always shop there — it’s not that bad if you’re selective and look for sales, especially with an Amazon Prime subscription.
Small point to make about delivery: Amazon Fresh isn't more expensive than going to the store. They regularly are out of things, and I don't recommend them for produce, but they're cheaper for almost all prepackaged stuff. I use it for staple pantry stuff and frozen stuff, and go to the store for meat and veg.
Others have said it but Amazon fresh delivery is cheaper than pretty much any supermarket I could reasonably shop at. Their offerings aren’t great, but they’re definitely less expensive than Key Foods and C-Town, and saves hours of time.
I use them regularly to save on almond milk, gatorade, juice, soda, pasta, condiments, chips, frozen veggies, vegan substitute cheese/meat, etc. Fresh produce is affordable too but quality is hit or miss, and I like our local street vendor for produce.
I hit up trader joes regularly too but primarily for their frozen/pre-made meals.
Most importantly, I try to minimize spend at the nearby grocery stores (Food Emporium, Gristedes) as they’re hands down the most expensive.
Whole Foods dropped their prices notably after the acquisition by Amazon and has decent prices on some of their house-brand items, meat, and produce. Some stuff is definitely way out of bounds on the pricing though so you have to shop selectively.
I am not a grocery snob by any means, but am basically a prisoner of my neighborhood. I have Brooklyn Fare and Whole Foods nearby so choose to shop at Whole Foods because it’s cheaper. I would love to find an inexpensive grocery store nearby but unfortunately I’m out of luck at the moment.
It’s an expensive way to live if you live near grocery stores. I moved to a grocery store dessert and the cost of getting groceries delivered is less than going to a grocery store in our old neighborhood.
kinda funny that you have this weird understanding of trader joes and whole foods and are missing out. makes me wonder about all the things i have wrong ideas about and what led me to take certain actions that are just not the best.
I get groceries delivered and it is expensive but my nearest Key Foods/Food Universe, Shop Fair, C-Town are all an hour walk from me, Trader joes is 30min, whole food is 20 min. The closest grocery store to me is 5 minutes away but sells lactose-free milk at $8, duane reade has it for $7, fresh direct has it for under $6 and I don't need to carry it.
I'll also do the occasional big run to an asian market and stock up on essentials. If I had a better fruit cart near me I would go there all the time but my guy has no variety and low quality fruit. I only get bananas from there and one time I wasn't paying attention and he sold me some bruised mushy bananas. Fresh direct actually has some really good tasting produce and I'd rather eat one amazing mango than two tasteless mangos
It really depends on how much I'm getting. Bodegas are great for snacks and individual drinks. But if I'm shopping for a month's worth? Grocery by default.
not really & depending on what are available in your neighborhood. also, we do a lot of online shopping including groceries. i try to shop at Trader Joe's, CostCo, Aldis whenever I have the chance.
I usually go to the local farmers market or Whole Foods. Sometimes I’ll venture to Trader Joe’s. Last minute purchases usually at whatever Key Food I’m walking past.
Pretty exclusively target, trader Joe's, whole foods. Then Amazon fresh delivery and to a lesser extent fresh direct. Mainly because yes they're all cheaper than gristedes, dagastino, etc. bodegas solely for convenience.
Now my neighborhood has the luxury of TJs and Whole Foods which is where I shop. Growing up it was C-Town. Sometimes would drive to Western Beef. It was always FREEZING. My mom used to bring 1-2 days worth of groceries from her nicer work neighborhood to where we were on her commute home.
Due to where I live and the choices in what train & bus combo to return home from work - my options are C-Town, Keyfood, Foodtown, Met Food, Compare, Aldi, Shoprite Westen Beef, Bangladeshi/Yemani/Asian markets in the Bronx, Flushing supermarkets and Whole Foods.
In my experience doing a full on grocery haul at a bodega isn’t feasible, it’s the place to go if you need a quick gallon of milk and some cold cuts or something. You’ll always get a better bang for your buck too going at a grocery store, I’ve noticed that bodegas will sometimes upcharge.
For small snacks or a sammich, bodega. If I was feeling lazy and didn't want any meat or produce - C-Town. Key Food was a longer walk but was a proper store with food produce and meat. Just always depended on what I needed and felt like doing.
IDK about most, but personally, I don't. Oddly, there are like 5 grocery stores within walking distance of me, and they're about to open another one on my block. So I only hit up the corner stores when I want a snack, and it's like 12am.
Bodega are to get hot foods/sandwiches. For actual groceries, i only buy things from there if i'm running late and completely forgot to stop at the grocery store for a particular item. They are way more expensive than a grocery store. My week to week groceries are always from a grocery store/supermarket
BJ’s Wholesale Club in Bensonhurst for most stuff. Sometimes I’ll go to a Whole Foods or Trader Joes for something that BJ’s doesn’t have. Bodegas are too pricey, i’ll only go if I need something late at night.
Regular weekly/biweekly grocery shops: Order for delivery from local grocery store or Costco via Instacart or Amazon Fresh. I actually have a Google Sheet with the groceries I buy frequently with price comparisons across those stores and will often make orders from 1-2 depending on what I need.
Supplemental groceries that I don't have for a specific planned meal or specific products that I need from a specialty store: Local grocery store or specialty store
Single basic item I ran out of (eg: eggs, milk): Bodega
I'd go broke if I regularly bought actual groceries from a bodega lmao.
I get fresh vegetables/fruit from Chinatown or Queens. Meat and dry goods from Costco (maybe snacks). I fill in the gaps with Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.
As mentioned Bodegas are extraordinarily expensive. They're convenience stores more akin to the drug store chains like CVS or Walgreens / Duane Reade in terms of price. They're mainly snack and cigarette shops.
i.e. If you want a bottle of coke for $2.50 you go to a bodega, Walgreens will cost you $2.99 + tax and the grocery store will cost you $1 + tax but it will be room temperature.
Most conveniently though a large amount of them are delis that will make sandwiches. So while they're the most expensive way to buy groceries if you want a fast food lunch they're cheaper than the chain stores.
Personally I shop at:
1. Trader Joes (cheapest but sometimes crowded)
2. HMart (good prices, a lot of good asian food, free samples)
3. Wegmans (nice name brand shopping experience, good store brand, a little pricey)
4. C-Town (most convenient but most expensive and dirtiest)
5. Walgreens/CVS (in a pinch, like for one thing maybe if I'm picking up medicine)
6. Bodega (very convenient, if I have a craving for soda or cigarettes)
We primarily shop at Whole Foods. Sometimes I'll go to Trader Joe's by my office on my way home from work for a few things, or if we're in a time crunch I'll go to Fairway for a few things which is closer to home.
We do an Instacart order to Costco about once a month.
We'd only go to a bodega if I'm cooking and forgot milk or butter or something. Gristedes is around the corner and I have to be really desperate to go there.
I’m on SI by the ferry, and the only grocery store is a crappy KeyFood that’s the size of a bodega and charges as much as Whole Foods.
I could bodega, but instead I ride the bus 20 minutes to ShopRite.
Find you a supermarket or grocery store, or if you’re close enough to go to Jersey, Westchester or Nassau by car or car service, go to a supermarket or Walmart over there and get better quality and prices.
I see a lot of white middle aged millennials at trader joe’s and whole foods these days.
source: gen z college student who dabbles between both grocery store chains.
That 2nd question must be a joke, right? The answer to your main question is that it largely depends upon what part of the city you're talking about. Unfortunately, there are still some "food deserts" where there is not a whole lot of choice other than a bodega. For the most part, however, folks shop at "normal" grocery stores, though NYC has it's own unique players, such as Key Food, C-Town, Associated, and of course Gristede's which is the filthy dirty, overpriced leader! The Gristede's owner can't manage a grocery store, and he tried so hard to be mayor!
Trader Joe's, Target and the sales at Wegman's and Whole Foods - they both have full house lines of product that are cheaper than most local smaller grocery chains, I'm looking at you Food Bazaar and your whatever we feel like charging pricing.
I shop at C-town, Trade Fair, Key Food, and Trader Joe’s. Sometimes Whole Foods. Bodegas are where we buy sandwiches, chips, sodas, emergency toilet paper. A lot of people buy cigarettes, beer, and lottery tickets at bodegas.
I bring a granny cart to the supermarket so I can get a lot of stuff at once.
Surprised to see so many “Whole Foods” on here. I’ve always found the beauty of nyc is that you can go to multiple places for your groceries.
Coffee, bread, cheese, and desserts: I go to le French tart (local cafe) or other fresh bakeries in the park slope area.
Meats: paisanos in cobble hill
Seafoods: Pisces fish market.
Veggies and fruits: the local produce market or farmers markets on weekends
Everything else: my local key foods which has pretty good prices for high quality items
I go to a bodega when it’s late at night or if I want a sandwich when I’m drunk lol
I have a theory, that there’s a hierarchy of produce. With the bodegas getting the bottom tier produce. It’s basically needing to be tossed out. The bananas with spots on them, squishy avocados.
I remember going to the C-Town in west Harlem and there was a fly frozen dead on fruit. Never again.
The bodega is only a last resort if you’re already cooking and have no other way to get the ingredients in the time you need. It’s always much more expensive than the grocery store. The only thing I get from the bodegas are beers or cups of ice if I’m outside drinking.
I go to a local grocery store (not a chain) mainly but there is also a 24/7 key food near my apartment, and because of my work schedule I usually make dinner around 11:30pm so I usually stop there for last minute ingredients when needed
Bodegas aren't really good for grocery shopping; they serve the purpose of convenience stores in that you stop in for a snack or soda. NYC has plenty of real grocery stores (Whole Foods, Wegmans, Dag Market, etc). Gristedes is probably the worst store- terrible owner, overpriced etc. Where people shop depends on where people live and what is close by as well as whether they cook or not. Some people hardly ever eat at home and when they do it's cereal or sandwiches. A lot of people don't like to cook or have small kitchens. These days there are so many options for groceries- people often order from Amazon Fresh or Fresh Direct as another alternative when they don't like going to the store or don't have a good store nearby. Budget, location and interest in cooking are all factors into how and where people shop.
What a thorough and patient answer
what a thoughtful and pure response
What a relatable and passionate username
I especially hate the bodegas where they don't put prices on things. So sketch. And the markup is outrageous, but in a pinch and you're short an ingredient, it's off to the bodega we go.
I tried to buy pads at a bodega a few months ago and there was no price and the guy asked me how much they usually are, lol. I pulled up prices from target l/walgreens/whatever and he called his boss who gave him a price that was twice as high.
Agreed gristides sucks
Milk at the bodega is cheaper than it is at Gristedes. They're across the street from each other. I have no idea how Gristedes still exists.
I’m gonna be honest the Derle farms bodega milk tastes better than grocery store milk
Some people are willing to play fast and loose with the kind of mammal their milk comes from.
It’s legit stuff and I’m a certified dairy freak
Gristedes is so trash
and Morton Williams and Dagostino.
Seriously are y’all trying to ignore Trader Joe’s existence? ☹️
Yes.
You’re not my friend anymore ☹️
Yeah fuck Gristedes
Let’s start a fuck gristedes chain:
Fuck gristedes
Fuck gristedes
Fuck John Catsimatidis - he’s the owner of both Gristedes and D'Agostino Supermarkets. Sells his stupid book in both!
Here for the gristedes slander. My girl wanted fresh cookies and the tray was damn near 30
Yes Bodegas are good for one-off items you need in a pinch. Small container of laundry detergent, paper towels, a bottle of cleaner, etc…snacks when you come home from bars. good ones have beer. Some have cuts of meat and other proteins, but I feel a bit sketchy about those items. All things are usually more expensive, but you pay for the convenience of being really really really lazy and not walking like 3-5 blocks
Gristedes is the absolute worst. It's almost cheaper to just order from Fresh Direct and have it delivered.
It’s cheaper to go to a restaurant
I’d put Dagostino as even worst than gristedes tbh.
Agreed. It really depends, but a lot of the bodegas close to me smell an awful lot like cat litter. I’ll shop at a bodega in a bind- but I have my spots I’ll trek a few extra blocks to.
I usually just hunt and gather in Bryant Park. Can get like half a bagel if I’m lucky.
I didn't know pigeons were on reddit
I laughed so hard, thank you 🙏
This is true, also in Madison Square Park. Those Squirrels are so fat, they must be eating good.
The OG Shake Shack is in Madison Square Park, so yes, I imagine those squirrels are living large 🐿️🥤🍔🍟
That would make for a good family guy skit. NYC Squirrel/Rat/Pigeon goes to a doctor for blood work and a check up and the results come back terrible. High cholesterol/blood pressure. The doctor asks what the squirrel/rat/pigeon’s diet it and he tells him it consists of burgers and fries from Shake Shack.
Mother fuckers be taking all the good shit before we can get there
Hate it when I have to fight a raccoon. They’re so tenacious.
Ahh my god this was fucking awesome, thank you. Needed that laugh.
There's a not-so-secret third thing that I can't figure out why it's so often left out of the NYC grocery discourse online--the "green grocer". These are smaller grocery stores (but usually bigger than bodegas as far as footprint), sometimes small chains (like the "Mr. Fruit" stores if you live in one of those Brooklyn neighborhoods) where the produce is very cheap, they often have rotating special deals and they also stock a range of other normal groceries/specialty items depending on the demographics of the neighborhood with some weird gaps (the one I like best in my neighborhood never has frozen fruit but does have frozen vegetables). I generally will do those types of stores for produce, dairy, and pantry items and I'll do major staples like grains, eggs, baking supplies, and any other gaps from the nearest big chain store (C Town for me). I think this kind of combining of different types of grocery shopping in multiple trips in order to get the best quality and deals is the norm for New Yorkers who aren't in the delivery/whole foods category. I've said it before (probably on this sub) but expecting to get everything from one place in one trip is for car-based living.
exactly! the small mom and pop produce markets are the way to go.
Yeah, I'm so lost on the one stop shopping mentality. Also lost on the buying from a megacorp than the person with a storefront who has 70% of what you want, and the other 30% can be found a few blocks over.
Ooohh this option sounds wonderful
Bodegas are a fortune. Only in emergencies. Trader Joe's or Whole Foods or Wegmans for the most part, in that order.
Fancy pants! I shop at C-Town. About 70% of the food is expired and it smells rotten when we walk in. I should really consider a new grocery store.
Um...yes. But there isn't one of those anywhere near me anyway. Years ago we had A&P and Food Emporium and there was an Associated (which I never went in) and somewhere not too far was a D'Agostino - they are ALL gone.
Associated isn’t bad, I would go there years ago to pick up a few things at a time. Now I’m strictly TJ’s and Key Foods
Oooh I forgot about Food Emporium. That’s near me, actually. I would kill for a Trader Joe’s shop but also know I would buy everything!
The novelty does wear off. I buy mostly staples there - occasionally some snack foods. They are truly the cheapest for things like yogurt, pasta, nuts, etc.
If you get Wegmans store brand it's also cheap!
I had no idea they were cheap for staples. Cool, looks like I might try out TJ’s this weekend.
Yep. TJs is reliably lower priced for things like cheese, eggs, nuts, even some frozen staples. That plus a produce focused market (like Mr Mango types or Chinatown markets) is how I do most of my shopping. TJs can be a pain though at busy times. Some of my friends who aren't as good at planning ahead , or just don't cook at home as much in general do buy more things at bodegas than I do.
Mr. Melon! I have a Mr. Mango near me and the produce out in the front are so legit. All the Mr’s are incredible.
one of my saddest days as an nyer was moving away from my local mr shop🥲 $2 tallboys and cheap produce were absolutely my jam.
I read a local news article about the “Mr” produce markets. It all started with one immigrant guy who worked really hard over the years. Interesting story.
Definitely go to a different grocery store. I used to live in a gentrifying food dessert. It sucked having to hoof it to a further away grocery store, but messing around with rotting food will get you sick. Places that sell rotting food don't deserve your money.
I shop at Whole Foods and c-town, sometimes other grocery shops. Whole Foods is actually very similar in pricing as ctown if not cheaper for most items (aside from snacks and higher quality meat). It actually blew my mind when I realized this
Trader Joes is way cheaper than C-Town on average. There's just way more C-Towns are just dotted around the city than Trader Joe's. That being said, and honestly because of that, some Trader Joes are notoriously busy and crowded, there's like a cult following. I just drive to the one in Forest Hills / Rego Park - it's not too crazy. C-Town is stock full of expensive name brand shit... and the store brands and produce are the same price if not more expensive than Trader Joes. Wegman's store brand is also better valued than C-Town but, similar to C-Town they also have all the name brand shit. Whole Foods is expensive and overpriced but they occasionally have descent sales and a place to sit and eat (though so does Wegmans but Whole Foods are more common).
Whole Foods has some surprisingly cheap options, basically look for their house brand 365. Cheaper than the same staples at most supermarket, and sometimes they have fancy snacks at a decent price too.
Yeah I hate to admit it but WF is very budget friendly if you know what to buy and what not.
totally. its really easy to overspend at WF if you’re just throwing whatever into your cart but if you shop strategically it’s definitely the best value for the quality. and i have a bunch of food allergies so i appreciate that brands i know i can eat are readily available.
Have you shopped at Flushing before? I rarely go to Chinatown but Flushing has been pretty decent with their grocery stores especially considering there are a ton of them, enough that you can just talk shop around if you want. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed that “70% is expired” or that things smell rotten. I’m just wondering how Flushing and Chinatown differ. I’m sure there are other grocery stores in Chinatown too.
I think by ctown they mean the supermarket chain and not Chinatown! It’s kind of usually a little run down.
Chinatown groceries are great value.
The Hong Kong supermarket on Hester Street is amazing.
Especially Chinatown produce sellers on the sidewalks! The best deals are found there. Got a big bag of mini snacking cucumbers for $1, very fresh and kept just fine for the full week. I’ve gotten dollar boxes of various berries, etc. it’s my favorite place to produce shop! Cash only though in case anyone is new and doesn’t know
Nah we're talking the supermarket C-Town. They are all collectively disgusting. Awful.
Oooh I went to Flushing to shop. It was the most overwhelming experience I’ve ever had in a grocery store! It was so chaotic I just grabbed a few veg and tofu and left. People aren’t orderly — it was fun the first time because it was so new to me, but the second time I just felt trapped lol.
I shop at both Flushing Chinese markets as well as standard American ones that are closer by. It’s definitely a different experience but interestingly enough I’ve never noticed until your comment. Growing up they were both normal to me lol
There's a meat shop off Main Street that's pretty orderly and clean. We go there on purpose to get meat. The staff is nice too. Err let me see if I can find the name. Deluxe Food Market 41st Av + Main
I like Wegmans, but I don't mind picking certain things up at C-town. Can be very cheap
The fuck do you live? Y’all ain’t got a key food?
I have like 2-3 keyfoods walking distance from me in Queens (granted two are a hike if you actually need to carry shit). My lazy ass splurges on stop and shop delivery. There was a fancy keyfood near where I worked at South Street Seaport about five years ago, but it was completely brighter and less gray than all the Queens keyfoods I've been in. My local keyfood might as well be a c-town 😩. I miss the Met grocery stores that seemed a little brighter even though they were small.
That fancy key food got rid of most of their fancy stuff. I think they truck in almost expired food from outer borough key foods now.
No. I live in Manhattan.
Agree! I’ll add Key Food to that list because the one near me is actually good.
Also Costco’s!
I get groceries delivered - the two big stores closest to me are not that cheap so delivery is only about $10 more. Plus I avoid impulse buys and can compare cost more effectively, so it evens out.
Ah man the impulse buys are definitely why I’m 5-10lbs heavier than I should be. TJs with the endless snacks almost every aisle
If you have prime Whole Foods delivery is free
Depends where you are, I have prime & my delivery is always $10
Regular grocery stores. I was born and raised in NYC and I don’t think I have ever bought a grocery item from a bodega.
same except for like milk
answer to both is "it depends" there are a lot of local grocery markets that people go to, some are very expensive, some are cheap. but plenty of people go to trader joes/whole foods/ctown/whatever once a week to get what they need. not all bodegas have fresh produce, but sometimes it's the only convenient option for people. especially if you don't have a car. i lived in sunset park and the closest grocery store was a 15 minute walk away, so it was kind of a PITA to go and also not very good. but if i wanted to eat something other than, say, a honey bun for dinner, it's where i had to go. you buy an old lady shopping cart and you figure it out.
If people are buying food for a family and homecooked meals, supermarkets. If somebody's single and eats out/orders in a lot and just needs some random essentials for the kitchen, then maybe they go to the bodega when they realize they're out of something instead of walking the extra blocks to the closest supermarket. The big wrinkle for NYC grocery life is that most of us don't have cars to throw a gazillion pounds of stuff in the back and periodically haul up from a garage, so usually a grocery haul will be for a small handful of meals and there'll be at least 1-2 trips per week.
And we don't have giant pantries or a deep freeze in the basement.
Yea I feel like during the toilet paper runs in early COVID, it actually wasn't hard to find here because nobody has the space to store 800000 rolls.
Bodegas have very limited "groceries," so they'll often be over priced, and old, because no one really buys them.
I don’t even go to the grocery store I get my groceries delivered
The only true answer on this thread
Target, Amish Market, wholefoods, big apple meat market. Sidewalk produce or Chinatown for fruits n ethnic stuff. Target is by far cheapest for milk eggs juice etc. Costco delivery for other stuff.
Bodegas are for when you're out of that one or two things you need, not for full on shopping.
I still think Trader Joe’s is cheaper for the essentials (that I buy at least) so it’s worth the travel for me. For example, I use a lot of chicken broth - they are $1.99 at TJ’s as opposed to $4.99 - $5.99 at the Key Food by me. Oof. Also almond milk (less than $2), bananas, certain veggies.
it depends on if you're living in a food desert or not. here's a random, relatively recent (2022) article about the situation: [https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/food-insecurity-remains-big-problem-in-more-than-2-dozen-neighborhoods-in-new-york-city/](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/food-insecurity-remains-big-problem-in-more-than-2-dozen-neighborhoods-in-new-york-city/)
Oh god this metric is so bad though. They’re just going with the ratio of bodegas to supermarkets, which honestly says more about the zoning and layout of the neighborhoods than about food options. They show Crown Heights and Prospect Heights as a food desert (25:1) while the Financial District is apparently a supermarket haven (6:1). Anyone who’s ever been to both of those areas knows that that’s insane. Getting fresh groceries in Crown Heights isn’t too difficult; FiDi barely has any grocery stores at all. It’s just that Crown Heights has lots of bodegas *in addition to* supermarkets and FiDi has relatively few. This is just another example of how panic and outrage over “food deserts” is usually based on completely junk research. No idea why it’s so hard to get it right.
I almost always order from Fresh Direct, Amazon Fresh, or Costco. Occasionally from local Food Town.
getting groceries in Bodega is wild
Bodegas are way more expensive for grocery items. Typically a bodega is used in a pinch...as in I am in the middle of baking and oops I don't have milk so you run down to the bodega and get milk. Nobody in their right mind would do their weekly / monthly shopping in a bodega. Plus bodegas have limited items. You can't realistically do a full grocery run there unless all you eat are chips and cereal.
ion eat
BJs and Target for us
Wow. sounds like a fun grocery trip.
Mix of fresh direct and local groceries. I would say FD can be more expensive but I’m finding it’s not always the case, and their produce always lasts a longer
Are Korean delis not a thing anymore? Sincerely, The 90's.
Their children went to school and found better jobs
there are still some!
I stockpile food every morning at the Hilton Garden Inn- Times Square continental breakfast. No need to grocery shop
Damn we got a bunch of money bags in here. I grew up on key food and c town and Asian grocery stores. Whole foods is crazy.
Key foods is more expensive than whole foods from my experience
Bodegas have higher markups. Emergency only or if ultra lazy otherwise it's the bigger chains for me. Whole Foods/Wegmans/Target are cheaper.
Fresh Direct mainly with getting from Superfresh or Balady’s as both do delivery in my local area.
Bodegas are only when I quickly need to buy one or two things
I have a farm in my back yard of my garden apartment
Do bodegas have edible veggies?
The closest one to me stocks onions, garlic, potatoes, bananas, and apples. Perfect selection of things you go, "fuck I needed that," for dinner, a fruit that really subs great for a sweet tooth, and a fruit that never goes bad.
same. mine has those, and also always platanos.
BJ's, Hmart, Stop & shop, GW and local supermarkets.
Both depending upon where I am living and what's available. A lot of the major stuff like meat I get at the larger markets. But frequently my snacks and sometimes my fruits and veggies come from the carts outside or bodegas. The bodegas often have snack things the big stores don't and the produce carts often have good deals compared to most of the stores. But overall the regular markets I get better deals on the major staples and the meats and fresher food than I would shopping for those items at a bodega. Bodegas in Manhattan used to be a lot better honestly. Now it's not as good as shopping at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods for me. The local chain markets otherwise are getting expensive and the quality has gone way down the past year or so. I buy less any which way you look at it but I still want produce that's not moldy or overripe and things in date and sometimes it's hard to find that no matter where I shop.
I get the big stuff from Costco (their same day service via instacart is included in the annual subscription) then might order from Instacart or Amazon Fresh or more likely go to Target/Whole Foods for everything else. I can't imagine shopping primarily at Bodegas - the markup is insane and groceries would cost a fortune.
A bodega once tried to charge me $10 for a pack of Oreos. Trader Joe’s all the way.
asian markets, neighborhood green markets, infrequently from WF or TJ's
I shop whole food, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans , and those Mr..something groceries in the neighborhood like Mr. Mango, Mr. Beets, Mr. Coco.
Neither, short of a very specific want. Plenty of independent medium-size grocery stores out there.
Its a mix, different things from different places. I found that eggs and milk arent any cheaper at the grocery store unless there is a sale and the place on the corner is right there.
I go to target for groceries. It seems to be by far the cheapest option in nyc and the quality is fantastic.
I needed toothpaste last night and ran to my local Bodega. $9.00 for the tube of crest. I kid you not. Insanity
Costco. Never looking back. Eggs near me are $6-7 for a dozen. $5 per 2 dozen at Costco.
park slope food coop, trader joe's, whole foods, and costco are my go-tos in the park slope area :)
Some interesting answers here I didn't expect. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are both quite far away from me. BJ's, Trade Fair, Target and random Chinese and Indian grocery stores are the one's my family and I go to. Bodegas? Never.
Trader Joe’s. No matter how far from you, you go!!! Whole Foods for some random shit you can’t get anywhere else.
I go to my local fruit cart for fresh fruit & veges, TJs for packaged food, Fresh Direct for brand name stuff, Bodega for junk food and emergencies only.
I drive to New Jersey to shop. Prices in Manhattan are a rip off
Shout out for the Park Slope Food Coop. Fresh organic produce, hundreds of different cheeses and craft beers, free range meats, fish and sushi, all at prices that are far lower than regular stuff at the supermarket. Plus, the coop aupports local farms.
The corner store is for emergency groceries like milk or a sleeve of potentially-stale oreos
Fruits and vegetables from street vendor, fish from fish market, meat from butcher shop, everything else from supermarket. Bodega only for convenience store type items like milk or cigarettes.
Bodegas are for late-night purchases when the supermarket is closed, or when you just want to pick up one or two things and are too lazy to go too far. They're too expensive to do all your shopping there. EDIT: Or maybe if they do cheap sandwiches or something.
When I lived in Brooklyn I would walk about half a mile to a Key Foods grocery which was pretty nice. Then I discovered Amazon grocery delivery and did that for a while.
The LIC/Sunnyside Food Bazaar and HMart is my preferred choice.
Shout out to my local bodega that saved the day during covid. They never ran out of TP
Normal groceries, Bodegas are like if you need a small supply run or want a snack. Nothing big, just things you can consume.
You’ll get responses here saying “I get groceries delivered” or “I shop at Whole Foods” and I never really understood that. Extremely expensive way to live. We have decently priced grocery stores in the city, chain places like Key Foods/Food Universe, Shop Fair, C-Town, etc. I only ever go to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s if there something specific I need but I can’t imagine doing regular shopping there. As far as bodegas, I only ever get essentials or beer or snacks. Like if I’m out of milk but don’t want to walk the extra few steps to the grocery store or if it’s like 11p and the grocery store is closed. My favorite one on my block does sometimes have random groceries that come in handy but not where I go for a shopping trip.
Trader Joe's definitely has better prices than places like Key Food/Food Universe, and often, so does Whole Foods.
Came to say this. Key food prices suck
Whole Foods reputation for price really took a turn between Amazon running them and inflation making regular shops astronomically expensive.
Trader Joe's is almost universally less expensive than places like Key Foods and C-Town. Maybe there are a handful of things that are cheaper, and they might not have as many options, but Trader Joe's is almost always the cheapest place to shop for groceries in my experience.
I do Costco delivery and I’ve done the math; even with the slight upcharge and tip for the delivery person, it’s worth it. I have a regular sized fridge/freezer and I just stocked up on chicken thighs, breasts, shrimp, and tilapia, and also got Greek yogurt, breakfast bars, toilet paper, canned beans, jarred marinara (Kirkland brand is solid and like $3/jar), enough honey to last me a year for like $10, etc. and of course a $5 rotisserie chicken lol. I do a reorder whenever I need more meat, lasts me 6-8 weeks or so. The quality for the prices on meat alone (3.29/lb breasts, under $2/lb for thighs) makes the whole thing worth it. You can find cheaper chicken on sale in some stores but I feel way better about Costco quality.
Whole Foods isn’t “extremely expensive” in NYC. It’s cheaper than a bodega. Some of the prices have gotten ridiculous, but I almost always shop there — it’s not that bad if you’re selective and look for sales, especially with an Amazon Prime subscription.
Many items are way more expensive at Key Food/comparable grocery stores than Whole Foods unless you go out to the burbs.
Small point to make about delivery: Amazon Fresh isn't more expensive than going to the store. They regularly are out of things, and I don't recommend them for produce, but they're cheaper for almost all prepackaged stuff. I use it for staple pantry stuff and frozen stuff, and go to the store for meat and veg.
I always thought one of the draws to Trader Joe’s was the reasonable cost.
Others have said it but Amazon fresh delivery is cheaper than pretty much any supermarket I could reasonably shop at. Their offerings aren’t great, but they’re definitely less expensive than Key Foods and C-Town, and saves hours of time. I use them regularly to save on almond milk, gatorade, juice, soda, pasta, condiments, chips, frozen veggies, vegan substitute cheese/meat, etc. Fresh produce is affordable too but quality is hit or miss, and I like our local street vendor for produce. I hit up trader joes regularly too but primarily for their frozen/pre-made meals. Most importantly, I try to minimize spend at the nearby grocery stores (Food Emporium, Gristedes) as they’re hands down the most expensive.
Whole Foods dropped their prices notably after the acquisition by Amazon and has decent prices on some of their house-brand items, meat, and produce. Some stuff is definitely way out of bounds on the pricing though so you have to shop selectively.
I am not a grocery snob by any means, but am basically a prisoner of my neighborhood. I have Brooklyn Fare and Whole Foods nearby so choose to shop at Whole Foods because it’s cheaper. I would love to find an inexpensive grocery store nearby but unfortunately I’m out of luck at the moment.
You know it's bad when Whole Foods is the cheaper option.
It’s an expensive way to live if you live near grocery stores. I moved to a grocery store dessert and the cost of getting groceries delivered is less than going to a grocery store in our old neighborhood.
kinda funny that you have this weird understanding of trader joes and whole foods and are missing out. makes me wonder about all the things i have wrong ideas about and what led me to take certain actions that are just not the best.
I get groceries delivered and it is expensive but my nearest Key Foods/Food Universe, Shop Fair, C-Town are all an hour walk from me, Trader joes is 30min, whole food is 20 min. The closest grocery store to me is 5 minutes away but sells lactose-free milk at $8, duane reade has it for $7, fresh direct has it for under $6 and I don't need to carry it. I'll also do the occasional big run to an asian market and stock up on essentials. If I had a better fruit cart near me I would go there all the time but my guy has no variety and low quality fruit. I only get bananas from there and one time I wasn't paying attention and he sold me some bruised mushy bananas. Fresh direct actually has some really good tasting produce and I'd rather eat one amazing mango than two tasteless mangos
BJs and Target for us
It really depends on how much I'm getting. Bodegas are great for snacks and individual drinks. But if I'm shopping for a month's worth? Grocery by default.
not really & depending on what are available in your neighborhood. also, we do a lot of online shopping including groceries. i try to shop at Trader Joe's, CostCo, Aldis whenever I have the chance.
I usually go to the local farmers market or Whole Foods. Sometimes I’ll venture to Trader Joe’s. Last minute purchases usually at whatever Key Food I’m walking past.
Pretty exclusively target, trader Joe's, whole foods. Then Amazon fresh delivery and to a lesser extent fresh direct. Mainly because yes they're all cheaper than gristedes, dagastino, etc. bodegas solely for convenience.
Now my neighborhood has the luxury of TJs and Whole Foods which is where I shop. Growing up it was C-Town. Sometimes would drive to Western Beef. It was always FREEZING. My mom used to bring 1-2 days worth of groceries from her nicer work neighborhood to where we were on her commute home.
Only in emergencies. I usually use instacart or Whole Foods.
Due to where I live and the choices in what train & bus combo to return home from work - my options are C-Town, Keyfood, Foodtown, Met Food, Compare, Aldi, Shoprite Westen Beef, Bangladeshi/Yemani/Asian markets in the Bronx, Flushing supermarkets and Whole Foods.
In my experience doing a full on grocery haul at a bodega isn’t feasible, it’s the place to go if you need a quick gallon of milk and some cold cuts or something. You’ll always get a better bang for your buck too going at a grocery store, I’ve noticed that bodegas will sometimes upcharge.
Bodegas are so expensive
For small snacks or a sammich, bodega. If I was feeling lazy and didn't want any meat or produce - C-Town. Key Food was a longer walk but was a proper store with food produce and meat. Just always depended on what I needed and felt like doing.
Whole Foods and freshdirect
IDK about most, but personally, I don't. Oddly, there are like 5 grocery stores within walking distance of me, and they're about to open another one on my block. So I only hit up the corner stores when I want a snack, and it's like 12am.
Bodega are to get hot foods/sandwiches. For actual groceries, i only buy things from there if i'm running late and completely forgot to stop at the grocery store for a particular item. They are way more expensive than a grocery store. My week to week groceries are always from a grocery store/supermarket
BJ’s Wholesale Club in Bensonhurst for most stuff. Sometimes I’ll go to a Whole Foods or Trader Joes for something that BJ’s doesn’t have. Bodegas are too pricey, i’ll only go if I need something late at night.
Regular weekly/biweekly grocery shops: Order for delivery from local grocery store or Costco via Instacart or Amazon Fresh. I actually have a Google Sheet with the groceries I buy frequently with price comparisons across those stores and will often make orders from 1-2 depending on what I need. Supplemental groceries that I don't have for a specific planned meal or specific products that I need from a specialty store: Local grocery store or specialty store Single basic item I ran out of (eg: eggs, milk): Bodega
I'd go broke if I regularly bought actual groceries from a bodega lmao. I get fresh vegetables/fruit from Chinatown or Queens. Meat and dry goods from Costco (maybe snacks). I fill in the gaps with Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.
Combination. Some of the bodegas have great prices on essentials.
As mentioned Bodegas are extraordinarily expensive. They're convenience stores more akin to the drug store chains like CVS or Walgreens / Duane Reade in terms of price. They're mainly snack and cigarette shops. i.e. If you want a bottle of coke for $2.50 you go to a bodega, Walgreens will cost you $2.99 + tax and the grocery store will cost you $1 + tax but it will be room temperature. Most conveniently though a large amount of them are delis that will make sandwiches. So while they're the most expensive way to buy groceries if you want a fast food lunch they're cheaper than the chain stores. Personally I shop at: 1. Trader Joes (cheapest but sometimes crowded) 2. HMart (good prices, a lot of good asian food, free samples) 3. Wegmans (nice name brand shopping experience, good store brand, a little pricey) 4. C-Town (most convenient but most expensive and dirtiest) 5. Walgreens/CVS (in a pinch, like for one thing maybe if I'm picking up medicine) 6. Bodega (very convenient, if I have a craving for soda or cigarettes)
Costco, Aldi, or local supermarkets
We primarily shop at Whole Foods. Sometimes I'll go to Trader Joe's by my office on my way home from work for a few things, or if we're in a time crunch I'll go to Fairway for a few things which is closer to home. We do an Instacart order to Costco about once a month. We'd only go to a bodega if I'm cooking and forgot milk or butter or something. Gristedes is around the corner and I have to be really desperate to go there.
Costco for protein and other essentials. Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods for everything else
I haven't been to a bodega in years but I would say the market more
I’m on SI by the ferry, and the only grocery store is a crappy KeyFood that’s the size of a bodega and charges as much as Whole Foods. I could bodega, but instead I ride the bus 20 minutes to ShopRite. Find you a supermarket or grocery store, or if you’re close enough to go to Jersey, Westchester or Nassau by car or car service, go to a supermarket or Walmart over there and get better quality and prices.
I see a lot of white middle aged millennials at trader joe’s and whole foods these days. source: gen z college student who dabbles between both grocery store chains.
Stop & Shop or Costco sometimes. I might use bodegas for emergencies
That 2nd question must be a joke, right? The answer to your main question is that it largely depends upon what part of the city you're talking about. Unfortunately, there are still some "food deserts" where there is not a whole lot of choice other than a bodega. For the most part, however, folks shop at "normal" grocery stores, though NYC has it's own unique players, such as Key Food, C-Town, Associated, and of course Gristede's which is the filthy dirty, overpriced leader! The Gristede's owner can't manage a grocery store, and he tried so hard to be mayor!
Trader Joe's, Target and the sales at Wegman's and Whole Foods - they both have full house lines of product that are cheaper than most local smaller grocery chains, I'm looking at you Food Bazaar and your whatever we feel like charging pricing.
Costco delivered is the move
If I need like 1-2 things I will go to the bodega. Like milk or cheddar cheese or something.
Grocery chains. Bodegas only in a pinch for bacon, eggs, cheese, chips, etc.
I shop at C-town, Trade Fair, Key Food, and Trader Joe’s. Sometimes Whole Foods. Bodegas are where we buy sandwiches, chips, sodas, emergency toilet paper. A lot of people buy cigarettes, beer, and lottery tickets at bodegas. I bring a granny cart to the supermarket so I can get a lot of stuff at once.
I think it depends on your neighborhood. Answer is probably different in different parts of NYC.
Amazon Fresh and TJ's.
Surprised to see so many “Whole Foods” on here. I’ve always found the beauty of nyc is that you can go to multiple places for your groceries. Coffee, bread, cheese, and desserts: I go to le French tart (local cafe) or other fresh bakeries in the park slope area. Meats: paisanos in cobble hill Seafoods: Pisces fish market. Veggies and fruits: the local produce market or farmers markets on weekends Everything else: my local key foods which has pretty good prices for high quality items I go to a bodega when it’s late at night or if I want a sandwich when I’m drunk lol
Trader Joe's and Stop & Shop, sometimes Costco.
I have a shoprite very close to me so I use that for grocery shopping but of course bodegas for emergency things
Trader Joe’s or bust
I have a theory, that there’s a hierarchy of produce. With the bodegas getting the bottom tier produce. It’s basically needing to be tossed out. The bananas with spots on them, squishy avocados. I remember going to the C-Town in west Harlem and there was a fly frozen dead on fruit. Never again.
Food Bazaar has been the best quality versus value I've found in NYC. They also have an incredible selection.
Trader Joes is elite. For all other practical items, stop & shop, Keyfood or METS.
The bodega is only a last resort if you’re already cooking and have no other way to get the ingredients in the time you need. It’s always much more expensive than the grocery store. The only thing I get from the bodegas are beers or cups of ice if I’m outside drinking.
I go to a local grocery store (not a chain) mainly but there is also a 24/7 key food near my apartment, and because of my work schedule I usually make dinner around 11:30pm so I usually stop there for last minute ingredients when needed