Bodega History
El Morro bodega, 1048 Westchester Ave., Bronx , Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Bodegas have historically been multiethnic centers of Spanish-speaking Caribbean communities. Urban centers in Cuba had Bodegas all over the island. Bodegas served as a breakfast destination for poorer residents who could not afford to eat at more expensive cafes. Speaking about Cuban bodegas in 1940s Havana, Hugh Bradley writes, “the penny prices ensured a brisk trade. Laborers of whatever coloring sat side by side in them at breakfast time, drinking red wine, native rum, or delicious coffee, while partaking of the fried fish and the savory garlic stews prepared on the charcoal fire at the back of the room.” Bodega culture continues today throughout urban America wherever you find Spanish-speaking Caribbean communities.
