L & H Market

My first choice bodega in the neighborhood.
L&H is about the closest thing we’ve got to a grocery store within a ten-​block radius, and that makes a huge difference when I’m hungover or it’s cold out. They make a decent attempt to have fresh produce, some of which is even organic, which I appreciate, and they have a decent selection of all the things bodegas have; they don’t have a deep selection of anything, but they have a broad selection of things, so if you’re looking for beer or juice or cat food or litter or canned goods, you’re likely to find some representation on the shelves. Whether it’s your favorite brand or not is another question, but they’ll be able to set you up with _​something_​, at least.
However, L&H, rather uniquely, does not sell cigarettes, nor do they have a very good selection of candy or chocolate. I don’t know if they don’t stock things they morally object to, or just aren’t licensed for it, or just don’t want to, but they do sell lottery tickets of all varieties, so you can at least indulge _​some_​vices there. They also have a decent selection of beer, so you’re half set, vice-​wise.

For a corner store in Bed-​Stuy, L&H has a surprisingly good selection of grocery items. They carry regular and organic versions of most staple foods; they have a small produce section and always have onions, lemons, limes, bananas, and a few other basics; they also always have one or two decent beers among their selection. The guys who run the store are really friendly. My only complaint is that I wish they were open later — I think they close at 10:00 p.m.