'It's a culture of New York': Hajji's Deli in Harlem is known for its chopped cheese sandwich
NEW YORK - In East Harlem, one corner deli calls itself the originator of a quintessential New York sandwich.
Blue Sky Deli, better known as Hajji's, takes pride in its chopped cheese. The sandwich combines ground beef, onions, and cheese—typically with toppings like lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and ketchup—served on a hero or roll.
While the chopped cheese can be found in bodegas in Harlem, the Bronx, and beyond, Hajji's manager Salah Alhubaishi doesn't see the others as competition.
"We are the original. We are the best. We are número uno," he said.
Although the staff agrees that the chopped cheese is a Hajji's invention, employees offer up varying origin stories.
Salah says the sandwich takes influence from the Arab world, including his native Yemen, where a similar sandwich is served without cheese.
"We just put it here, and we served it to the people, and the people started loving it," he said.
But the longtime cook known as Frankie Frank, a native of Mexico, tells a different story.
"I'm the one who first started making the chopped cheese here in Harlem," he said.
As he tells it, while on the job back in the 1990s, he was craving a cheeseburger for lunch but realized he'd run out of buns.
"So I started to chop it up, and I put it in a hero," he said.
A customer took notice, and the sandwich caught on.
But no matter its history, its legacy is undeniable.
"They come from around the world because they want to taste the New York sandwich," Salah said.
For him, the chopped cheese is essential to the city.
"Philly cheesesteak, we go to Philly," he said. "This chopped cheese—New York. It's a culture of New York."
Blue Sky Deli (Hajji's)
2135 1st Ave
New York, NY 10029
(646) 682-7488