This morning, I went to Fiesta International Market, and without warning, I felt like I’d stepped back into my New York roots.
For many, Fiesta Grocery Store is just a place to shop. For me, it is a cultural crossroads—an explosion of flavors from the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and the American South. It is a reminder of home, heritage, and the way food carries memory across generations.
Growing Up Between Cultures
I am only two generations removed from the Deep South. My family’s story is part of the Great Migration, when Black families moved north in the early 20th century, bringing recipes, traditions, and survival with them. Those foods stayed with us.
My mother is half Bajan, raised in Harlem. My father is from Queens. I was raised in Brooklyn. What that meant in our kitchen was fusion—Southern roots blended with Caribbean flavor, Harlem ingenuity mixed with borough grit. Food was never just food; it was history, language, and love.
Moving South Again—and Missing the Familiar
When I moved from New York to Houston, I found myself missing small but meaningful things—specific teas, spices, and pantry staples that were once easy to find. My regular grocery store didn’t always carry them.
But Fiesta International Market did.
Before the pandemic, and before suburb life pulled us farther out, Fiesta was part of our weekly routine. What I didn’t realize was that even after our move, my husband quietly kept the tradition going—still stopping by Fiesta at least once a week. I, on the other hand, hadn’t been back in a while.
Walking the Aisles Felt Like Coming Home
Stepping into Fiesta again this morning was grounding. Familiar labels. Familiar smells. Shelves that reflect the diaspora—Afro-Caribbean, Latin American, African, and Southern flavors existing side by side.
I didn’t go completely overboard, but I did indulge in a few things that made my heart happy. A couple of teas. A few “oh wow, they still have this” moments. The kind of shopping trip that reminds you who you are and where you come from.
Why Places Like Fiesta Matter
Fiesta International Market is more than a grocery store. It is a space that honors culture, accessibility, and community. It is where memory lives between aisles and where food becomes a bridge between generations, regions, and identities.
For those of us navigating migration—north, south, or somewhere in between—places like Fiesta offer something priceless: familiarity in a new place.This is my ode to Fiesta International Market.
Thank you for reminding me that home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling you can sometimes find right there in a grocery aisle.
© 2025, Lela Fagan. All rights reserved.
