Chopped cheese restaurant opening in Fresno. Could it be the next big trend?
First, the Nashville hot chicken sandwich trend hit Fresno like a spicy tsunami.
Then it was smashburgers.
Korean corn dogs and mochi donuts had their moments, and noodle burgers at Indian restaurants arguably still are.
What’s next?
Will chopped cheese sandwiches be the next big thing?
It’s a little too early to tell, but the New York-inspired sandwich is definitely something to keep an eye on in the Fresno food scene.
A second restaurant devoted to selling the chopped-up ground beef and cheese concoction is gearing up to open. And the indulgent item is creeping onto menus around town.
The trend is also hitting Los Angeles and the Bay Area — something that usually happens before a restaurant trend becomes popular in Fresno.
Chop Cheese Bodega
The arrival of Chop Cheese Bodega on Blackstone Avenue is the latest sign of the food’s popularity in Fresno.
It’s on the same property where a Front Yard Burger banner has hung for years on the former Enterprise Rent-A-Car at 6031 N. Blackstone Ave. That burger spot never materialized.
But now the building has been repainted in a bright yellow and red. It has mostly outdoor seating and could open quietly with “soft opening” as early as this week.
Behind it is Noubar Boursalyan, who married into a family who runs several restaurants in town, including Baklava House, Angry Chickz and Harry’s Hen House.
Chop Cheese Bodega will have the traditional sandwich made from chopped up ground beef and American cheese on a roll. The meat will be halal, a way of eating and slaughtering animals that’s rooted in Islam and considered cleaner and more merciful.
There will also be chopped cheese made from Wagyu beef. And a vegetarian chopped cheese made from mushrooms.
“The texture of the mushroom reminds you of something meaty,” he said, adding that his pregnant wife couldn’t get enough of his recipe.
Boursalyan said he discovered the sandwich about 15 years ago and has wanted to open his own shop selling it ever since.
“I just fell it in love with it and I really wanted to open one one day,” he said. “It’s a beautiful time to open a chopped cheese business.”
What is chopped cheese?
The sandwich is essentially a ground beef patty and American cheese chopped up together on a grill, often with onions, and served on a roll with lettuce, tomato and various condiments.
It was born in New York City and sold in bodegas, the little neighborhood stores that also carry toilet paper and basic groceries. It got popular via social media, and lately chopped cheese “the Ocky way” has taken off online with the inclusion of everything from mozzarella sticks to sushi.
Of course, we can’t talk about chopped cheese — or chopt cheese as it’s sometimes called — in Fresno without talking to the meaty maestro himself, Eddie Wutangsy. He opened My Guy Market in downtown Fresno three years ago.
The social media savvy Wutangsy (his chosen surname) popularized it in Fresno — in part by giving away stacks of cash — selling the sandwiches via DoorDash and his app for pick-up only.
It’s not the only place in town to get it though. Manhattan Deli at Fresno and B streets has been selling it for years.
And it’s been popping up on menus, such as The Ave Burger food truck. Even chain sandwich restaurant Capriotti’s had it on its menu for a short time.
The Bay Area and the Los Angeles area have had an influx of chopped cheese restaurants with names like Cheese Smack and New York’s Chopped Cheese.
So will chopped cheese be the next big restaurant trend in Fresno? Depends who you ask.
Sam Hansen is a marketing pro who knows trends — and created many of them while working at the Fresno Grizzlies baseball team, including temporarily rebranding the team as the Fresno Tacos.
“When My Guy first opened I thought there was going to be an influx of Chopped Cheese spots like the Nashville Hot Chicken, and smashburger crazes,” he said. “I believe it will eventually happen.”
He doesn’t think it will last, however. My Guy has lasted because of the unique spins it puts on sandwiches, he said (from simple breakfast sandwiches to a Filipino sandwich with Spam and banana ketchup).
Does Wutangsy think chopped cheese is the next big thing?
“I don’t think like the next big thing, but it is something that people can introduce themselves to new things,” he said. “Honestly, it’s nothing special. It’s literally a burger in a sandwich.”
As for the competition aspect, the restaurants are a little different. My Guy is only available via online ordering. And it has a true bodega aspect, selling toilet paper and lighters, for example.
Chopped Cheese Bodega has sit-down outdoor dining. And it won’t have toilet paper for sale, though it will eventually have other items for sale, such as a bag of chips that you can add onions and melted cheese to.
What does Wutangsy think of the competition?
“Imitation is the best form of flattery,” he said. “I’m not tripping about it, honestly.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
