The Barnard Bites List!
As a senior, if there’s one thing I’ve mastered at Barnard, it’s finding good food within walking distance of campus. Whether it’s a rainy-day noodle craving or a post-midterm sugar emergency, these amazing local spots (in no particular order) have seen me through it all. Here are my tried-and-true picks that never disappoint and deserve more recognition:
Cloud Touch Cafe
Cloud Touch Cafe (107th & Broadway)
Cloud Touch is a Korean cafe specializing in fluffy egg sandwiches and a wide variety of refreshing, creative drinks. They also have simple grilled cheese sandwiches if you want something light between classes. I usually get their regular egg & cheese sandwich with a mochi donut! They mainly have outdoor seating, which is nice for getting a cold refreshing drink in the summer, but they also have some benches indoors.
Ban Ban Shop (114th & Broadway)
Ban Ban Shop
This place has a very GORGEOUS interior (we love places that are visually appealing)! I usually get their chicken noodle soup whenever I feel a cold coming, or when my friend got her wisdom teeth removed, I dropped off a big order of the soup in her room to help her survive on a liquid-only diet to recover. However, you can’t skip over their banh mi sandwiches and steamed buns — the perfect casual Asian Fusion spot!
Omonia Cafe (108th & Broadway)
Another aesthetically pleasing interior (look up at their ceiling for a gorgeous display of pretty plates). This Greek cafe serves a myriad of pastries, cakes, ice cream, and coffee. Their baklava cheesecake and tres leches cake (pictured below) are unbeatable—my friends got me some last month for my birthday because they know they are my favorite from here! This place does have very minimal seating, but I love grabbing a pastry and heading down to Riverside Park to enjoy nature while eating a very yummy pastry.
Koko Wings (106th & Broadway)
Koko Wings
I have been gatekeeping this spot for a while, but by my sophomore year, I had slowly started telling my close friends about it. We’ve been going there so many times, and it’s time for this place to shine even more. This place has one of the best lunch specials for Korean fried chicken. The soy garlic and Korean BBQ flavors are top-tier! As a plus, this place serves Halal-certified food.
Qahwah House (112th & Broadway)
Qahwah House
This newly opened coffee shop has been a huge buzz! Two floors of seating where you can study or chat with friends while enjoying some Yemeni chai and honeycomb bread (pictured below). I am guilty of attending events on campus just because they are catering chai from Qawah House!
Massawa (121st & Amsterdam Ave.)
You are absolutely missing out if you have never indulged in some Ethiopian/Eritrean food at Massawa! This very casual, chic restaurant (also has a gorgeously designed interior) serves some of the best Injera bread with a variety of dishes, including many vegetarian options as well. Also, don’t skip the samosas here!
La Salle Dumpling Room (124th & Broadway)
If you want a place that can cater to a friend group with different taste buds, the expansive menu here will serve everyone. From a vegetarian, plant-based section in their menu to over twelve noodle entree options and colorful dumplings, there is so much to come back and try out. I get their classic scallion pancakes and chicken dumplings (I love appetizers), but their noodles are also so good. The restaurant has a warm, historic vibe, so that’s a plus!
Charles Pan-Fried Chicken (125th & MLK Blvd.)
If you want some really great soul food, walk over to this place, and you won’t be disappointed. Being right by Harlem means having easy access to GOOD soul food. Check out their menu for different plate/combo options. Their cornbread and, of course, the specialty fried chicken, are known to be the best in the area!
Chick N Rice Foodtruck (117th & Broadway)
Known as the “orange truck” that stands across the street from Barnard, this is one of the best food trucks that line up along Broadway near campus. Their sister truck, Miracle Thai Express, is right next to it (which is also awesome!), but this truck specializes in a variety of flavored chicken! I usually get the basic Chicken Katsu, while one of my friends usually gets the sweet & sour chicken (which is more flavorful). The owners are also the sweetest—shoutout Ana, who has seen me after exams in the late evenings coming for dinner!
Chick N Rice Foodtruck
Tom’s Restaurant (112th & Broadway)
I cannot end this list without mentioning the place near campus where you can get a yummy milkshake (best to drink after submitting a paper you’ve been working on for days). This is a famously known diner for its role in the Seinfeld sitcom, but the milkshakes and sandwich wraps (particularly the chicken caesar wraps) are always memorable!