La Toulousaine from Culinarian Issue One (PC: Amanda Tien)

Okay, so maybe some of these are still on Broadway, but they’re outside of the usual Columbia food bubble, if only by a few blocks. Strapped for time? Look for the ones with delivery information.

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Places like Milano Market, Dig Inn, Community, Absolute, and Nussbaum are a CU student’s staples for a reason. But if eating chicken on rice is starting to give you the same feeling of emptiness inside that biting into a John Jay pizza bagel gives you–it’s time for a shake up. You’ll be surprised at some of the secrets “Boringside” has been hiding…

5 minutes or less (all times calculated from 116th and Broadway gates):

Brownie’s Cafe: Walk through the front doors of Avery, turn left, go downstairs, pick up fried eggplant sandwiches and baked goods that would turn Butler Cafe green with envy, repeat daily. (1172 Amsterdam Ave, cash only)

Flat Top: It’s a little patch of Williamsburg close to campus! Perfect for date nights or just doing work during the daytime, especially when they start making Pumpkin Spice Lattes with in-house roasted pumpkin. (1241 Amsterdam Ave)

6-8 minutes:

Roti Roll Bombay Frankie: These Indian burritos taste good even when you’re sober. Wash it down with a mango lassi. (994 Amsterdam Ave, Seamless, GrubHub.)

Toast Chicken Bar: Fried chicken, wings, avocado fries, and some pretty fantastic fresh fried bacon maple doughnuts–and it’s all open until midnight. (1268 Amsterdam Ave, Seamless, GrubHub)

Culture Tea Bar: There’s a small selection of sandwiches (including a sizeable and delicious bulgogi banh-mi) and pastries, but the star here is the freshly brewed tea, especially in its bubble tea form.  (3111 Broadway)

Miss Mamie’s Spoonbread Too: A comprehensive selection of soul food clearly cooked with love, but service is slow. A meal here will take two hours or more, but that just gives you extra time to order banana pudding. (366 W 110th St, Seamless, GrubHub)

Taqueria y Fonda La Mexicana: The burritos rival Chipotle’s in size, the tortilla chips are thick and piping hot, and the horchata is ice cold and addicting. (968 Amsterdam, Order online, GrubHub)

around 10 minutes:

La Toulousaine: The decor is spare, but it’s a nice place to grab a giant almond croissant or brilliantly executed tart and do some work away from the Hungarian Pastry shop horde. (942 Amsterdam Ave, Seamless, GrubHub)

Freda’s Caribbean & Soul Cuisine: Oxtail, curry potatoes, and an $8 lunch special; this is a place non-Columbians travel uptown for. (993 Columbus Ave, call  646-438-9832 for delivery)

Kuro Kuma: Excellent coffee, friendly service, and pastries from Balthazar for the days when Oren’s runs out. Sadly, the shop is too small to sit for too long, but the bench outside is perfect for nice weather and a pleasant chat. (121 La Salle St)

Crepes On Columbus: Breakfast all day and customizable crepes? Don’t forget to leave a little room for a sweet crepe or an apple tarte tatin. (990 Columbus Ave, GrubHub)

Jin Ramen: The ramen is great, but they also have Japanese fried chicken, steamed chashu pork buns, and plum wine. (3183 Broadway, takeout available)

Levain Bakery: Insomnia might be closer, but these quarter pound gooey chocolate chip cookies are worth becoming diurnal for. It’s a straight walk across Morningside Park, and if you’re worried, bring a friend to share some of the caloric load. (3111 Broadway)

Sushi Sushi: Nutella and strawberry dessert sushi? Somehow, it works. The Awesome roll is awesome, the combos are great, and they currently also have Tempura Twinkies. (54 Tiemann Pl, Seamless, GrubHub)

15 minutes or less:

Silver Moon Bakery: Known for fantastic baguettes, Silver Moon also has the brioche buns of your dreams. Cinnamon, pecan, sticky, warm if you get there early enough. (2740 Broadway)

Buca: When you’re craving pizza that comes on a plate, Buca has great wood-fired pies. The storefront opens onto the sidewalk, so it’s quite nice during nice weather. (201 W 103rd St, call 212-531-8730 for delivery, cash only)

Saiguette: The menu has a pretty diverse selection of sweet and savory  Vietnamese foods, but the Bánh mìs and phò are making some waves on the web. (935 Columbus Ave, call 212-866-6888 for delivery)

Sura: You might miss the front door the first time you walk by, but lunch specials here are a steal at $10 with dollar thai iced tea. (2656 Broadway, order online, Seamless)

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For more in depth reviews, including info on the best campus food trucks and carts, flip through our first, second, and third issues of Culinarian online. Make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, and stay tuned or email us for information on how to get involved!