Situated in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Columbia University stands tall as one of the top leaders in higher education. Nestled across from Columbia’s campus is Barnard College, a small liberal arts college dedicated to the success of women. Together they make up Barnumbia, and share a unique partnership in academia which allow students to benefit from their interconnected relation. While the Barnumbia relationship may be confusing for most, one aspect is clear to all students: Barnard and Columbia students have full access to each other’s dining halls. Between all the exams, studying, extracurriculars, internships, and work, meals have become an important social and relaxing part of our time on campus. While Barnumbia lacks in plant-based dishes compared to NYU, there has been a noticeable improvement in the recent years. There are a variety of delicious, healthy and affordable foods for both omnivores and herbivores at Barnumbia. My goal in creating this guide is to highlight the tastiest vegan-friendly options on and off campus and feature a few members of our community that are working hard to promote sustainability. With that in mind, I hope this guide encourages the greater Columbia community to consciously consume more plant-based meals and helps students, faculty, and NYC visitors understand how eating plant-based positively impacts individual health, our environment and animal welfare. I invite you to experience the plant based movement for yourself and opt for one of the delicious vegan options I reviewed in the full guide.
