Ban Ban Shop

"Ban Ban Shop serves fusion-y food across the street from Columbia's campus, so it's a good option for a casual, under-$15 lunch. Try the satisfying sandwich with tender five-spice roasted pork, or the shrimp maki rolls that are large enough that they taste like an excellent deal. This is the type of place you can linger in for a while—the last time we were here there was a college-aged couple who had clearly finished their Vietnamese iced coffee a long, long time ago. " - willa moore, sonal shah, neha talreja, will hartman

"If you find yourself near Columbia and want a casual, under-$15 lunch, head to Ban Ban Shop, a fusion-y spot across from Columbia’s campus. Try the sandwich with tender five spice roasted pork, or the big shrimp maki rolls. To be clear, if you want a proper bánh mì, you should go to Saiguette, and if you want a quick sushi roll, try nearby H Mart. Still, that sandwich is satisfying, and the sheer size of the maki roll makes it taste like a good deal. It also helps that this is the type of place you can linger in for a while—the last time we were here, we saw a college-aged couple who had clearly finished their Vietnamese iced coffee a long, long time ago. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff Food Rundown photo credit: Alex Staniloff Sandwich Get the roast pork, which has tender hunks of rich meat, crunchy pickled vegetables, and a mayo-based spicy ban ban sauce. It’s got a perfect amount of everything. photo credit: Alex Staniloff Maki Rolls The maki rolls look like larger, more rectangular sushi rolls, stuffed with enough rice and filling (we like shrimp) that they're probably the size of three rolls. They're not for purists, but order them if you like a good deal." - Willa Moore

"The Cambodian banh mi-like sandwiches here come out fast, and have enough spice to keep things interesting without entirely destroying your productivity for the day. We’re fans of the catfish, but pulled pork is an option if you do want to destroy your productivity somewhat." - hillary reinsberg