Columbia is an urban campus, so everything here is a walk. The Morningside campus runs from 114th to 120th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Broadway is the shopping street, mostly from about 107th Street up to the main gate at 116th. Amsterdam, on the east side of campus, is quieter and leans toward cafés, delis and small restaurants. Think neighborhood main street: books, groceries, hardware and coffee. Big clothing trips happen downtown.
Start at the gate and walk south on Broadway. Morton Williams (2941 Broadway) is the supermarket across from College Walk. Book Culture on Broadway (2915 Broadway, at 114th) has fiction, cookbooks and graphic novels, with a children's room of toys and puzzles downstairs. Mondel Chocolates (2913 Broadway) sells handmade chocolates, and University Hardware & Housewares (2906 Broadway) stocks kitchen, bath, bedroom and hardware goods. Book Culture (536 W 112th St), around the corner, leans academic and arty. Milano Market Westside (2892 Broadway) is an Italian specialty store, and Warby Parker (2875 Broadway) does eye exams and takes vision insurance, FSA and HSA.
Below 112th, Westside Market (2840 Broadway) and H Mart (2828 Broadway) cover groceries, The Pet Market (2821 Broadway) carries natural products for cats, dogs and small animals, and Hashi Market (2780 Broadway) opened in late 2025.
On Amsterdam, look for Amsterdam Hardware Depot (924 Amsterdam Ave, near 105th), Appletree Market (1225 Amsterdam, at 120th) and Clinton Supply Co. (1256 Amsterdam), a hardware store that copies keys.
For official Columbia gear, go to the Columbia University Bookstore on the lower level of Lerner Hall, the student center at 2920 Broadway by the 116th Street gate. It carries textbooks and official Columbia apparel. Lerner Hall's page lists hours as Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm.
Textbooks are the one thing students compare. Columbia's own advising pages note that students often buy them at the Columbia Bookstore or at Book Culture, so check both before you pay. The Broadway Book Culture is right across from Lerner.
For hooks, bulbs, extension cords and shower caddies, start at University Hardware & Housewares (2906 Broadway). Columbia News calls it family-run since 1938, with kitchen, bath, bedroom and hardware goods and student discounts. On the east side, Clinton Supply Co. (1256 Amsterdam) copies keys and gives plumbing advice, and Amsterdam Hardware Depot (924 Amsterdam Ave) opened in late 2025.
Groceries are close too. Morton Williams (2941 Broadway), across from College Walk, handles essentials and the weekly shop. Westside Market (2840 Broadway, at 110th) has produce, prepared foods and specialty items. H Mart (2828 Broadway) stocks Korean specialty items and pantry staples, and Appletree Market (1225 Amsterdam, at 120th) carries prepared foods, everyday items and health products. Hashi Market (2780 Broadway) is the newest. None of these post hours on a page we loaded, so call ahead. For a bigger run, Whole Foods Market Upper West Side (808 Columbus Ave) is open daily 7am to 10pm.
For secondhand furniture, lamps and dishes, Housing Works Thrift Shop (2569 Broadway, at 96th) is three stops south on the 1 train, open Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm and Sunday noon to 5pm.
Books are the strength close to campus. The two Book Culture stores (2915 Broadway and 536 W 112th St) cover course reading, new releases and gifts, and the Lerner Hall bookstore handles textbooks and gear.
Clothes, records and vintage take a short subway ride. Housing Works on 96th is the nearest thrift store, with clothing, shoes and bags alongside the furniture. For records, sneakers and boutiques, ride the 1 train to the Upper West Side; the last section has picks.
- Columbia University Bookstore (Lerner Hall, 2920 Broadway): official Columbia sweatshirts and gear for a graduate or a proud parent.
- Mondel Chocolates (2913 Broadway): a box of handmade chocolates from a shop Columbia News dates to 1943.
- Book Culture on Broadway (2915 Broadway): a book picked for the graduate, or a puzzle from the children's room for a younger sibling.
- Milano Market Westside (2892 Broadway): Italian specialty foods for a party spread.
- Warby Parker (2875 Broadway): new frames before the job search, with the eye exam done in the store.
Coffee is easy. On Broadway, Blue Bottle (2901 Broadway) does single-origin coffee, Oren's Coffee (2882 Broadway) is a specialty roaster, and Qahwah House (2869 Broadway) pours Yemeni coffee until 11pm. Cloud Touch (2785 Broadway) makes an iced ube latte. On Amsterdam, The Hungarian Pastry Shop (1030 Amsterdam Ave) is the long-study-session café, and Niko Coffee & More (1090 Amsterdam), Picky Barista (431 W 121st St) and Sipsteria (1264 Amsterdam), an espresso and wine bar, cover the north end. For boba, try Tea Magic (2878 Broadway), Gong Cha (2810 Broadway) or Molly Tea (2857 Broadway). Luckin Coffee (2799 Broadway) is new at 108th.
For sandwiches, Ban Ban Shop (2911 Broadway) makes banh mi-style sandwiches and bao, Wu & Nussbaum (2897 Broadway) does bagel sandwiches and noodle bowls, and Pret (2955 Broadway) has made-that-day sandwiches and salads. On Amsterdam, Haji's Deli (1129 Amsterdam) is known for its chopped cheese, Subsconscious (1213 Amsterdam) is a sandwich deli and Roti Roll (994 Amsterdam) stuffs Indian flatbread. For pizza, Koronet (2848 Broadway) sells slices until 2am, with Famiglia (2859 Broadway), Upside Pizza (2878A Broadway), Mama's Too! (2750 Broadway), V & T (1024 Amsterdam) and Super Nice Pizza (975 Amsterdam) nearby. Fumo (2791 Broadway) is the sit-down wood-fired option. Bowls come from Junzi (2896 Broadway), Dig Inn (2884 Broadway) and Sweetgreen (2937 Broadway). New Absolute Bagels (2788 Broadway) and Xi'an Famous Foods (2814 Broadway) opened in late 2025. For dessert, try Softside soft-serve (2878A Broadway), Häagen-Dazs (2905 Broadway) or late-night Insomnia Cookies (1028 Amsterdam Ave).
When parents visit, Tom's Restaurant (2880 Broadway), the Seinfeld diner, serves breakfast all day. Le Monde (2885 Broadway) is a French brasserie that takes reservations, with dinner until 9:30pm Monday to Thursday and 10pm Friday and Saturday. La Salle Dumpling Room (2897 Broadway) is a sit-down dumpling spot, Max Soha (1274 Amsterdam) serves Italian-style classics, and Community Food & Juice (2893 Broadway) is open daily 9am to 9pm with no reservations, so go early.
Columbia's chemistry department visitor page puts the closest subway stop at the 1 train, 116th Street and Broadway, right at the main gate. The B and C at 110th Street and Central Park West and the A, B, C and D at 125th Street are about a 15-minute walk. By bus, the M4, M60 and M104 stop at 116th and 120th on Broadway, and the M11 at 116th and 120th on Amsterdam.
Driving is harder. The same page says many visitors find free street parking, with the best odds on 120th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam. Columbia keeps a garage list on its directions and parking page.
For clothes, records and gifts, ride the 1 train to 79th or 86th Street for the Upper West Side. Strand Columbus Avenue (450 Columbus Ave) is open daily 10am to 8pm. Sweet Peanut Records (463 Amsterdam Ave) opens at noon Tuesday through Sunday. Boutique on Columbus (410 Columbus Ave) has jewelry, stationery and home goods. On Sundays, Grand Bazaar NYC (Columbus Ave between 76th and 77th) runs 10am to 5pm with up to 200 vendors, including vintage dealers. For a parents' brunch, Barney Greengrass (541 Amsterdam Ave) is a deli and appetizing store a short walk from the 86th Street stop.
