Cafe East — Restaurant in New York

Cafe East is hands down the best dining option on Columbia’s campus. The menu features a variety of well-prepared dishes like sushi, teriyaki chicken, and other classic East Asian options. What really sets it apart is its surprisingly good boba tea—something you wouldn’t typically expect from a campus cafe. The tea is brewed just right—whether you go for classic milk tea or one of their fruit teas, the flavors are fresh and well-balanced, never too sweet or watered down. The boba itself has a perfect chewy texture that complements the drinks without overpowering them. It’s honestly the kind of quality you’d expect from a specialty boba shop, not a campus cafe. As for the sushi, it’s decent, especially considering the price—$10 for a roll is a great deal for a quick bite between classes. It’s nothing gourmet, but it gets the job done when you’re craving sushi on a budget. But if you’re stopping by Cafe East, the boba tea is the...

I came here once at 7:50pm and asked for froyo and was told it could not be made... I accepted that as I saw the toppings had been put away but today I came in at 7:45. I asked for a smoothie and was told it could not be made. I then asked for froyo with toppings and was told that it could not be made. The toppings had not been put away yet and froyo truly is not difficult and only requires pulling the lever on a machine (as I have seen done before). There is no reason for this kind of service... don't have closing officially stated at 8:00 but then stop serving 90% of items 15 minutes...

Definitely agree with the other reviews on the quality of bubble milk teas. Tea magic is so much better. I used to drink here often. Ordered Taiwan oolong milk tea with bubbles and the guy forgot the bubbles. I don't wanna go back in the storm now to get a new tea. Go here for overpriced food and below average bobas. I would anyway choose strokos a couple of blocks down for food and teamagic for teas unless they are not open. On the food front they have sushi rolls, cut fruits and fruit smoothies. You can bring outside food here to have a bite and the...