Your complete guide to dining at Barnard College
- Ruby Abowitz
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
From Hewitt’s all-you-can-eat dining to JJ’s grab-and-go favorites, here is everything you need to know about eating at Barnard College.
Photo by Aviva Stoken/The Barnard Bulletin
By Ruby Abowitz
November 14, 2025
Whether you are craving a quick snack between classes or getting a full meal with friends, dining at Barnard has perfect options for both since students have access to a shared dining network spanning both the Barnard and Columbia campuses with their meal swipes and points. The joint Barnard-Columbia dining system not only offers variety of choices but also strengthens connections between the two campuses. Many students use the Lion Dine website to check all the menus at once. In this review, you will get a complete look at dining as a Barnard student: what is worth trying, where to grab a quick bite, and which spots are best for hanging out with friends.
Located in the lower level of Barnard Hall, Hewitt is at the heart of Barnard Dining and offers one of the largest selections of food across both campuses. Its rotating menu typically includes a protein, a carb, and a vegetable, while the Flame station is a fast-food dream, serving hamburgers, fries, and all the guilty-pleasure classics. Other stations offer kosher meals, pizza (vegan and non-vegan), allergen-free options, salads, soups, and desserts. Hewitt also features extensive vegetarian options and is the only dining hall across both campuses to list calorie counts for every dish, making it easy for athletes to track their nutrition. One meal swipe grants unlimited access as long as you stay inside the dining hall.
Dinner selection at Hewitt.
Photo by Aviva Stoken/The Barnard Bulletin
The Diana Center Cafe
Bright and buzzing, the Diana Center houses a food court that offers an experience different from Hewitt. Meals here are taken to go, although they can be enjoyed in the nearby seating area. Breakfast options include sandwiches, açaí bowls, smoothies, and oatmeal. For lunch and dinner, Diana serves customizable bowls or burritos with a base of rice, chicken, beef, beans, or tofu and toppings ranging from lettuce to jalapeños and sauces. You can also order a pizza with two customizable toppings, along with a small bag of chips or fruit and a fountain drink. Many grab-and-go items, desserts, and beverages are available for purchase with money or Barnard points. Diana is the best spot to fuel up, whether you need a pick-me-up between classes or you are burning the midnight oil and looking for a late-night snack since Diana also has late-night meals where they serve favorites like chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, nachos, quesadillas, and more.
Diana Cafe sells a variety of smoothies every day.
Photo by Aviva Stoken/The Barnard Bulletin
Across Broadway on Columbia’s campus, John Jay functions much like Hewitt, with a rotating menu, an action station serving bao buns or tacos, a burger bar, and many vegan and vegetarian options. One swipe allows unlimited dining, and dessert offerings include the popular sundae station introduced this year. A standout dish seems to be the bao buns. Student Nikita Wood (BC ’29) said, “I love the bao buns,” adding how they are a go-to for her dinners.
For a more refined meal, Faculty House provides an upscale alternative to typical student dining halls. Inspired by global cuisine and made with locally sourced ingredients, Fac House is only open for lunch and is the farthest dining hall from the main campus of Columbia, even farther for Barnard students. If you can overlook how crowded it often is, you can think of Faculty House as a mini getaway.
Situated in Columbia’s Teachers College, Grace Dodge offers a quieter atmosphere for students seeking a calm dining space. “Grace Dodge is good with the intention of getting work done,” Wood added, highlighting its appeal as both a dining hall and study spot. Its menu includes fresh, balanced meal options, and it is best known for serving salad bowls and ramen.
Located in Uris, near Columbia’s gym, Chef Mike’s allows you to build your own sub or choose from pre-made options. Each meal comes with chips, dessert, a drink, and a piece of fruit. You can dine in or take your food to go. It is perfect for a hearty meal before or after a workout, or just when you need a solid, no-fuss meal.
Located in Lerner Hall, Ferris operates similarly to Hewitt and John Jay, offering a rotating menu, salad bar, ice cream freezer, pizza, and dessert stations. Anastasia Surya (BC ’29) said, “I always end up in Ferris,” citing how convenient and consistent its food is. Surya also praised the flourless chocolate cake from the cake station, one of Ferris’s standout sections.
JJ’s Place is Columbia’s casual, late-night dining spot that is open throughout the night. It is a crunchy parent’s nightmare but a student’s dream, serving mainly fast food meals. There are two stations to grab food: the main line always has burgers, hot dogs, and sometimes sandwiches, while the fry station often provides a type of French fry, chicken wings, or mozzarella sticks. If none of those sound appealing, you can order from the grill station and get a quesadilla, pancakes, or waffles. Known for its fast grab-and-go meals, it occasionally hosts themed food events, like a carnival night when it served jawbreakers, doughnut burgers, gummy pancakes, and more.
If you are craving an energy boost between classes, there are many great places to grab a quick bite. With points or money, you can grab a latte, pastry, or breakfast sandwich at Liz’s Place in the Diana Center. You can also head to the Barnard Dining Bubble Tea and Sushi Spot in Milstein Center for sushi rolls, poke bowls, and of course, bubble tea in all the classic flavors. Need a snack fix? JJ’s Express has your back. One swipe scores you four quick snacks, perfect for powering through homework or a study session.
Liz's Place offers pastries, coffee, and various other grab-and-go items.
Photo by Aviva Stoken/The Barnard Bulletin
The Barnard-Columbia dining network offers students a wide variety of options to suit every taste and schedule. From hearty meals at Hewitt and John Jay to quick options at Diana and JJ’s, there is something for everyone. With meal swipes and Barnard points providing flexibility across campuses, students can easily explore the diverse flavors and dining experiences that make life at Barnard convenient and enjoyable.
