The Interchurch Center

The food used to be good. Since they changed management of the cafeteria, the food is tasteless and expensive, the counters are constantly messy, and the desserts – which don’t even taste good – are the same every day. I don’t eat there anymore.

Sadly, the management has changed over to Aramark. It’s sort of lousy now, and a lot more expensive.

I used to work in the God Box and liked the cafeteria from day one. It is open for breakfast and lunch, from about 7:30am to 3ish (though only the coffee bar is open past the traditional lunch hours, or at least it used to be when I was last there a year ago). The food isn’t gourmet, but for an office building cafeteria, it gets the job done with speed, options, and a large seating area.
Breakfast has the usual hot and cold cereals with accompaniments, bagels, breads, some pastry. The best thing, however, is the breakfast sandwich station. Really good sausage/​egg/​cheese sandwiches.
Lunch has a soup station, deli sandwich station, pizza, a hot entrée selection, the salad bar, and the desserts. Oh. My. God. The desserts. Many times I’d go down wanting a sandwich only to leave with a massive cookie, slice of tres leches cake, and a latte. Judging this place on its breakfast and lunch food alone earns it three stars; the dessert selection elevates it to four.

I started working in the building a few months ago, and I love the convenience of this place when I don’t bring lunch from home. There are not that many decent eateries in the area so this place is a welcome solution, especially if the weather out isn’t nice or I can’t be bothered to leave my desk.
The prices are reasonable, though things can add up quickly sometimes. Breakfast is great, I usually get home fries, a breakfast sandwich and a cup of herbal tea for like $ 4.90 and its split between my friend and I and its more than enough food.
At 2:30 all the lunch items left are reduced to 50%, which is cool. I noticed other reviewers complained about it being a cafeteria and the food quality. I think its fine for what it is. They offer Low-​Fat, Vegetarian and Vegan options as well, and I like the variety seeing as I’m so indecisive about what I want to eat most of the time.

These are desperate times friends. I’ve been working on my PhD at Columbia for 3 and a half years now and the already slim food options near campus have long since been exhausted. So I have done what must be done: started trying random cafeterias… and believe it or not, if you work in the Columbia area this cafeteria is a MUST TRY.
There are absolutely deals to be found and tasty items to try… when I first discovered the cafeteria I actually looked forward to going there for lunch. Cheese steaks for $ 4.50, when salads are on special you can get a chicken caesar for $ 5.75 and make it as big as you want, and they have pretty good sandwiches too.
Unfortunately, I still give it 3 stars because, shit man, it is a cafeteria. On top of that there are no windows, they produce an insane amount of garbage, and even though there are lots of deals it still can be easy to rack up a huge bill. But seriously, a must try. Just walk into interchurch and go immediately down the escalators, you won’t be thrilled, but you will be satisfied.

Their pastas are bland.
Their sandwiches unimaginative.
Their salads are normal.
But what can you expect? It’s a cafeteria! If you work at CU and you’re looking to sit in a cafeteria with no windows, yellow lighting and loud people… then look no more!

Wow. I still can’t believe people come and eat here, but when I think about it, it does make some sense. I worked in the God Box for almost 7 years before I decided I couldn’t be behind a desk another minute. The cafeteria is decent, and if I’d known about it when I was a student at Columbia across the street I may have come here myself. There’s quite a variety, and prices are fairly reasonable. It was renovated a few years ago, and they seem to be keeping things up pretty well. There are often some nice art exhibits in the halls and gallery on the first floor.

This is the place that is clearly the best «Bang for your Buck» near Columbia University. They have everything here for breakfast.
A Cereal smörgåsbord, A fresh cut fruit bar in ice, yogurt and a morning pastry bar with various breads, muffins and sliced cheeses. Cook to order eggs and omelets as well as pancakes. Pork and turkey sausage along with bacon. They also serve french toast and roasted potatoes, all cafeteria style. They have various flavored creams for your hot coffee. They have regular coffee and french roast.
There is really not much missing here and their breakfast special is $ 1.95. with Coffee… add $ 1.30. How can you beat that?
So a breakfast under $ 4.00 does have its downside. There is no atmosphere here but, it is clean, quick and a great deal.

While I won’t even think to start reviewing the various religious offices that make-​up the Interchurch Center, I will discuss the building’s cafeteria.
The God Box, as Interchurch is more affectionately known, houses a fairly good and decently priced caf that is opened to the public. Think beyond loaves and fishes, my friends, because the God Box caf offers a variety of food to fill the stomach, if not the soul.
The breakfast special is outrageously cheap — scoop of eggs (a ‘scoop of eggs sounds unappealing, doesn’t it), bacon or sausage, pancakes and potatoes all for like $ 2.50. I swear to God — no pun intended.
Lunch options consist of 2 types of soup daily, made-​to-​order deli line, hot lunch special station, large salad bar, dessert table and a variety of beverages. AND, there is a popcorn maker — wicked awesome.
The prices are very reasonable. A meal costs roughly $ 5 or $ 6 and that’s a decent amount of food. The price/​ounce for the salads is not bad either.
What God has giveth, the God Box taketh away because you’re SOL if you wanna hit the trifecta and grab dinner here too — the place closes after lunch.
The quality of the food is not mouth-​wateringly good; it is after all a cafeteria. But, hey, beggars can’t be choosers, especially in the eyes of the Lord. If He sends you manna, don’t go asking for Grey Poupon.
The décor is a bit depressing, however. It’s in the basement so there are no windows. They booths that run along the sides of the eating area are kinda cheesy and the tables and chairs in the middle are a mild step up from your high school cafeteria. It certainly ain’t the Promise Land. The register women aren’t overly friendly either. Although, when I had to work in the building for a few months, I got to know one woman and she was very pleasant. With the other two, familiarity bred contempt, not smiles. But, hey, be a good Samaritan and smile at them anyway.
The address is listed as Riverside Drive, but, go in on the Claremont Ave side — at the corner of Claremont and 120^th Street.
If you’ve just escaped internment in Egypt at the hands of an unjust pharoh or if you are in the Upper West Side and want a quick and cheap meal, this place is a good alternative.
Allah, God, Yaweh and Vishnu will approve.