Within Six Stops

Nostalgic cafés, best-in-town curries, and a retro-futuristic workout

Sebastian Galbenus/Columbia Sundial

New York. The financial capital of the world, filled with incredible culture, towering architecture, and a lot of gay bars. Each neighborhood radiates personality, from the vibrant nightlife of Bushwick and Flatbush in Brooklyn to the art hub of the South Bronx and everything in between. Then we have Morningside Heights. While not as glamorous as the rest of the city, it is our home for at least four years. It would be a shame not to familiarize ourselves with our own neighborhood and its surrounding areas.

This is where I come in: I am your tour guide for the neighborhood we call home, exploring niche, refreshing, or just plain fun spots no more than six stops from the 116th subway station. You’ll learn about some new places today. Hopefully, once you’re done procrastinating on that dreaded assignment—or, even better, keep procrastinating on it—you’ll go check these locales out. Let’s kick things off with an underrated gem not many people know about. The Hungarian Pastry Shop is located at—just kidding.

What better way to start our day than with coffee and breakfast? Omonia Cafe, located at 2801 Broadway, is a cute coffee/pastry shop. The place has a cozy, welcoming vibe, with Victorian-style patterned plates dotting the ceiling. As someone who is an expert in mochas and has ordered them at every cafe in the neighborhood, Omonia comes out on top. Who would have thought that a place that bakes a large variety of chocolate treats would know how to make an almost perfect mocha? In any case, they also offer a variety of bagels, but for today, I went with their ham and cheese croissant and spinach pie. The croissant was buttery and flaky, the sweetness balancing the savory ham, which was accompanied by a sharp, in-your-face cheddar. The briny spinach filling harmonized beautifully with the pastry’s sweetness. All in all, a warm, nostalgic breakfast.

Feeling bad for having an actual nutritious breakfast instead of coffee with cigarettes, it’s time to burn off those tasty calories. Good thing we have PingPod at 243 W. 99th St. At its surface, it’s a place where you can rent a private ping pong table, but if you look deeper, it’s much more than that. Next to every table, there is a television and a camera that records each one of your epic fails and clips them, a reminder that we all have to lock in. The place has a futuristic aesthetic and is a perfect afternoon hangout spot for you and your friends. The most fun part: converted badminton rackets that are used to pick up the ping pong balls from the ground. Trust me, smashing a racket on the ground to collect the missed balls that made you lose the game is much more fun than it seems.

A little while after my Olympic gold medal performance, I needed to replenish my hunger. Curry King is a hole-in-the-wall place with the best Pakistani food in Morningside Heights. It’s located at 942 Columbus Ave., and it’s one of the many gems people overlook. A tiny, intimate location with an open kitchen, their food options have something for everybody, from cheap and delicious meal menus to spicy, mild, or vegetarian options. I went there during iftar, and I cannot describe the place any better than comforting and familiar. It’s truly a full sensory experience, being hit with the warm smell of curry, the rhythmic music of the region, and the many people breaking their fast during Ramadan. I ordered butter chicken, beef curry with basmati rice, and a side of garlic naan. As for their mission to “make every meal unforgettable,” I can definitely say they have succeeded: buttery, smooth, warm, flavorful, tender, fall-off-the-bone meat that’s perfectly complemented by a mango lassi. The tireless cooks and elderly immigrant ladies who took my order and served me with such kindness and hospitality reminded me that the world isn’t as cold as it sometimes feels. Be nice to your neighbors. Share a meal with them. Put politics aside and recognize the shared humanity we all have. This is what true human connection feels like.

To finish off the day, let’s take a tour to 1264 Amsterdam Ave.: Sipsteria. When I lived in Fairholm last summer, this place was a daily visit for me. With cozy and welcoming decor, they offer a variety of incredible coffees, breakfast pastries, and traditional Georgian cuisine. They also usually offer free treats at the register, which are delicious and always appreciated. It’s a great place to hang out with your friends, do some work, or just look at yourself in their big, rustic wooden mirrors. We’re not here for that, though, because after 6 p.m. the place turns into an intimate wine bar, with warm lighting perfectly complementing the wooden interior. Their small but carefully curated wine selection adds incredible depth to the atmosphere. The selection of European and American wine seems to only highlight the traditional Georgian wine they serve, which all fits together into a comfy aesthetic. Add their weekly jazz nights into the mix—featuring local talent from Morningside and Harlem—and you have yourself the perfect date spot in the neighborhood.

My experience at Sipsteria motivated me to write this series; coming here every day during the summer and getting to know the wonderful employees keeping the place running made me feel like I was truly part of a community. I want you to feel the same way during your time at Columbia. I know it’s easy to feel negative about the current state of the university, of the U.S., and of the world. It sucks, I’ll be the first one to admit that. But let’s focus on the positive sides of our home and community and be happy about our privilege and the little things in life: our friends, family, random hangouts and side quests, and our procrastination. I hope you check out all the places I’ve mentioned above—they deserve your time. Stay warm, enjoy life, eat good food, and I’ll see you next issue.

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Mr. Galbenus is a sophomore at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science studying mechanical engineering. He is a staff writer and photographer for Sundial.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sundial editorial board as a whole or any other members of the staff.