This is one of my favorite spots on campus to get some studying done or just grab a coffee. The cafe itself is spacious, well-lit, and has great food and drink options. It is restricted to grad students only, which is nice because it keeps it from getting terribly crowded. I remember first being amazed by the fact that serve a New Orleans-style (Nola) cold brew here, identical to the one offered at Blue Bottle. I believe they either buy the syrup from Blue Bottle itself or make it in-house, but either way, it's spot-on and tastes delicious. The chicory gives it a a unique, burnt-sugar flavor without tasting too sweet. Prices are standard at about $4.50 for an iced latte. What really stands out to me is the great service here. Whenever I have a question or special request, they take the time to answer me in great detail and go out of their way to make sure my drink is how I'd like it. For example, I once asked if they could make the Nola less sweet and they explained the sugar content of the pre-made chicory syrup and how it would affect the taste. I was absolutely not expecting that level of detail in their response, but I appreciated it! read more

I really like working in the grad student lounge, and Nous is a convenient place to grab small bites for lunch if you have access to this space. They offer all sorts of drinks as well (hot teas, hot and iced coffees, etc.). The amounts they give are pretty small, though. I got an iced chai latte with oatmilk, which was really sweet and I suspect prepared from concentrate, in a small cup that looks like the ones you get from university catered events, for over $5. Will I get another drink there just because it's so convenient and doing work can be a drag? Yeah, probably. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - Iced chai latte - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

If you're looking for pastry break (and if you're a graduate student or happen to be friends with one) this is the place to go on campus. I love the raspberry financier and Asian food options. I typically go for the NOLA. If you're into iced coffee drinks you'll probably like this. If you want sweetener, you'll have to add your own; there's simple syrup next to the counter. Nice cashier, but took a while to get my drink. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - Raspberry Financier - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

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You need to be a graduate student or specific faculty - or you know someone who is - in order to access to this spot. It is located inside the Graduate Student Center of Philosophy Hall. To the left of the entrance is where the cafe is located. You need an ID badge to enter. The inside the cafe was quite nice! Very high building, clean and modern. A good place for grad students to relax in peace and quiet. There is an ordering counter with baked goods nicely displayed. They also have sandwich, salad, soup, and few other items here. We started off with Hot Matcha Latte and Iced Matcha Latte, with pretty good matcha flavor. It was surprisingly good, we were happy with them both. For food, we Avocado Toast and few donburi dishes. The Avocado Toast didn't look like much, but it was actually REALLY good! They have a few donburi, and we chose Tuna Yukke Don and Gyuu Don. It came out without poached egg. We took it back to the staff, and he said "yes, you can order these without eggs." Ummm, well, we DO want to eggs with these. The older staff got a bit confused, went to the back kitchen, and then discovered they don't have eggs brought in yet. What! About 10 minutes of wait, they brought in eggs, and made the poached eggs for our dishes. Needless to say, our food was staring to get cold, but not too bad... Finally, the egg was on the top with some seasoning, and the our "bowls" were finally complete. They were good and tasty. To finish our lunch, we ordered a cup of Mango from inside their refrigerator. They were all perfectly ripe and juicy! Overall, the experience was good. The price is a bit high, but then the quality of food and drink was really good too. If they didn't have the egg incident, it would have been much better experience. read more

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Tried their tofu bowl (which is vegan without eggs). It was pretty good but too sweet for my liking. The serving size was pretty large. The staff were friendly. But I do think the food is overpriced. read more

I'm a big fan of Nous Cafe!!! It's a super open and airy atmosphere and a great place to sit and eat a quick bite or sit with your laptop and stay for awhile. They have delicious lattes, sushi, and Korean rice bowls. They're a little pricey (around $10+ for most sushi combos, $4 seaweed salad $4 lattes $4 kombucha) but the quality is very good of everything. I've tried their kale salad with grilled chicken. I love the lemon tahini dressing it comes with. The people who work here and very nice and always make it a pleasant experience. Tips: skip busy lunch hours to avoid long lines, try the maki combo for $10 if you are feeling indecisive (it has cali roll pieces, spicy tuna and salmon avocado topped w/ spicy mayo) and the spinach + cheese croissant is 2diefor. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

I'm surprised no one has written a review for Nous given how massively popular it is! Nous has been my go-to study/coffee spot as of late. Tucked inside the Philosophy building, this cafe allows only graduate students to enter (you have to tap your student ID by the transparent, double doors to unlock them). Yet, the line can get crazy long during breakfast and lunch hours - for good reasons! Not only does Nous Cafe serve great tasting coffee, but it also serves freshly-made sushi, delicious Donburi rice bowls, real sandwiches, soups, and also fruit cups (filled with juicy pieces of fruit that don't taste like they came from a can). The prices on foods and drinks alike are a bit steep compared to offerings at the law school's Lenfest Cafe located a mere 2 minutes from Nous Cafe.. but I find myself returning here with increasing frequency! For reference, the fruit cup costs slightly over $6, a large iced latte with almond milk costs exactly $6, and the Donburi rice bowls range from $10.5-13. Be sure to use your punch card whenever you purchase a drink though:) I particularly love the Tuna Donburi rice bowl and found the Salmon bowl a bit too plain - note that you can get substitute brown rice with any of the rice bowls! Nous also has a big pitcher/container at the pick-up station where you can help yourself to free, cold water. And from the cashiers, baristas, chefs to the owner, service has always been courteous and efficient. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

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Located at Fayerweather Hall at Columbia University, Nous Espresso is not only convenient, but excellent in quality and service.  I usually have a matcha latte or a regular coffee espresso latte and whatever I get is always enjoyable.  I prefer oat milk and they comply with my request at a reasonable additional price.  When it comes to food, they also have a selection of quality items.  I like the tomato Muzz and the black forest ham with Swiss cheese sandwich is always delicious and fresh.  There is also a selection of salads and pastas and pastries which I shall perhaps try one day but so far have not. The raspberry financier is not to be missed. read more

The beef bulgogi banh mi and the Gyu don are my go-to dishes here. One of the best places for fresh and hot cooked food on campus. The only thing is that queues can get long and you may need to wait about 15 mins for the food to be ready. But if you have the time, it's worth the wait. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

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You actually need an ID, or a really nice student , to get into this space. I liked it because on top of regular cafe stuff, they offer some Japanese food. I forgot exactly what I ordered, but it was really good (see picture). Very cozy and comfy place to sit and work on things. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

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When it comes to food on Columbia's campus, this is as good as it gets. Fresh tasting ingredients and food made to order. The staff are friendly too! Bonus: Gardein veggie burger and chik'un nuggets for vegans. read more

Nous Espresso Grad School Cafe - The "not fried" chicken sandwich - Cafes Near Me - New York, New York

So in general I like this place, particularly their sandwiches and pastry selections. The space itself is also nice. But today, I had a terrible sushi roll. It tasted so 'off' in almost every way that after forcing down a few pieces I ended up throwing it out. No more sushi here for me. Also their coffee is not very good. I had a cappuccino that tasted kind of burnt. No need to give this another try when Joe coffee is only a few steps away... read more

If you're a Columbia student, this is hands down the best food on campus. The wait can be long at peak times (at least 20 minutes for made to order items during lunch) and the prices aren't cheap, but I still prefer it to the faster/less expensive options nearby. Highly recommend the rice bowls (I usually get the tuna poke) and the matcha drinks. read more

Best coffee shop on campus, (and, i dont even go here). Their poké bowls are real good too. Great place to study on the weekends.

Grad student lounge in the philosophy building. I'm a big fan except undergrads can't go in there (perhaps for the better) but it's an amazing place to get some work done with a very clean feel. read more

I have been there very often but today their food delivery time is wayyyyy toooo slow. I waited for 20 minutes for a half backed chicken sandwich. I really think the food choices near Columbia is disappointing. Subpar quality with slow service read more

Nous espresso bar is my favorite on campus coffee shop. My matcha latte is always made right. The food options are plenty and one of the few places on campus that actually will make your food while you wait. read more

Love this place. It's bright and airy and with great coffee & lunch like sushi & bahn mi sandwiches.

$5.65 for a 16 oz. latte that has almost no foam, is lukewarm, the espresso is burnt, and they only filled the cup 3/4 of the way... What a waste of money. read more