Ban Ban Shop

If you find yourself near Columbia and want a casual, under-$15 lunch, head to Ban Ban Shop, a fusion-y spot across from Columbia’s campus. Try the sandwich with tender five spice roasted pork, or the big shrimp maki rolls. To be clear, if you want a proper bánh mì, you should go to Saiguette , and if you want a quick sushi roll, try nearby H Mart. Still, that sandwich is satisfying, and the sheer size of the maki roll makes it taste like a good deal. It also helps that this is the type of place you can linger in for a while—the last time we were here, we saw a college-aged couple who had clearly finished their Vietnamese iced coffee a long, long time ago.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Alex Staniloff

Sandwich

Get the roast pork, which has tender hunks of rich meat, crunchy pickled vegetables, and a mayo-based spicy ban ban sauce. It’s got a perfect amount of everything.

photo credit: Alex Staniloff

Maki Rolls

The maki rolls look like larger, more rectangular sushi rolls, stuffed with enough rice and filling (we like shrimp) that they're probably the size of three rolls. They're not for purists, but order them if you like a good deal.