A Modern New Food Hall Featuring Four Restaurants Opens on Columbia’s West Harlem Campus

Posted on July 2, 2021 at 6:35 am by Carol Tannenhauser

Manhattanville Market, photograph by Ken Goodman.

By Lisa Kava

Food lovers will be pleased to discover an exciting new addition to the West Harlem campus of Columbia University. Manhattanville Market, a modern food hall with a global flair, opened on Friday, June 25th, at 3229 Broadway (West 130th Street), in the Jerome L. Greene Science Center. Founded by Chef Franklin Becker, who is also a cookbook author and television personality, Manhattanville Market is open to the general public daily from 11 AM to 8 PM.

Fresh herbs in the Market, photograph by Ken Goodman.

Visitors to Manhattanville Market will find a healthy selection and a variety of food options. The market is host to four eateries where food can be ordered, paid for, picked up at a counter, and then brought to a table. Three are original concepts created by Chef Becker. Shai Hummusiya serves Mediterranean and Israeli inspired food, including hummus, falafel, chicken shawarma, and vegetarian dishes. Benny Casanova’s is a Sicilian pizzeria specializing in square pies. The Botanist, serves fresh salads and vegetable based creations. Finally, Butterfunk Biscuit Co., a joint venture between Chef Becker and Chef Chris Scott, serves an assortment of sandwiches “on a biscuit recipe passed down by over four generations.” Chef Scott, of Butterfunk Kitchen and Butterfunk Biscuit Company, was a semi-finalist on the television show Top Chef.

The four chefs of Manhattanville Market, photograph by Daniel D’ Ottavio.

A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Chef Becker was formerly executive chef at Capitale, corporate executive chef of the Emm group, and executive chef of The Little Beet. He has been at the helm of a number of NYC restaurants (including Abe and Arthurs, Lexington Brass, and CATCH restaurants), and was invited to compete on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters in 2013. He is the author of three cookbooks, (Eat & Beat Diabetes, The Diabetic Chef, and Good Fat Cooking.) Becker founded the website www.hungryroot.com, a grocery and recipe delivery service.

The inspiration for Manhattanville Market was “to provide West Harlem with a comprehensive food offering that captured the needs of the neighborhood,” Becker said. “Things are going great so far and guests really seem to enjoy the space and the offerings.” TimeOut said,”While the construction of Columbia’s Manhattanville campus has been controversial, the new food hall is working to support the neighborhood. Chef Becker and his team are committed to hiring from the surrounding area. They’re also working with as many local providers, purveyors, and community culinary talent as possible.”

Photograph by Ken Goodman.

With floor-to-ceiling windows, Manhattanville Market has an open, airy and crisp feel. The space was designed by Glen Coben of Glen & Co Architecture.

Chef Becker plans to expand upon Manhattanville Market in the fall. Additions will include a full-service Spanish tapas restaurant called Oliva, a farmer’s market, and events featuring live music. “We want this to be a hub for everyone,” Becker said. “The general public has been very supportive.”

For more information on Manhattanville Market go to www.manhattanvillemarket.com