Two words: Levain Bakery. To those who live in the New York City area, Levain is more than just a local bakery that offers a small selection of cookies, breads and muffins. Levain bakes the best cookie in New York.
This may seem like a bit of an overstatement considering the sheer amount of bakeries in the city. However, I assure you that Levain is the best. In fact, TripAdvisor ranked Levain Bakery as the number one dessert in the city .
Go to 167 West 74th Street to try a cookie for yourself. Oh and don’t worry, you’ll know you’re at the right place just based on amount of people lining the sidewalk.
Before the cookie:
After seeing the countless social media posts about Levain cookies, I decided to visit after a late brunch on Amsterdam – and I was skeptical. I encountered a line of at least 40 people waiting to enter Levain and at this point, I almost left. I could not fathom how a cookie could be so worth waiting for.
However, after much internal debate I decided to stay. This was the best decision I could have ever made because it lead me to finding my new favorite food.
While waiting in line:
I waited in line for about 20 minutes with fellow New Yorkers and tourists alike. It was almost a bonding experience. I was able to give tourists recommendations on what else to do in the city and other New Yorkers were able to give me a list of new restaurants in the area to try.
Basically, a little foodie convention had gathered outside of Levain.
Inside Levain:
The scent of decadent fresh baked goods filled the inside of Levain and I got my first real life glimpse of the famous cookies. I ordered 2 chocolate chip walnut cookies, one for now and one for later.
The second I grabbed the bag I felt the insane weight of the cookies. These cookies can easily be shared between 2 or even 3 people.
My first bite:
The second I took my first bite it became extremely obvious to me why Levain cookies are regarded as the best cookies in New York. I, of course, ate my entire cookie right then and there.
The cookies are warm and crunchy on the outside, but resemble the taste and texture of cookie dough on the inside. The crunchy walnuts provide a perfect balance to the gooey, rich chocolate chips.
If you are from the New York City area or if you are just visiting, Levain is a must. I promise, the wait is worth it because once the wait is over, you too will have the chance to take a first bite of what is New York’s best cookie.