I tried NYC’s best chocolate chip cookie – worth the hype?

I honestly don’t remember a time when I wasn’t obsessed with chocolate chip cookies. They’re gooey, warm, buttery— what more could you ask for? A couple of years ago, I was on YouTube when a video about a small bakery in New York came up. I clicked and quickly went down a rabbit hole about Levain Bakery and its hefty reputation. Levain has won countless awards from The New York Times, TripAdvisor, and Yelp for its thick, crunchy yet gooey cookies, but are they really worth it?

Although Levain has expanded to ten locations, I decided to visit the place where it all started. Located in New York’s Upper West Side, the small bakery would’ve been easy to miss if it wasn’t for the heavenly smell.

Levain’s menu was pretty small. There were only five types of cookies: chocolate chip, chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. Along with that, the bakery also sold some cakes and baguettes (which I also tried and was amazing). Inside, the bakery was crowded with people wanting cookies, and a small staff working diligently. I ordered the classic chocolate chip walnut.

Personally, I think three things make a great chocolate chip cookie: not too sweet, gooey inside, and the perfect chocolate chip to cookie ratio. Levain checked off number two. I split the cookie down the middle and I was so excited to see the abundance of chocolate and gooeyness despite the cookie’s crunchy exterior. As soon as I took a bite I was amazed. The chocolate and the cookie blended perfectly, and the crunch of the walnut added a fun texture component as well. However, after the second bite, it begins to take a toll on you because of its high amount of sugar. If you decide to try it, just be mindful that it can start to get a little too sweet with each bite, and can be quite filling– perfect to share with someone in my opinion.

Final thoughts:

I enjoyed Levain! For four dollars, not only do you pay for the warm cookie, but also the experience that accompanies it. In my opinion, Levain has great cookies to offer, but not a cookie you could eat regularly because of its sweetness and heftiness.