Would you ever wait an hour for cookies?
Well, New Yorkers do ALL the time. At first, when I heard about Levain Bakery I could not believe people waited THIS LONG for COOKIES! Not even a full meal, just COOKIES. Then the next time I was in NYC, of course I had to see it for myself.
Note: This visit was Pre Aunty Rona times. Be careful of crowed spaces, wear your mask and follow social distance guidance!
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Founded by two best friends in 1995, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald initially created an artisanal bread bakery, however while training for a Triathlon they invented their famous 6oz cookies! Everything in their shops are made from scratch and using fresh ingredients. They also donate any of the day’s leftovers to charity, which is amazing and more companies should do so!
SO… WHAT MAKES THIS COOKIE SO SPECIAL?
If you are wondering how big is a Levain cookie…. The cookies are the size of a fist! I’ve never seen cookies this big before with a very thick and doughy texture. The outside is crunchy and when you bite-in the inside is gooey with the melted chips/filling. NO WONDER people LOVE and endure the long AF lines!
WHERE IS LEVAIN BAKERY LOCATED?
You can find these famous cookies in any of their 7 NY Stores. This Bakery was exclusive to NYC BUT they’ll be coming soon to Georgetown, D.C!
Levain Bakery – New York Locations
- Amsterdam Avenue: 351 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024
- Upper East Side: 1484 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10028
- Harlem: 2167 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10026
- NoHo: 340 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
- Williamsburg: 164 N 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
- Wainscott: 354 Montauk Hwy, Wainscott, NY 11975
- 74th Street: 167 W 74th St, New York, NY 10023 (Site is temporally CLOSED in 2020)
Levain Bakery – Washington D. C. Location
- Levain Bakery – Georgetown, D.C. 3131 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007
WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL LEVAIN BAKERY?
The cozy shop on West 74th Street was the original store which quickly became a neighborhood favorite and a destination for foodies hungry for the famous cookies.
HOW MUCH FOR A COOKIE?!
Their Cookie prices range from US$4-$5 depending on the cookie.
BEYOND THE COOKIES…
Although they are majorly famous for their cookies, they also offer a variety of products beyond cookies (depending on the store):
- Assortment of Breads (Buns, Rolls, Brioche, Sweet Breads)
- Loaf Cakes
- Pastries
- Pizzas (believe it or not!)
- And beverages like Coffee and Tea.
Check out their Website to buy their products online shipped via mail to your doorsteps!
IS IT LEVAIN BAKERY WORTH THE HYPE?
I took my cousin with me who was visiting from France and we tried 2 flavors, the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip and their most famous Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie. My favorite was the Peanut butter one, because it remind me of Reese’s Cup on steroids. One cookie can be shared among 4! However, if you are not one to share then you can have one to yourself. I could only eat half and took the other half to go.
If I was a tourist in NYC, I wouldn’t want to spend 1+ hour waiting for these. I would have them delivered to where I’m staying.
What can you do in NYC in an hour ?
- Go Shopping for cute vintage outfits.
- Stroll and people watch in Central Park (or any park).
- Get some savory food which I would wait for an hour!
- Walk around the High line.
Lastly, I did like the cookies despite the long line! I think this is a staple for any foodie or traveler visiting NYC and worth the hype. But you won’t find me in line for 1 hour again!
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