Levain Bakery

Levain Bakery is best known for its giant, ooey-gooey cookies. Hailed as one of the best chocolate chip cookies in New York City, the bakery draws crowds that snake around the door and down the block. All 10 million people in this city seem to want a taste of these six-ounce, four-inch-wide behemoths. The cookie destination started off as a bread bakery on the Upper West Side 26 years ago. To fuel their long workouts, triathletes Pamela Weekes and Connie MacDonald created the iconic cookie that has now spawned multiple Levain establishments across the city. The options are limited, and that’s a good thing, because each has been tested to perfection: chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. And you never have to wonder about freshness, because these boulders usually sell within hours of leaving the hot oven. Last year, for the first time, Levain introduced a new cookie: the two chip chocolate chip cookie with twice the amount of chocolate chips, and no walnuts. And, if on the off-off chance you want something other than a cookie, Levain also sells top-notch pastries, bread, and pizzas. But honestly, you should get a cookie too.