Famous for its giant, decadent cookies with a cult following, this bakery offers a polarizing yet unforgettable sweet treat experience.
This bakery is a must-visit for cookie lovers, renowned for its incredibly thick, rich, and often decadent cookies that have garnered a cult following. While many rave about the unique texture and flavor combinations, a segment of patrons find them on the sweeter side or prefer a different cookie style. It's a place that certainly sparks debate, with its signature baked goods being a polarizing, yet memorable, experience.
The bakery is overwhelmingly known for its cookies, with many customers considering them the best in NYC. The chocolate chip walnut and caramel coconut chocolate chip cookies are frequently mentioned as highlights. While many enjoy the thick, cakey texture and rich flavor, some find them too sweet, too rich, or prefer a thinner cookie. There's a notable division in opinion regarding the cookie's texture, with some finding them perfectly balanced and others finding them too doughy or having undesirable crispy edges.
"The bakery is most famous for its cookies, with the Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie and the Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip cookie being frequently recommended and highly praised."
Customers generally praise the bakery's cookies, often calling them the best, with some specifically highlighting the chocolate walnut and caramel coconut chocolate chip varieties. However, a portion of customers find the cookies too sweet, rich, or even undercooked, with some preferring other bakeries.
Important Note
Some customers find the cookies too sweet, too rich, or prefer a different texture profile (e.g., thinner, less doughy, or without crispy edges).
"Levain Bakery cookies, available at multiple locations, were very popular with one reviewer's husband, and while the reviewer found them good, they weren't amazing, noting their unique thick and cakey texture."
Neutral"The user strongly agrees with the positive sentiment regarding Levain's oatmeal raisin cookie."
Positive"Contrary to popular opinion, the user states that the oatmeal raisin cookie is their personal favorite at Levain."
Positive"The user states that Levain's oatmeal raisin cookie is their preferred choice and the best they've ever had."
Positive"The original poster clarifies that Levain cookies, while objectively good, do not meet their ideal of a fully chewy cookie without crispy exteriors or raw interiors."
Negative"A user notes that Levain cookies are massive and have crispy, gooey, and raw bits, suggesting them for those who prefer a doughy texture, but potentially not fitting the 'no crisp' criteria."
Negative"A user suggests microwaving a Levain cookie in a brown bag for 20 seconds to eliminate any crispiness."
Neutral"A user considers Levain's cookies to be the softest and their favorite."
Positive"A user expresses preference for gooey/chewy cookies and states they have never encountered a crispy or crunchy chocolate chip walnut cookie from Levain."
Positive"A user states that Levain cookies are not chewy and have a prominent crisp when first bitten."
Negative"The original poster acknowledges Levain's middle is good but critiques its crunchy, scone-like edges and an unfavorable edge-to-center ratio for their preferred texture."
Negative"A user had a Levain cookie recently and found the bottom to be crispy and crunchy, which doesn't fit the desired texture."
Negative"A user recommends Levain Bakery, mentioning they are currently eating one of their cookies."
Positive"The user cannot stand Levain cookies, describing them as 'nasty stuff'."
Negative"The user finds Levain's cookies horrible."
Negative"The user preferred Culture Espresso's cookie over Levain's."
Negative"The user's girlfriend liked Culture Espresso's cookie more than Levain's."
Negative"The user fundamentally dislikes super thick Levain-style cookies."
Negative"The original poster lists Levain Bakery as one of their few regular repeat visit spots in NYC, indicating consistent satisfaction with their baked goods, particularly cookies."
Positive"The user lists Levain's (Levain Bakery) among hyped places that deliver."
Positive