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LEVAIN BAKERY

Last Updated: 24 days ago

Phone: (917) 464-3782

Address: 351 AMSTERDAM AVENUE 10024

TLDR

Famous for its giant, decadent cookies with a cult following, this bakery offers a polarizing yet unforgettable sweet treat experience.

Sentiment Overview(Based on 36 Reddit comments)

42% Positive19% Neutral36% Negative

Tags

bakery 24american 14american bakery 8cookies 17cookie 16chocolate chip cookie 12View All

Neighborhoods

Upper West Side

Recent Articles

Details

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.

Food Overview

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.

Highlights / Recommended

"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."

Mentioned Dishes:

  • cookies(3)
  • chocolate chip walnut cookie(3)
  • chocolate walnut cookie(2)

Customer Sentiment

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.

Reddit References

Highlighted Posts

This post ranks various NYC chocolate chip cookies, with Levain Bakery's cookie coming in at #7. While acknowledged as distinctive, the reviewer found it too sweet and rich, preferring a copycat version, though walnuts were noted to help. Another commenter specifically praised the Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip cookie as 'so damn special'.
This thread discusses the ideal cookie texture, with several commenters debating Levain's cookies. Some find Levain cookies to have a desirable gooey center and are surprised by claims of crispiness, while others criticize their edges as too crispy or scone-like, and some find them too doughy overall. One user suggests a microwaving trick to reduce crispiness.
In a discussion about hyped NYC establishments, a user specifically mentions Levain Bakery as a place that delivers on its reputation. This suggests that, despite varied opinions on the specifics, many find the bakery lives up to its well-known status.
This discussion focuses on Levain's Oatmeal Raisin cookie, with multiple users championing it as their personal favorite, even calling it the best they've ever had. This highlights a specific cookie that garners strong positive sentiment from some customers.
A user lists Levain Bakery among their regular, repeat visit spots in NYC, indicating consistent satisfaction and enjoyment of their baked goods, particularly cookies.
In a query for dessert recommendations, Levain Bakery's cookies are mentioned. While one comment simply states 'Levains oatmeal cookie', another notes 'Levain Bakery cookies', indicating the bakery is a common thought for dessert in NYC.

Recent Mentions

From post: Low Food Budget Suggestions

"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
Jun 19, 2025View Comment →

From post: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

"The user strongly agrees with the positive sentiment regarding Levain's oatmeal raisin cookie."

Positive
Jun 12, 2025View Comment →

From post: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

"Contrary to popular opinion, the user states that the oatmeal raisin cookie is their personal favorite at Levain."

Positive
Jun 12, 2025View Comment →

From post: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

"The user states that Levain's oatmeal raisin cookie is their preferred choice and the best they've ever had."

Positive
Jun 12, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"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
Jun 11, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"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
Jun 11, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"A user suggests microwaving a Levain cookie in a brown bag for 20 seconds to eliminate any crispiness."

Neutral
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"A user considers Levain's cookies to be the softest and their favorite."

Positive
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"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
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"A user states that Levain cookies are not chewy and have a prominent crisp when first bitten."

Negative
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"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
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"A user had a Levain cookie recently and found the bottom to be crispy and crunchy, which doesn't fit the desired texture."

Negative
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Chewiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Zero Crisp

"A user recommends Levain Bakery, mentioning they are currently eating one of their cookies."

Positive
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Solid Chocolate Chip Cookie

"The user cannot stand Levain cookies, describing them as 'nasty stuff'."

Negative
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Solid Chocolate Chip Cookie

"The user finds Levain's cookies horrible."

Negative
Jun 10, 2025View Comment →

From post: Solid Chocolate Chip Cookie

"The user preferred Culture Espresso's cookie over Levain's."

Negative
Jun 9, 2025View Comment →

From post: Solid Chocolate Chip Cookie

"The user's girlfriend liked Culture Espresso's cookie more than Levain's."

Negative
Jun 9, 2025View Comment →

From post: Solid Chocolate Chip Cookie

"The user fundamentally dislikes super thick Levain-style cookies."

Negative
Jun 9, 2025View Comment →

From post: 25 Hours In Nyc

"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
May 5, 2025View Comment →

From post: Name A Place That Actually Lives Up To Its Hype

"The user lists Levain's (Levain Bakery) among hyped places that deliver."

Positive
Apr 20, 2025View Comment →