Giant Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies on the Upper West Side
The original Upper West Side bakery known for massive, thick cookies with a crisp exterior and a soft, gooey center.
Why this stop works ✨
Levain Bakery started on West 74th Street, and the original Upper West Side shop still draws a line for the cookie that made it famous. These are thick, heavy rounds with a crisp exterior and a center that stays warm and gooey well after you leave the counter.
The lineup covers Chocolate Chip Walnut, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and a vegan and gluten-free Chocolate Chip Walnut, plus loaf cakes, breads, and pastries for anyone in your group not there for a cookie. The crisp outside and molten inside are what more than seven thousand reviewers keep coming back for.
At 4.7 stars across over 7,300 reviews, this is one of the most beloved bake shops in the city. Come early or late to dodge the worst of the line, get the Chocolate Chip Walnut warm, and eat it on a bench in Riverside Park nearby.
