Where To Get the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in America, According to Chefs
Classic, cozy, and comforting, a chocolate chip cookie (preferably straight out of the oven) is a simple pleasure like no other. For many, this craveable confection evokes fond childhood memories—often ones that include a tantalizing plate of the chocolate-studded dessert alongside a glass of milk.
Despite the simple nature of chocolate chip cookies, there are some elements that make this sweet treat shine, including a solid ratio of cookie to chocolate.
"That doesn't necessarily mean more chocolate," says Stephen Chavez, senior chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education's campus in Los Angeles. "If there is too much chocolate, then it is no longer a chocolate chip cookie. It's just chocolate held together with a little dough. You should also be able to taste the other ingredients in the cookie. Butter, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla are all part of the deliciousness that make a good cookie."
Most importantly, Chavez highlights the significance of the texture, adding, "a great chocolate chip cookie should also have a crispy exterior, with a soft, chewy middle. It should not be completely flat and dry so that it shatters or crumbles with the first bite."
There are numerous mouthwatering cookies out there, but only some are truly special. To get the lowdown on the best chocolate chip cookies this country has to offer, we tapped chefs from across the U.S. to share their top picks. From New York City to San Francisco, here are some of the best places to score a chocolate chip cookie in America.
Poppy Cake Baking Company – Sierra Madre & Arcadia, Calif.
One chef-approved, West Coast hotspot is Poppy Cake Baking Company, which has two California locations: one in Sierra Madre and another in Arcadia. The bakery's menu boasts a plethora of baked goods, such as pastries, artisanal breads, and of course cookies, which are a standout for Chavez. These confections feature all the characteristics the chef looks for in a chocolate chip cookie: "a crisp outside, chewy inside, and the proper amount of chips," he says.
Little Flower – Pasadena, Calif.
Another spot that offers all of the qualities Chavez seeks out in a chocolate chip cookie is Little Flower, which is located in Pasadena, Calif. Chavez describes these cookies as "really balanced." Open since 2007, Little Flower is a cafe and candy kitchen that is also known for its sea salt caramels.
Tate's Bake Shop – Southampton, N.Y.
While you've probably seen Tate's signature green bags of cookies on supermarket shelves, you can also visit the brand's original bake shop in Southampton, N.Y. When it comes to chocolate chip cookies's, Tate's Bake Shop is Matthew Cutolo's first choice.
"Tate's cookies are thin and crispy, but packed with incredible flavor," says the chef and pastry chef at Gargiulo's in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The brand is best known for its chocolate chip cookies, but you can enjoy several other flavors, such as chocolate chip walnut, double chocolate, and lemon.
Levain Bakery – Multiple locations
New York City-based Levain Bakery is famous for its large, ooey-gooey cookies, which are a hit among multiple chefs.
"My first experience eating a chocolate chip cookie from Levain was during my internship at ABC's 'The Chew,'" says Cutolo. "We had just wrapped up filming for the season and I was tasked with buying cookies for the office. They quickly became one of my favorites. The size of the cookie is huge and the texture is warm and gooey."
Pauline Balboa Pelea, chef-instructor of pastry and baking arts at the Institute of Culinary Education's New York City campus, shares a similar fondness for the widely acclaimed confection.
"Their cookies have great texture, are almost scone-like, contain a good amount of chocolate, and are served warm," she says.
Levain currently has nine locations in New York, two in Chicago, two in Los Angeles, and one in Philadelphia, Maryland, Boston, and Washington, D.C. According to its website, two additional locations are coming soon—one in Boston and another in Venice, Calif. However, if you don't live near any of Levain's shops, the company ships its sweet treats nationwide.
Chip City – Multiple locations
With 43 locations across nine states, Chip City continues to draw in customers with its mouthwatering cookie menu that rotates on a weekly basis. The chain offers both classic and creative flavors, such as Hot Honey Cornbread and Spiced Hot Chocolate Churro.
"The cookies are insane, and it's totally worth the price," says chef Christos Bisiotis, founder of Bellita Pasta, whose favorites include the classic chip and dark chocolate peanut butter. The latter consists of a black cocoa cookie with peanut butter chips.
"The size of it and how soft they remain even after two, three days, it's pretty unbelievable," Bisiotis says. "And it's freshly baked. It's not like they do huge batches and have them sit for hours or so—or half a day on the rack."
Radio Bakery – Brooklyn, N.Y.
Radio Bakery specializes in sweet and savory croissants, sourdough bread, and sandwiches. But the cookies also win over customers like Guillaume Thivet, chef at New York City's Grand Brasserie.
"[The] chocolate chunk cookie is a chewy, gooey, crisp specimen of a cookie," Thivet says. "It's outstanding. One of the best I have tried and it's also in my neighborhood, Greenpoint."
Warda Patisserie – Detroit
This Motor City patisserie prides itself on using local ingredients, as well as global flavors and techniques inspired by Algeria, France, and Asia, as noted on its website. The bakery puts a twist on the classic American dessert by incorporating halvah, the sesame-based, fudge-like confection that's popular in the Middle East.
"Earthy, nutty and nuanced, these cookies from James Beard-Award winning Warda Patisserie are one of my favorites in a city that appreciates its sweets," says chef Jon Kung, author of the 2023 cookbook "Kung Food."
Tartine Manufactory – San Francisco
If you enjoy a touch of saltiness with your chocolate chip cookie, recipe developer and lifestyle expert Peter Som recommends Tartine Bakery in San Francisco.
"[The] Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookie is a meeting of all things I love about a chocolate chip cookie—crisp exterior with a chewy interior," Som says. "It's thin but packs a punch with large swirls and shards of dark chocolate throughout, a perfect balance of flavors and not too sweet—the pinch of flaky sea salt is the final flourish."
Tartine currently has three locations in California's Bay Area, as well as six in Los Angeles and six in Seoul, South Korea.
Bang Cookies – Multiple locations
Another sweet and slightly salty treat you'll want to have on your radar is the sea salt chocolate chip cookie from Bang Cookies in Jersey City, N.J., says Raechel Lebron, pastry chef at Pop's Corner in Point Pleasant, N.J., and The Hudson Rose in Nutley, N.J.
"Bang's sea salt chocolate chip cookie has everything I look for in a cookie!" Lebron says. "The crispy edges, the chewy, gooey inside, and the little hint of salt make for the perfect bite."
Bang currently operates a few different units in New Jersey, plus one in King of Prussia, Pa. However, if you don't live near any of these locations, the brand also ships its cookies nationwide.
Cardinal's Provisions – Asbury Park, N.J.
If you're looking for a vegan cookie option, one standout choice for Lebron is the sea salt chocolate chip variety from Cardinal Provisions, a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Asbury Park, N.J.
"I've never been more pleasantly surprised by a cookie than when I first bit into Cardinal's chocolate chip cookie!" Lebron says. "Appearing to be a regular homemade cookie (which I love), it was anything but basic. Thin but chewy, these cookies have the perfect balance of sweetness, a nice bite from the chocolate and perfect amount of salt to balance it all out."
Villani's Bakery – Charlotte, N.C.
While Villani's is a New York-style Italian bakery, it still offers plenty of non-Italian desserts like croissants, macarons, and of course, chocolate chip cookies. This spot is a favorite for James Dean, co-owner of Irregardless Biscuit in Providence, R.I. For Dean, a few attributes of this cookie stand out, including the cookie's big size, large chocolate chunks, and shareability.
Last year, Villani's earned a spot on Yelp's list of the top 100 chocolate chip cookies in the U.S.
Church Street Coffee & Books – Birmingham, Ala.
The Magic City is home to Church Street Coffee & Books, which is famous for its Breakup Cookie. Baked fresh daily, this cookie is made with the recipe originally created by Jacques Torres and published in The New York Times.
For Dean, this baked good, which is sprinkled with sea salt, has a "super balanced chocolate to cookie [ratio]" and is "harder around the edges and softer in the middle."
The Commons Chelsea – New York City
For a cup of coffee brewed with La Colombe beans and paired with a craveable cookie, you'll want to stop by The Commons Chelsea in Manhattan.
"I love the chocolate chip cookies served at Motel Morris' sister cafe, The Commons Chelsea," says Ian Coogan, culinary director of New York City's Motel Morris. "The cookie served at The Commons Chelsea is a recipe from owners Brett and Sam Nidel's mother, Arlene, who also contributed recipes for some of the desserts at Motel Morris, including key lime cheesecake and our upcoming pecan pie."
Goodnight Fatty – Salem, Mass.
Goodnight Fatty calls its cookies "fatties," noting on its website that these baked goods are "thicc, smashed with quality ingredients, and served right out of the oven." This Massachusetts cookie shop drops a trio of new flavors "packed with nostalgia" each weekend.
"You have quite literally never had a chocolate chip cookie like this in your life," says Jacinto Perez, chef at Constantino's Pasta Bowls, a family-owned, quick-serve Italian restaurant in Greenwich, Conn. "The chocolate oozes out of the cookie on each bite. It's thick, and the chocolate that they use is absolutely delicious."
Baked After Midnight – Online
Unlike the other cookie spots on this list, Baked After Midnight doesn't have a brick-and-mortar location. However, you can order from the Westchester, N.Y.,-based brand online. Jacinto highlighted the chocolate chip cookie, noting that it's sold at Greenwich's Love You a Latte and his restaurant, Constantino's Pasta Bowls.
"I use it when creating desserts," he says. "Their cookie that we fell in love with is [a] chocolate chip cookie stuffed with an Italian rainbow cookie, slightly warmed with a dollop of Constantino's vanilla ice cream on it! It's truly the best-selling dessert on our menu."
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