We set out on a tasting tour through NoHo and the East Village to find the neighborhood’s definitive chocolate chip cookie. Evaluating each stop on a strict set of textural (when I say strict, I am saying it in a tongue and cheek manner) and flavor standards, we sampled everything from massive, molten softballs of dough to thin, rippled, artisanal creations.
Here is how the bakeries stacked up, along with our definitive rankings, criteria, and the walking route to recreate the tour.
Before we start, I have to say that all of these cookies are really good. This is a tasting among some of the best cookies around.
Our Evaluation Criteria
To find the perfect cookie, our tasting panel evaluated each contender based on two core categories:
- The Textural Contrast: We looked for an exceptional three-zone cookie featuring a golden, crisp edge for structural crunch, a satisfyingly chewy transition zone, and a dense, fudgy, slightly underbaked center.
- The Salt Factor: This was our panel’s biggest point of contention. While flaky sea salt can beautifully cut through richness and elevate chocolate, several participants felt a heavy hand took away from the cookie’s core flavor.
The Official Leaderboard
| Rank | Bakery | Key Takeaway |
| 1st Place 🏆 | Funny Face Bakery | The undisputed champion; a massive, molten masterpiece. |
| 2nd Place | Petit Chou | Perfect French-style textural contrast. |
| 3rd Place | From Lucie | A beautiful, sophisticated, rustic dark chocolate finish. |
| 4th Place | The Pastry Box | Great thin-and-crispy texture, though failed to live up to other bakery hype. |
| 5th Place | Hani’s | A solid, comforting, classic execution. |
| Last Place | Librae Bakery | Disappointing ranking despite their excellent non-cookie items. |
Superlatives & Notable Mentions
Even though we were on a cookie tasting tour. We did sample other bakery goods from various shops. The reason being, that they looked so good!
- Best Side Dish: Petit Chou’s Cinnamon Bun. It stole the show as the best non-cookie item on the tour.
- Biggest Letdown: The Pastry Box’s Black and White Cookie. The bakery explicitly advertised this as the best black and white cookie, which our panel unanimously agreed was false marketing. Stick to their chocolate chip instead.
The Tour Route & Review Breakdown
Stop 1: Funny Face Bakery (1st Place)
NoHo | $1–$10
Funny Face Bakery kicks off the tour with a vibrant, playful atmosphere. While famous for their custom pop-culture sugar cookies, their deluxe line is where cookie purists should focus.
- Cookie Highlight: The Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookie is a massive, 6-ounce softball of dough with an incredibly gooey, molten center. It perfectly hit our textural criteria and earned the top spot on our tour.
- Other Picks: The S’mores cookie, loaded with graham crackers and toasted marshmallow.
🚶 The Walk to Stop 2 (5 mins): Walk north on Lafayette Street for three blocks, then make a slight right onto Cooper Square. Librae Bakery is right on the square.
Stop 2: Librae Bakery (Last Place)
East Village | $10–$20
A third-culture bakery blending Middle Eastern flavors with Copenhagen fermentation techniques. While a beautiful concept, their cookie failed to impress our panel compared to the competition.
- Cookie Highlight: Their Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie features high-quality dark chocolate and a heavy punch of sea salt—though it split our panel on flavor balance.
- Other Picks: Skip the cookie and split their babka instead.
🚶 The Walk to Stop 3 (<1 min): Walk just a few doors north on Cooper Square to reach Hani’s.
Stop 3: Hani’s Bakery + Café (5th Place)
East Village | $10–$20
Chef Miro Uskokovic’s welcoming spot aims to showcase a child-like joy for baking. It’s an ideal mid-tour stop to grab an espresso and a classic comfort treat.
- Cookie Highlight: They focus on executing timeless classics. Their chocolate chip cookie features crisp edges and an extraordinarily rich flavor, landing it a respectable fifth place.
- Other Picks: Seasonal bars and nostalgic, beautifully crafted cake slices.
🚶 The Walk to Stop 4 (15 mins): Head south down Cooper Square/Bowery, turn left onto East 1st Street, and walk east past 2nd Avenue. Note: Red Gate Bakery was omitted from our rankings, so continue east on East 1st Street to 1st Avenue, turn left, and walk north to 14th Street.
Stop 4: Petit Chou (2nd Place)
East Village | $10–$20
Bringing classic French patisserie flair to the tour, Petit Chou is a haven for laminated pastries, but their cookie game holds its own as our runner-up.
- Cookie Highlight: Their Chocolate Chip Cookie hits a perfect textural contrast, offering crunchy edges with a soft, molten, doughy center packed with premium milk and dark chocolate.
- Other Picks: The Cinnamon Bun (our tour’s best side dish).
🚶 The Walk to Stop 5 (5 mins): Walk south on 1st Avenue for two blocks, then turn left onto East 12th Street. Walk east past Avenue A; the shop is between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Stop 5: The Pastry Box (4th Place)
East Village | $10–$20
A cozy neighborhood gem that frequently draws crowds for its sensational textures.
- Cookie Highlight: The Signature Chocolate Chip Cookie is a thin, salty masterpiece. It manages to keep an intensely gooey, molten core even after it cools, balanced by a sharp, crispy exterior.
- Other Picks: Brown butter blondies. Avoid the overhyped Black and White cookie.
🚶 The Walk to Stop 6 (4 mins): Walk west back toward Avenue A, turn left onto Avenue A, walk south two blocks, and turn right onto East 10th Street.
Stop 6: From Lucie (3rd Place)
East Village | $10–$20
We wrapped up our tour in this romantic, flower-filled space. Known primarily for delicate cakes topped with fresh botanicals, From Lucie also turned out a spectacular rustic cookie that secured third place. We did stop for a while to admire a cake that they were in the process of finalizing that did have some amazing flowers on it!
- Cookie Highlight: The Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie features a distinctively thin, rippled texture with crispy edges and a deep, dark chocolate center that elegantly balanced out the sweeter stops from earlier in the day.
- Other Picks: A slice of their seasonal olive oil cake.