NEW YORK BAKERY LIGHTS UP THE WEST LOOP DURING IT’S GRAND OPENING!
The extremely cold temperatures of 16 degrees on Saturday didn’t prevent customers from forming a line outside Levain Bakery in West Loop at 5 a.m., hours before the store would open for the first time.
Started in New York, Levain is known for their chunky chocolate cookies. These giant cookies were developed by triathlon racers as a carb-loaded post-event treat and have since been popping up at stores in Boston, D.C., and more throughout New York. The original opened in 1995 in New York’s Upper East Side, but the Chicago location, along Randolph Restaurant Row, is their first outside the Eastern Time Zone.
The amount of people that showed up to the bakery on its opening day was unprecedented, with the line starting at Randolph Street and wrapping around Green Street until it reached Lake Street. A spokesperson for the bakery says that this is the most successful debut they’ve ever had, and they’re already looking into finding a second location in Chicago.
In Chicago, Levain has taken the place of Maude’s Liquor Bar, a two-floor restaurant owned by the people behind Au Cheval. This change marks how the area is evolving. The restaurant closed in 2020 after much deliberation from management. They stressed that it was time for the restaurant to close its doors and that the pandemic had nothing to do with their decision. The restaurant had been a staple in the community for many years and will be missed by all who loved it.Restaurant Row is seeing some changes, with a new bakery without seating replacing a full-service restaurant. Another change coming soon is the closure of Little Goat, which is scheduled for January. Stephanie Izard and Boka Restaurant Group are behind the plans to move the diner to Lakeview. There is speculation that retail space will take over the Little Goat’s former location.
At Levain, you can enjoy a wide variety of cookies, including chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and two-chip chocolate chip. You can wash these down with some caffeine from Backlot Coffee, or indulge in one of the delicious pastries or loaf cakes on offer.
You can find the address and hours of the bakery below.
Levain Bakery
840 W. Randolph Street
8AM – 10 PM Monday – Friday
Source: Eater Chicago