Levain Bakery, the popular New York bakery brand wants to enter the Philadelphia market and is planning to open its first Philly location in Rittenhouse Square, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal. 

The plan includes setting up shop at the ground-floor level of 1516-1518 Walnut Street, which has long been vacant.

Levain Bakery is known for its large, 6-ounce hand-made cookies with the gooey centers. 

In addition to its cookies, Levain also sells bread, pastries, coffee, and teas. 

The brand currently has 14 locations around the country, including eight stores in New York with another in the works. According to its website, other locations are in Boston, Maryland, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and two in Chicago.

Before going forward with its Rittenhouse location opening, Levain will go before the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment on April 10 to seek special exception approval. 

“I think Philadelphia’s a city that comes to mind in terms of a crowd that really has a lot of pride in their city and has a pride in kind of the local nature of it, and that’s something that’s a really core part of the ethos of our brand,” said Stephanie Menke, chief of staff at Levain Bakery. 

Read more about Levain Bakery’s plan to expand its cookie market to Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Business Journal.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in March 2024.