It’s no secret that Chicago is known for it’s decadent foods. Already loaded with local favorites Swirlz Cupcakes, Garrett’s popcorn, Eli’s Cheesecake, Long Grove chocolates, of course the next logical addition is a cookie bar, appropriately named, Cookie Bar.
A little kitschy with retro orange walls, a disco ball and some throwback tunes, this place fits right in on Lincoln Avenue. Founded by Joe Bova and Jeff Steinberg, a screenwriter and an animator from Hollywood who passed the time waiting for gigs by baking cookies, the word spread around H-wood about the two cookie monsters. They were requested a batch of 9,000 cookies for an agent’s daughter’s birthday party and after a less than gracious thank you, they began asking themselves why they were in LA. So the boys packed up for Chicago, a city that appreciates it’s foods. With fourteen daily flavors, they have the standard chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar, snickerdoodle, and some flavors you wouldn’t expect like adult chocolate chip (callebaut dark chocolate and coconut), oatmeal chile mango macademia, and orange blossom and cardamom.
Sorry, bikini season, but the rest is history. Their recipes are on the heathy side though, substituting coconut oil for milk, and they don’t use any trans-fats or high fructose corn syrup in their recipes so you can feel a little less guilty indulging than if you were to gobble down a Chicago pizza. The only shots are of milk though, so you’ll have to get your drink on elsewhere.
Will Cookie Bar be able to withstand the test of time and make it onto the shortlist of Chi staples? We shall soon see, but I’d be happy to help judge.
Cookie Bar, 2474 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.
