The Semi-Scientific Commercial Drive Cookie Guide No One Needs...but I am giving you anyways.
I ate every cookie and studied the offerings on Commercial Drive in June 2023. Data collection includes a four criteria analysis as well as photography. This is the summary report on those cookies.
Table of Contents
Introduction
While living in the Commercial Drive area, my wife, family, friends, and I, have had the privilege of enjoying some amazing food in the area. I like to think that I appreciate a diverse range of foods and, I am always willing to make a reservation at the newest spot for brunch, or continue to frequent some old favorites for dinner. But, one of my all time favorite things to get when visiting any neighborhood, is… a chocolate chip cookie (CCC) with an espresso.
Let me start by saying, I am definitely not an “expert”, having no formal pastry or culinary training, but; I have eaten a large amount of cookies.
Last June, I was off for the month with my daughter as my wife returned to work after her maternity leave. During that time, I decided to eat every cookie on Commercial Drive while I was out for our morning walks. I have been sitting on these photos and data for a while, unsure if I would get around to publishing anything, as I never, ever, intended to be a “food reviewer.
That being said, over the years, people have appreciated the insights I provide about where to eat and visit on the drive; I’ll randomly get hit up on IG for recommendations, friends and co-workers often share recommendations and ask advice, and I have even done a “Dishes” interview. (I am also, often, overly opinionated about pizza in the neighborhood…and depending on how this goes, maybe that article comes next). So, I thought, why not share the data.
This is not a ranking, or recommendation. I believe every cookie has a time and a place, depending on your own tastes and preferences. That being said, based on my own personal bias, in the analysis section, I will make some strong cases for some really well done cookies in the neighborhood that I think stand out amongst the rest.
If you’d like to skip right to a specific shop, you can click the cookies included in this analysis here:
Commercial Street Cafe, Flourist, JJ Bean, Grounds, Prado, il Mondo Cafe, Continental Coffee, Fratelli, Cafe Calabria, Bench Bakehouse, Dolce Amore, Livia, Soccavo, Bump N Grind.
This is intended to be a presentation of the data behind what is available, "out there”, on the drive. For a map of the cookie offerings, see here.
The next section will outline my tasting methodology, as well as explain the data collection.
*I may continue to update it as time goes on and new places pop up.
Methodology
Data Collection
As mentioned previously, each cookie was ordered with an accompanying shot of espresso (if available). While this is not, by any means, necessary, this is how I enjoy my cookie experience.
The time of day the cookies were purchased and eaten was relatively consistent (between 9:30am-11am) and all data collection happened within a single month (June 2023).
Each cookie was bitten into one time, unadulterated. Then a small piece would be tested by my assistant (baby Luna). One more piece would be eaten and then I would make my notes. Finishing the rest of the cookie with an occasional dunk in espresso, for maximum flavor combination and experience.
Criteria
I wanted to enter this experiment leaving my previous bias behind and obtain a more “objective” view when trying each cookie. In order to do that, I needed to create a data collection method that could be quick and repeatable, and were of factors that I believed integral to my cookie experience.
I chose four categories that I could quickly identify and could mark down in my notebook before heading back into the street (and to the playground of the day).
The four categories I landed on were; the amount of chocolate within the cookie (cH); the texture of the dough, both inside and outside (Ti, To); the density of the cookie (d), and finally, relative size to my palm (S). Each category was based on a scale and each side of the spectrum described in a bit more detail below.
Personal Bias
For clarity, my personal bias of what I “prefer” in a cookie is included in the chart below. This will be further explored in the analysis.
The data section following will simply display each cookie along with the scales above.
Data Section
Commercial Street Cafe (3599 Commercial St)
Notes: Classic cookie recipe. Seems very “commercially made”. I don’t love that they come wrapped in cling wrap.
Flourist (3433 Commercial Street)
Notes: This is a salty, rich, nutty (from the sour dough), cookie with a great flavor, sufficient chocolate, and pairs very well with their espresso.
JJ Bean (2206 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: This is probably my most frequent stop for a cookie. Sometimes they are over baked, sometimes they are under baked, but they are always amazing. Laminated chocolate with a toffeed-dough bottom. For the chocolate lovers.
*Also try their oatmeal raisin.
Grounds (2088 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Not overly sweet, not enough salt for me, good bite to the exterior, reminds me of a cookie dough ball.
Prado (1938 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Contains nuts! Very Nutella-esque without containing Nutella. Satisfying crunch with a good toffee bottom chew.
*Also try their “cookie with no name”
il Mondo Cafe (1858 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Contains walnuts! Reminds me of an American Nonna style chocolate chip cookie. Not too sweet.
Continental Coffee (1806 Commercial Dr)
Notes: VERY crunchy, may have been a stale cookie this day, but the flavor was good dipped in coffee… chocolate chunks essentially not melted.
Fratelli Bakery (1795 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Classic bakery style cookie, buy a few, good chew.
Cafe Calabria (1745 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Cash only. Very sweet and melty, buy a couple, they are crushable.
Bench Bakehouse (1641 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Underrated spot in the neighborhood. Very salty, great chew, two types of chocolate.
Dolce Amore Gelato (1588 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Unfortunately, they had a fire late in the summer and are currently closed. For a place that pumps out so much gelato, they also house a very good cookie and I hope they return soon.
Livia (1399 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Freshly baked in the morning, melty chocolate, good amount of salt, very dippable.
Soccavo (1321 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Flaky and crumbly cookie. Well balanced in multiple ways, goes well with their strong espresso.
Bump N Grind (916 Commercial Dr.)
Notes: Thick dough ball. Two types of chocolate, perfectly undercooked.
Analysis
Like I mentioned in the introduction, in my opinion, all CCC’s have a time and a place, and I rarely say no to one (I’d even eat a Chips AHoy from time to time…). That being said, there are definitely a few stand out cookies I thought I would mention as my analysis.
All of these cookies have something, extra, or special, whether it be in the balance of their flavors, cooking method, or simply the quality of the ingredients.
JJ Bean: Has always been my go to cookie on the drive, the amount of chocolate, and saltiness of the cookie are so irresistible. It’s a good size and holds up well in the bag as you walk down the street for a snack. Must try!
Bench: Very well made cookie, on the smaller end, but the flavors cannot be beat, they also have a tonne of other amazing offerings, hidden in the Mercato building, check them out.
Flourist: Not your traditional cookie dough, the flour they use gives it a much “nuttier” flavor. Very salty and very delicious.
Livia: Again, another one I frequent often, very similar to JJ Bean, but has its own unique characteristics in terms of the quality of chocolate and the perfect baking method.
Conclusion
I strongly encourage you to head out to the neighborhood and try out some cookies for yourself. Buy a dozen and bring them to your next house party. Support the local cafes and bakeries that make this neighborhood so vibrant!
Thanks for reading! This article was super fun to write and has inspired me to maybe do a pizza one eventually as well…
Do we need a Semi-Scientific Pizza study? Who should I include?
Do you have a favorite cookie in the city? Where is it? Why!? I need to know.
From one chocolate chip cookie scientific method enjoyer to another, this is seriously one of my favourite Substack articles ever. I loved the MikeDi graphics, appreciate the website/Google Maps links, and of course the assistant shoutout.
If you ever want more cookie science maybe you've read: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-best-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe but it seems you have it down to a T.
Admittedly I think the best cookies are the ones you get to break in half and share with a buddy, and would love a pizza study.
Absolutely love the analysis, what a treat of a lunch-time read. The flourist cookies are a personal favorite, but I'm definitely biased towards salty CCCs.