Since its opening in the early 2000s, Red Hill Cake and Pastry has remained a popular lunchtime destination for Archie Williams students, attracting customers particularly for their delicious smoothies, as well as their tasty, homemade chocolate chip cookies. Priced at two dollars, the considerably thick cookie is both affordable and filling, making it a staple grab-and-go snack.

The Red Hill cookie is distinctly different from a typical chocolate chip cookie due to its fluffy texture, which resembles a cake when bitten into. The actual cookie is very sweet in itself; however, its saltiness balances out the initial sweetness, making it less overpowering. There are significantly fewer chocolate chips in this cookie compared to other local options, which helps give it a fresh, spongy texture. The Red Hill Bakery chocolate chip cookie earns a three out of five feathers.

Comforts has become a San Anselmo staple due to its daily fresh meals and lively environment at lunchtime. Their chocolate chip cookie is thick in appearance, but it has a crunchier texture, thanks to its crispy edges and layers of chocolate inside. 

This cookie, due to its chocolate-heavy taste, fills you up in a matter of bites. However, despite the overpowering chocolate filling, the cookie itself has a hint of pumpkin flavor, giving it a warm, seasonal taste. While the salt and pumpkin base balance out the richness of the chocolate, it remains intensely filling nonetheless. Dominated by an overpowering chocolate flavor, Comforts’ cookie deserves 3.5 out of five feathers.

Good Earth, located in Fairfax, is well-known as a nutritious local grocery store with a gem: its chocolate chip cookie. Their cookie contains a large amount of semi-sweet chocolate to incorporate a more bitter flavor, which its bakers balance out with a delicious sea salt sprinkle. The strong chocolate flavor can be overpowering, making a few bites enough to satisfy any sweet cravings. 

The cookies at Good Earth are baked fresh every day, and fly off the shelves, as they are a local favorite. The cookie is reasonably priced for its large size, costing 2.49 dollars. With a slightly overpowering flavor, Good Earth’s chocolate chip cookies earn four out of five feathers. 

Barton’s Bagels, located in downtown San Anselmo, has been a town favorite since its opening in the early 1990s. While it specializes in bagels, Barton’s also offers a delicious home-cooked-style chocolate chip cookie that has become a staple amongst locals. The treat adds to the shop’s charm, made with the same care as their sought-after bagels.

The cookie itself is made with a small amount of chocolate chips, allowing for a less overpowering bite, with a flavor profile more focused on the cookie itself. Moreover, the cookie’s base has a hint of vanilla flavoring, complementing the cookie more subtly. The cookie costs 2.25 dollars and earns a rating of 4.5 out of five feathers.