Check Out This Cookie Speakeasy in South Philly

Recently a new Insomnia Cookies location opened up in South Philly near Pat’s and Geno’s, and it holds a secret……

There is a whole other section hidden behind a bookcase!

It’s called the Cookie Lab, and it’s accessible to anyone, but only if you know the secret password. How do I find the secret password, you may ask? Go on Insomnia Cookies’ instagram page, where you will find their Cookie Lab story highlights. Watch that highlight to find their password for the week, and stay updated, because their password changes weekly.

I went on a Friday around 5:30pm, and y’all, there was NO line, at all. I’ve been hearing about how crowded it can get and how some people have waited over an hour just to get inside, so I was prepared to wait. But I was able to walk right in, and was led inside to the speakeasy. I’m not sure which times are when it’s really crowded, but I would recommend going on weekdays during the day time. Because it’s located in such a popular area, parking can be kind of difficult, but this experience is worth the hassle!

If you don’t have time to check out the Cookie Lab, you can buy cookies from the actual store in front, or you can use their pickup window featured on the side, which is open 24 hours on the weekends.

When you walk inside, it looks like a regular cookie store, find the big bookshelf in the left corner, where you will be greeted by a staff member, who will give you a rundown of the Cookie Lab and its history. If you don’t know how to access the password before you get there, don’t worry, they will tell you how to find it on their social media. After that, you will be directed to say the password to the bookshelf, and it will open like a door to lead you to the fun stuff!

You get to walk down a cool hallway decorated with lights and cookie decor, until you reach a room with all of your dessert dreams. There’s a spot where you can design your own cookie, but if you find yourself overwhelmed with all the options like I was, they have their own secret menu cookies that are available to choose from. Cookie designers can choose their own cookie base, mix-ins, and toppings. There are five cookie bases to choose from, which are chunks, sugars, doubles, red velvet, and snickerdoodle. I decided to get the Blueberry Pancake cookie, which is one of their secret menu cookies, and it was SO good! The cookie base was a warm sugar cookie, topped with frosting, blueberries, cinnamon streusel, and drizzled with maple syrup. It was hard not to choose other cookies, but blueberry pancakes have my heart.

Other cookie creations that are featured at the Cookie Lab include Cereal Munchies, which is a cereal bowl cookie base topped with icing and Fruity Pebbles, Galaxy, which is a double chocolate chunk cookie, topped with purple icing, white chocolate chips, and galaxy sprinkles, and PB Pretzel, which is a peanut butter cookie, topped with chocolate cookie butter, crushed up pretzels, and drizzled with peanut butter.

And that’s just the cookie side! There’s a bar set up in the middle of the room where you can create your own milkshake, and if you really have a sweet tooth, feel free to top your delicious drink with a cookie, the best of both worlds, lol. You can invent a crazy shake and give it a name, it’s your own design.

Visit the Cookie Lab and discover your edible creativity!