Levitas Starts New Cookie Shop Downtown While Keeping Yogurt Store On Broadway

Employees at the new Plum Dandy Cookies and Milk shop on Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs, exhibit some of the sweet treats available in the establishment

Barbara Brewer La Mere

Philip Levitas, owner of family businesses
Plum Dandy Frozen Yogurt and Plum Dandy
Cookies & Milk, readily acknowledges his
family as his source of inspiration for his
business.

Levitas plans to open another yogurt shop in Malta later this year.

The look and feel of Plum Dandy Cookies and Milk is more modern than Plum Dandy Yogurt’s more classically Saratoga Broadway location, but is imbued with a constant wafting of the smell of cookies baking.

The milk, sold in pint glass bottles, is from Battenkill Creamery. Three professional bakers have converted Diane Levitas’s recipes into bigger batch equivalents. The ingredients are all-natural, including butter from Kriemkill Dairy’s grass-fed cows, said Levitas. Belgian chocolate is used. The chocolate chips are made with Dead Sea salt.

Kettlebell cookies, featuring Broadway Kettlecorn and English toffee have been a favorite thus far, the owner said. Gooey Louies, with Belgian chocolate, chocolate chips and caramel with a chocolate truffle center, covered with pink Himalayan sea salt have been a big hit as well.

The cookie emporium features Wi-Fi access. Tables and counters offer customers room for iPads along with their cookie plates and milk glasses. There are gluten-free cookies available. Levitas is researching sources of cookies prepared in wheat-free environments for those with extreme gluten sensitivity.

He said holidays will bring options of cookie gifts, platters, and catering. Kid parties are options at all locations. There may be cookie delivery service in the future. Levitas said he loves having a small business in Saratoga where he appreciates the supportive community. He enjoys providing people with fun places to congregate. In turn, he uses local products like Broadway Kettle Corn and apples from Saratoga Apples in his shops.

The frozen yogurts that Plum Dandy sells in the Broadway location (and soonto- open locations at Ellsworth Commons in Malta and in Troy) are available in both tart and sweeter varieties. Plum Dandy Frozen Yogurt shops provide customers with opportunities to make their own frozen yogurt sundaes with a variety of toppings including fresh fruit, nut, and granola options.

There are seasonal variations in the variety of yogurt flavors offered, including current offerings of pumpkin, cinnamon roll, and snickerdoodle. The holiday season will bring a peppermint-flavored option. Some interior design updates will be implemented at the Broadway location in January.

The website address for Plum Dandy Cookies & Milk is plumdandycookiesandmilk.com. The phone number is 583-7588. Plum Dandy Frozen Yogurt can be found online at plumdandyyogurt.com. The phone number is 871-1525.