Sugar Bakeshop

The urbane air about this little bakery, located in house that for many years was a greengrocer, might have something to do with the fact that the proprietors originally came from New York. But Charleston itself is sophisticated and arguably less parochial than the city that sees itself as the center of the world. The capital of the Lowcountry is diverse and hospitable; and the food it serves has character as distinct as only a handful of America’s culinary meccas, including Santa Fe, New Orleans, and Tucson.

Cupcakes, for example, are universal; and none on the menu at Sugar is uniquely southern. However, the refined elegance of Wednesday’s caramel cupcakes – so fluffy, so, dare we say it, feminine – reveals Dixie charm you will find nowhere else. Likewise, red velvet cupcakes, frosted to order, are fine and creamy more than powerful; ginger molasses cookies are a little bit crisp around the edge but yield graciously in the center; fruity Lady Baltimore cupcakes, topped with classic seven-minute frosting, are a lightweight wonder.

There is no table service or dining facilities at Sugar, but locally roasted coffee is brewed and available by the cup.