The Coffee Crawl Sipping my way through New York City…one coffee shop at a time.

Last night led me to dinner down in the Lower East Side. It just so happens that I dined a few blocks away from my favorite bakery / coffee shop, Sugar Sweet Sunshine. Located at 126 Rivington (at Essex), this kitschy little gem of a bakery offers much to the eye (and stomach). The shop is nestled inconspicuously between two other retail stores and if you’re not looking, you may walk right by it. A simple chalkboard display outside dictates the bakeries specials and various cupcake flavors, beckoning customers to come inside.

Upon opening the doors to Sugar Sweet Sunshine a waft of delicious and sugary cupcake smells filled my nose. The first thing I noticed, after the aroma, was the decor of the sitting area. Antique bookshelves and comfortable chairs outfitted the customers’ area for enjoying their baked selections. The music played in the background on a very low, relaxing and enjoyable level. Most customers that I observed last night were enjoying a good book or were chatting with a group of friends. I will definitely find myself here in the future with a novel in hand.

The sweets at Sugar Sweet Sunshine are a story unto themselves. They are fabulous. I can say with the utmost confidence that this cupcake is possibly the best that I have tasted in New York City. In a place so overridden with cupcake shops as this one, that’s a mouthful to say! Last night I tasted a bite of the cupcake that my friend ordered, the Sunshine. This is a simple yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting but the taste experience definitely was not simple. Unlike most cupcakes in the City, the frosting was sweet and buttery yet not overpowering. The cake. The cake is what stood out most: moist, buttery, sugary and a right-from-the-oven taste that makes my mouth water just writing this blog. I hope that you take me seriously when I tell you that this cupcake experience cannot be surpassed.

Another claim to fame that Sugar Sweet Sunshine boasts is its trifle. Trifle is an English dessert usually consisting of custard and cake soaked in wine or liqueur, and jam, fruit, or the like. The bakery stocks a vanilla pudding/trifle, and a chocolate chip cookie trifle, which has butterscotch pudding layered with homemade whipped cream and of course, chocolate chip cookies. Their seasonal trifle, the Pumpkin Trifle, is to die for. I had this in the past and almost died. Twice. So rich, decadent, smooth and delicious, this sweet features eggnog pudding layered with homemade pumpkin cake. Yes, I’m being serious. It’s utterly amazing. Go get some.

The beverages at Sugar Sweet Sunshine are typical of any coffee shop. They sell coffee (1 kind of bean), espresso-based drinks, hot cocoa and tea. The standout here is the whole leaf tea selection. There easily were 10 different flavors of tea, all hand bagged and kept in their own little glass containers. Last night I happened to order a small coffee. It was burnt, a very dark roast and had been sitting for awhile. To their credit, it was 8:30 in the evening and probably were not anticipating many more coffee orders. At $1 for a small, if I were in the area again I would stop by for a cupcake and another inexpensive cup of coffee.

Give them a try. Sugar Sweet Sunshine definitely will not let you down. Literally…the best cupcake in the City.