I have a couple of traditions when I travel: collect matchbooks at restaurants I eat at, buy a book off my “classics to collect” book list from a vintage bookstore, and bring home some foodvenirs, or food souvenirs. On our last day of our Charleston adventure, I told my sister we needed to stop at Sugar Bakeshop for some foodvenirs. If you’re like my sister, you’re probably not familiar with the word foodvenirs because I made it up. What better way to cure the vacation hangover than some lingering treats from a far-off place? That’s why I saved Sugar Bakeshop for last.
The last time I was in Charleston, we were only there for 10 hours and didn’t have time to squeeze this cute little sugar stop into our visit, so this time I had made sure to include Sugar Bakeshop on my sister’s and my itinerary. We had already filled up on lunch at Raw 167, but I assured her that we were only had to pop in to buy some cupcakes to-go. As I’ve said, I love foodvenirs and being able to share those experiences with my friends and family back home by way of delicious treats makes me an incredibly happy traveler. Like when I came back from Positano, I brought home some lemon candies to doll out to guests and family alike so it was like they were there as well when I recounted the stories.
This little place is not to be overlooked. Tucked away at 59 ½ Cannon Street in the Cannonborough neighborhood, it isn’t exactly an outstanding building compared to the colorful beauties that line the touristy parts of King. If you weren’t positive what you were looking for, you may overlook the simple façade with ivy draping over the hand-painted sign, and walk right by if it weren’t for the smell of sweets being stirred up from inside.
When you enter through the door it’s as if you are walking into Olivander’s wand shop, but instead of boxes of wands protruding from the cabinets, it’s empty cake boxes waiting for a swish of fancy and a flick of your hand to fill it up with treats curated especially for you.
The flavors are unlike anything you would typically find at a bakeshop. I am particularly fond of fruit flavored cupcakes so I gravitated towards the grapefruit, lemon, strawberry and berry varieties whereas my sister went for the traditional “fun” flavors like birthday, chocolate, and vanilla. We were both equally satisfied with our selections and left the store tenderly balancing our cupcake boxes in our hands, carefully setting them in the backseat of our car before heading back home to Atlanta.
I tried my hardest to attempt to save these cupcakes for when I returned home that night, however at a rest stop on our way through South Carolina, one of the strawberry flavors somehow found its way missing from my box with only a trail of crumbs lingering to signify its departure from this world. And a lovely departure it had. Sugar Bakeshop was the perfect end stop to our time in Charleston and made for the most delicious foodvenir.
