Magnolia Bakery

On a Sunday afternoon not long after the opening on the Upper West Side, the "doorman" announced a 30-minute wait on the cupcake line. For any cupcake, that's at least 28 minutes too long, and the other desserts (what I could see of them) had already been picked over. Another time.

Magnolia Bakery
200 Columbus Ave (at 69th St.)
212-724-8101
Also 401 Bleecker St. (at West 11th St.)
212-462-2572
www.magnoliabakery.com