Sweet Lowdown

A neat, petite treat that takes the cake

shining gem that shares a dark block with a pizza joint and a bar, the tiny, tidy boutique Sweet has gleaming display cases and a flat-screen TV that make it look as if it specializes in high-end fashion or pricey electronics. But this shop sells only one thing: cupcakes, some of the best you’ve ever tasted, huge (there are also miniature versions), fresh, and packaged in adorable brown boxes. The traditional chocolate or vanilla renditions are only the beginning: try “organic karat,” red-velvet, cappuccino, or Boston cream pie. Owner Courtney Forrester and pastry chef Jennifer Warshaw keep coming up with new specialty and seasonal cupcakes, so there’s always a new variety to try: the “red, white, and you” berry-filled for the Fourth of July, caramel apple (served on a stick) in the fall, or s’mores on chilly nights. Stefano

Shhhh! The cupcakes are baked fresh every morning
with no trans fats or stabilizers, so eat them fast.

Shhhh! Customers can vote for
their favorite cupcakes.

Shhh who knew

One of America’s biggest cupcake factories was the Hostess plant in Natick, which turned out 1,000 cupcakes a minute. Closed in 1999, it's now the site of the Natick Mall.