Upper West Side Braces for Magnolia-zation

Easy, sugar fiends - the new Magnolia Bakery outpost on the Upper West Side (Columbus at 69th Street) isn't quite opening at 11AM as Eater reported yesterday. We walked by around 9:30AM and the sign said that they anticipated a noon opening.

Magnolia had always been a popular West Village stop for more super-sugary and homey desserts when a seemingly sudden cupcake craze hit the city. Next thing we knew, there were analyses of the city's cupcakes and new cupcake stores (and rivalries). Magnolia broke through into popular culture with appearances in Sex & the City (video) and the Saturday Night Live digital short Lazy Sunday, but then a sugar-n-hype backlash - especially from the bakery's Bleecker Street neighbors who were tired of Sex and the City fans' pilgrimages - started to set in.

While some might be dubious about Magnolia's drawing power (there is a Buttercup Bake Shop on West 72nd, a Crumbs on Amsterdam and West 75th and many other bakeries, like our favorite Soutine on West 70th between Columbus and Broadway), we did overhear one family making plans to visit the bakery today and saw people watching the Magnolia UWS staff get ready.

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By Jen Chung in Food on January 19, 2008 11:48 AM

Comments [rss]

VanessaNYC

Um, I don't know. They do get an insane amount of press and crazy line-ups, but their cupcakes are friggin awesome. Moist, creamy. And yes, of course they will give you diabetes and a heart attack.

Barbj8

Not in a million years can they touch the cupcakes from Cupcake Cafe

ungawaa

DANG! I've been Outed!

AND F" YA'll THEy cupcakes is DA BOMB!!!!!

But then again i come from sugasnaps pedigree

I'll push someone for um! LOL

chaevans

Terrible cup cakes. Dry cake, crusty icing.

babyhitler

their cupcakes are truly garbage. the cake is the same everywhere but the frosting is just pure sugar. One cupcake will send your heart racing and two will give you diabetes.

Dave Hogarty

matty, if we were continuing our Comment of the Day feature, you would have probably made the Hall of Fame. "snack attack motherfucker!" indeed. Indeed.

jmsfuentes

i hate their cupcakes. they are dry and way over hyped.

matty

whatchoo talkin''bout Jen Chung!?!?

Also I like to visit everything cliche and/or fabricated by hollywood in new york when i visit - just to piss off my friends.

I ask to go to the "central perk" cafe. And I want to know the exact spot where Mr. Big kisses the blonde chick. When I am there next i will be sure to demand Magnolia's and say "snack attack motherfucker!" over and over in the line.