New York Cupcakes, Bellevue

If you do a double take upon reading the name on the door of New York Cupcakes, you're not alone. Many of the shop's customers wonder why this quaint cupcake shop finding a home in the pacific northwest is named after a city on the other side of the country. The answer is simple: that's what the shop was called when current owner Lisa Waxman Johnson first fell in love with it and decided to buy it. Lisa says the former owner meant the name to be an homage to the birthplace of the modern cupcake trend.

Lisa's cupcakes may not be made in New York, but their modern flavor combinations and chic decorations would make the fashion-forward Big Apple proud. The cupcake roster includes no fewer than 60 tempting options, with favorites that include Cookie Dough Delight, Royal Red Velvet, and Oh My Blueberry Pie. Several flavors draw inspiration from New York landmarks and icons, such as the New York Black & White, a half-chocolate, half-vanilla cupcake inspired by the city's beloved black and white cookies, or the Coney Island Coconut, a nod to the palm trees that line Brooklyn's beaches. The mouth-watering confections have earned numerous accolades by those impressed by their style and substance—each batch is made fresh daily using local eggs and butter.