Be like the Beckhams: eat cupcakes.  Sugar Sweet Sunshine is your best bet for your cupcake fix. Last week, The New York Post broke the news that the latest installment of Zagat rated Sugar Sweet Sunshine as the winner of its new Best Cupcake category.

My sister, who is obsessed with all things cupcakes, has long extolled the virtues of Sugar Sweet Sunshine, and I have to agree it takes the cake. She likes the Sunshine (yellow cake with vanilla buttercream) and I like the Ooey Gooey (Chocolate cake with chocolate almond buttercream) because not only is it yummy in my tummy but it’s also fun to say. Pumpkin (Pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing) seemed to be the crowd pleaser on our most recent indulgence, and we’ve noticed that the Red Velvet and Pistachio are also ordered a lot. Cupcakes are $1.50 each.  We don’t like the coffee, though, which is unfortunate.

Nestled in at 126 Rivington Street (between Essex & Norfolk), the store has a vintagey seventies vibe that is more chic than kitch. It doesn’t have a lot of seats, but there are a smattering of chairs and ottomans. There’s also art by local artists hanging on the wall.

One of the best things about Sugar Sweet Sunshine is that they’re open late. Here are their hours: Monday-Thursday, 8am-10pm, Friday 8am-11pm, Saturday 10am-11pm and Sunday 10am-7pm. Sugar Sweet Sunshine is a delicious alternative to the bar scene that’s so prevalent on the Lower East Side.