Bakeshop & Café • Custom Pastries • Corporate Catering Tucked into a corner of Cambridge street that used to house the Paris Creperie, you will now find the Spotted Apron, a neighborhood bakery and coffee shop. Painted in yellow and opened from 6:30 am-10pm every day but Sunday, the Spotted Apron invites you to get a sweet treat or just a cup of joe and read, relax, and enjoy this new Beacon Hill addition.

The recently opened full-service dining area boasts a warm, cavernous appeal (including a working fireplace, a boulder-like wall that serves as a tactile homage to the elements and an upscale ambiance downstairs with windows peeking out to a rock garden that actually feels like you're dining in a cave) and a stylish, but cramped, space upstairs. The moderately-priced menu boasts a few comfort-food staples like their winning parmesan-garlic fries with chipotle aioli. The fries have a tasty, crunchy coating and score points with its creative cone-style presentation. The South End Buttery's menu has several stellar pasta dishes including its penne with pumpkin seed pesto and serves up some killer braised beef short ribs with parsnip puree that literally melt in your mouth. The vibe is cozy. Perfect for a first date or an intimate gathering of friends. As far as the upstairs cafe area, it's delicious, but small. Kind to children, but no high chairs for this South End local hangout. There is a cafe that serves everything from coffee to cupcakes, quiches to tuna melts.

A cupcake cafe with a wide variety of tastes for any palate. Orders can be customized and delivered, or there are pre selected batches that you can pick up in a hurry. All ingredients are made from scratch and prepared fresh daily. Cupcake flavors offered are: sweetcake, carrot, Boston cream pie, dark chocolate, red velvet, cappuccino, and vegan cupcakes on Mondays. Their are also additional flavor offerings seasonally and for certain holidays. For $1 a piece, a lucky canine can get a "pupcake," a combination of oatmeal and applesauce.

The Appleton Cafe rarely disappoints. Whether for breakfast, lunch, or a quick cup of coffee on the go. Highlights include Wednesday's Hamburgers and the mostly-daily cupcakes. This down-to-earth gourmet sandwich shop in the South End offers up super-fresh soups and delicious prepared foods. Their sandwiches ($7-8) are inventive, like the Empire, which is stuffed with roast beef, caramelized onions, chevre cheese, and roasted red peppers, and are offered on a variety of breads or wraps. If you are not in mood for lunch, try their fabulous muffins. They were named Best of Boston in 2003. Appleton has a strong neighborhood pull and is a South End staple. Far different than the chains and trendy eateries of Copley Square, this place is worth the trip after a long, hard day of shopping. Also, be sure to check out all the other goodies that the Appleton Bakery has lining it's shelves. Gifts and treats, as well as basic grocery items can be found at the bakery. So, whether you need to do some christmas shopping, or need a quart of milk, make sure to stop by. Currently the Bakery has a convoluted but useful special for regular lunchers - buy a sandwich on Thursday or Friday, bring in your receipt Monday or Tuesday and get a sandwich for 1/2 price.

Located smack dab in the heart of the North End on Hanover Street, Modern Pastry is a legendary staple of the notorious Italian District. Here you will find an eye-full of sugary sweetness from chocolate-covered almond biscotti to overflowing ricotta cannolis, gelato, and cappuccino. This family operated business is full of the diverse citizens of Boston on given day, which means, be prepared to wait in line. Modern fulfills specialty orders and ships nation-wide.

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Lulu's Bake Shoppe is named after the nickname owner Sandy Russo had for her daughter. Russo decided to open Lulu's Bake Shoppe to return to her roots and bake the way she and her sisters learned from their mother. Lulu's has many delectable treats such as cakes, fruit tarts, cookies & Italian pastries. Their signature items though are their numerous varieties of cupcakes that have customers flocking to them. Some of the cupcakes they make include Boston cream, s'mores, carrot cake, red velvet, black forest, etc. Lulu's will even make wedding cakes with their cupcakes. If you are looking for an alternative to cannolis or gelato, a trip to Lulu's is a must.