#3 Hello Cupcake

Hello Cupcake is the first true cupcakery (sells only cupcakes) on the list. Buzz & Something Sweet are both bakeries that have lots of treats on their menu, but Hello Cupcake was one of the first cupcake-only shops to open in the area.


Hello Cupcake has one of the largest menus on my Top 5 list, with 8 permanent flavors plus more than 20 rotating and seasonal varieties. Check out their weekly menu to be sure they have your favorite in-store. In addition to their vanilla-vanilla (one of Hello Cupcake's "Originals" flavors), I love their Lucy & Princess varieties.

Hello is the first cupcake on the list whose frosting holds up to its cake. While similar texture to Buzz & Something Sweet, the cake at Hello has much more flavor, and its frosting outshines both. It's definitely on the sweeter side and piled high-- just the way it should be.

• Size: The cupcakes are a very good size (bigger than Gtown cupake, smaller than Something Sweet)
• Cost: $3.00-- which is about the average price in DC
• Cake: Perfect-- not too moist, not too dry
• Frosting: Just like mom's homemade! Divine.
• Cake to Frosting Ratio: Perfect-- sometimes I squish it down a bit so it covers more of the cupacke and so I can fit it in my mouth.

Hello Cupcake definitely gets extra points for its metro-accessible location. Unlike #5 & #4, Hello is located right across the street from the Dupont metro stop. Unfortunately its hours aren't quite as good as the others on the Top 5, not open on Sundays and closing by 8pm most nights.

I couldn't wait for this shop to open up in 2008, and I remember waiting in line with my colleagues on opening day when they ran out. It wasn't long before Hello became one of my staples, and a special treat whenever I'm in Dupont.

There are rumors that Hello Cupcake is looking to expand into the Arlington area, I have lots of friends who hope this is true!