Nobody would mistake 64th & San Pablo in the Golden Gate neighborhood of Oakland for 51st and Telegraph in Temescal, but there's no question that in the past 18 months, things have truly improved.

First the Actual Cafe moved in, followed by a knitting store called a verb for keeping warm (get it?), and now Eurydice Manning has opened James & the Giant Cupcake - a whimsically decorated cupcake store right on the same block.



"We don't know what the rhythm is going to be yet," says owner Eurydice Manning, "but we sold out of 500 cupcakes on the first day (Monday, July 11). It was so busy that afternoon that we ran out of food and had to lock our doors."

James & the Giant Cupcake was a popular pop-up food shop before the San Pablo store opened; in the first week of operation, Manning says that many of her established customers have been dropping by. 

"We've got a kitchen back here and I've been baking like crazy," she says. "And we don't even know what's going to happen on the weekend - we haven't had one yet."

How did Manning come to open the shop? Finding the location definitely played a role. Not only did Manning - who lives near Lake Merritt - have family in the Golden Gate area, she lucked out with the perfect spot.

"This was a soul food restaurant before," she explains. "So there was a pretty decent kitchen. We had to do work, but not that much."

So what's for sale?

Cupcakes, big and small - chocolate, sea salt caramel, vegan, buttermilk topped with chocolate frosting and rainbow sprinkles - you name it. Everything is made by hand, right there in the small kitchen, and it's yummy.

If you're in North Oakland and you get the urge to eat a cupcake - along with a glass of milk or a coffee - this is the place, so long as you get there early. Manning's sold out almost every day since she opened last week.

The Deets

James & the Giant Cupcake

6326 San Pablo (between 63rd and 64th streets) in Oakland
(510) 735-4353
jamesandthegiantcupcake.com

Twitter: @giantcupcake

Facebook (tell 'em OL sent you): www.facebook.com/pages/James-and-The-Giant-Cupcake/148945988484323