The Place: Baked & Wired
Where: Thomas Jefferson and M Streets NW
Why Live Near Here: Maybe it’s because I’m going into hibernation mode as it gets colder outside, but this is the second food-related Place I’ve featured this week and sorry I’m not sorry. Personally, I’m not sure I’d ever live in Georgetown because it’s not my speed, but you know what? I’d let that go because I’d kill to live next to or close to Baked & Wired: this place is the tits.
If you had said, “Alison, try the vegan oreo cupcake – you’ll love it!” a few years ago, the child of the best baker in the U.S. and a total addict of all things sugar + butter, I would have probably laughed at you. But DAMN IF THAT CUPCAKE IS NOT ABSOLUTE INSANITY!
My opinion aside, Baked & Wired is consistently voted Best Bakery in DC in Washingtonian magazine, and unless you’re one of those freaks who don’t like sweets, duh, of course you want to live near it. This area in general is where you live if you want tons and tons of restaurants and retail, proximity to Virginia and the Potomac River, and is tucked away without the threat of a Metro “ruining” your neighborhood.
Things to Know: This unpretentious, creative, and funky shop is just as popular in person as it is on the interwebs: Google Baked & Wired and look for News results and you will be swimming in articles for hours.
Husband and wife team, Tony and Teresa Velazquez, opened Baked & Wired on a quintessential cute Georgetown block in 2001. The couple previously had a graphic design shop in the neighborhood and studied the coffee craze as it hit DC in the mid to late 90s before opening the split baked goods/coffee shop. It seems the family pays serious attention to detail always. According to Tony, “It took us a year to come up with a gluten-free cupcake. We wanted the perfect recipe, ” and apparently their iced coffee took months to develop as they examined all factors in making the best cold brew, from grind choice to bean steeping time.
They have customized a special espresso machine for the shop and have names it “the Slayer”. They have cupcakes called Elvis Impersonator AKA The Unporked Elvis, Phat Mint Oreo, Uniporn & Rainho, Chocolate Cupcake of Doom, and Pretty Bitchin’. Say no more – I’m sold on everything about this place.
In October, The Washington Post conducted a blind taste test of DC cupcakes and their winner (and winner of its previous 2008 tasting) turned out to be Georgetown Cupcakes but sorry, I’m team Baked & Wired, and again, as the child of the best baker in the U.S., nay, THE WORLD, I feel like my opinion holds more weight.
FYI, their best selling cupcake? Strawberry. (Also amazing – go get one.)
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