Hello all! After taking a small break from Aditi Eats to do *post-grad* stuff, I am back and ready to eat my way through D.C.! I’m so excited to be exploring all of the great old and new spots in this city. To start off, let’s revisit a newish favorite coffee shop, A Baked Joint.

A Baked Joint is a sister restaurant to the famous D.C. cupcake shop, Baked and Wired. While Baked and Wired focuses solely on cupcakes and other sweets in its Georgetown location, Baked Joint expands into the savory but still focusing on their baking through breads. Located just north of Chinatown, the Joint has a huge space (that is almost always crowded) with a variety of seating, but its a little loud to be getting work done on the weekends.

Their menu covers coffee and other typical brunch dishes like oatmeal and granola, biscuit sandwiches, and a variety of toasts. They also have some pastries, lunch sandwiches, and salads – they even do fresh-baked pizza on select nights.

Both times I have eaten here, I have ordered the exact same thing (which is pretty unlikely for me). It’s really because i have not seen better versions of these dishes anywhere else in D.C. First, is the cinnamon roll. While its a little pricey (especially compared to my all time favorite, Culprit Cafe in Omaha) its fantastic. Soft and filled with butter and cinnamon, smeared with the right amount of hint-of-vanilla frosting, its really perfect. They’re $5.5 but they’re totally worth it.

My other favorite that Baked Joint does is their labneh toast. Labneh is a strained Middle Eastern yogurt that is traditionally drizzled with za’atar spice and served with pita. It is tangy like greek yogurt but creamy like cheese – so good! They start with quinoa turmeric bread topped with labneh, za’atar, olive oil, lemon zest, and sea salt. The cool yogurt with the warm toast is such a good contrast, honestly fantastic. The only thing that’d make it better is a few slices of cucumber, but it is great regardless.

Both times i’ve been here my friends have had other entrees like the biscuit sammie or the lox. They’ve both been good, just a little small for the price. I would suggest going with multiple bakery items to get the most food for your money!

Baked Joint is an efficient, well-oiled machine. There is always a long line, but it moves fast, and the staff can always refill your coffee cup. Despite the space, its not a super productive place to work (at least on the weekends) but its a great alternative to a mediocre overpriced brunch (i’m over it!). If you’re looking for a quick fixe before you walk south to the museums, this is a great not-touristy spot that is close enough to downtown.

The Bottom Line

Some of the best quality baking in the city. yum!

Cone Rating: 4.5 

Location: Chinatown/Mt. Vernon, Washington, D.C.

Price: $$ (Above $10 for a filling meal, but you can get away with less)

On the Internet: A Baked Joint website, Yelp page