The return of the DC Coffee Express - Baked and Wired

Day two of the DC coffee express sent me down to the Georgetown waterfront. I have read about Baked and Wired in a number of online coffee reviews. It is very highly rated which immediately makes me skeptical. Baked and Wired is just as well known for its bakery as its coffee, so there is a definite food aspect to take into account. Georgetown is one of those places in DC that has a reputation for upscale. The shopping, food, and drinking are all generally geared towards the upper crust, with that college age flair for the Georgetown prepsters being schooled nearby. Baked and Wired seems to appeal to both of those market sets. It definitely had a different feel to it than any other coffee house I have visited to date.

Ambiance

Baked and Wired features a very upbeat atmosphere. When I arrived it was very crowded. By far the most crowded coffee house I have visited. My bet is that the nice day, plus being near the waterfront means more tourists than some of the more neighborhood oriented coffee houses. When you walk in you get a distinct separation of state. The bakery is located on the left with all of the in house goodies that one could possible want to try displayed in glass jars and cake plates. Just the sight of these combined with the smell made me hungry.

The coffee bar is located on the right hand side and the set up makes for a pretty efficient process to get people what they want. If you just want coffee you head right. Want baked goods go left. No mixing of the two. I like it when the space of a retail place is used efficiently.

All of the space in Baked and wired is utilized efficiently for storage, display of product, or for atmosphere. The space is not very big, but even when crowded it seemed to have enough space for the customers to get their coffee or food and move along. There was open WiFi available, but initially it was not usable. Later in the morning I was able to get connected and it was fine. Not sure what the issue was when I first tried to connect.

The seating area is well set up with some lounge chairs and bench seating options. It is a little cramped, so noise levels are higher than most of the other coffee houses I have visited. As a result, the music was a little loud for my liking. However, the choice of music was excellent. It had a nice mix of upbeat and chill. There was some hip hop mixed in with some electronic style. There is limited outside seating available, but it was taken while I was there. The art work was eclectic featuring some funny wall plaques and a wall of napkin art! You can apparently draw some art on a napkin and Baked and Wired will post it up on their wall for all to admire. It is interesting and unique. Baked and Wired definitely has its own feel and is an overall pleasant coffee house experience.

Ambiance rating: 5

Coffee

The main reason that I go to coffee houses is for the coffee. However, occasionally you find a place that does something better. Baked and Wired seems to have the baked part of their namesake down in spades. However, I remained interested to taste the coffee.  When visiting any coffee house, one thing I am looking for is something unique to try or at least take note of. Most of the coffee menu at Baked and Wired is pretty standard, but they did have something called a black eye. I had not previously seen this drink anywhere else so I had to try it out. Basically it is an red eye on roids. Instead of one espresso shot, it features two (or three) poured into a cup of their drip coffee. It has a bold flavor profile. The color is dark and aftershock intense. I loved it! It is a lot of caffeine and may not appeal to the milder coffee drinking folks or those with heart issues. The cost of the beverage was $3.60 so not terribly expensive. I unfortunately did not get to try a second offering as I was highly caffeinated and did not want to push my luck as the next stop would have been orbit. I will have to come back and try some other selections to round out my tasting thoughts.

Coffee Rating: 4

Food

If you are seeking out some really good eats while you enjoy your cup of joe, then Baked and Wired is going to be a good choice. While the food offerings are limited to pastries, bread, and assorted sweets what they have is diverse and delicious. From muffins to tarts, sweet bread to cup cakes. Just the smell alone is worth it. I tried the pumpkin ginger bread. It was amazing. You just don't find pumpkin offerings in the summer. I love pumpkin anything, so this was a real treat for me. I would definitely recommend trying something even if you are not hungry or on a low carb diet. Some things are worth it.

Food Rating: 5

So whats the verdict? Baked and Wired is a good spot for the coffee house experience. The set up of the space is really well done for being so small. I enjoyed sitting inside while enjoying my hot beverage. The coffee was good and unique as far as my experience goes. The black eye is not for the weak hearted, but I enjoyed it. If what you seek is a good bakery to satisfy that sugar rush, then Baked and Wired will get you what you want. Plus the location is really nice. The Waterfront of Georgetown is a short walk away and on a nice day is really worth the walk. Get you a coffee and enjoy the outside. There is definitely something unique about this DC coffee house that makes it well worth the frustration of trying to find parking in Georgetown.

Overall Rating: 4.5