Last Memorial Day Weekend, my family and I went to DC for the long weekend, and while my parents and sister were on a museum tour, my other sister and I broke away and set out on our own just-as-important dessert tour. The picturesque, touristy neighborhood of Georgetown was a quick walk away from our hotel, so off we went in search of sweets. I had already planned a mental route in my head based on research from DC food Instagrams and blogs, but that isn’t necessary because Georgetown is small and packed with places to get a sugar fix.
Baked and Wired
Basically every guide and blog post about Georgetown and DC food in general mentioned this popular bakery. Tucked on a block off the main street of M Street NW, Baked and Wired is known for their cupcakes and for other confections, such as the coveted s’mores bar that were unfortunately sold out by the time we got there around 3pm. We had to wait outside in drizzling rain for about fifteen minutes, but we were on a mission.
We tried four different cupcakes: German chocolate, with gooey coconut-caramel frosting; carrot cake and red velvet, both with cream cheese frosting, and the gluten-free lemon raspberry. All of the cupcakes, including the GF one, were superb with light crumbs and generous swirls of icing that were decadent but not tooth-achingly sweet. Georgetown has its eponymous cupcake spot, which I’ve tried before and found mediocre, as well as a Sprinkles outpost, but Baked & Wired is the cupcake spot you should be visiting.
District Doughnut
This doughnut shop is hidden in an artisanal market down an alley off the main street. While it took a little Google Maps searching, it was well worth the find. The Nutella s’mores donut was incredible; the torched marshmallow meringue and Nutella filling made this doughnut our favorite treat of the day. My sister’s doughnut was dipped in a berry glaze and drizzled with vanilla icing. It was lighter and one of the more understated options. If we had had more stomach space, we definitely would have tried the creme brûlée and the lemon poppy seed old-fashioned.
The shop itself was very cute and well-designed, with teal signs and counters in a white brick lined space. Trays of fresh donuts lined the glassed-in counter, with certain flavors, such as creme brûlée, torched to order. The flavors change seasonally, so we would love to come back and try some fall-inspired doughnuts.
Olivia Macaron
My sister hasn’t fulfilled her dream of visiting Paris yet, but in the meantime, we like to visit bakeries that specialize in French pastries. This macaron shop was definitely the most upscale of the four spots we visited, with a beautiful macaron pyramid in the window and rows of brightly colored macarons in the display cases.
We chose the pistachio and the rose flavors out of the dozen or so options. Both flavors were very pure and not too sweet, and the meringue was balanced between chewy and crumbly. Like all macarons, these were pricy at $2.20 each. Since we felt the employees weren’t as helpful with us as they were with the rest of the mostly older clientele, and the macarons weren’t the best we’ve ever had, we wouldn’t return. However, this is a decent spot if you love macarons or want a lighter dessert.
Thomas Sweet
Judging by the small mob crowded around Thomas Sweet, this is a popular ice cream spot. Undeterred by the long line snaking out of the small shop, we soon had variations of chocolate ice cream and ate in their outdoor seating area. There was a huge selection of ice cream flavors handwritten on a chalkboard menu, as well as various toppings and fancy waffle cones. The ice cream was a little pricy, but not unreasonably so given it’s all homemade and the scoops were extremely generous. Homemade fudge, chocolate, and ice cream cakes were also for sale.
Conclusion:
After a full day of giving ourselves cavities, my sister and I decided that our favorite places we had visited had been Baked and Wired for their delicious cupcakes and District Doughnut for their whimsical, well-executed doughnut flavors. Next time we go to DC, I will be dragging her to Baked and Wired early so we can get our hands on the amazing s’mores bar.