News

A Baked Joint Becomes “Betty AM”

Thursday August 21, 2025

For the last 10 years, A Baked Joint has served as a major hub to our Mount Vernon Triangle community by welcoming residents in need of their morning caffeine, intrepid remote workers from across the city looking for a place to set up for the day, and countless visitors in search of their renowned freshly made breads and baked goods. The space was more than a coffee shop: it became one of those intangible “third places” where friends could meet up for a glass of wine and pizza after a long workweek, families could share a delectable cinnamon roll on the weekends, and yes, you could even sometimes see a pug on a skateboard indulging in a baguette outside. The lines could get long – especially on the weekends – but when you finally reached the front, you were always greeted with a warm welcoming smile from one of their many indelibly cool staff members. The owners of A Baked Joint shared earlier this week that after 10 years at 430 K Street NW, they would be permanently shutting its doors and combining operations with next door’s sister restaurant la Betty. While this news may feel jarring to the many who have come to know and love A Baked Joint during the last decade, the owners are excited for this next chapter. We sat down with COO & Owner Tessa Velazquez to learn more about the transition and ask a few additional questions of our own. Click the link below to read on for a letter from the Velazquez family and our Q&A with Tessa.

Dear Mount Vernon Triangle,
Starting September 10, your favorite from-scratch recipes will live on at la Betty, a reimagined version of A Baked Joint featuring the cozy classics you love…but with a little of Betty’s edge. In the evenings, we shift into your neighborhood natural wine bar and listening room. One roof, and two of Betty’s personalities next door at 420 K St NW.
You may be asking… why move?
The answer is simple: we’re ready for a new chapter.
We’re a family of dreamers, and for the past 25 years we’ve been reimagining how to bring fun, thoughtful food concepts to our beloved D.C. When we opened A Baked Joint ten years ago, plenty of people scratched their heads and asked us, “Why not just open another Baked & Wired?” “Sourdough? Shouldn’t you stick to cupcakes?”
But we’ve never been afraid of change. For us, change means creativity, opportunity, and a chance to surprise you with something new.
This move is about carrying the magic of the last decade of ABJ right next door — and giving it fresh life as part of la Betty.
We can’t wait for you to see (and taste) what we’re cooking up. We hope you’ll come say hi over a coffee and a biscuit on September 10. Until then, we’re going to soak up the good vibes at 430 K until September 1, which has given us so many amazing memories.
xoxo,
Get baked forever
-The Velazquez Family, A Baked Joint Owners

Q&A with Tessa Velazquez:

MVT CID: Do you plan to keep the same hours as A Baked Joint has now?

Tessa: We are switching up our hours a little bit. La Betty AM will be open Wednesday-Sunday from 7:30am-2pm for breakfast and lunch service. La Betty PM will maintain the current la Betty evening hours : Wednesday/Thursday 5pm-11pm and Friday/Saturday 5pm-12am.

MVT CID: Can you tease any new menu items that people have to look forward to?

Tessa: We are so excited to share that we will be offering a range of completely from-scratch, yeast-raised brioche donuts! Think rings, filled, and classic nostalgic flavors but also some fun rotating flavors as well. We’re donut freaks, and have been in the lab testing for months. We can’t wait for you to finally try them 🙂

MVT CID: With moving into the la Betty space, does this mean we will be saying goodbye to pizza nights with free movies and jazz? (And can we expect pizza and vinyl nights now instead?)

Tessa: Community programming has been at the essence of A Baked Joint, and we are excited to continue offering fun and interesting cultural experiences at la Betty. Currently at la Betty, we feature live vinyl DJs every Friday and Saturday. In the Fall, we will also start offering wine education with DC’s top sommeliers and record listening events with the city’s music historians.  Sadly, we are saying goodbye to Movie Nights, but Jazz will live on and you can expect your favorite bands to play out on our patio during weekend Brunch service.

MVT CID: Over the last 10 years, A Baked Joint has cemented itself as a pillar of the Mount Vernon Triangle community. As it moves into its next phase inside la Betty, how do you see its role in the neighborhood evolving?

Tessa: When we opened A Baked Joint, we hoped  it would be a neighborhood community hub – and to see it come true really is a dream come true. Which is why it is so important to us to maintain that deep connection even as we move next door. La Betty is designed to actually foster even more connecting moments. It’s warm, cozy, thoughtful, and perfect for making memories over food and drink.
Alls to say, we’ll still be your pillar of community, it will just have a new shade of lipstick on ; )

MVT CID: And what are you hoping your customers will get out of the new space?

Tessa: We’re hoping our customers will feel the deep intimacy of the space. Every single detail has been thoughtfully attended to so you feel welcome, safe, inspired, and connected – from the custom mahogany ceilings, to the cozy yet edgy menu, to the friendly staff, and to the music selections with just the right amount of bop. We built this space from the ground up as if it were our home, so that it could be *your*  home away from home.

MVT CID: Finally, will A Baked Joint gift cards still be accepted at the la Betty location (definitely not just asking for personal reasons )

Tessa: Yes! We will be transitioning all ABJ gift cards to be usable at la Betty. We’ll also
continue to accept MVT Bucks and remain a participant in the MVT Rewards program.

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