When Rose Ave Bakery opened on March 11, 2020, its future was unclear. As the world went under lockdown, Founder and Head Chef Rosie Nguyen struggled to keep the shop afloat. At the time, the bakery was a part of Block Foodhall, which had recently opened its third location on Vermont Avenue. A month into the lockdown, Nguyen decided that she would begin serving a smaller, reduced menu, from which customers could order online and pick up in-person. Nguyen handled all of the baking by herself.
As the most dangerous portion of the pandemic drew to an end, Nguyen was able to resume her planned operations. Her business was a great success during the pandemic, with many pastries often selling out, and her success continued afterward.
In January 2023, Rose Ave announced that it was closing its location on Vermont Avenue and moving to a new 2,000-square-foot location in the Woodley Park neighborhood. “Our new space in Woodley Park is going to be the home I’ve always dreamed of for my staff,” Nguyen told DCist.
A daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen moved to Washington in 2010 to work as a nurse. However, Nguyen found herself drawn to the culinary industry, even with a lack of formal education in the subject. Her early work included creating a food blog and filming videos, and she later pursued her interest by working at multiple restaurants around Washington and the country.
At their location today, Rose Ave offers a variety of food, including pastries, cookies and cakes. One of their most popular menu items are their donuts, which come in flavors such as passionfruit, black sesame, ube and coconut. Their trademark fluffiness can be attributed to the soft brioche with which they are made. Like the donuts, most of the pastries offered at Rose Ave are inspired by flavors found in Asian cuisine. The menu also features savory goods, such as a squash tart, a garlic scallion bun and several different sandwiches. Drinks include traditional coffees, such as cappuccinos and espressos, as well as unique offerings such as ube coffee and passion fruit iced tea. The bakery also offers house-baked cakes, which must be pre-ordered in advance.
Since opening, Rose Ave has become a hit; its own fan base is informally nicknamed the “Rosebuds.” The bakery’s Instagram account, which posts at least once a week, has 36,000 followers, and they continue to regularly sell out of popular items upon restocking them.
Many customers are happy with the new addition in the Woodley Park neighborhood. “Rose Ave is a relatively new addition that is becoming central to the neighborhood and a destination for others,” one customer said on Google Reviews. Another added that the bakery has “very friendly staff” and “great music taste.” All of Rose Ave’s aspects create what visitors call a “cozy and upbeat atmosphere,” with the bakery’s reviews sitting at a 4.7/5 stars on Google.
With its unique pastries and diverse offerings, Rose Ave Bakery serves a style that fans love. The shop is open from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. from Saturday to Sunday.
