Made with exceptionally buttery crusts, the pies at JaWanda's Sweet Potato Pies in Birmingham are just as comforting as your grandma's. There's the unbeatable original sweet potato pie, but the rich pecan topping pie is a close second. It's a must for any sweet potato fans.
The pie offering at A Pie Stop in Anchorage changes according to season and availability but you can always count on the made-from-scratch pies to be absolutely excellent. The signature cherry pie is the perfect combination of sweet and sour, and is a firm customer favorite. But the shop is also known for its apple, blueberry and banana cream pies. Customers are asked to wear a mask inside or use the drive-thru window to pick up orders and there's no dine-in option at the moment.
This pie-only bakery in Mesa is a top stop for brilliant pies filled with fruits like blueberries, cherries and peaches. The one pie you have to get from Piefection, though, is the country apple. Made with cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg, it's a real standout. It's also available gluten-free if you order 24 hours in advance. The bakery is open for takeout and curbside pick-up.
Known throughout the state, Ms Lena's Pie Shop definitely bakes the best pies in Arkansas. Located in De Valls Bluff, regulars know to check the pie shop flavors on its Facebook page every week. As it's only open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, you'll have to order ahead to make sure you get your hands on its best-selling coconut cream pie.
This exceptional banana cream pie can be found in the James Beard Award-winning Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. The ever-changing menu always features two of its top-selling pies – coconut cream and banana cream. With perfectly flaky crust, oozing pastry cream and a chocolate-lined pastry case, the banana cream pie is unlike anything you've tried before. This particular pie will keep for a few days so indulge in a 4-inch (10cm) individual pie or share the 9-inch (23cm) with family or friends. The bakery is now offering takeout and delivery.
Gold Star Pies in Colorado Springs quickly became locals' favorite food truck. Serving top pies since 2017, the bourbon pecan pie is the best-seller, combining toasted pecans and walnuts, bourbon and perfectly flaky pastry. The pie often tends to sell out so make sure you pre-order a slice or a whole pie for pick-up from the truck.
Opened in 2006, Granny's Pie Factory in East Hartford prides itself on crafting each and every pie with care. Run by the Harovas family, Granny's Pie Factory has several exceptional pies on offer, but its chocolate crème is one of the best. With a rich chocolate filling and cloud-like cream top, it's the ultimate treat. The pies are now available to order for delivery and can usually be found in various farmers' markets around Connecticut.
Found in Delaware's longest-running bakery Bing's in Newark, this banana cream pie is made with French cream, bananas and topped with freshly whipped cream. It's been a permanent feature on the bakery's menu for as long as anyone can remember. The chocolate and coconut cream pies are also worth trying.
As the official pie of Florida, it could only be the key lime pie. Celebrating the state's famous citrus and named after the Florida Keys, key lime pie at Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach is an absolute must-order. Although predominately focusing on seafood, the restaurant serves one of the best key lime pies in the state, made with fresh, hand-squeezed key lime juice and topped with whipped cream just before serving. It reopened in October for dine-in (with social distancing measures in place) but takeout and delivery are both still available.
The Pie Hole in Roswell might sell more than 100 different sweet and savory pies, but nothing beats its raspberry cream crumble pie. Made with its signature double butter pastry, the pie is filled with a sweet and sour cream custard and raspberries, then topped with a butter sugar crumble. The pie is available to buy by the slice but who are we kidding, you'll want a lot more than that. Order it for takeout or curbside service.
The only specialty pie shop on Kauai, this bakery is located in Kalaheo in the south of the island. Although they have an impressive selection of delectable savory pies, one of The Right Slice's best-sellers is the blueberry piña colada pie. You can also get adorable mini pies to enjoy on the road. All pies are available for delivery and pick-up.
Opened by Heather Gross in 2004, Pie Hut's delicious pies are a much sought-after treat in Sandpoint and beyond. Known for the adventurous flavors, incredible lattice work on classic pies and seasonal specialties, Pie Hut's pies are a thing of beauty. Don't leave here without trying the classic raspberry, strawberry and cherry pies or order a crème brûlée pie (if you can get your hands on one). Pie Hut's top-seller, it's a baked custard-style pie with a Graham cracker crust and a crispy sugar shell that's toasted to order.
For the best pies in Illinois, head straight for Chicago's Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits. The exceptional key lime pie is on the menu to order whole or half, and other options like chocolate caramel and peach blueberry are also available. The bakery is open for pre-ordered pick-ups and walk-up takeouts once a week.
Also known as Hoosier pie, this Indiana specialty has a buttery crust filled with rich vanilla custard. You'll find some of the best at Wick's Pies in Winchester – the nation's largest sugar cream pie producer. The almost century-old recipe has been a firm favorite with locals and tourists alike. The pie shop is currently open and both takeout and delivery are available.
There's nothing quite like a classic apple pie perfectly done and Deluxe in Iowa City definitely knows how. Its version of the oh-so-familiar pie (pictured right) uses fresh apples sourced from local orchards and encases them with an exceptional double butter crust. If apple pie isn't your favorite, try the strawberry rhubarb that combines sweet and tart flavors. The pies are only available for delivery or curbside pick-up and cash isn't accepted.
For amazing fruit pies look no further than The Upper Crust in Overland Park. Whatever combination you pick – choose from flavors like raspberry rhubarb, blackberry apple or peach blueberry – you can expect buttery pastry and a filling that balances the sweet, sour and tart flavors of the fruit and berries perfectly. The menu changes daily but you can always count on some of the fruit pies being on offer as they're among the most popular here.
All of Annie May's Sweet Cafe's pies are free of soya, gluten, peanuts and other nuts, eggs, dairy and sesame, making them perhaps the most inclusive pies in the US. Based in Louisville (and with another shop in Newton, Massachusetts coming soon), what the pies lack in allergens, they make up for with bold, delicious flavors. The oatmeal cream pie is a particular favorite. All pies are available to order for curbside pick-up.
The strawberry ice box pie has been a firm fixture on Strawn's Eat Shop's menu since 1944. The family-owned diner has three locations: two in Shreveport and one in Bossier City. Other flavors include seasonal peach, chocolate and banana. The diners are open for dine-in with limited capacity or you can order to-go.
There are all sorts of unmissable treats in Portland's Two Fat Cats Bakery, from cupcakes and cakes to cookies and muffins, but it's the wild Maine blueberry pie you'll want to try here. Bursting with juicy berries, the pie has a perfectly flaky pie crust that melts in your mouth. All desserts are baked from scratch and the pies are all hand-rolled, ensuring each one is made with exceptional care. Stop by for takeout, but note that cash isn't accepted.
Although you'll find all sorts of fun creations on the menu at Baltimore's Dangerously Delicious Pies, it's the signature Baltimore Bomb that stands out. Loaded with Berger cookies that are melted and swirled through the sweet vanilla custard chess pie filling, it's the pie shop's most famous pie. Sold by the slice or by the whole pie, we guarantee you'll love it. You can order ahead for pick-up or delivery.
Pronounced "peet-see" Petsi Pies is a small bakery and coffee bar in Somerville, Boston, serving delicious handmade pies and pastries. Baked fresh daily, everything from biscuits and brioche to pies and cookies look (and taste) incredible, but the chocolate bourbon pecan pie gets a special mention as it comes highly recommended by diners. You can order online for takeout and delivery.
Achatz Handmade Pie Co. was founded by Wendy and Dave Achatz in 1993 and the Michigan 4-berry is still a much-loved best-seller today. Created by accident, the pie was born when Wendy had been baking pies all day and had various berries left over but not enough to make one more of each flavor. She mixed the locally-grown cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries together and the rest is history.
With more than 40 different flavors on offer at Betty's Pies in Two Harbors, it's the five-layer pies you'll want to sample. From its signature five-layer chocolate pie to the indulgent five-layer butterscotch pie, they all have, as you might have guessed, five layers. The chocolate pie combines flaky crust with dark chocolate, cinnamon meringue, whipped cream and chocolate whipped cream. Order for pick-up.
Inspired by a recipe and an antique pie pan passed down through generations in founder Mary Russell's family, the chocolate meringue pies at Sugaree's Bakery in New Albany are something special. An epic pie that combines 1lb (450g) of flaky butter and lard pie crust with 3lbs (1.4kg) of rich and creamy chocolate filling and 1lb (450g) of meringue on top, it's available to order nationwide.
Created in 1993 by The Blue Owl Bakery, the levee pie was made to resemble the levee mountains of gravel and sand that the town of Kimmswick used to save itself from a devastating flood. The pie is made with 18 hand-sliced apples stacked methodically with layers of cinnamon sugar. After baking, it's covered with buttery caramel and chopped pecan pieces, made to represent the sand and gravel of the levees. Listed as one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2011, the finished pie weighs between 8 and 10lbs (3.6 and 4.5kg).
Native to Montana's high-altitude mountains, huckleberries make for the perfect pie filling and no matter the season, you'll always find a slice of huckleberry pie in Montana. No trip to Glacier National Park would be complete without a stop at the Glacier Highland to enjoy a slice of its famous huckleberry pie.
Trust us when we say you won't believe this pie is vegan. Baked to perfection at Modern Love in Omaha, which specializes in vegan comfort food, this is the restaurant's most popular dessert of all time. Made with roasted peanuts, caramel, custard, chocolate ganache, coconut whip and sea salt, it's truly irresistible. All food is available to order for pick-up or delivery.
This banana cream pie from Emeril's New Orleans Fish House in Las Vegas might be sold by slice but you'll definitely want to share this towering treat. Emeril Lagasse's signature dessert, the pie is made with thick layers of banana chunks, thick cream filling and is served with a generous garnish of chocolate shavings and caramel sauce. It's piled up so high, it almost topples over on the plate, so save space for dessert. Open only for dinner, reservations are highly recommended.
A favorite foodie destination among locals, The Black Forest Cafe and Bakery in Amherst is consistently rated the best for pies in New Hampshire. The menu changes seasonally but you can always expect to see big hitters like strawberry, blueberry, apple or chocolate cream among the pies on offer.
Delicious Orchards' best-selling apple pie (pictured center) is made from fresh apples harvested at the bakery's orchard. Specializing in all things apple, like apple cider vinegar and apple cider donuts, the gourmet country food market in Colts Neck has grown from a roadside stand started by Carroll Barclay in 1959. The pie is still made using his wife Janet's recipe and every pie is hand-filled.
Predominately a breakfast diner, the pies at the Cornerstone Bakery & Cafe shouldn't be overlooked. It's the cream pies that take center stage here, especially the coconut cream pie – a deliciously light coconut filling is piled sky-high in a perfectly buttery crust and finished with generous amounts of whipped cream and coconut shavings. Located in Ruidoso, the café is open for delivery, takeout and limited outdoor dining.
A Four & Twenty Blackbirds original, the Salty Honey is by far customers' most favorite pie. Inspired by their pie-baking grandmother, the sister owners of the bakery opened Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Brooklyn in 2010. Combining custard with a sea salt finish, the pie is the perfect mix of sweet and salty flavors. If you'd like to replicate their super pie, the sisters have also released a cookbook with the bakery's most popular recipes. Both locations are open for takeout and delivery.
Raleigh in North Carolina might be better known for top-notch steakhouses, but you'll want to save space for the chocolate chess pie at The Angus Barn. The incredibly silky-smooth filling is made with semi-sweet chocolate encased in a deliciously buttery crust. The restaurant is also more than happy to share the recipe with anyone who's looking to recreate it at home. It's open for dine-in with social distancing measures in place, as well as takeout.
Several of North Dakota’s signature dishes come from early German settlers, but probably their best-kept secret is juneberry pie. Juneberries, also called saskatoon berries, grow in Canada and the Upper Midwest and are smaller, denser and bluer than blueberries with a slightly nutty flavor. To try a slice of the secret pie, stop by Lunds Landing that overlooks Lake Sakakawea, and don't forget the vanilla ice cream.
If you love Ohio's buckeye candies, you'll definitely love this pie, which is essentially a bigger version of the much-loved treat. Made with rich chocolate and peanut butter mousse, layered to create the ultimate cream pie, it's great for anyone with a sweet tooth. You'll find the buckeye pie in Mama Jo Homestyle Pies in Amherst, open for pick-up.
Rich and decadent, this popular pie oozes flavor. Made with a Graham cracker crust, a fudgy chocolate filling and topped with pecans and salted bourbon caramel, this pie is a great treat for special occasions. Available from Pie Junkie in Oklahoma City, you can buy it ahead of time and freeze it or buy by the slice and enjoy straight away. Takeout is available and masks are required inside the shop.
Find it difficult to share a really good pie? Then head to Portland's Pie Spot for its signature individual cupcake pies. They're available in various seasonal flavors, like brown butter peach, blueberry ginger and cherry. If you do want to share, you can order a 9-inch (23cm) whole pie as well, however they're not available in all the flavors. The dining room is currently closed, but you can order for curbside service or delivery.
Shoofly pie might not sound like the most appetizing dessert, but you'll be licking your fingers once you've tried it. A wet-bottom pie originating from Pennsylvania's Amish Country, it's a molasses crumb cake top with a sticky, gooey, custard-like filling, encased in flaky pastry. For more than 50 years, Bird-In-Hand Bakery & Cafe has served casual eats, baked goods and ice cream yet the shoofly pie remains a firm favorite.
There's only one apple pie like the one at Gregg's Restaurant. It's made fresh every day with 5lbs (2.3kg) of apple brought in from Upstate New York. The fruit is hand-peeled, sliced and piled high with a special spice blend. The crust is also incredibly buttery so it's no surprise it has consistently been voted the best in Rhode Island. You'll find Gregg's in Providence, Warwick, East Providence and North Kingstown. Curbside pick-up and delivery are available.
Once you've tried this pecan pie, there's no going back. Amazingly balanced in terms of flavor, the pecans are buttery while the filling is not overly sugary or syrupy. Local baker Laurel, who started Carolina Cider Company by selling her pies, jams, jellies and relishes, has now expanded to three roadside shops.
Now take a look at America's historic pies whose recipes have never changed
As you might suspect from somewhere named the Purple Pie Place, the pies here are indeed purple – think blueberry and blackberry. However, the place's top flavor is the surprisingly irresistible raspberry rhubarb jalapeño, which brings pleasant heat to a familiar classic. The tastiest stop on a South Dakota road trip, the Purple Pie Place's pies are available whole or by the slice, and with whipped cream or ice cream.
Served in a bakery just north of Knoxville, the coconut pie at Litton's Market and Restaurant is a special treat. The pie (pictured top left) is made with a rich and dense filling that's reminiscent of fudge – perfect for those with a serious sweet tooth. Chocolate-lovers shouldn't miss out on sampling the chocolate chess pie. It's open for takeout and curbside pick-up.
What pie weighs 24lbs (10.8kg), feeds 80 people and is the ultimate holiday treat? Obviously, it's the Pumpecapple Piecake – a crazy three-layer invention that combines a pumpkin pie baked in a pumpkin spice cake, a pecan pie baked in chocolate cake and an apple pie baked into a spice cake. As all great things do, it started as a joke at the Three Brothers Bakery in Houston but has since become the bakery's most popular baked good. All the pies are available to order for pick-up and some can be shipped nationwide.
Opened more than 30 years ago in Veyo, the menu at Veyo Pies & Bakery is extensive. From classic fruit pies and irresistible specialty pies, there's lots to choose from, but on your first visit, you'll want to go for the Veyo Volcano. A Graham cracker crust topped with sweet cream cheese, butterscotch, chocolate and whipped cream, it's a real sweet treat and a customer favorite too. Order for takeout and delivery.
Piecemeal Pies' baked goods are incredibly delicious, including the handmade pies. Our favorite is the blueberry peach pie that perfectly captures the flavor of summer into a buttery pastry case. The pie shop in White River Junction also serves traditional British savory pies, like chicken and leek, and beef and mushroom. It has now fully reopened, for eat-in and takeout.
Although pies made by Avis (the mom of Mom's Apple Pie Company) are delicious throughout the year, the berry pies during summer are extraordinary. Made with the freshest berries harvested from the family farm, Avis piles them high on top of a cream cheese and fruit glaze filling, on a thin buttery crust. The pie is then covered in the berry glaze once more and baked. All of Mom's locations have now reopened.
Classic, crowd-pleasing pies done really well is what you should expect at A la Mode Pies in Seattle. Much-loved flavor combinations like key lime, peanut butter and white chocolate banana are all available, but the French apple pie is simply irresistible. If you're after something a bit more adventurous, you can try the cookies and cream pie or the marionberry and hazelnut. The French apple pie is praised for its perfect crumble topping and decadent flavor. The pie shop offers takeout and delivery.
Come here during strawberry season and you'll be treated to the sweetest, most delicious strawberry pie that's made even better thanks to its fluffy whipped cream topping. For one week in May, an extra 15 to 20 employees are typically hired to help slice berries for Jim's Steak and Spaghetti House's strawberry pie week in Huntington. It's estimated nearly 13,000 wedges of strawberry pie are usually eaten during the week of this sweet tradition. Dine-in and takeout are currently available.
They might be charming and rustic-looking but Honeypie's pies definitely deliver on flavor. The brandy old fashioned cherry is a superb combination of fiery brandy, tart cherries and buttery crust, however more adventurous flavors, like apple Cheddar bacon aren't far off either. For something deliciously sweet and indulgent, pick the salted caramel dream, which, as expected, is a dream. It's open for pick-up and delivery.
Only available to pre-order during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, the whole family will love Persephone Bakery's cherry pie. A perfectly balanced treat of tart, sweet, sour and buttery flavors, it's the perfect finish to a special meal. The bakery also offers excellent lunches and other baked goods, and has locations in Jackson and Wilson.
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