Dining Advice, Tips, Recommendations, and News
PrintThe Best Pies in America: The Serious Eats Pie Honor Roll
I've told you all before of my undying love for pie, and of my never-ending search for the perfect slice. In fact, I have called on all of you to help in this endeavor before, and I am asking you again.
In honor of National Pie Day I've decided to put together, with the help of serious eaters everywhere, the Serious Eats Pie Honor Roll. I've tasted most of these myself, but I've also taken the liberty of adding some pielicious places my friend John T. Edge has written about in two of his wonderful books, Apple PIe and Southern Belly. Please add your favorite pie places to the Serious Eats Pie Honor Roll.
And if you want to further your pie-reading pleasure check out Humble Pie by Anne Dimock for some geniunely wise pie philosophy. Other good folks have gone in search of perfect pie, including Bill and Barbara Windsor. I have to admit I've never been to any of their top fourteen. Friend of Serious Eats Paul Lukas also went in search of America's best pies for Money Magazine. I've only been to one on his list. And our friends at Roadfood list 125 places when you punch in pie into their search box. I'm afraid I have a lot more pie eating to do. So many pies, so little time.
Northeast
Baked; Brooklyn
Blue Smoke; New York City
Briermere Farms; Riverhead, New York
Breadline; Washington, D.C.
Bubby's; New York City
Clinton Street Baking Company, New York City
Duane Park Patisserie; New York City
Eileen Blake's; Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts
Little Pie Company; New York City
Mitchel London Foods; New York City
Fairway Cafe; New York City
Pie Bakery and Cafe; Newton Center, Massachusetts
Prime Burger; New York City
Roundswamp Farms; East Hampton, New York
Soutine; New York City
Sweet Melissa's; Brooklyn
Summer Shack; Cambridge, Massachusetts
Trois Pommes Patisserie; Brooklyn
Two Fat Cats Bakery; Portland, Maine
Two Little Red Hens; New York City
Wimps; New York City
Yura; New York City
Southeast
This list is basically all John T. Edge, all the time.
Big Bob Gibson's Bar-B-Que; Decatur, Alabama
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q; Bessemer, Alabama
Early Girl; Asheville, North Carolina
Ed and Kay's; Benton, Arkansas
Jerry Kendall's Fruit Market; Union City, Tennessee
Jim's Kountry Pies; Youngsville, Louisiana
Margo's Country Store; Parsons, Tennessee
Mary's Family Pie Shop; De Valls Bluff, Arkansas
Magnolia Grill; Durham, North Carolina
Mayo's Mahalia Jackson Fried Chicken; Nashville
Midwest
Coffee Cup Cafe; Sully, Iowa
Deal's Orchard; Jefferson, Iowa
Grand Traverse Pie Company; Traverse City, Michigan (and other locations)
Hamburg Inn #2; Iowa City, Iowa
Hoosier Mama; Chicago
West
Big Y Cafe; Pehastin, Washington
Dahlia Bakery; Seattle
Downtown Creamery; Healdsburg, California
Du-Par's; Los Angeles
Julian Pie Co.; Julian, California
Lone Pie Fruit and Espresso; Orondo, Washington
Pie 'n Burger; Pasadena, California
Senor Pie; Albuquerque
Tootie Pie; Medina, Texas
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28 Comments:
How could you leave out Steve's Key Lime Pies in Red Hook, Brooklyn? I used to hate key lime pie but Steve has not only converted me but has made me a lover of his pies. I know that I'm not the only one who thinks his pies are out of this world. And he has the cutest Jack Russell Terriers, too.
And don't forget about The Best Pie Company in Bowie, MD. Great fresh pies.
charm city cupcake at 9:27AM on 01/23/08
No list of pies is complete without the late, great R.W. Apple's favorite, the cherry pie at The Cherry Hut in Beulah, Mich. They use local cherries and still put lard in the crust.
ebraun at 9:38AM on 01/23/08
hi ed,
there is a restaurant in pescadero, california, just north of san francisco called duarte's tavern. they've been there since 1894 and they serve the best restaurant pie i have ever had. their specialty is ollalieberry. it is just unbelievable. i still try to make it there for lunch when i go west for a visit.
they have a website: www.duartestavern.com.
cybercita at 9:42AM on 01/23/08
You must try the pies at The Jubilee Cafe in Kickapoo, Illinois if you're ever driving past on I-74. Well worth a stop, and definitely worthy of being on a "best of the Midwest" pie list.
frannyeats at 9:52AM on 01/23/08
The Norske Nook in Osseo, Wisconsin has pies good enough to plan a trip for. The strawberry is gorgeous, the merengue pies are enormous, and the sour cream blueberry apple, my favorite, could make you weep with pleasure!
pahenman at 9:58AM on 01/23/08
Mom's Apple Pie Company has the best pie I have ever tasted. They do not use preservatives at all and grow a lot of their own produce on their farm. The crumb topping is to die for and I love the sour cherry, blackberry and well...pretty much everything. They ship their pies all over the country too!! Absolutlely out of this world.
alacto at 10:05AM on 01/23/08
The Norske Nook has always somewhat underwhelmed me, although I have to say that when I was a little girl I absolutely covetted the waitress' outfits.
And Ed! Don't forget A&M in Grinnell, now!
aluapaluap at 10:08AM on 01/23/08
Petsi's Pies in Somerville, Mass. The lines are out the door for a reason.
BipolarLawyerCook at 10:50AM on 01/23/08
Unfortunately, good pie is hard to find in Phoenix. There's a pastry shop/grocery store called La Grande Orange that sells very good key lime pie by the slice, but it's the only pie they carry.
OneWallKitchen at 11:28AM on 01/23/08
I know I'm a day late--and a pie short-- but as far as Key Lime pie goes, I've tried Steve's Key Lime Pies and I disagree with his comment. It's way too sweet for my taste. I've been on a search for the past few years for the best Key Lime pie....since I could not find it, I decided to make my own. My son, who shares my love for K.L. pie, said mine was the best he tasted. Okay, so he's my son....but, he would definitely tell me if he did not like it. So, you see, I had to make my own K.L. pie to find the best one ever. It's a great recipe and since I prefer mine on the tart side, I can increase lime zest and juice. Mom & son have a winner!
sttropez at 11:29AM on 01/23/08
I'm not sure what pie you're referring to at Summer Shack -- I mostly know that place as a fish restaurant. But for the best pies in MA, I'll second the rec for Petsi Pies in Somerville. The sweet potato is amazing, the blueberry is to die for, and the bourbon pecan pie is a crime against my waistline.
Sisterrae at 2:09PM on 01/23/08
I have to second Charm City's Steve's rec. His key lime has this amazing real fruit tartness to it that's way better than most gloppy restaurant/supermarket versions I've had. Though I've never had key lime pie from the actual Keys (or even Florida for that matter) so I'm not at all qualified to judge. But either way, the whole ratty Red Hook warehouse thing is pretty cool.
blognut at 2:32PM on 01/23/08
I've asked my colleagues in pie appreciation, and their highly trustworthy response has been unanimous. The best pie to be found in Phoenix is to be found north of Phoenix at the Rock Springs Cafe in Rock Springs.
OneWallKitchen at 4:16PM on 01/23/08
i personally am a fan of steve's key lime pies, and while i don't object to it not making the editor's cut here, i do think it strange to have gone ahead and used steve's key lime pies as the photo.
j at 4:48PM on 01/23/08
The best pie in the world is Yoder's in Sarasota, Florida!
floridayaya at 6:57PM on 01/23/08
Crane's Pie Pantry in Fennville, Michigan. Amazing, amazing apple and peach pies. And the restaurant is worth stopping by if you happen to be in that neck of the woods.
jedimtb at 11:19PM on 01/23/08
Everything you have read up to this point is so much blather. I pick the blackberries every August and my wife, Gail Page, turns them into the best pies on the face of this earth.
palatineboor at 2:46AM on 01/24/08
This is a great Pie Honor Roll we are compiling. I actually like Steve's Key Lime Pie a lot, and it was an oversight not to include it on my original list.
I'd like to know about more pies, so keep the honor roll suggestions coming.
Ed Levine at 7:57AM on 01/24/08
Please, please have a slice of pie and a cup of coffee (for $3!) during pie happy hour at the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls, TX. I usually go for Coconut Creme, but you can't really make a bad choice. You won't regret it.
picklebot at 3:47PM on 01/24/08
I second Duarte's in Pescadero! Their ollalieberry pie is amazing - and the apricot pie is wonderful as well. But I must say, I'm saddened that pie from within San Francisco's city limits didn't make the list. I love pie...and I love S.F., but I guess we just aren't a pie city.
Ande at 4:14PM on 01/24/08
Hey, y'all! I think, by way of his throw-down, palatineboor just invited all us Serious Eaters to come have his wife's pie in August!
LoCo at 6:19PM on 01/24/08
Zingerman's Bakehouse, in Ann Arbor, Michigan makes fabulous pie (among all of their other fabulous baked goods).
dettling05 at 7:34PM on 01/24/08
Great list... though I've been so disappointed with Soutine's pies and tarts over the past few holidays that I don't think I'll be going back. I'll have to give some of the other NYC establishments here a try.
clumsycook at 9:12PM on 01/24/08
In the L.A. area, Jongewaard's Bake and Broil, just off the 405 near Atlantic Blvd in Long Beach, CA is better than both the better known Pie N' Burger and Du-Par's, IMHO.
Anna at 10:24PM on 01/24/08
The list would not be complete without the Key Lime Pie from the Blonde Giraffe in Key West. They have won their local contest for many years. A visit to the Florida Keys would not be complete without a piece of their pie!
ohbearly at 9:55AM on 01/25/08
Hi, Ed,
Just reading some of past entries on here and was excited to see an entry on pies. One place to add to your list should have the opportunity to visit Round Top, Texas (a small Antique-festival community about 1.5 hours from Austin): Royer's Round Top Cafe. A finer slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie I have never had. Their bacon-wrapped, shrimp-stuffed quail also leave an impression.
Hope ya enjoyed the 3D U2 movie. Was quite an effect to witness a concert video like that.
Brian
bwellborn at 12:07PM on 01/28/08
Dangerously Delicious Pies in Baltimore, MD
steept at 1:03PM on 01/28/08
NOOOO! Oh my god, it's not on there. The Park Cafe in Saint Mary, Montana, right outside the entrance to Glacier National Park. You have no idea what you're missing. It's almost good enough to make me move to Montana. It's one of those places where, for the rest of your life, you'll be saying "oh lord, remember that pie place? what was it called? it was soooooo good." There's a couple of OK pie places around here (Zingerman's, a branch of the Grand Traverse Pie Company, and some good stuff in Detroit) but nothing I've ever had hold a candle to this place. It's beyond comprehension.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g45345-d508904-Reviews-Park_Cafe-Saint_Mary_Montana.html
paanta at 3:40PM on 02/18/08