Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Delicious Orchards pies have always been very good, but not exactly convienient to NYC. One of the best pies in NYC is without a doubt the ones from The Little Pie Company of NYC. They've gone up in price quite a bit in the last two years, and their satelite store in Grand Central is no more, but that shouldn't dissuade you from braving mid-town. (Their sour cherry is to die for!)

There are some other excellent pies as well, such as the one's from Two Little Red Hens on the UES in the 80's, and the Lexington Candy Shop nearby also has a very good ones, but their's has to be ordered ahead of time as they come from a bakery in Southampton. Of course one can always go to Payard for a Tarte Tatain...$$$

I love those microwavable chicken pot pies that come in the paper pie pan. I mean...they aren't the most terrific chicken pot pies by a long shot, but in college when my dorm had one kitchen and I had a microwave in my room, it was pretty good for a random snack. Ah nostalgia.

I've heard Marie Callendar's generally tries very hard to get their frozen stuff to be close as possible to the stuff made in their restaurants. So I'm not surprised they beat out the other "classics" but perhaps a little surprised about the other pies (but not so much after your descriptions).

Stumptown on Capital Hill

The roast beef at Manny's Deli in Chicago. I get it extra rare on an onion roll that is SOAKED in roast beef juice. The potato pancake and pickle on the side aren't too shabby either.

Even though Stumptown is from Portland, it is amazing and you should definitely seek them out. They have two locations on Capital Hill, both near some excellent restaurants and bars.

@downhillguru: Not microwaved. It's actually baked for 45ish minutes in the oven just like the rest of them, but it might as well be zapped in the microwave, since either way it tastes like a dead pie.

The sandwich you make on Thanksgiving after all your guests have left is my all time fav and probably even more so because it's a special once a year thing. You know, it's that sloppy dagwood of a thing piled preciptously with turkey (reheated in a frying pan with a little oil so it's a little bit golden) mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce held together by an entirely too small parkerhouse roll.

sailordave, you took the words right out of my mouth! I'd rather we had Dunkin' Donuts instead of Starbucks on every corner here.

Vivace is the best in town, though there are many places mentioned here that are great as well. Just don't do the tourist thing and go to the first sbux in the pike place market. The coffee there is as shitty as it is in any sbux.

Yes to Vivace!!! I'd only been to the one off of Broadway which has moved, I guess, but it's the highlight of any trip to WA for my hubs.

@Erin Zimmer - the Paula Deen pie is an exclusive at WalMart. Food Network Humor has a great mashup of public reaction to said pie. I haven't seen/tried it, but I understood it to be a bakery item, not frozen.

i did a walking food tour there which was pretty cool, if you get the time.
also, you must make your way to rose's chocolate treasures. (and send me some)