Invented as a way to conveniently encase and transport cooked meat, pie can be thought of as the original tupperware, and was enjoyed by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Pie came to the New World with English settlers, who often did not eat the crust, but rather used it as a way to contain the filling during baking.
Although the pies of yesteryear were mostly of the savory sort — containing fowl or fish — the word pie in modern America has become synonymous with dessert.
24/7 Tempo has compiled the best pie shop in every state, the majority of which specialize in sweet rather than savory pies. (Craving something sweet, but not into pie? Check out these popular desserts you must try from every state.)
Some of these pie shops boast specialties featuring fillings made of ingredients plentiful in the area, such as sweet potatoes and pecans in the South, passion fruit in Hawaii, and cherries in Michigan. On the other hand, old stand-bys like apple, chocolate mousse, and coconut cream pie are widely available across the country, not only in specialty pie shops, but everywhere from high class restaurants to old-fashioned diners. Here are 25 retro restaurant dishes we might never see again.
To assemble a list of the best pie shop in every state, 24/7 Tempo consulted reviews and rankings on a wide range of websites, including Yelp, Taste of Home, Thrillist, Fodors, Food Network, Spoon University, Forbes, Delish, and The Daily Meal, as well as numerous local and regional sites. While precedence was given to shops specializing in pies (often with “pie” in their name), in some cases bakeries with more general focus and occasionally places that are primarily cafés were included, if they were highly rated for their pies.
Alabama: JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pie
> Location: Birmingham
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Orange crème cheese
Alaska: A Pie Stop
> Location: Anchorage
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Apple streusel
Arizona: Mamma Toledo’s The Pie Hole
> Location: Phoenix
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Chocolate cream
Arkansas: Rymolene’s Pies
> Location: Fayetteville
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Sweet praline custard
California: Julian Pie Company
> Location: Julian
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Caramel Dutch apple
Colorado: Granny Scott’s Pie Shop
> Location: Lakewood
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Swiss chocolate mousse
Connecticut: Michele’s Pies
> Location: Norwalk
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Pineapple mango with macadamia coconut crumb
Delaware: Sweet Somethings
> Location: Wilmington
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: White chocolate banana cream
Florida: The Pie Factory
> Location: Largo
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Reese’s Peanuttier Peanut Butter
Georgia: Crave Pie Studio
> Location: Alpharetta
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Bourbon buttermilk
Hawaii: Hawaiian Pie Company
> Location: Honolulu
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Hawaiian passion pear
Idaho: Birdie’s Pie Shop
> Location: Post Falls
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Strawberry lemonade
Illinois: Myrtle’s Café and Pies
> Location: Princeton
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Root beer float
Indiana: Lisa’s Pie Shop
> Location: Atlanta
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Black raspberry in a jar
Iowa: Try Pie Bakers
> Location: Waterloo
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Rhubarb raspberry lavender
Kansas: The Upper Crust Pie Bakery
> Location: Overland Park
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Butterscotch meringue
Kentucky: Georgia’s Sweet Potato Pie Company
> Location: Louisville
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Purple sweet potato
Louisiana: Not Just Pie
> Location: Monroe
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Coconut
Maine: Puzzle Mountain Bakery
> Location: Newry
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Maine blueberry
Maryland: The Ugly Pie
> Location: Salisbury
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Tart red cherry
Massachusetts: Ever So Humble Pie Company
> Location: East Walpole
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: New England apple
Michigan: Grand Traverse Pie Company
> Location: Traverse City
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Natural Michigan cherry
Minnesota: Heather’s Pies
> Location: Minneapolis
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Triple berry
Mississippi: Sugaree’s Bakery
> Location: New Albany
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Mississippi pecan
Missouri: A Slice of Pie
> Location: Rolla
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Tollhouse
Montana: The Coffee Pot Bakery Cafe
> Location: Bozeman
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Chocolate mousse
Nebraska: The Bubbly Tart
> Location: Omaha
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Caramel apple sour cream
Nevada: Pie Roller Desserts
> Location: Las Vegas
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Blueberry, lavender, and cashew
New Hampshire: Just Like Mom’s Pastries
> Location: Weare
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Butter pecan
New Jersey: Pie Lady Cafe
> Location: Moorestown
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Apple
New Mexico: Burro Street Bakery
> Location: Cloudcraft
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Peach
New York: Miss American Pie
> Location: Brooklyn
> Yelp rating: 5.0
> Sample specialty: Old-fashioned banana cream
North Carolina: Fayetteville Pie Company
> Location: Fayetteville
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Angry Apple (with Fireball Whiskey)
North Dakota: Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe
> Location: Fargo
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Sour cream raisin
Ohio: Just Pies
> Location: Westerville
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Buckeye (peanut butter and chocolate)
Oklahoma: Pie Junkie
> Location: Oklahoma City
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Bird Dog buttermilk (with Bird Dog Blackberry Whiskey)
Oregon: The Pie Spot
> Location: Portland
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Lemon vanilla bean
Pennsylvania: The Pie Place
> Location: Pittsburgh
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Freestone peach
Rhode Island: DeLuise Bakery
> Location: Cranston
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Pumpkin
South Carolina: Sugar Bakeshop
> Location: Charleston
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Chocolate bourbon pecan
South Dakota: Purple Pie Place
> Location: Custer
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Raspberry rhubarb jalapeno
Tennessee: Papa C Pies Bakery
> Location: Brentwood
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Chess
Texas: Royers Pie Haven
> Location: Round Top
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Texas trash (caramel, chocolate chips, coconut, graham crackers, and pretzels)
Utah: Veyo Pies
> Location: Veyo
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Peach blueberry
Vermont: Poorhouse Pies
> Location: Underhill
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Maple cranberry nut
Virginia: Mom’s Apple Pie Company
> Location: Leesburg
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Apple and butter pecan apple crumb
Washington: A la Mode Pies
> Location: Seattle
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Mexican chocolate mousse
West Virginia: Oliver’s Pies
> Location: Wheeling
> Yelp rating: 4.0
> Sample specialty: Pineapple cream
Wisconsin: Stockholm Pie & General Store
> Location: Stockholm
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Lingonberry lemon
Wyoming: Cowboy Cafe
> Location: Dubois
> Yelp rating: 4.5
> Sample specialty: Cherry almond