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.

Click here to see the best pie shop in every state

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.