Who doesn’t love pie? Apparently, Americans love it a lot. The American Pie Council (yes, there such a group) estimates that 186 million units or $700 million worth of pies are sold each year in grocery stores alone. That actual number doesn’t account for pies picked up in restaurants, food service, price clubs – or dedicated pie shops.
Pies date back to the ancient Egyptians who ate free-form pies with a crust of oats, wheat, rye, or barley filled with honey. Around 2000 B.C., a chicken pie recipe was inscribed on a tablet in Sumer in Mesopotamia. The ancient Greeks and Romans carried on the tradition, making both sweet marpastry tarts and savory pies containing meats.
In medieval times, pies were mostly packed with meat. By the 15th century, custards and fruit pies became popular. But not everyone loved pies. When Oliver Cromwell ruled England in the 17th century, he banned mince pies, claiming the treats were “frivolous.” Luckily, the ban was lifted in 1660 when the monarchy was restored.
When the Pilgrims came to America, they brought their meat pies with them. At the second Thanksgiving in 1623, the iconic pumpkin pie may have first been brought to the table.
By the 1870s, however, pies fell out of favor, criticized for their heavy crusts. As countries entered the Industrial Revolution, women went to work and didn’t have the time to home bake pies, anyway. In the 1950s, however, pies underwent a renaissance whose effects we still enjoy. (See what other old-fashioned dishes deserve a comeback.)
To determine the best pie shops 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. Some of the pie purveyors on this list make savory as well as sweet pies, but we have showcased the latter.
Most of the pies mentioned here are of the traditional variety, filled with fruits, berries, nuts, custards, and/or chocolate, and sometimes a dash of booze. The Pie Junkie in Oklahoma City bakes up the Drunken Turtle, which is a graham cracker crust loaded with chocolate, salted bourbon caramel, and pecans – a riff on turtle candy.
Some pie-makers venture outside of the box – or crust. The Purple Pie Place in Custer, South Dakota, spices up its pie menu with a raspberry rhubarb jalapeño offering. Another spicy pie comes out of the oven at the Pie Hole in Phoenix, where you can satisfy your sweet and spicy tooth with a mango chile lime treat. (Here are some popular desserts from every state that you must try.)
Click here to see the best pie shop in every state
Many of the pies mentioned here are seasonal, and you may have to place an advance order in some cases to make sure of getting what you want. But the wait and extra effort will be well worth it to relish these satisfying indulgences.
Alabama: JaWanda’s Sweet Potato Pies
> Location: Birmingham
> Sample specialty: Pineapple crème
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Alaska: A Pie Stop
> Location: Anchorage
> Sample specialty: Peanut butter cream
Arizona: Mamma Toledo’s The Pie Hole
> Location: Phoenix
> Sample specialty: Green chile apple
Arkansas: Rymolene’s Pies
> Location: Fayetteville
> Sample specialty: Pistachio humble
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California: Julian Pie Company
> Location: Julian
> Sample specialty: Caramel Dutch apple
Colorado: Granny Scott’s Pie Shop
> Location: Lakewood
> Sample specialty: Rocky road
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Connecticut: Michele’s Pies
> Location: Norwalk
> Sample specialty: Pineapple mango with macadamia coconut crumb
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Delaware: Sweet Somethings Dessert Shop
> Location: Wilmington
> Sample specialty: White chocolate banana cream
Florida: The Pie Factory
> Location: Largo
> Sample specialty: Authentic Key West Key lime
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Georgia: Crave Pie Studio
> Location: Duluth & Alpharetta
> Sample specialty: Bourbon chocolate pecan
Hawaii: Hawaiian Pie Company
> Location: Honolulu
> Sample specialty: Hawaiian passion pear pie
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Idaho: Birdie’s Pie Shop
> Location: Post Falls & Hayden
> Sample specialty: Salted caramel candy bar
Illinois: Myrtle’s Café and Pies
> Location: Princeton
> Sample specialty: Strawberry rhubarb
Indiana: Lisa’s Pie Shop
> Location: Atlanta
> Sample specialty: Black raspberry
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Iowa: Try Pie Bakers
> Location: Waterloo
> Sample specialty: Apple pear cranberry
Kansas: The Upper Crust Pie Bakery
> Location: Overland Park
> Sample specialty: Blueberry sour cream
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Kentucky: Georgia’s Sweet Potato Pie Company
> Location: Louisville
> Sample specialty: Purple sweet potato
Louisiana: Not Just Pie (temporarily closed)
> Location: Monroe
> Sample specialty: Strawberry banana
Maine: Puzzle Mountain Bakery
> Location: Newry
> Sample specialty: Maine blueberry
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Maryland: The Ugly Pie
> Location: Salisbury
> Sample specialty: Sweet potato
Massachusetts: Ever So Humble Pie Company
> Location: East Walpole
> Sample specialty: New England apple
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Michigan: Sister Pie
> Location: Detroit
> Sample specialty: Salted maple
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Minnesota: Heather’s Pies
> Location: Minneapolis
> Sample specialty: Triple berry
Mississippi: Sugaree’s Bakery
> Location: New Albany
> Sample specialty: Chocolate meringue
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Missouri: A Slice of Pie
> Location: Rolla
> Sample specialty: Tollhouse
Montana: The Coffee Pot Bakery Café
> Location: Bozeman
> Sample specialty: Chocolate mousse
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Nebraska: The Bubbly Tart
> Location: Omaha
> Sample specialty: Chocolate raspberry crème
Nevada: Pies Unlimited
> Location: North Las Vegas
> Sample specialty: Grasshopper
New Hampshire: Woodstock Pie & Coffee Co.
> Location: North Woodstock
> Sample specialty: Fruits of the forest
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New Jersey: Penza’s Pies at the Red Barn Café
> Location: Hammonton
> Sample specialty: Pumpkin ricotta
New Mexico: Burro Street Bakery
> Location: Cloudcraft
> Sample specialty: Caramel apple walnut
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New York: Miss American Pie
> Location: Brooklyn
> Sample specialty: Salted-caramel banana cream pie
North Carolina: Carolina Pie Company
> Location: Mooresville
> Sample specialty: Frozen margarits
North Dakota: Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Café
> Location: Fargo
> Sample specialty: Sour cream raisin
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Ohio: Just Pies
> Location: Westerville
> Sample specialty: Peach riot pie
Oklahoma: Pie Junkie
> Location: Oklahoma City
> Sample specialty: Drunken turtle
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Oregon: The Pie Spot
> Location: Portland
> Sample specialty: Marionberry
Pennsylvania: The Pie Place
> Location: Pittsburgh
> Sample specialty: Freestone peach
Rhode Island: DeLuise Bakery
> Location: Providence & Cranston
> Sample specialty: Pumpkin
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South Carolina: Sugar Bakeshop
> Location: Charleston
> Sample specialty: Chocolate bourbon pecan
South Dakota: Purple Pie Place (open in summer and fall)
> Location: Custer
> Sample specialty: Raspberry rhubarb jalapeno
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Tennessee: Papa C Pies Bakery
> Location: Brentwood
> Sample specialty: Steeplechase Derby (pecans, chocolate chips, bourbon)
Texas: Royers Pie Haven
> Location: Round Top
> Sample specialty: Shannon’s blueberry lemon
Utah: Veyo Pies
> Location: Veyo
> Sample specialty: Caramel apple
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Vermont: Poorhouse Pies
> Location: Underhill
> Sample specialty: Maple pecan
Virginia: Mom’s Apple Pie Company
> Location: Leesburg, Round Hill, & Occoquan
> Sample specialty: Butter pecan apple crumb
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Washington: A la Mode Pies
> Location: Seattle
> Sample specialty: Sweetheart sour cherry
West Virginia: Sugar Pie Bakery
> Location: South Charleston
> Sample specialty: Peach caramel crumb
Wisconsin: SmallPie by Honeypie
> Location: Milwaukee
> Sample specialty: Milwaukee mud
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Wyoming: Cowboy Café
> Location: Dubois & Sheridan
> Sample specialty: Cherry almond
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