Levee High Caramel Apple Pecan Pie, The Blue Owl, Kimmswick, Mo.
You can eat this pie overlooking the Mississippi River and it is as much dessert as it is an architectural miracle. A tribute to the levees that protected Kimmswick against a rising river in 1993, this pie is made of 18 thinly sliced apples, stacked layer-upon-layer between crispy crusts.
Cherry Crumb Pie, Grand Traverse Pie Co., Traverse City, Mich.
The Grand Traverse Pie Co. showcases Northern Michigan Montmorency local tart cherries in this masterpiece. They prove themselves worthy of the title Cherry Capital of the World with this seasonal item. The tart fruit contrasts perfectly with the sweet crumble, similar to Scottish shortbread.
Buttermilk Pie, Tootie Pie Company, Boerne, Texas
This recipe rarely travels beyond the American South, but that’s a shame. Buttermilk pie is a custard pie made with buttermilk instead of cream and its scent from the kitchen will have you salivating. The freshly made pie smells like cake batter and waffle cone, and tastes like buttermilk crème brulee.
Shoo-Fly Pie, Dutch Haven, Ronks, Pa.
Both Dinah Shore and Ella Fitzgerald have literally sung the praises of this pie. The 1945 song, “Shoe-Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy,” says the dessert “makes your eyes light up, your tummy say ‘howdy.’” Here’s what it is: a brown sugar and molasses-based pie that somehow achieves a creamy flavor, topped with a crumble.
Savory Pies, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Baltimore, Md.
You can have this pie for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Along with the traditional sweet pies like lemon chess, sweet potato and Baltimore bomb, Dangerously Delicious Pies offers mind-blowing savory pies. You’ll find a classic chicken pot pie, along with the hot-rod potato pie, the barbecue pork pie and other entrée-worthy pies.
Chocolate Haupia Cream Pie, Ted’s Bakery, Oahu, Hawaii
The Chocolate haupia (coconut) cream pie at Ted’s Bakery on Oahu’s North Shore is such a rare combination of ingredients for an item of its category, it can really only be described by the local slang that translates to “great food.” The crust is perfectly flaky and as for the inside, you’ll be certain haupia and chocolate should grow on trees together.
Southern Pecan Pie, Yoder’s Amish Restaurant, Sarasota, Fla.
You can taste the love in this pie, made by a bonnet-donning grandmother. Seriously. The pecan pie is sweet, salty and devilishly buttery but other flavors are worth mentioning like the peanut butter cream. You can’t help but love this family-owned establishment.
Key Lime Pie, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies, Brooklyn, N.Y.
You wouldn’t expect a key lime pie specialty spot to be located on the shores of Brooklyn, but you won’t care about the geography when you bite into this tangy, rich, custardy pie baked in a crisp graham-crumb crust. The shop takes pride in the fact that it uses freshly squeezed lime juice.
Green-Chile Apple Pie, Chile Pies (& Ice Cream), San Francisco, Calif.
You heard right: chile and apple in the same dish. And it is flawless. The savory green chiles balance out the crisp apples artfully, giving the pie just the tiniest spice. And then there is the savory flaky, cheddar-laced crust once again complimented by sweetness in the form of walnut streusel with an optional drizzle of cayenne honey.
Olallieberry Pie, Duarte’s Tavern, Pescadero, Calif.
The olallieberry is a cross between loganberry and youngberry, and each of berries is a cross between blackberry and either raspberry or dewberry. So you can imagine the sweet and tangy bliss it brings to your taste buds. The actual fruit compote is the perfect consistency – not too runny, not too thick – and the crust is flaky and browned to perfection.
