Much like the Golden Girls found great comfort in sharing middle-of-the-night cheesecakes while discussing life, we find immense joy in the partaking of delicious homemade pies in unique shops during life’s travels across the South. We’re always on the lookout for places to procure pie when a need for sweet treats strikes. There are so many great restaurants in the South that serve pie, but shops with a wide selection are often difficult to find if you don’t know where to look! We’re here to help with these recommendations as some of our very favorites!

 

Baked Pie Company, Asheville, North Carolina

It’s quite possible this pie shop with beautifully rustic décor in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains introduced the world to the Pie Flight, a $13 treat with three generous slices of pie and a scoop of freshly made ice cream. Regardless, the place is now the standard for great pie in the region. We especially recommend the honey pecan, blueberry crumb, sweet potato, lemon chess and fudge brownie selections.

 

Cheesecakes by Alex, Greensboro, North Carolina

Are we cheating by listing a mostly-cheesecake joint on a collection of our favorite places to eat pie? Maybe, but many of the pie shops we frequent also serve one or two varieties of cheesecakes on their menus. So we reserve the right. The cheesecakes here are exquisite in every sense of the word, even including the price-and-serving combination. Plan to take a solid 10 minutes pacing the counter to decide what you want, and give yourself some grace if you decide to purchase a piece to eat immediately and a piece to take with you for later.

 

Eat Crow, Banner Elk, North Carolina

We discovered this sweet little place while taking a cool mountain drive through the hot summer South. When you drive up here you’ll find a quaint cafe-style setting that offers a savory menu as well as a counter of pies and cakes available by the slice. Of course, we didn’t pay much attention to anything but the pie, and the selection was particularly extensive, to the point it was a difficult choice which varieties we’d try. While there are traditional pies you’d expect in the South, we suggest you sample something fruit or custard-like that you can’t order just anywhere.

 

Honey Pies, Little Rock, Arkansas

This cute little pie shop on the city’s west side is bright and cozy with a great selection of fruit, cream and other pies. In addition to full-size pies, we love that a complete menu of mini pies is available. It’s a nice alternative to ordering a single slice cut from a whole pie. We especially recommend the Arkansas-specialty Possum Pie, a layered masterpiece of chocolate, cream cheese and meringue in a Graham cracker crust.

 

House of Pies, Houston, Texas

You’ll be hard pressed to find a deeper-dish pecan pie than their Texas Pecan Pie. It’s yet more proof that everything really is “bigger and better in Texas.” House of Pies on Westheimer is like an oversized Waffle House-style diner, and the reason for the restaurant’s name is evident when you see the pie counter and rolling multi-shelf carts full of pies the minute you walk in the front door.

 

Litton’s, Knoxville, Tennessee

We love an iconic local restaurant where you can eat a satisfying burger AND a filling slice of pie, so Litton’s is exactly the kind of place we seek when traveling to cities across the South. Part of the business is a bakery, so it makes sense why the dessert counter offers a tasty pie selection. The pieces are big enough to share, and the bakers don’t skimp on the ingredients! (For example, the coconut cream pie pictured above contained plenty of coconut and plenty of cream.)

 

Martin’s, Montgomery, Alabama

The meringue-topped pie slices here are so tall they almost need to be served with tiny clearance-warning signs! You can’t go wrong with a pie order at Martin’s. Coconut meringue, pecan, etc., they’re all phenomenal. We suggest you eat just part of your meal and ask for a takeout box so you can leave room in your stomach for a slice of pie. Even then, you may not have room for it all. We took home dinner and pie. The only disappointing thing about the leftovers was enjoying them without the incredible Southern atmosphere that you experience in the Martin’s dining room.

 

 

Miss Angel’s Heavenly Pies, Mount Airy, North Carolina

We’re not sure we’ve seen a larger, broader selection of unique pies anywhere, including the South, than Miss Angel’s, which draws you in with its bright pink décor and holds your attention with its long counter of sweet treats. You can even get pies baked with moonshine here at this friendly spot in the heart of the town that inspired TV’s Mayberry in the legendary “Andy Griffith Show.” Miss Angel’s also serves a wide variety of mini pies, which we’ve come to love as a single-serving alternative to slices.

 

The Pie Safe, Forest City, North Carolina

Unfortunately, there aren’t many places near where we live that sell pie by the slice and keep the doors open after dark. So by being a shop that does all that and more, The Pie Safe is a delightful place that bakes its goods in a former downtown bank building (hence the name). In addition to a great selection of Southern sweets, you should be aware of the “Bonnie and Clyde” date-night special, which offers a couple slices of pie and regular coffees on Friday evenings.

 

Pie Society, Savannah, Georgia

In the heart of downtown Savannah, a city bursting with Southern history, this British pie shop offers a delightfully different selection of sweet and savory treats. Like French pastries, British pies aren’t quite as sugary rich as their American counterparts, and we appreciate that more subtle take on dessert. If you’re strolling Savannah’s picturesque streets in the hot and humid Southern summer, this is a great place to duck in and savor a bite…or two…or three.

 

What’s your favorite place in the South to eat pie? Comment on this post, share on our Facebook page, or !