Pie enthusiasts can discover a secret treasure in the Midwest, which is well-known for its rich food and welcoming demeanor: an island full of mouthwatering sweets.
The area has a long history of pie-making, featuring everything from traditional apple pie to creative taste combinations. Come along as we find the real magic of pie and the best places in the Midwest to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Sister Pie, Detroit
Owned by the generous Lisa Ludwinski, this charming neighborhood bakery has lines out the door on weekends and holidays. The menu is seasonal, showcasing the abundance of Michigan food and creating the ideal harmony between traditional and modern cuisine.
(Consider recipes like Strawberry Rhubarb Lavender Streusel, Toasted Marshmallow Butterscotch, or Salted Maple; they all have an all-butter crust created with rich, European-style butter.)
In addition, Sister Pie sells individual morning galettes (topped with sunny eggs!), cookies, cinnamon rolls, and scones.
Sweetie Pies, Fish Creek, Wisconsin
In Wisconsin’s Door County, summertime brings sunshine, beach, and those amazing cherries. Sweetie Pies in Fish Creek is one of the best sites on the peninsula to pay tribute to them.
Each crust is hand-rolled, and their fruit-forward fillings (which include tart cherries from nearby Hyline Orchard) omit any stabilizers or fillers.
In fact, the crew is proud to say that the only appliance in the kitchen is an 8-cup mixer. However, don’t worry if cherries aren’t your thing: Rhubarb custard, blueberry, chocolate chess, and custard are other well-liked flavors.
Read Also: Michigan’s Best-Kept Secrets: 5 Small-Town Getaways to Explore
The Upper Crust, Overland Park, Kansas
Situated in the outskirts of Kansas City, The Upper Crust strikes the ideal combination of rustic charm and contemporary vibe. Pie connoisseurs will tell you that bumbleberries, or mixed berries, are a summertime favorite, as is the refreshingly tart key lime.
Other popular berries include Sour Cream Blackberry, Peach Raspberry, and Caramel Walnut. The store also has a number of sugar-free options.
Read Also: Local Flavors: 5 Foods Unique to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Justice of the Pies, Chicago
With deliciously creative sweet and savory fillings including Salted Caramel Peach, Lavender Blueberry, Bleu Cheese Praline Pear, and sweet potato pies, Justice of the Pies thinks beyond the box—or perhaps the crust?
Maya-Camille Broussard, a defense attorney who loved baking, started her pie store on Chicago’s South Side in memory of her late father.
Since then, Broussard has established herself: in the Outstanding Baker category, she was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation in 2022.
Read Also: Top-Rated Chinese Buffets to Explore in Maryland
The Blue Owl, Kimmswick, Missouri
The Blue Owl in small Kimmswick, Missouri, serves Levee-High Apple Pies that are quite amazing in terms of architecture. The pie was made by cafe owner Mary Hostetter as a tribute to the Mississippi River levee that prevented the town from flooding in 1993.
It quickly gained popularity and was even listed among Oprah Winfrey’s favorites. One of Mary’s best-kept secrets is how she arranged 18 sliced apples under an absurdly tall dome of crust.
Her daughter and son-in-law, who currently run the restaurant and continue to bake those apple pies that defy gravity, still keep it a secret.
Try the traditional recipe (above) or a decadent caramel-pecan version that has sticky nuts all over the crust. (Order them to be baked for you at home.)
To Conclude
For pie aficionados, the Midwest is a hidden heaven, with a wide variety of bakeries and eateries exhibiting the culinary inventiveness of the area.
These places provide a great sensory experience, with everything from traditional apple pie to creative flavor combinations. So go out on a journey packed with pie and uncover the real enchantment of pie heaven in the Midwest.
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