A slight chill in the Houston air means that holiday festivities are soon here, from November’s Thanksgiving blow-outs to December’s holiday office parties, and more. When it comes to the dessert table, pie is practically demanded. If the thought of crafting the perfect apple filling or rolling out a flaky crust makes you nervous, don’t worry. The bounty of local restaurants and bakeries in Houston means you’ll never have to show up empty-handed.
A pie from Flying Saucer Pie Company or a perfectly baked pecan pie from a local chef is sure to impress. Your store-bought masterpiece might become the crowd favorite, and a welcome upgrade from Aunt Sally’s infamous gelatin dessert.
Consider these local choices when picking out a pie this holiday season.
Dessert Gallery
For 30 years, Sara Brook has been tempting Houstonians with her sweet creations at Dessert Gallery, including top notch pies. Houstonians can impress their guests with pies like Southern pecan or rustic pumpkin. Chocolate lovers will be over the moon with the to-die-for fudge pecan pie, and the double crust apple pie makes a gorgeous dessert centerpiece, as long as you can keep the ravenous cousins at bay. Multiple locations, dessertgallery.com
House of Pies
Since it first opened its doors on Kirby in 1967, this late-night diner has been a source for reasonably-priced holiday pies across the city. Now, it has six locations to fill all your dessert needs. Some of the shop’s traditional, double crust pies include blueberry, cherry, Dutch apple, and strawberry rhubarb, plus sugar-free apple or cherry. The cream pies, known for their mountains of whipped topping, are available in flavors such as Bavarian banana, French silk, and strawberry cream cheese. For a true Texas treat, go for the Bayou Goo. Multiple locations, houseofpies.com
Three Brothers Bakery
This decades-old bakery began nearly 200 years ago in Poland, arriving in Houston in 1949 with the Jucker brothers, who had survived internment in a WWII concentration camp. The baked goods are a big part of family celebrations across the city—from Thanksgiving and Christmas to Hanukkah and Passover. Three Brothers’ pecan pie was listed as one of the best mail order pies by Country Living and there’s even a salted caramel version. Beyond pecan, find flavors like pumpkin, cherry, and apple, plus a couple of fruit-filled strudels. Multiple locations, 3brothersbakery.com
Epicure Cafe
This Mediterranean eatery, located in the River Oaks Shopping Center, has 12-inch pies for $30 in flavors including pumpkin, apple, and pecan. Online ordering for the holiday season is available from November 14 through December 31, but guests can stop in and taste the flavors by ordering a slice for $5. Epicure Cafe will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for last-minute pick-ups. 2005 W. Gray St., Houston, epicure-cafe.com
Flying Saucer Pie Company
Co-founded in 1967 by William Leeson, this Independence Heights-area pie shop is run by his daughter Heather Leeson today. Lines are long during the holidays, but customers are willing to endure the wait for the shop’s flaky pie crusts and variety of fillings. True to its name, the pies are out of this world, including fruit versions like apple, peach, cherry, and pumpkin. Tge pecan pie is topped with caramelized pecan pieces, while the coconut cream gets a rim of non-dairy whipped cream and a sprinkling of toasted coconut flakes. Slices are $5 and whole pies range from $21 to $23. Customers can also opt to donate a pie for a foster child’s birthday. 436 W. Crosstimbers St., Houston, flyingsaucepieshop.com
Sinfull Bakery
The holidays can be tough for vegans, especially when it comes to all of the tempting desserts made with eggs and dairy. At this longstanding vegan bakery, there are countless pies that can serve as a worthy substitute. Find traditional flavors like pumpkin cheesecake, sweet potato, mixed berry, and blueberry and have no dessert FOMO. 1714 Webster, Houston, sinfullbakery.com
Treebeards
There are several locations of this Southern-style eatery from which to pick up a pecan, apple, or pumpkin pie. Pies can be ordered online, but there is a minimum three-hour notice before noon, Monday through Friday. Multiple locations, treebeards.com
Goode Co.
This local hospitality brand is known for its barbecue and various Tex-Mex and seafood restaurants, but its dessert claim to fame is the Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie. The 9-inch round is rich and gooey, loaded with Texas pecans harvested from along the Brazos River. Customers can purchase a custom wood pie case for their pie, which has become synonymous with Houston gift-giving. Though the pecan pie is its bestseller, there is a chocolate cream pie, too. The pies can be picked up at several locations around town or shipped nationwide. Multiple locations, goodecompany.com
Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen
Known for its over-the-top desserts and hefty sandwiches, this New York-style delicatessen is always busy during the holidays filling orders for seasonal treats. Various 11-inch pies can be ordered online, with flavors like apple, banana cream, pecan, and pumpkin. For a little tropical touch to the holidays, Kenny & Ziggy’s also has a decadent Key lime pie. 1743 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, kennyandziggys.com
Red Dessert Dive
This small batch bakery has two locations in Houston offering four Thanksgiving pies that can be ordered through Friday, November 21. The Texas Twister is a whiskey walnut pie with pretzels, chocolate chips, and lots of nuts. There’s also an apple crumble, browned butter pecan and pumpkin maple. Multiple locations, reddessertdive.com
Nobie’s
Owners Sara and Martin Stayer operate several successful restaurants in Houston, including Michelin Recommended Nobie’s, which has a cult following for its pies. Guests can order chocolate, brownie bottom peanut butter, or Key lime pie. There are likely additional seasonal flavors, like the coveted banana bread pie, so it’s always a good idea to ask. Pie orders can be made by phone Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 11 p.m. 2048 Colquitt St., Houston, nobieshtx.com
Esther’s Cajun Cafe & Soul Food
A pie from Esther Lewis’ comfort food eatery is like a warm hug. The sweet potato pie is a favorite, followed pretty darn closely by the pecan version. For $15 each, you’d be wise to get both. While peach cobbler may not officially be a pie, we here in the south think that it definitely counts, and the half or full sheet cobbler from Esther’s will feed a crowd. 5007 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, estherscajunsoul.com
Fluff Bake Bar
Rebecca Masson is known as Houston’s Sugar Fairy, with her shop full of whimsical cookies and tasty cupcakes. During the holidays, she’s a busy fairy, satisfying orders galore for her pies and cakes. Pies can be pre-ordered online with dedicated pick-up times at the Heights-area store. Some of the flavors include chocolate, bourbon and pecan, chocolate cream, and pumpkin cream. The couch potato pie, a take on Masson’s popular cookies of the same name, has a potato chip and pretzel crust, with a milk chocolate and pretzel ball cremeux, plus caramelized white chocolate cornflake ganache. Your snack-scarfing brother will be in heaven. 1701 W. 15th St., Houston, fluffbakebar.com
Pie in the Sky Pie Co.
This locally-owned cafe might be out of the way for city slickers, but the good folks of Conroe have enjoyed its home cooking and tasty desserts for more than two decades. Find 9-inch whole shelf pies in varieties like apple streusel, strawberry rhubarb, buttermilk, and Southern pecan. The cream pie selection includes Key lime, banana, and lemon ice box. As an added bonus, there are 6-inch sizes available for some varieties, plus no-sugar streusel pies and a gluten-friendly pecan pie. Pies can be ordered for pick-up or shipped nationwide. 3600 N. Loop W., Conroe, pieintheskypieco.com
Jane and the Lion Bakehouse
If your holiday crew fancy themselves as “foodies”, a pie from chef and baker extraordinaire, Jane Wild, will wow their pie holes with some of the best ingredients to be found. Options for Thanksgiving include a salted honey pie, complete with fresh honeycomb, and an heirloom pumpkin pie decorated with pepitas. Wild’s wicked ways with butter is evident in the double-crusted apple pie, while the Texas pecan pie takes it up a notch with a rich toffee streusel. Besides the bakery, there is a pick-up location at Honor Society Coffee Co. in Tomball. Pies must be pre-ordered for designated pick-up for the holidays. 4721 N. Main St., Houston, janeandthelion.com
