Lemon, cherry, cream or Mississippi Mud, there’s never a bad time for pie. Even after a gut-busting meal, there’s always room for a forkful of flaky crust. Whether you love a lattice top, a pile of whipped cream or double crust, here are some of our favorite pies for cozy winter nights — or any time of the year.
Betty’s Fish & Chips
When Susan Corso and her family bought Betty’s Fish N’ Chips more than two decades ago, the only dessert on the menu was cheesecake, which she thought was a bad pairing with fish. “I felt lemon was the perfect match, so I took a basic lemon recipe and modified it, and that’s how the Lemon Cloud Pie came up,” she explained. With a super-flaky crust, tangy lemon custard from local Meyer lemon trees and huge mounds of whipped cream, the pie is a throwback to a simpler time.
Corso has passed the torch to new owners, but the pies remain just as good. Dan Coleman shadowed longtime Corso to ensure they got the famous Lemon Cloud pie just right. You don’t mess with a staple of the iconic Santa Rosa seafood shack, a family favorite since 1967. They are still made in-house every day. 4046 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-539-0899, bettysfishandchips.com
Sweet T’s Restaurant & Bar
Dennis and Ann Tussey’s shrine to Southern-style cuisine has been a Wine Country favorite since it opened more than a decade ago. Fried chicken, barbecue and spicy margaritas are always on point, but leave room for dessert. Pecan pie is served cold — in all its sticky-crunchy, delicious glory — with a crown of vanilla ice cream. The Mississippi Mud is so big you can order it by the half-slice. My heart, however, belongs to the Key Lime pie — tart, creamy and sweet with just the right amount of whipped cream and graham cracker crust. 9098 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com
Ace Hardware
No, it’s not a joke: California Ace Hardware stores sell frozen pies. And they’re really good. Just look for the freezer filled with pies from The Pie Company: apple, blackberry, blueberry, nectarine and the unmistakable winner, peach cobbler. The fan favorite is made with fresh peaches, vanilla and sour cream, topped with a sweet crumb topping. I’m a convert. Available at Ace Hardware stores in Sebastopol, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Windsor, Larkfield and Santa Rosa.
Criminal Baking Co.
From sweet hand pies to full-sized savory meat pies and, of course, fruit pies, you could say pies are Criminal’s thing. Catering owner and pie baker Dawn Zaft’s offerings are extensive, featuring seasonal fruit pies, cream and custard pies (lemon meringue, banana custard, cookies and cream), as well as savory pot pies (short rib, chicken and vegetable, beef stroganoff, or vegetarian broccoli potato with cheddar cheese). The cafe often has hand pies and some frozen savory pies available, but if you want a custom pie, you’ll need to order at least five days in advance. All pies can be made with gluten-free crusts. So good, they’re almost criminal. 808 Donahue St., Santa Rosa, 707-888-3546, criminalbakingcompany.com
Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar
With popular takeout cafes in downtown Santa Rosa and on the Healdsburg plaza, Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar brings together two key ingredients to satisfy a sweet tooth: excellent pies and the ice cream to top them. The flavor combinations here are sophisticated — raspberry-blueberry crumble, strawberry Mississippi mud, minty grasshopper, or blood-orange raspberry custard. Order by the slice or grab a whole pie to take home. 539 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3392; 116 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-395-4426, thenoblefolk.com
Petaluma Pie Company
The small Petaluma mom-and-pop has a rotating lineup of fruit and cream pies (and savory hand pies) daily. Don’t miss the Elvis Pie: layers of peanut butter pie, sliced bananas and chocolate cream, topped with whipped cream, more chocolate and chopped nuts. Fit for a king indeed. And after you have your fill of sweets, it would be rude not to try the cheeseburger hand pie — a house specialty. 125 Petaluma Blvd. N., Suite B, Petaluma, 707-766-6743, petalumapiecompany.com
Mom’s Apple Pies
The scent of apples and cinnamon greets you in the parking lot of this classic roadside bakeshop. The mile-high filled pie is a favorite. 4550 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-8330, momsapplepieusa.com
Kozlowski Pies
Founded in 1949, Kozlowski Farms has been a Sonoma County icon for generations. In 2019, Costeaux French Bakery took over its pie and tart production and continues to supply these beloved pies to regional grocers. Known for their all-butter crusts and pecan crumb streusel topping, the apple, cherry, peach, pecan, pumpkin, strawberry rhubarb and three-berry varieties remain local favorites. 707-433-1943, kozlowskipies.com
Village Bakery
The relocated bakery has handy handfuls of pie perfect for on-the-go. Be a little stealthy, though. Crumbs on the car seat are a dead giveaway that you’re not a sharer. 3851 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-829-8101, villagebakerywinecountry.com
Plus, a savory option
BurtoNZ Bakery
Tasty meat pies, a rare find in Sonoma County, are available from this New Zealand-inspired bakery in Windsor. 9076 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-687-5455, burtonzbakery.com
