Got pie on your mind? Well, here’s our list of bakeries and pie shops in the Capital Region who can really serve it up. But wherever you go for your pastry needs, remember to be safe and keep your cool.
This Sacramento bakery made national headlines recently — not because of a pie, sadly for our purposes — but for its amazing Ken doll cake. But even if you come for the accepting cake-making practices, you really ought to stay for the pie: Everything at Freeport is made from scratch, and their team is obviously willing to accommodate each unique and wonderful request. You won’t want to throw their pies anywhere but in your mouth, on a fork.
- Where: 2966 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95818
- When: Mon.-Fri: 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Sat: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sun: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Contact: 916-442-4256
Ikeda’s California Country Market
No list of local pie shops would be complete without at least a nod to Ikeda’s. They were even featured in a PBS special called “A Few Good Pie Places” and if PBS is wrong, then we don’t want to be right. The pie teams at the Ikeda’s in Auburn and Davis start baking every morning at 4 a.m. and offer a wide variety, such as pecan, apple, marionberry, peach, blueberry, cherry, lemon meringue and the ever-important banana cream. They also carry special seasonal pies such as wild blackberry, pumpkin and apricot. “Pies are a scrumptious treat,” claims the documentary trailer. We’d agree, and add, “And should be treated as such.”
Related: A few good Pie Places
- Where: (Auburn location) 13500 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603 (Davis location) 26295 Mace Blvd, Davis, CA 95618
- When: Varies, seasonally and by location
- Contact: (Auburn) (530)-885-4243; (Davis) (530) 750-3379
Ettore’s European Bakery and Restaurant
Being so close to our offices, we would be remiss not to mention Ettore’s European Bakery. A tried-and-true Comstock’s staff favorite for lunch, the restaurant and bakery on Fair Oaks Blvd. devotes a beautifully decadent section of their entranceway to all things pastry — including pies, tarts and tortes, so the bakery counter is hard to miss on any visit. Our favorites are the bite-sized fruit tarts and the European Apple Tarts, but Customers should also try the Salted Caramel Tart and the Linzer Torte. What’s that you say? Tarts and tortes aren’t pies? Well we can’t hear your protests, we’re too busy eating.
- Where: 2376 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95825
- When: Mon-Thurs: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri-Sat: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Contact: (916) 482-0708
Rick’s list of pies alone would overflow this page. To list all of their desserts would pale in comparison to the delight of stepping into their Midtown location on J and 24th streets. Besides, we would never deny you the sugar shock that is to be experienced just by being breathing in the air around the vicinity of Rick’s Dessert Diner. Your mission for a good Midtown pie should begin and end there. As for our favorite? How about our own Winnie Comstock-Carlson’s must-have: A good old fashioned cherry pie, baked in flaky, buttery double crust. Good choice, Winnie!
- Where: 2401 J Street , Sacramento, CA 95816
- When: Tues-Thurs: 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Fri-Sat: 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sun: Noon to 11 p.m.; Mon: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Contact: (916) 444-0969
Honorable Mention: Per a staff request, we’ve added a special category just for Cafe Vinoteca’s banana cream pie. Find and try it at 3535 Fair Oaks Blvd Ste. C, or call for a reservation at (916) 487-1331.
Where do you go for your pie fix? Let us know in the comments or hit us up on social media.