On our modern calendar, it seems like there's a national day to celebrate everything—including the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. We're talking, of course, about Pi Day, also known as March 14 (3.14), also known as a day when we don't think about pi at all but instead reflect on pie, a concept that is infinitely tastier than mathematics. And in our office, we have a few favorites. You can find these particular slices in coffee shops, diners and LA institutions; one of them even made our list of the best desserts we ate in 2014. Enjoy a slice with some ice cream, a cup of coffee or a glass of milk—however you take it, we know your love will be infinite and irrational. Just like pi.
Our pie picks:
Sara Fay, editor: "The key lime pie at Clementine. The graham cracker crust is thicker on this pie than most other key lime pies, which ensures you get a bite of crust with every sour-but-not-too-sour-or-too-sweet bite. It's heaven." ($4.50 per slice)
Ramona Saviss, managing editor: "The banana cream pie at The Apple Pan. The decadent (and messy!) pie features a thin, flaky crust and thick cream studded with layers of banana slices and topped off with whipped cream. Apple Pan makes their pies fresh every day, including their classic apple pie that we recommend getting à la mode with a scoop of Danish vanilla ice cream." ($6.25 per slice)
Jakob N. Layman, photo editor: "The grapefruit pie from Salt's Cure. Forget everything you thought you knew about key lime pie, in fact, forget key lime pie at all. For the perfect balance of sweet and tart with a to-die-for graham cracker crust, I recommend a slice—or three—of this grapefruit pie." ($9 per slice)
Erin Kuschner, associate editor: "The chocolate banana cream pie at Republic of Pie. Let's start with the fact that this pie has all the whipped cream. All of it. A thick layer of chocolate mousse sits below that, followed by ripe slices of banana and a superb graham cracker crust. I could eat this thing for dinner, then follow up with another slice for dessert. And you know what? I'm a grown-up, so I'm totally allowed." ($5.75 per slice)
Kate Wertheimer, senior associate editor: "The pot pie at Ostrich Farm. When it comes to pie, I've always preferred savory over sweet. Luckily for me, Echo Park's new eatery Ostrich Farm just opened blocks from my place, and it happens to have one of the best pot pies I've ever tasted. Braised beef, perfectly cooked winter veggies and just enough stilton cheese inside a deep golden crust that's crisp on the outside and moist underneath. It's easily shareable between two people—but not when one of those people is me. Get your own pot." ($26)
Michael Juliano, associate editor: "The bourbon pecan pie at Cole's. Somewhere near the bottom of an Old Fashioned, it starts to make sense that dessert should be drenched in bourbon, too. It’s nearly impossible, sober or otherwise, to turn down the waiter’s offer for Cole’s “famous” bourbon pecan pie: a booze-soaked slice with a not-so-bitterness that perfectly balances its sweetness, especially à la mode." ($5.01 per slice, extra $2 for à la mode)
What's your favorite slice of pie in LA? Give us the scoop in the comments below!