Award-winning pastry chef Angela Pinkerton has been dreaming of her own pastry shop since 2014. Last month, her dream came true.
With the help of chef David Nayfeld and Matt Brewer of Back Home Hospitality (her co-owners at sibling restaurant Che Fico), Pinkerton opened Theorita in NoPa, a pastry shop and classic diner named after her grandmother. Located below Che Fico, the new bakery and restaurant is already being lauded for its pies—choose from favorites like apple, bourbon chocolate walnut, or raspberry and white nectarine pies at the old-school walk-up pastry counter.
Photograph: Anna Volpicelli
“Before starting to work at this project I thought about what brought me into the food industry and where this love that I have for pastries came from. I thought about my grandmother and her pies. I spent all my childhood helping her in the kitchen and watching her making all kind of pies," says Pinkerton. “I love pies and I love making them."
Photograph: Krescent Carasso
Pinkerton's family-oriented upbringing in Northern Ohio also informs the savory side of the menu. Theorita also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring classic diner fare like sandwiches, salads and a delicious burger. Fast favorites include the breakfast sandwich on a house-made English muffin with scrambled eggs, ham, cheddar cheese and strawberry jam and the Theorita burger featuring Marin Sun Farms beef, onions two ways, special sauce and house-made dill pickles served on a potato bun. Other highlights include a big cob salad and veggie chili with maple cornbread.
Photograph: Krescent Carasso
Coming up, the team says to expect some dinner specials like Marin Sun Farms Meatloaf night, Rossotti Ranch Veal Salisbury steak, pot roast, and a pancakes for dinner night. Whatever you eat for dinner, make sure it's followed up with one of Pinkerton's signature pies, and it might not be a bad idea to put in your Thanksgiving order now (just sayin').