The best pie in San Francisco

The name is a bit of a misnomer: in fact, two babes—childhood friends Anna Derivi-Castellanos and Lenore Estrada—are the master bakers behind this pie company. The pies are made by hand each day using all organic ingredients from local purveyors. The holidays bring on autumnal flavors like a corn-syrup-free bourbon pecan, a classic apple (with a crumbly, hand-woven lattice crust) and a decadent sour cream pumpkin. Plus, their key lime is as good as it comes. Check out their website for pie classes and a pie subscription service.

Mission Pie's selection changes according to what’s in season: In the summer months, you’ll find mixed berry, strawberry rhubarb, and stone fruit pies. In the fall, those flavors turn to a tart shaker lemon, apple, and pear raspberry. Some flavors are in such demand they can be depended on whatever the weather, including the smooth and airy banana cream. In addition to desserts, Mission Pie offers three varieties of pot pies daily, including a turkey pot pie around Thanksgiving.

This all-day neighborhood cafe below Che Fico serves mouthwatering pies, pastries, burgers and fried chicken sandwiches. Chef Angela Pinkerton relies on her childhood memories growing up in Ohio to inform her amazing baked goods. Daily rotating pies, like passionfruit bay leaf meringue, white raspberry thyme or the killer peanut butter and jelly pie, give you a reason to visit multiple times a week. 

Breads and baked goods are only two of the stars at Tartine Manufactory, a breezy warehouse space housing an ice cream shop (with ice cream pie!), bar and restaurant alongside the bakery. Rotating pies include an amazing matcha marshmallow, a lemon ginger and a rocky road, but it’s the legendary PB&J ice cream pie (peanut butter cookie crust with a strawberry sorbet and vanilla bean fior di latte ice cream filling and topped with passion fruit jam, peanut caramel and candied roasted peanuts) that's hard to beat. 

SF native Esa Yonn-Brown crafts perfect pudding pies, cakes, lamb shepherd’s pie and other savory pies at this Outer Richmond pie shop with the motto, "For the love of butter, make pie, buy pie, and eat pie!" Seasonal sweet pies comes in flavors like grape, persimmon, and spiced chocolate chess pie.

This Bernal Heights gem draws devotees for its house-made Oreos, pop tarts and cookies and its goods can be found at cafes and grocers throughout the city, from Ritual coffee shops to Atlas Cafe. But if it’s pies you’re after, you can pick up straight from the source. Shaw offers a dozen or so flavors by pre-order, including classics like apple, apricot crumb, buttermilk, banana cream, and the brilliant chocolate pecan. Deliveries are also available through Good Eggs.

Head inside the Sanfranpsycho shop to find Elizabeth Stinson‘s Revenge Pies, home of the "F--- You pie.” She makes her pies and tarts from scratch using organic ingredients. (Then there’s the surprise ingredient in the crust: vodka. Trust us.) Regular flavors include apple, pecan, key lime, chocolate, and French vanilla, while rotating seasonal additions might bring pumpkin, apricot, or blueberry. Any pie can be made vegan or gluten-free, upon request. 

Yvonne Hines bakes southern treats inspired by her grandmother’s passed-down family recipes. She set up shop in 2006, drawing a devoted following for her Pralines, a silky pecan candy, Mama’s 7Up cake, butter cookies and red velvet cupcakes. All her confections are baked from scratch (the secret: copious amounts of butter), including her justifiably famous pecan pie and sweet potato pie. The latter is hailed for its deft balance of spiciness and sweetness.

Lois the Pie Queen has been Oakland’s grand dame of classic Southern pies for over 60 years. The charming diner draws neighborhood regulars for breakfast, fried chicken and biscuits, but it’s Lois’ lemon icebox pie, with a flaky crust and tart filling, that keeps customers in their seats. The sweet potato, chocolate pudding, apple and raspberry key lime pies are just as delicious.