Best Pie in NYC: 10 Top Picks From a Local

We want to bring you some of the best pie in NYC, and we’re not talking about pizza. From pies brimming with oozing fruits, filled with dense custards, topped with nutty garnishes, or packed with sugar and cream, we flagged our top citywide slices.

As there is no shortage of bakeries, diners, and sweetshops in NYC to choose from, consider this guide your roadmap to New York’s tastiest pie purveyors. Enjoy scrolling (and drooling) through our guide to the best pie in NYC!

10. Milk Bar

It would be unjust to not mention Momofuku Milk Bar on a list of the best pie in NYC. The milk bar pie at Momofuku (previously known as crack pie) is as iconic as its creator, Christina Tosi. Available at locations all across the city, this pie featuring gooey, buttery, brown sugar filling and a toasted-oat crust stretches the concept of pie to all corners of the pantry and holds the power to send anyone who takes a bite into a sugar-induced coma. For pie traditionalists, this particular rendition may be nothing more than a franken-cookie monstrosity in the shape of a pie, but those with a rampant sweet tooth will undoubtedly enjoy the sugar rush. The slices are $6 and admittedly very small, but the size control is probably in your best interest here.

9. Pies ‘n’ Thighs

The name says it all: delicious pies and chicken thighs are the bottom line at this Brooklyn eatery, and while they may be known for their fried chicken, their old-fashioned banana cream pie is also a must. The Nilla wafer crust is what really makes this sugary creation stand out. The crumbly shortbread texture is the ideal vessel for the sumptuous banana cream filling and banana pieces. Topped with whipped cream, spicy nutmeg, and extra Nilla wafer (because why not?), it really is a little slice of heaven. Other pie flavors are also available, including a sour cherry and pear pie, but nothing really holds a candle to the banana cream.

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8. Palais by Perfect Pie (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)

Opened by former a White House Pastry chef, this bakeshop on the Upper East Side turns out pastries fit for prime ministers and presidents alike. With high-quality ingredients and sophisticated flavor profiles, you know you’ll be getting some of the best pie in NYC at Palais. Their pies come in individualized mini servings as opposed to slices, reinforcing their astute commitment to aesthetics. Their signature salted caramel apple pie has a croissant-like crust and a fruity filling that melts in your mouth. The caramel flavor is super subtle, but the salt granules on top add an essential savory balance that really brings out the apple. The pecan pie will also give you cause to shout, with hints of maple and roasted pecans that deepen the taste.

7. Little Pie Company

This bakery in Hell’s Kitchen has been a local favorite for over 30 years, and for good reason: its authentic, from-scratch pies are the real deal. Before they were dubbed some of the best pie in NYC, Little Pie’s pies were actually baked in the upstairs apartment of their current space. The specialty here is undeniably the sour cream walnut apple pie. It’s richer than the run-of-the-mill apple pie, with paper-thin apple slices packed between a sweet sour cream filling and a walnut crumb topping that will make streusel lovers’ dreams come true. If you’re an apple fan, on any given day there are two to three varieties to choose from, including an old-fashioned apple pie, a sugar-free apple pie, and the seasonal cheddar crusted apple pie (which we whole-heartedly endorse).

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6. The Blue Stove

Located in the heart of Williamsburg, The Blue Stove is a charming, wholesome bakery that serves pies with powerhouse flavor combinations. From their vegan pear ginger crisp, with its oaty undertones, to the apple rosemary bramble, you’ll have endless classic options enhanced with innovative twists that will get your taste buds hopping. We loved their (new) preserved apricot and almond custard pie; it’ll blow your mind all the way to the West Coast. The golden-brown crust, custard, apricot slices, and almond slivers unite to create texture-perfect mouthfuls. The only thing you’ll regret about going to The Blue Stove is not being able to consume everything in sight.

5. Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies

Turns out, you don’t have to go all the way to Key West for really, really good key lime pie. There’s something to be said about a franchise that’s specialized for over 20 years in one particular product, and Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies, a small shop off the beaten path in Red Hook, doesn’t disappoint. Steve’s opts for 100% fresh-squeezed key lime juice rather than bottled or concentrated juices, so you can trust the claims of absolute authenticity in their recipe, which is truly mind-bendingly tasty. Their traditional key lime pie is bright, creamy perfection, but they also offer a fun twist: their popular “swingles” take the famous tart in frozen form, place it on a popsicle stick, and hand dip it in rich Belgian chocolate. Try either the Classic (dark chocolate coating) or the Raspberry Blonde (French raspberry puree with a white chocolate coating), and rest assured you’ll be eating some of the best pie in NYC.

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4. Petee’s Pie Company

Petee’s Pie Company is a teensy Lower East Side shop that excels at sweet chess pies, juicy fruit pies, and just about everything in between. You’ll find it on nearly every list of the best pie in NYC, and it’s not hard to see why Petee’s pies have garnered a bit of a cult following (the secret is the buttery, flakey, fall-apart crust). There are so many crowd favorites here that it’s impossible to recommend them all, but we loved the chocolate chess pie, which somehow manages to be fudgy and fluffy all in the same bite. If you’re feeling a bit more daring with your textures, give the coconut custard pie a go—the custard filling is crowned with toasted coconut flakes and the combination is delightful. Or just stop by and eat a slice of whatever’s warm for $6. Take a seat at one of the few stools available and bask in pie paradise as you people watch on Delancey.

3. Bubby’s

Now one of Tribeca’s brunch go-to spots, Bubby’s originally started as a pie shop. While the restaurant has since grown into much more than a dessert destination, its pies have stayed steady and consistent. If you want a slice as over-the-top as you are, you have to get the peanut butter pie: moist chocolate cookie crust, pillowy peanut butter filling, and a decadent dark chocolate ganache with peanut bits on top. If you want a seasonal flavor, we can’t speak highly enough of the latticed Michigan sour cherry pie. The cherry insides—featuring whole cherries that are soft yet chewy and intertwined with subtle notes of almond—is so packed with flavor it may send you into temporary shock. Get ready to (literally) lick your plate clean.

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2. Two Little Red Hens

Two Little Red Hens is an Upper East Side dessert staple that offers some of the city’s best in cupcakes, cheesecakes, and more. Their pies are, unsurprisingly, equally superb. While the pie menu changes seasonally (including flavors like apple plum pear spice or strawberry rhubarb), the chocolate pecan is consistently beloved. Its crunchy, crystallized pecan topping isn’t overly sweet, and the thick, buttery filling is loaded with rich chunks of bittersweet chocolate. If your taste buds lean sour, the lemon chess pie came server recommended. Bright, sharp, silky, lemony perfection encased in a solid pie crust that is both crumbly and flakey. The small space can get a bit hectic when demand is high (which is often), but you’ll undoubtedly find some of the best pie in NYC here.

1. Four & Twenty Blackbirds

Picking a favorite on a guide of the best pie in NYC seems unfair (can you really choose?), but we have to give this one to Four & Twenty Blackbirds. The quaint Brooklyn eatery was opened by two sisters who learned the secrets to the perfect pie from their grandma, lending a truly authentic, homemade feel to their pies. From malted chocolate pecan to lavender honey, they create stellar redesigns of classic pies, and their (trademarked) salty honey pie is the star of the show. The fluffy honeyed custard has an ultra-deep flavor and is topped with flakey sea salt that helps curb the sweetness. Served with a small mountain of whipped cream on the side, it’s the peak of decadence. They also have a signature salted caramel apple pie—the juicy, still-crunchy apple bits are so fresh they could have just been picked off a tree at a farm in upstate New York, and it’s all encased in a delicious, savory crust. Are you drooling yet?