Our 15 Favorite Pie Shops in America!

By Jessica Greene

Looking to indulge in a scrumptious pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving? Or maybe you're looking for something a bit more unconventional this holiday season? Whatever it may be, we've got you covered. Dishing up pies with locally-sourced ingredients and crust that crumbles perfectly, you can't go wrong at these 15 best pie shops in the U.S.

1. Achatz Handmade Pie Co., Detroit, MI

The pies at Achatz Handmade Pie Co. in Detroit, Michigan, are so delicious that they've been featured on the Food Network, "Good Morning America" as well as in Food & Wine and Bon Appétit. All of the pies at Achatz are made with fresh ingredients, many of which are sourced from local Michigan farms. If you want to try their famed Michigan Four Berry Pie but don't plan to be in Detroit any time soon, you can order one online and have it shipped directly to your house.

2. Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits, Chicago, IL

The delectability of the pie offerings at Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits is evidenced by the long line of people stretched down the sidewalks of their two Chicago stores every weekend. Pie offerings at Bang Bang change weekly-they prepare their pies with seasonal, local ingredients-but you can always expect to find at least one fruit, one chocolate, and one cream option. If it's in season, you'll want to try the Apple Cider Pie, a cream version of the classic dish made with custard.

3. Dangerously Delicious Pies, Multiple locations

With locations in Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Detroit, Dangerously Delicious Pies has a unique approach. Rather than going with the typical quaint, family-bakery theme of most pie shops, the mantra at Dangerously Delicious is "Pie-n-Rock-n-Roll," a theme that harkens to the shop's beginnings when the founder would trade his pies for lodging while on tour with the Drive-By Truckers. If you can only get one slice, make it the Chocolate Pecan-a twist on the original made with dark chocolate.

4. Emporium Pies, Dallas, McKinney, TX

At its two locations in Dallas and one in McKinney, Texas, Emporium Pies creates homemade pies from scratch using local, seasonal ingredients. In the spring you can get your hands on a Carrot Cake Pie, and in fall you'll want to replace your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie tradition with Emporium's "The Nannerz"-a banana custard pie topped with whipped cream and caramel. People outside of Dallas can also enjoy pies from Emporium by ordering a pie on their website and having it shipped anywhere in the country.

5. Four and Twenty Blackbirds, Brooklyn, NY

At its three Brooklyn locations, Four and Twenty Blackbirds serves up savory pies made with seasonal fruit piled into all-butter crusts that are like those your grandma might have made back before people worried about things like saturated fats. The shop has been recognized by many major outlets, including the New York Times, "Good Morning America," and New York Magazine. Make sure to try the Chocolate Julep, a take on the Kentucky Derby's famous drink with mint, chocolate, and bourbon.

6. Hoosier Mama Pie Company, Chicago, Evanston, IL

With locations in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, Hoosier Mama Pie Company offers an unbeatable deal for those who just can't make up their minds-pie flights. Pie flights allow visitors to sample three entirely different half-slices of pie, but be warned: you may fall in love with all of them. Make sure to add a slice of the Fat Elvis pie to your flight when you visit. Featured on the Food Network, the Fat Elvis pie tops a crust of graham crackers, pretzels, and peanuts with chocolate, peanut butter, and bananas.

7. Momofuku Milk Bar, Multiple locations

With several locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Washington D.C., and Toronto, Momofuku Milk Bar serves unique pies that chef Christina Tosi refers to as her "happy mistakes." Tosi has been recognized multiple times by the prestigious James Beard Foundation for her pastry creations, and her deserts have been recommended by publications like Bon Appétit, the New York Times, and Food & Wine. If you don't live near one of the shop's locations, you can order a famous Crack Pie and have it shipped to you.

8. Petsi Pies, Somerville, Cambridge, MA

At its multiple locations in Massachusetts, Petsi Pies is a beloved indie pie shop that serves up the classics. Made fresh daily with seasonal, all-natural ingredients, Petsi's selection of sweet and savory pies give you an excuse to have pie for dinner and desert. If you stop by in winter, make sure to get a slice of their chicken pot pie-it's only seasonally available-and follow it up with a Bourbon Chocolate Pecan pie that's filled with sweet pecans and drizzled with chocolate.

9. Pie Corps, Brooklyn, NY

If you live in New York, you are among the lucky few who can experience frequent pie delight with a Pie Corps subscription that delivers one fresh pie to your doorstep every month. Pie Corps is a small bakery with only one location in Brooklyn that makes mouthwatering pies with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Their pies have received praise in The Wall Street Journal and Condé Nast Traveler. Make sure to get a slice of the S'Mores Pie. If you love it, you can take a pie-making class to learn how to make it yourself.

10. Kern's Kitchen

Though Kern's Kitchen has no storefront, it is the one and only place in the country that can make a true Derby Pie. While other places try to replicate Kern's recipe, Kern owns the copyright to the term Derby Pie and has kept their recipe a secret for more than half of a century. While you can get a true Derby Pie in many locations around Kentucky year-round, you can enjoy a Derby Pie from Kern's Kitchen in any part of the country by ordering one online and having it delivered to your doorstep.

11. Pielab, Greensboro, AL

With one small location in Greensboro, Alabama, Pielab has made a big name for itself. By serving delicious pies in a friendly and open atmosphere, Pielab seeks to encourage the people in their neighborhood to create progressive change in the world. A real community, Pielab is such a draw to locals that they frequently bring in fruits and foods grown in their own gardens to be made into pies at the shop. Make sure to try the Key Lime Chess pie, a blend of two southern favorites.

12. Random Order, Portland, OR

With mentions in the New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Food and Wine, Forbes, and Relish, Portland's Random Order Coffeehouse and Bakery may be one of the most talked-about pie shops in the country, and it lives up to the hype. All pies are baked by hand and filled with fresh, seasonal ingredients in a butter-based crust. If you're looking for a sugar rush with a kick, try the New Deal Coffee Cream Pie. It's made of a coffee-liqueur filling, topped with whipped cream, and dusted with fine espresso.

13. Scratch, Durham, NC

If you're visiting Durham, North Carolina, you'll want to make sure to stop in at Scratch. Scratch is another pie shop on the list that has been touted by a long list of national publications, including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, the New York Times, and USA Today. Chef Phoebe Lawless has also been nominated for several awards by the James Beard Foundation. While you're there, make sure to try their apple pie-topped with bunches of cinnamon, this pie is a sweet and sour treasure.

14. Tartine, San Francisco, CA

In San Francisco where a large concentration of restaurants and bakeries on every street in the city makes standing out a real feat, Tartine manages to capture attention of critics all over the world. But with a chef who's been awarded by the James Beard Foundation, it's no surprise that Tartine gets so much praise. While most people talk about the bread at Tartine, taking a trip to the shop without taking home a tart is a mistake. Try the pumpkin pie if it's in season-it's made with brandy.

15. Three Brothers Bakery, Houston, TX

Three Brothers Bakery has three locations in Houston, Texas, and, like many of the pie shops on this list, has been featured in numerous national publications. The shop was founded by a Polish family who survived concentration camps in World War II before migrating to Texas and opening the bakery. Though their recipes have been adapted to cater to sweet-loving Americans, they still use many of the ingredients from their homeland, making their pies unique and interesting among a nation of pie shops.