Serious Eats: Sweets
The 15 Best Pies in Arkansas
[Photographs: Kat Robinson]
At many home-style restaurants in Arkansas, you can invariably find a version of the Reuben sandwich, and pie. (We'll have to save the best reuben roundup for another day.) The pies vary as widely as Arkansas' topography, some flat like the Delta, some muddy like the river counties, some hilly with meringue like the Ozarks. And you never know what sort of pie you'll get: fruit, cream, chess, meringue, fried or icebox. But chances are, it's going to be good. Narrowing down the best pies in the state wasn't easy (as pie, har har) but in honor of Pi Day, we figured it was the right time to address this question.
Pie recipes in Arkansas are traditionally handed down through families, even when there's a commercial operation involved. Some of the recipes date back to the 19th century; others are recent creations that have found a pleasant place in our hearts.
For this roundup, the focus was on pies baked in a pie pan; no fried pies involved. There will inevitably be controversy over this list. Arkansawyers love a good debate over pie.
The Arkansas Pie Honor Roll
Ms. Lena's Pie Shop »
Hunka Pie »
Ed & Kay's »
Charlotte's Eats and Sweets »
Jenny Lind Country Café »
Say McIntosh on 7th »
Chip's Barbecue »
Franke's Cafeteria »
302 on the Square »
Rita's Restaurant »
Ed's Custom Bakery »
Alley Oop's »
Stoby's »
Boardwalk Café »
Wagon Wheel Restaurant »
Mapping the Best Pies
View Best Pies in Arkansas in a larger map
Honorable Mentions
Strawberry cream pie from Bobby's Country Cookin'
301 North Shackleford Road # E1, Little Rock AR 72211; 501-224-9500
Possum pie from Myrtie Mae's
207 West Van Buren, Eureka Springs AR 72632; 479-253-9768
Bourbon chocolate pecan pie from Delicious Temptations
11220 N Rodney Parham Rd # B, Little Rock AR 72212; 501-225-6893
Blueberry pie from Luigi's
22000 Interstate 30 North, Bryant AR 72022; 501-847-1110
Chocolate meringue pie from Atkin's Blue Diamond Café
1800 N Highway 9, Morrilton AR 72110
About the author: Kat Robinson is a food and travel writer out of Little Rock. She writes Eat Arkansas, the food blog for the Arkansas Times. She also writes Tie Dye Travels, her personal travel blog about journeys through Arkansas and the American South.
