The best pies in Chicago

Former fine-dining pastry chef Paula Haney made a name for her pies at farmers markets and coffee shops. Now she sells seasonal creations (from strawberry-rhubarb in spring to apple and pumpkin in fall) and signatures (like her incomparable banana-cream and the Malört-inspired "Chicago Sunrise"), along with Metropolis coffee, at her tiny, retro pie shop. The pies are, in a word, extraordinary.

The flavors at Bang Bang rotate regularly, offering a taste of seasonal produce and funky flavor combinations concocted for special holidays. Come summer, diners might be able to grab a slice of lemon pie with tangy lemon cream, frothy lemon mousse and lip-smacking lemon curd. In the winter months, keep an eye out for more indulgent creations, like the chocolate-caramel pie with shortbread cookie crust. Key lime is available all year for good reason—it's an excellent example of what the little shop can do. Citrusy custard pools in a graham cracker crust before being topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. It's spectacularly simple yet inexplicably divine.

Maya-Camille Broussard launched Justice of the Pies as a way to honor her late father, a criminal defense attorney and a self-proclaimed pie aficionado. You can find Broussard and her delicious slices at her new bakery in Avalon Park, or get them shipped directly to your door via GoldBelly. The sublime lavender-lemon pie tastes even sweeter when you find out that Justice partners with nonprofits to positively impact the lives around them.

Maybe it's the giant pie sculpture in the window here that seduces you and draws you in. Or maybe it's the fact that eating at this charitable café is an easy way to support an organization that provides hunger relief. Whatever it may be, it certainly doesn't hurt that the pie is expertly crafted in classic varieties like French silk, chocolate cream, Michigan sour cherry and Key lime. Inhale the shop's brilliant aroma and feel good about giving back.

Travel back in time (if only for an hour) at this charming Humboldt Park pie and soda shop that's outfitted with old-timey barstools and beautiful vintage accents. Despite its decor, the pies on offer aren't stuck in the past: Diners can choose from imaginative flavors like yuzu-matcha meringue, s'mores, lemon-lavender and key lime-hibiscus. Order a slice and a house-made soda, hunker down in a booth and transport yourself to a simpler time.

Take a trip outside city limits to Oak Park for a superb selection of baked goods from sisters Molly and Meg Svec. The pair have built a reputation on making pies using local and seasonal ingredients. Flavors include chocolate chess, coconut cream and guava cream but if you can’t settle on just one, Spilt Milk has been known to sell Franken Pies, which are composed of six random slices chosen by the shop. 

Typically anyone who abides by a gluten-free diet would have to count pie out when it comes to their dessert table, but that’s not the case with Andersonville's Defloured, an entirely gluten-free bakery. Defloured’s pies, which are made with a variety of alternative flours, including brown rice flour and tapioca flour, are special-order only, and require a seven-day advanced notice. In addition to the bakery’s pie options, it also offers an array of baked goods, including nearly 20 different types of cookies.

Attached to Edgewater pub Beard & Belly, this bakery offers a rotating roster of pies by Milwaukee cafe Honeypie. Pie maker Valeri Lucks dreams up these 11-inch confections in a cascade of flavors, from seasonal picks like peach blueberry and Door County cherry to piquant combos such as mocha cookie cream and banana caramel.

Angel Chavez made the most of his time during the pandemic by launching a virtual bakery. He operates the project out of Bistro Campagne, the Lincoln Square restaurant where he’s also the pastry chef. Each week, you can pre-order a host of pastries and pies for pick-up, from a flaky apple pie filled with Mick Klug Farm Honeycrisp to a zingy Key lime pie.

As its name suggests, this Lincoln Park- and Streeterville-based bakery is as sweet as pie—and luckily, the menu offers a laundry list of actual pies to boot. Nine-inch whole pies come in flavors like apple cherry, pecan, peanut butter chiffon and pumpkin meringue. Just don't be surprised when you leave the store with a box of whimsical cookies, brownies and cupcakes; the pastry case at Sweet Mandy B's is irresistable.

Let's be honest: You're probably not going to Joe's explicitly for the pie. But maybe you should. The dessert menu is stacked with tough decisions: Key lime or banana cream? Chocolate fudge or peanut butter? Old-fashioned apple or Boston cream? There's not a bad choice in the bunch, but we're suckers for the banana cream.

One of Chicago’s most venerable steakhouses is an impressive experience from start to finish. The beef gets star billing, and justifiably so, but Gibsons’ macadamia turtle pie is the item that catches every eye in the dining room when it’s brought out. Pie crust is loaded with vanilla ice cream, graham cracker crumbles, and macadamia nuts, and the towering dessert is finished with drizzles of chocolate and caramel sauce. You’ll definitely have to share this one, and you most certainly will not leave hungry.

We know you’re probably at Hogsalt Hospitality’s sultry steakhouse to feast on luxuries like chilled shellfish and cuts of dry-aged beef. But do yourself a favor and save room for dessert because it’s worth it. Bavette’s offers two pies—lemon meringue and chocolate cream. Although they’re both great, we keep coming back to the latter. It features a cookie crust and silky smooth, pudding-like chocolate filling. If that’s not rich enough, it’s also topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

We love tucking into an order of chilled crab claws at Shaw's, but we're always sure to leave room for dessert. The seafood restaurant’s Key lime pie is arguably the best option on the menu and is crafted with an almond-graham cracker crust and buttery-smooth filling. If you prefer a fruit-based confection, opt for the raspberry pie, which is stuffed with berries from Mike & Jerry's berry farm in Washington state.

Rick Bayless’ flagship restaurant offers a range of time-honored Mexican classics, from ceviches and guacs to Oaxacan-style carne asada, but the signature dessert is wholly American. Chocolate pecan pie, made from a recipe Bayless came up with over 30 years ago, gets some added depth through a dollop of Kahlua whipped cream. It’s the perfect finish to a first-rate meal.

Caramel lovers, Beatrix’s Oh My! Caramel Pie is calling your name. The sweet treat stars a twice-baked shortbread cookie crust that cradles all the creamy caramel filling you desire. Can’t get enough? Order a whole pie shipped to your home.

Over in South Shore, this charming little shop dishes out an assortment of sweet treats. While you can order a slice (or two), be the hero at your next gathering by bringing a full pie. The banana pudding, pecan and sweet potato are all stellar.

Before Genie Kwon started turning heads at modern Filipino standout Kasama, she was the pastry chef at Oriole. Guests who had the pleasure of dining there were sent home after their meal with an exceptional pie from Kwon to enjoy the following day. Her current offerings at Kasama include apple and lemon hand pies with perfect crust. It’s big enough to share but we totally understand if you’d rather be a little selfish.

Chef CJ Jacobson showcases the flavors of the Mediterranean at his River North restaurant through a variety of spreads, mezzes, kebabs and more. Enticing as it might be to overload on the aforementioned bites, a de-lish honey pie with custard filling—served alongside fruit, whipped cream and toasted sesame—awaits for dessert.

Though Heather Bodine-Lederman—the mastermind behind this 100 percent vegan bakery—has turned her attention toward cakes since starting Pie, Pie My Darling in 2014, you can still find some pretty delicious pies on the menu now and again. Stay tuned to the bakery's Instagram to watch out for pie offerings, which come in unique flavors like Snickers, raspberry Danish and chocolate peanut butter pretzel.

Note: The bakery's West Town storefront is only open for walk-ins on Saturdays; pre-order for pickup Sunday-Friday.