Peach Boreka
K’FAR CAFE, PHILADELPHIA
Chef Alex Guarnaschelli of New York’s Butter restaurant has an
unconventional pick: the triangular stuffed pastry boreka, from the
bakery K’Far. Co-owner Michael Solomonov and executive chef
Camille Cogswell questioned whether it should even be called a pie
for the purposes of this list, but Guarnaschelli prevailed. “[This one]
is made with Michael’s grandmother’s crust recipe,” she says. “Flaky.
Crunchy. Jammy. Fruity. It’s everything I want.”Salted Maple Pie
SISTER PIE, DETROIT
“Sister Pie’s salted maple is maybe the best pie I’ve ever had,”
says chef Alon Shaya of Shaya restaurant in New Orleans.
“It gives pecan pie a run for its money.” Sister Pie owner
Lisa Ludwinski, a veteran of Momofuku Milk Bar, makes
this tweaked version of that Southern staple with seasonal
Michigan ingredients. The result is a tall, luscious, well-
seasoned custard inside a flaky pastry—minus the nuts.Chocolate Cake Pudding Pie
CAKE MONKEY, LOS ANGELES
As the name suggests, this bakery’s prime focus is cake. But chef
Neal Fraser of L.A.’s Redbird urges visitors not to ignore its pie,
which smartly uses cake for a base. This one is soaked in a thick
chocolate custard, topped with dense whipped cream, marbled with
more chocolate, and garnished with chocolate pearls for crunch.
“I love this pie at Thanksgiving—it wakes me out of the turkey
tryptophan haze with all the deep dark chocolate,” Fraser says.Apple Hand Pie
McDONALD’S, NATIONWIDE
Pie has real nostalgic appeal, so most people gravitate toward the
version they grew up with. But Sieger Bayer, chef de cuisine at
Chicago’s Publican, was the only cook we spoke with who was brave
enough to claim an allegiance to the 99� McDonald’s apple pie. “No
shame,” he says. “They were my grandma’s favorite when I was a kid,
and they stuck with me. Plus, they’re the most ergonomic dessert, so
easy to double fist.”
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