Nicole's Favorite Pies in the East Bay
Salty Honey Walnut pie by Three Babes Bakeshop
Three Babes Bakeshop has been my number one pie shop since 2015 when I found them completely by accident. I was working a show for FARMcurious and had spent two days on my feet. These gals from Three Babes had been selling little cups of pie samples all day and I'd been interested but too busy to stop in. As I backed the giant U-haul up to the door to the begin the huge breakdown of my booth, one of these angels handed me a leftover pie bite. I packed up the truck and as I pulled out of the event center I put the sample to my lips and never felt the same about pie again.
The Salty Honey Walnut Pie is the stuff dreams are made of. Incredibly rich with the right amount of sweetness and just a pinch of salt to get your tastebuds tingling and perfectly countering the rich honey flavor which does not come off as cloying. I know you think you'd like pecans better - I did too - but you've got to trust me on this one.
Here's the bad news, I don't see the regular sized Salty Honey Walnut on their site for Thanksgiving pre-order but you can apparently special order a slab(!) pie for 20-30 people. If you're feeding an army this holiday seasonal, that's the one for you! Otherwise, the Bourbon Pecan is almost as good (and still better than just about any other pie you'll find)! Pick up from one of their two locations in SF or have Good Eggs deliver it to you!
Karin Johnson's Cranberry Orange Almond Tart
Karin Johnson is basically a baking genius - and a super cool person to boot - so it's no surprise at all that her Cranberry Orange Almond Tart is a revelation. You can pre-order 4", 8" or 10" for Thanksgiving, ensuring every sized family can enjoy some tasty pie. When it's not Thanksgiving, I highly recommend picking up a Basque cake from her - it's one of my favorite cakes in the world. Located at 20865 Redwood Road in Castro Valley. They're currently only open Saturdays from 9am-1pm so be sure to plan appropriately.
Market Hall's Bakery in Rockridge is a favorite of mine for desserts of all types - plus you can pick up some amazing cheese from the cheese counter and Highwire Coffee while you're there.
While they have all sorts of tarts and pastries, all made fresh daily in their bakery on 4th Street, the pumpkin pie is such a classic you don't want to miss it. Cloves, ginger, allspice and cinnamon all come together in the most traditional of flavors. You can pre-order this or pecan tart for Thanksgiving here through Sat, Nov 19th.