Best Apple Pie In The Bay Area

Classic Apple Pie is the name Anna and Lenore (they've been friends since third grade) have given their most popular pie. Its 10-inch perfection features a variety of organic apples sourced from orchards at Smit Farms in San Joaquin Valley, changing with the season as they reach their peak. The crust? Flaky, hand rolled and fluted mouth watering all-butter lattice. Order by noon the day before for collection at their bakery, pay for delivery in San Francisco, or visit on Saturdays at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market where they sell slices in addition to whole pies.

Have you stumbled across this small retail bakery in Glen Park Village? Everything is made from scratch with fresh ingredients right here and some of it is then supplied to other locations. If you've ordered the popular apple pie à la mode at Mission Pie shop in the Mission District, for example, you've sampled the Destination Baking Company's pie. Dutch apple pie isn't too sweet or tart, has just the right amount of cinnamon and other spices and, of course, a flaky crust baked to perfection.

Longtime pastry chef Esa Yonn-Brown had been selling her widely acclaimed pies via a delivery service and sometimes pop-up shops. Earlier this year, fans were delighted that she'd found an ideal location for opening a cozy new Outer Richmond bakery at 38th Street. Yonn-Brown's signature buttery recipe for pie crust comes from her mother's kitchen and is a feature of the pies that get rave reviews. Bring the children along to enjoy back garden seating when the weather's fine.

Add a little zing inspired by Santa Fe, New Mexico. Made daily from scratch, the signature sweet apple pie is delicately spiced with green chile filling, layered in a cheddar cheese crust and topped with walnut streusel and red chile honey. Ice cream on the side is recommended. The well-known brand is also in downtown San Rafael and served at the restaurant, Green Chile Kitchen, at 1801 MacAllister St. Planning an event? Cater apple pies for all.

Betty Carr is "mom." She set up in business in 1983 selling one pie a day from their roadside farm stand. They don't ship, so you'll just have to come up to Sonoma's apple country to try what some say is the best apple pie around. These double-crusted apple pies are super fresh, made by hand, and, naturally, use choice, locally-grown apples. The Gravenstein variety which thrives in Sebastopol orchards has a creamy, tart-sweet flesh and greenish yellow skin with broad red stripes. You can sit and enjoy a slice of pie in the shop or buy a whole pie to go.