Tuesday, August 05, 2008

A Pie Shop with a Mission

I’m not a big pie eater, but this past weekend when exploring San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, I paid a visit to the Mission Pie shop at the corner of Mission and 25th Streets.

I had heard about this place and its do-good origins. The business collaborates with the Pie Ranch organization, which takes teens from the city out to the farms to teach them where food comes from. Mission Pie employs several teens from the organization and the neighborhood.


The place opened in January 2007 and earlier this summer it expanded into larger digs next door, taking up the whole corner.


When you walk in, you notice the open feel of the expanded café. (It can’t really be called a bakery yet because for now they bake their pies elsewhere and bring them in. Starting this fall, they plan to open a kitchen to bake their pies—and reportedly pizza pies—on the premises.)


The décor is kind of shabby chic, with a lot of vintage furnishings and cabinets, giving it a homey feel. For the pies, they’re focused on fresh, local ingredients. Since it’s summer, you can bet a lot of the pies showcase the current crop of tasty fruits.


In the glass counters, there are pies by the slice, whole pies, tarts and mini pies. I got a slice of the raspberry-nectarine pie ($3.50) with a dollop of whipped cream. I also got a cup of herbal tea called California Maté from their selection of Taylor Maid Farms organic teas.


The pie had nice chunks of fruits and you definitely got a sense that this was a fresh, homemade pie. I wasn’t too crazy about the crust (a bit too thin and uneven for my tastes) but overall it was satisfying. I wouldn’t travel long distances for a slice, but it’s definitely charming for the neighborhood.


Mission Pie is the kind of funky, eclectic do-gooder type of place you’d expect to find in Berkeley. I’m glad to see it spreading in the Mission, which has recently been overrun by hip lounges and restaurants. The homemade pies at this place are a reminder of simpler times.







Mission Pies, 2901 Mission St., San Francisco. PH: 415.282.4PIE. Open: Mon.–Thu. 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; Fri., 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m.–10 p.m.; and Sun., 9 a.m.–9 p. m. http://www.missionpie.com/

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

great pictures! Looks like a nice spot to hang out and I always like restaurant/cafes with a cause! Glad you posted all those shots because I'm not a pie girl myself but do like tarts and other sweets...

Anonymous said...

Good Job! :)