{"id":8629,"date":"2013-09-09T05:06:40","date_gmt":"2013-09-09T05:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/offmetro.com\/sf\/?p=8629"},"modified":"2014-10-27T18:41:15","modified_gmt":"2014-10-27T18:41:15","slug":"bay-area-bakeries-pie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ca\/8629\/bay-area-bakeries-pie\/","title":{"rendered":"Pie Times: 7 Bay Area Bakeries We Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

Those who know me well can attest that baked goods are the only way to my heart.\u00a0I\u2019m not picky\u2014cake, donuts, cookies, blondies, brownies… Sweets of all shapes and sizes please me, and I give each bite my undivided attention.\u00a0But lately, I\u2019ve been feeling sorry for pie. It takes the backseat to cake at celebrations and gets trumped by ice cream as the favorite summer dessert. And in the age of two-faced cronuts and snooty organic popsicles, how can humble pie compete?<\/p>\n

Like any worthwhile romance, pie is old-fashioned, wholesome, and takes some effort. So I decided to show a little love to this upper-crust treat. And you can bet I\u2019m going the distance. I\u2019ve scoped out the very best Bay Area bakeries for pie<\/strong>, listed below in apple pie order.<\/p>\n

Fat Apple\u2019s \u00a0<\/strong>| 1346 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard | Berkeley<\/p>\n

Fat Apple’s fits the bill for my three favorite B’s: brunch, bacon, and baked goods. You can\u2019t go wrong with the greasy spoon food and deliciously strong coffee served here, but the pie will really sweep you off your feet. And it\u2019s hard to pass up\u2014walk in, and you\u2019re greeted by two cases full of treats.<\/p>\n

The down-home, crumbly apple pie is a classic but the olallieberry pie is the true crowd pleaser. The not-too-sweet deep purple filling and a flaky, buttery crust will tempt you to order a full pie for the road. The attentive staff gives Fat Apple\u2019s a family atmosphere that welcomes newbies and frequent flyers alike.<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong> Take BART to North Berkeley, and stroll over to 1346 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (between Berryman St & Rose St).<\/p>\n

Sweet Adeline Bakeshop <\/strong>|\u00a03350 Adeline Street |\u00a0Berkeley<\/p>\n

No, Sweet Adeline<\/a> is not an underground pie shop for Elliott Smith fans, but the place still rocks! Funky art, friendly baristas, and kickin’ Mr. Espresso coffee give Sweet Adeline its warm neighborhood charm. And at Sweet Adeline, community really does come first. The caf\u00e9 purchases fruit and dairy from local farms, and at the end of the day, Sweet Adeline donates extra goodies to area homeless shelters or swaps with vendors at the Berkeley Farmers Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After all this, delicious pies are just the whipped cream on top. Lemon meringue is cool and refreshing, but the to-die-for chocolate cream pie really stole my heart. Pie snobs may say it\u2019s not a \u201ctrue fruit pie,\u201d but in one cocoa bite, I had enough endorphins to share my table with a stranger. (See, pie does make you sweeter.)<\/p>\n

Directions:<\/strong> Take the BART from Civic Center to Ashby and follow the smell of piping hot coffee to 3350 Adeline Street.<\/p>\n

\"Sweet