Everyone needs a little slice of heaven this Thanksgiving, and these Chicago pie shops, bakeries and restaurants are ready to serve. Traditionalists will be happy to find plenty of pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan, apple and cherry here. But for those who want to go deeper into pie territory, there are chess, chocolate, cranberry and lots more choices — even a few cakes and other desserts.
No matter the flavor you decide to pick up, order ahead. The Thanksgiving preorder season is a frantic time for bakers; many run out and many cut off orders early. Do not wait until a few days before Thanksgiving — don’t even wait until a week before. (Indeed, one bakery’s pickup deadline is Friday.) Check the bakery or restaurant’s website for pickup times and dates, many require customers to select a pickup time window.
Aba
Order a whole creme brulee pie or double chocolate tart ($60) to complete your Thanksgiving meal. 302 N. Green St., Chicago, 773-645-1400, abarestaurants.com
Abundance Bakery
The longtime Bronzeville bakery is taking Thanksgiving prepaid orders by phone, or you can stop in for sweet potato pie ($11.95). Or try the peach cobbler ($35.95). 105 E. 47th St., 773-373-1971
Aya
Let Aya’s pie offerings take away some of the stress of 2020 with chocolate bourbon pecan ($32), spiced pumpkin ($28) or harvest apple pie ($28). 1332 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, 312-846-6186, ayapastry.com
Baker Miller
Order online and pick up at the walk-up window. Choose from caramel apple ($32), pumpkin ($30), Michigan cherry ($32), maple pecan ($32), Key lime ($30), chocolate chess ($32) and Koval whiskey chocolate pecan ($32), made with the locally distilled spirit. The caramel apple also can be ordered for take and bake, for a slightly lower price. 4655 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-654-3610, bakermillerthanksgiving.com
Bang Bang Pie Shop
Hurry. Pies at Bang Bang are for pickup Friday only (and only at the California Avenue location). Choose whole or half pies in Key lime, chocolate caramel, roasted pumpkin, chocolate pecan, classic apple and franken-pie (a mashup of favorites; each includes two slices chocolate caramel, two slices pumpkin and two slices apple). Half pies start at $16.44, while whole pies are $30.83, except apple, which is $32.88. Pick up is available at both the Ravenswood and Logan Square shops. 2051 N. California Ave., 773-276-8888, bangbangpie.com
Beatrix
Order a signature housemade pie with Thanksgiving options of Oh My! Caramel ($50) or pumpkin pecan ($55), or go another route with the Tall, Dark and Handsome Chocolate Cake ($55). Multiple locations, beatrixrestaurants.com
Brown Sugar Bakery
Stephanie Hart’s South Side bakery is justifiably known for her cakes, but don’t sleep on the pie. Though Hart sells pie by the slice year-round, for Thanksgiving the bakery offers whole pies. Get her sweet potato ($18.99) or her signature laser pie, which is her sweet potato topped with chocolate caramel and pecans ($22.99). Or pick up a cobbler, peach or pear, available in half pans ($44.99). 328 E. 75th St., 773-224-6262, brownsugarbakerychicago.com
Bub City River North
Whole pies ($35.95) are available for preorder by Nov. 25. Choose from pumpkin, peanut butter chocolate or country apple. 435 N. Clark St., 312-610-4200, bub-city.com
Chopping Block
Chicago’s biggest cooking school is offering seasonal pies through the holidays. November’s flavor is bourbon pecan pie. Order ahead, then pick up your pie curbside 4-5 p.m. Saturdays at the Lincoln Square location. And check back in December, when the flavor will be eggnog pie. $35. 4747 N. Lincoln Ave., 773.472.6700, thechoppingblock.com/holiday-pies
The Delta
Get a taste of the Mississippi Delta with this Wicker Park restaurant’s sweet potato pie ($30). Or go for another Southern classic banana pudding ($30). Order by Nov. 21 for pickup Thanksgiving morning. 1745 W. North Ave., 773-360-1793, thedeltachicago.com
Elizabeth
A limited number of pies are available for preorder for pickup Nov. 24 or 25. The offerings include spiced koji caramel apple and brulee’d maple pumpkin ($45 each). 4835 N. Western Ave., 773-681-0651, elizabeth-restaurant.com
Ema
Whole honey pies ($60) and bottles of wine are available for preorder before Nov. 25. 74 W. Illinois St., 312-527-5586, emachicago.com
Floriole Bakery
The Lincoln Park bakery is offering preorders of 9-inch pies in pumpkin ($32) and apple crumble ($35). You could pick up dinner rolls for the feast here too ($15 for a pan of six). 1220 W. Webster Ave., 773-883-1313, floriole.com
Frontera Grill
Order the pie with a 33-year history. Frontera’s chocolate pecan pie with Kahlua whipped cream, served at the Mexican restaurant since it opened in 1987, is available for pickup. $45. 445 N Clark St., rickbayless.com
Good Ambler
Good Ambler has teamed up with 16? on Center Chicago for holiday treats for pickup at Dusek’s Board and Beer. Choose caramelized pumpkin pie ($35) or French silk pie ($48). 1227 W. 18th St., 312-526-3851, 16oncenterchicago.com
Hoosier Mama Pie Co.
You expect a lot of flavors from Hoosier Mama. Here goes: classic apple ($32), pumpkin ($30), pear-apple-cranberry with walnut crumble ($34), maple pecan ($33), chocolate cheese ($29), cranberry chess ($28), pumpkin sour cream Dutch apple with walnut ($30, and, yes, really, all of that) or Hoosier sugar cream pie ($26). Not all flavors available at all locations. Hoosier Mama also offers several savory pies. 1618 1/2 W. Chicago Ave., 312-243-4846; 749 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 847-868-8863, hoosiermamapie.com
Joe’s Seafood
Joe’s is offering a large variety of pies for preorder ($44.95) and pickup before Thanksgiving. Options include old-fashioned apple, sweet potato pecan and the house specialty Key lime. 60 E. Grand Ave., 312-379-5637, joes.net
Justice of the Pies
Thanksgiving pie options include Key lime ($27.50), salted caramel peach ($27.50), bourbon pecan ($27.50), sweet potato praline ($32), chocolate bourbon pecan ($32), blue cheese praline pear ($32) and caramel apple crumble pie ($27.50). Pies are available for pickup only this year at The Hatchery. 135 N. Kedzie Ave., heycutiepies.com
Lost Larson
This year’s offerings for whole pies include heirloom pumpkin, triple chocolate, salted honey and apple cheddar. Prices begin at $36 per pie. 5218 N. Clark St., 773-944-0587, lostlarson.com
Nonnina
Sweeten up Thanksgiving with classic 10-inch holiday pie offerings of apple, pumpkin (both $24.95) and pecan ($29.95). 340 N. Clark St., 312-822-0077, nonninachicago.com
The Publican
Bring home a 9-inch pie from Publican and offer guests Dutch apple ($30), pumpkin ($26) or chocolate cream ($35). 837 W. Fulton Market, 312-733-9555, thepublicanrestaurant.com
River Roast
Complete Thanksgiving dinner with pumpkin pie with fall spiced meringue; or veer off the pie trail with vanilla cream cheese frosting-topped carrot cake or apple crisp with bourbon whipped cream. 315 N. LaSalle St., 312-822-0100, riverroastchicago.com
Sepia
Get creative with an 8-inch apple pie with miso butterscotch or keep it classic with an 8-inch pumpkin pie (both $28). 123 N. Jefferson St., 312-441-1920; sepiachicago.com
The Smith
Preorders are being taken for sticky toffee pie ($18) and Honeycrisp apple ($25), plus a dark chocolate layer cake ($24). 400 N. Clark St., 312-312-5100; thesmithrestaurant.com
Vanille Patisserie
The French bakery is offering pie options of apricot, cranberry and walnut streusel ($29.95), pumpkin ($24.95), pecan ($29.95), apple streusel ($29.95), and chocolate Nutella French silk ($32.95). 2108 N. Clark St., 773-868-4574, vanillepatisserie.com
Wildfire
Your flavor options include pumpkin, apple streusel, Door County cherry and Key lime, or opt for flourless chocolate cake ($24.95 each). If your guests will be craving extra chocolate, there’s also a triple layer chocolate cake ($45). Multiple locations, wildfirerestaurant.com
Holly Baumbach is a freelance writer.