Dessert For Dinner? 6 Ways Pastries Have Gone Rogue Around The United States
Savory pies, a British pub classic, have taken to American shores like Tony Blair to the Clinton Administration. From New Zealand–style hand pies in Richmond, VA to foie gras–infused fritters in the heart of Brooklyn, these main courses borrow heavily from the dessert cart but fall into their own category. Here are six exquisitely stuffed examples from around the country:
- Richmond, VA: Proper Pie Co.
Virginia's buttoned-up capital happens to be home to a surprisingly exciting restaurant scene. The energy in the emerging Church Hill district galvanizes at New Zealander Neil Smith's Proper Pie Co. His softball-sized savory pastries include the Cornish pie, stuffed with minced lamb, onion and rutabaga, and a sausage roll made with lightly spiced wursts from Richmond's own Sausage Craft. All are priced between $4-$6, and make for pretty perfect grab-and-go fare. 2505 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA, 804-343-7437
Located on an increasingly lively block in Bed-Stuy, Do or Dine's menu has a decidedly tongue-in-cheek stance on fine dining. Enter the foie gras doughnut. Created in collaboration with nearby bakery Dough, and served alongside pre-dinner small plates like beef tartare and an amazingly named bone marrow starter called Bone Slugs and Hominy, the first-course fritter is stuffed with velvety foie and a thin layer of jelly. 1108 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 718-684-2290, doordinebk.com
This spring, Minh Vo and Andrew Bui opened their ode to the wide world of savory pastries on a leafy block of Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood. The industrial space has ample seating, enormous picture windows and vintage board games for those looking to make their pie stop an all-afternoon affair . Global goods on offer span Malaysian rotiboys, delicate Cuban fritters filled with guava and cheese and pork-stuffed Vietnamese steam buns. The Bun Shop stays open until 3:00 a.m., so come early, and come often. 239 West Read Street, Baltimore, MD, 410-989-2033, facebook.com/thebunshop
When it comes to pies, Portland's beloved Pacific Pie Co. doesn't discriminate. It regulates. The sit-down shop serves both sweet and savory versions, including dinnertime favorites like a ginger-spiced Morrocan chickpea pastie and the Sunday roast lamb pie, made with local ewes from Oregon's SuDan Farm. Founded by two Aussie ex-pats, Pacific Pie Co. also offers public and private classes for budding bakers. 1520 SE 7th Avenue, Portland, OR, 503-381-6157, pacificpieco.com
In August 2013, bi-coastal confectioner Sprinkles launched its first savory cupcake. The Maple Bacon combines thick, smoky bacon with lightly spiced bourbon cake and maple bacon-infused cream cheese frosting. At the Beverly Hills flagship, the Maple Bacon is best served alongside solid people-watching: Jude Law and Jessica Alba have been spotted getting their cupcake on at Sprinkles. Celebrities eating carbs – just like us! 9635 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA, 310-274-8765, sprinkles.com
This bustling East Austin restaurant takes savory pies south of the border. Way south. Rio's specializes in salgadinho, or Brazilian savory pastries. Request a table on the patio and dive into un pouco de tudo, which includes yuca root pastry stuffed with beef and hearts of palm, and rich vegetarian options like a sweet potato and mascarpone fritter covered with house-made malagueta sauce. 408 North Pleasant Valley Road, Austin, TX, 512-828-6617, riosofaustin.com/rios-brazilian-cafe.htm
Check out these pastry stories on Food Republic: