Paulius Musteikis
A savory pie, like the short rib hand pie from Portage Pi, is a grand sibling to the sweet variety.
Short rib hand pie
Portage Pi, 601 Langdon St.
Of the hand pies house made at the lobby diner at the Graduate Hotel, it’s the beef short rib we most recommend. Rich, tender meat, fine-dice potatoes and a potent but not-too-potent horseradish dipping sauce that’s as flavorful as the pie itself.
Blueberry pie
Nick’s Restaurant, 226 State St.
Nick’s, a bar/Greek dining institution downtown, also features a handful of homemade pies each day. A recent blueberry, with a flaky homemade crust, featured gooey sweet-tart blueberries with an undercurrent of spices.
Southern peach cobbler
Humble, 10 S. Allen St.
You’ll find an ever-changing variety of pies, hand pies and pie bites in the glass case at this near west coffee-and-baked-goods shop, but we always hope for the homey peach cobbler. Chocolate chess with Yahara Bay cocoa liqueur whipped cream makes for a satisfying alternative.