Classic flavors and inventive creations such as bourbon-sweet potato spring up at this destination-worthy shop in the up-and-coming Gowanus neighborhood.

This Westside institution (open since 1947) is better known for its burgers, both the Steakburger and the Hickoryburger, but don't overlook the fresh-baked pies—available in apple, cream, and pecan—best ordered à la mode.

At this retro-styled spot in Ukrainian Village, the menu from pastry chef Paula Haney includes five types of chess pie, as well as other American regional favorites like Indiana's famous sugar cream.

Just outside Boston, Renee McLeod serves the city's best sweet potato pie and southern pecan pie. Special flavors such as banana-chocolate cream must be ordered 48 hours ahead.

Like big meringue pie slices in flavors such as coconut and chocolate? Want to sit in a diner-like setting? Yearn for super-friendly owners? This is the place of your dreams.

Durham Farmers' Market alum Phoebe Lawless now sells sweet (chocolate-sea salt) and savory (beet green and guanciale) pies at her 18-seat spot downtown.

The motto of this spot—part pie shop, part design studio, part community center—is "Pie + Conversation = Ideas." We guarantee the apple pies are made with great ingredients and passion—prerequisites of all the best pies.

Judges at the National Pie Championships awarded the cherry and Michigan Four Berry pies here top honors. And in Chicago, Alinea chef Grant Achatz serves pies from this outfit (run by his second cousin Dave and Dave's wife, Wendy) at staff meals.

At this long-running indoor farmers' market, several of the stands sell shoofly pie (at its core, a mixture of molasses, sugar, and butter) and other outstanding flavors.

Head to Fuel Coffee for baker Dani Cone's classic pies as well as mini Cutie Pies, Flipsides (kind of like turnovers), and Piejars (baked in mini mason jars) in flavors like spiced plum walnut.