The Best Pies and Pastries in Durham
In the mood for sweet, creamy, crunchy goodness? Durham's bakers are cooking up pies and pastries to satisfy your sweet (or not so sweet) tooth.
A slice of pie – the whole thing – is the perfect cherry on top of a day adventuring around the Bull City. Rest assured, Durham's bakeries, restaurants, pop-up shops and everything in between are making the world a better place, one crust at a time.
Afters Dessert Bar
905 W. Main St.
What originally started as a concept in the Durham Food Hall has now grown into its own brick and mortar shop in Brightleaf Square. Afters Dessert Bar serves a tasty selection of small bites, cookie cakes and seasonal desserts.
Bean Traders
105 W NC 54 Hwy #249
How can you grab just one slice when faced with pie choices like Nutella banana cream, blueberry lemonade, salty walnut chocolate truffle and almond joy? Order a slice of each option or do yourself a favor and get the whole pie!
Bull City Bake Shop
3604 Witherspoon Blvd. #109
Bull City Bake Shop prides itself on perfecting the classics. Step into this open bakery to see masters at work, baking muffins, cupcakes, cake pops, cakes and more. We especially recommend the peanut butter cookies and mini Dutch apple pies.
East Durham Sweet Shoppe
2022 Angier Ave.
Got a sweet tooth? Head to East Durham Sweet Shoppe, a spot where you can get everything from popcorn to candy apples. Drop in for a spur of the moment chocolate bar or plan ahead by making an order. You can even book a party or make a custom order for a special occasion. Indulge in gourmet chocolate covered strawberries or bite into a Deluxe Oreo Cookie.
Favor Desserts
4520 S. Alston Ave.
Keijuane "The Cake Man" Hester has been selling cakes through Favor Desserts for over 20 years. It only takes one bite to know Keijuane has earned his nickname many times over. Favor Desserts does it all when it comes to cake: sheet cakes, cupcakes, pound cakes, custom specialty cakes and more. It's hard to pick a "best flavor" at Favor Desserts, but you won't want to miss out on the Red Velvet cupcakes or the Italian Creme cake.
Foster's Market
2694 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
Need a place that sells both sweet and savory pies? Foster's Market, a gourmet food market and cafe off of Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., has chicken pot pie, lamb shepherd's pie, french silk pie, coconut cream pie and more.
The French Corner Bakery
2005 N. Pointe Dr.
This authentic French bakery tucked away in a north Durham shopping center is one of the city's best-kept secrets. If you're looking for pie, you're in luck with plenty of options in the pastry case. Take it from us, though – you'll want to stock up on plenty of baguettes, sweets and other treats.
Guglhupf
2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
You don't need to get on a plane to get a taste of Germany. Delivering not only German flavors but also German ambiance, Guglhupf is a great spot to get pastries, cookies, tarts and more. Sit down and enjoy a treat and a coffee by yourself or with a friend.
Isaac's Bagels
1003 W. Chapel Hill St.
This spot might be best known for it's bagels, but don't overlook its delicious pastries. Isaac's Bagels also serves babka rosettes, cookies, rugelach, brownies, macaroons and more, available for individuals or catered orders.
La Recette Patisserie
4823 Meadow Dr.
What began in an apartment is now a fully fledged bakery creating French, Algerian and Middle Eastern Desserts. Order cupcakes, cake pops, tarts, croquembouche and more. They also make amazing custom cakes.
Loaf
111 W. Parrish St.
While Loaf has been at it's downtown brick-and-mortar location since 2011, this bakery comes from humble beginnings. It started as a backyard brick oven, moved to a stall at the Durham Farmers' Market, then opened in its current downtown location. Specializing in hearth-baked breads and pastries, Loaf offers something truly unique to lovers of baked goods in Durham. Stop by Loaf for pies, pastries, tarts, eclairs and more.
Mad Hatter Cafe & Bakeshop
1802 W. Main St.
Mad Hatter is well known for its cupcakes and cakes, but you can't overlook the pies. Try a piece of key lime pie topped with whipped cream or pumpkin pie made with hand-rolled crust and organic pumpkin filling.
Miel Bon Bons Fine Chocolate & Specialty Cake Shop
1011 W. Main St.
Miel Bon Bons specializes in delicious European and American-style pastries and specialty cakes. Come here for macarons, hot chocolate bombs, chocolates, cakes and more. Committed to excellence, Miel Bon Bons is sure to provide you with an excellent dessert experience whether you walk in for a spontaneous treat or order a custom cake for a special occasion.
Monuts
1002 Ninth St.
A Durham brunch staple, Monuts has been serving breakfast sandwiches, pies and, of course, donuts, for years. Popular with locals, Monuts has perfected their donuts and pastries, so make sure you order early if you want something specific. Split a slice of pumpkin tea cake with a friend, order a brioche cinnamon roll for yourself, or get a dozen donuts to bring back home.
Ninth Street Bakery
136 E. Chapel Hill St.
From fresh bread to pastries, Ninth Street Bakery serves a variety of delicious baked goods. Head on over for their oatmeal whoopie pie with vanilla frosting sandwiched between two chewy oatmeal raisin cookies and or grab savory hand pie filled with a curry veggie mix for a quick lunch on the go.
Refectory Café
2726 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.
The Refectory Cafe focuses on social and environmental sustainability, healthy dining and sourcing from local farms. The menu options are compatible with all diets, including their numerous pie options. Stop by for a delicious slice of cranberry apple pie, sweet potato pecan pie and much more.
Rose's Noodles, Dumplings & Sweets
121 N. Gregson St.
Rose’s is an East Asian-inspired eatery and bakery serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch alongside artisan pastries and sweets. Hungry for pie? They have plenty of options including a coconut buttermilk pie with passionfruit curd or the miso caramel apple pie.
Whisk & Batter
4711 Hope Valley Rd.
Formerly known as Smallcakes, this Durham bakery made its name by being the best in the biz for just that: small cakes, otherwise known as cupcakes. It has appeared on not just one, but three seasons of The Food Networks "Cupcake Wars" and was named by USA today as one of the top ten cupcake joints in the country. Its popularity has led to such demand for, well, bigger cakes, that a name change to Whisk & Batter was called for. Now, call on Whisk & Batter for cupcakes, specialty cakes and even your wedding and special occasion cakes.
Sweets by Shayda
105 W. Morgan St., Ste 105
After learning the art of pastries in France, Shayda came back to her home town with a dream: starting her own sweets shop in the Triangle. She started with macarons, selling them at local farmers markets. Eventually, Sweets by Shayda opened up a brick and mortar location in Durham. Stop by the store for eclairs, macarons and other awesome treats like soft serve in a croissant.
Whisk & Rye
3401 University Dr., Ste 5
Drop into Whisk & Rye for a coffee and a slice of some of Durham's best pie or a cinnamon knot. Whisk & Rye serves up classic baked goods with a flare of freshness and creativity. For vegan and gluten free sweet lovers, Whisk & Rye has a number of options.
