Coconut cream pie is one of those desserts that separates the good kitchens from the great ones. A slice done right has a creamy custard packed with coconut, a flaky crust, and just enough topping to finish it off.
Tennessee happens to be full of cafes, diners, and bake shops that take this pie seriously. From Nashville to Chattanooga to the mountains near Pigeon Forge, here are nine spots where the pie is a good enough reason to gas up the car and go.
1. The Loveless Cafe, Nashville, TN
Few Nashville names carry as much weight in the Southern food world as this one out on TN-100. The cafe built its reputation on down-home cooking, biscuits, and country ham, but the dessert case is where a lot of meals quietly end.
The coconut cream pie here is made in house, layered with a rich, creamy filling and finished with oven-toasted coconut flakes that add a little extra flavor on top. It pairs naturally with the country ham dinner plate or the Southern sampler breakfast if you want the full spread.
Hours run daily, with earlier openings on weekends, and the place stays busy through Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are recommended for brunch and lunch since there is usually a wait.
Parking is free and plenty, and there are on-site shops to browse while you settle your appetite.
2. Cookie Jar Cafe, Dunlap, TN
Set on a working dairy farm in Dunlap, this cafe delivers hearty Southern plates in a quiet, country setting. The meat-and-three menu keeps the regulars happy, but the dessert case is the real draw.
Most of the sweets here are made on site, including cupcakes, cakes, and pies. The coconut cream pie earns steady praise, and the chocolate pie and coconut cake are close behind.
Pork chops and coconut pie make a well-known pairing at this spot.
The cafe is open Tuesday through Saturday from mid-morning to early evening, and it closes Sunday and Monday, so plan the drive accordingly. Saturdays get the busiest, while weekday afternoons stay calm.
There is plenty of parking, and dogs are welcome outside. A quiet farm setting with scratch-made pie is a fine reason to point the car toward the Sequatchie Valley.
3. The Old Mill Pottery House Café, Pigeon Forge, TN
Grain ground at the on-site mill goes straight into the baked goods here, which sets this Pigeon Forge cafe apart from the usual tourist stops. The setting includes a garden and a pottery shop, so there is more to see than just the menu.
Comfort food anchors the plates, from shrimp and grits to pecan fried chicken and chopped steak. The dessert selection runs long, and the coconut cream pie is a highlight alongside the peanut butter pie and carrot cake.
Many people grab a slice to go.
Open daily with earlier weekend hours, the cafe does not take reservations, and there is usually a wait, especially in the afternoons and evenings. Mornings on weekdays are the quietest window.
Parking is easy, and the mountain-town location makes it a natural add-on to a Smokies trip.
4. Lambert’s Southern Pies & Bake Shop, Maryville, TN
Some places try to do everything. This down-to-earth shop in Maryville keeps its focus tight and lets the pies carry the day.
Southern pies are the whole point, from chicken pot pie for lunch to sweet options like peanut butter, chocolate, and the standout coconut cream. The coconut cream pie has drawn plenty of best-ever talk, and the key lime pie and coconut cream cake round out the case nicely.
It is a quick-visit kind of spot, great for grabbing a slice or a whole pie to take home. Hours are limited, so pay attention: open Tuesday through Friday until early evening, Saturday for a short morning-to-early-afternoon window, and closed Sunday and Monday.
Parking is free and on-site. If pie is the mission and time is short, this small bake shop delivers exactly what it promises.
5. Katie Pie and Sons Country Kitchen, Columbia, TN
The name says pie, and this family-run kitchen in Columbia backs it up. Set in a cozy Victorian space, the diner serves classic breakfast and lunch fare with a friendly, small-town feel.
Desserts are baked in house, and the coconut cream pie gets called creamy and downright memorable. The carrot cake holds its own too, and the pie here has earned a reputation as some of the best in middle Tennessee.
Breakfast staples like sausage gravy over biscuits get the mornings going. The kitchen runs Tuesday through Friday from early morning to mid-afternoon and Saturday until early afternoon, closing Sunday and Monday.
Saturday mornings are the busiest stretch, while Wednesday and Friday afternoons stay slow.
Reservations are not accepted, but parking is free and plentiful. For a homey, scratch-baked slice in Maury County, this is an easy choice.
6. Litton’s, Knoxville, TN
Fountain City locals have leaned on this Knoxville institution for years, and it has stayed steady in atmosphere, service, and menu. It started as a butcher shop and grew into a spot known just as much for burgers as for its in-house bakery.
The Litton burger draws the crowds, but the dessert list is where things get serious. The coconut cream pie is loaded with toasted coconut on top and plenty of coconut flakes in the custard, and it is frequently named among the best around.
Chocolate chess pie, German chocolate cake, and key lime pie share the case.
Open Monday for lunch and Tuesday through Saturday into the evening, the shop closes Sunday. Afternoons and evenings later in the week get busy.
Reservations are not taken, and parking is easy. Come hungry, then save room for a slice.
7. Main Street Cafe & Catering, Jonesborough, TN
Historic downtown Jonesborough is one of the oldest towns in Tennessee, and this cafe fits right into the setting with its old-timey tin ceiling and friendly counter.
The menu covers burgers, sandwiches, salads, and soups, with the Reuben and a jumbo bowl of soup among the favorites. Dessert is where things turn sweet, and the made-from-scratch cream pies earn regular attention.
The coconut cream pie is good enough that people come back for a whole one.
There is patio seating out front, which makes for a nice spot to finish a slice while taking in Main Street. Hours run Tuesday through Friday for lunch and Saturday a little later, with Sunday and Monday closed.
Saturday afternoons are the busiest.
Reservations are accepted, free wi-fi is available, and parking is easy. Pair it with a stroll through the historic district.
8. City Cafe Diner, Chattanooga, TN
Craving pie at odd hours? This Broad Street diner in downtown Chattanooga never closes, running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The menu is huge, covering all-day breakfast, hearty American plates, gyro platters, and triple-decker club sandwiches. The dessert lineup is a big part of the reputation, with cakes, cannoli, and pies that lean generous in size.
A slice of coconut cream pie and a cup of coffee is a classic order here.
Friday and Saturday nights get the busiest, while weekday mornings and afternoons run quieter. That around-the-clock schedule makes it a rare late-night or early-morning pie option.
Reservations are not taken, and parking downtown runs through paid garages and lots. Between the giant desserts and the come-as-you-are hours, it is a dependable Chattanooga stop whenever the pie craving strikes.
9. Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop, Knoxville, TN
If you want the pie to be the entire trip, this Kingston Pike shop makes it simple. The whole concept is pie: nine-inch whole pies, four-inch mini versions, and a handful of pie-based treats.
The coconut cream mini pie comes with a meringue topping and a coconut flavor that stays balanced rather than overpowering. The signature I-40 pie leans on pecan with coconut and chocolate chips, and the chocolate meringue and Granny’s apple mini round out the choices.
Cookies and coffee are on hand too.
Mini sizes make it easy to sample a few flavors without committing to a whole pie, and the small footprint keeps visits quick. Hours run Monday through Thursday until early evening, Friday and Saturday a bit later, with Sunday closed.
Saturday afternoons are the busiest.
Parking is free, and there is a second Knoxville location at Turkey Creek if Bearden is out of the way.
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