Every November, a certain kind of Ohio errand starts showing up on calendars: the pie run. Grocery store pies work in a pinch, but plenty of families still drive to a small-town bakery for the real thing, often to the same counter their parents used.
This list covers eight of those places, from a pie-only shop in Lorain County to Amish country bakeries in Holmes County and a farm market east of Cleveland. Some are tiny takeout counters, while others pair pies with fry pies, donuts, or a full Amish-style dinner.
A few get busy on weekend afternoons, so knowing their hours ahead of time can save you a wasted trip. Each stop earned its spot for a specific reason, whether that is a huge pie selection, a farm setting, or a crust worth bragging about.
Grab a pen and maybe a cooler for the back seat. Thanksgiving dessert is about to get a lot easier.
1. Mama Jo Homestyle Pies, Amherst, OH
Some bakeries dabble in pie. Mama Jo Homestyle Pies made it the headline, and the name says so right on the sign.
The Amherst shop on Cooper Foster Park Road focuses on scratch-made pies and fresh fruit-filled strudels, baked without preservatives. The lineup leans generous, with cream pies like coconut cream, fruit classics like cherry, and favorites such as chocolate and buttermilk.
Strawberry fans should know about the strawberry cheesecake pie and the strawberry cream cheese pie, two of the shop’s best-known picks. Mini pies are also an option, which helps if your table can’t agree on one flavor.
Loyalty runs deep here. These pies have a reputation for leaving Lorain County in car trunks, headed to relatives in other states.
Practical stuff matters at this one. It is a takeout shop with no dine-in seating and no restroom, and there is a free parking lot.
Hours run 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday and 10 AM to 4 PM on Sunday.
Weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds, so a weekday morning stop is the calmer move before the holiday.
2. The Pie Shell, New Bremen, OH
Peanut butter pie is the calling card in this canal town of about 3,000 people.
The Pie Shell on South Washington Street keeps more than 15 varieties of homemade pie in rotation. Peanut butter, fruit, and pumpkin pies get the most attention, and rhubarb and buckeye pies have their own following.
Picking just one can be the hardest part of the visit. Plenty of shoppers leave with two, one for the house and one to share or give away.
Cheesecake and cupcakes round out the case, and coffee is available too. The shop is takeout only, with free wi-fi and a free parking lot.
Timing takes a little planning. The bakery opens at 7 AM Monday through Friday, closes at 6:30 PM most weekdays and 6 PM on Friday, and runs a short 9 AM to 3 PM window on Saturday.
Sundays are closed, so a weekend-before-Thanksgiving pickup needs to happen on Saturday morning. I would call ahead for a big holiday order.
3. Amish Door Bakery, Wilmot, OH
Wilmot has fewer than 300 residents, yet its bakery pulls steady traffic off State Route 62.
Amish Door Bakery stocks Amish Country favorites like apple fritters, whoopie pies, and homemade pies, including whole cherry and cream pies. Donuts are part of the mix too, from maple old fashioned to Bavarian creme frosted.
The apple fritters inspire serious devotion. Many regulars swing through even when they only need a box of four.
Road trippers will like the location. It sits roughly 15 minutes from Berlin, which makes it an easy add-on to a Holmes County pie tour.
Hours stretch longer at the end of the week, with 7 AM to 7:30 PM on Friday and Saturday and 7 AM to 6 PM Monday through Thursday. It is closed on Sunday, and parking is free.
4. Miller’s Bakery, Millersburg, OH
Don’t expect modern touches on Township Highway 356. Miller’s Bakery is an Amish-run stop with a rustic setup and no inside toilets.
What it does have is a counter packed with traditional baking. Expect all kinds of pies and fry pies, plus bread, noodles, cookies, rolls, filled donuts, cinnamon rolls, candy, and canned goods.
The pies are tall, close to two inches, with a flaky crust. Cheese tarts and apple fritters also rank among the bakery’s best-known items.
Prices stay friendly, which makes stocking up for a big family table less painful.
Hours are 7 AM to 4 PM Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday. Saturday morning is the busiest stretch, while weekday mornings are much quieter, so plan around that if you want the full selection without a wait.
5. Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery, Millersburg, OH
Kids who get bored on pie errands tend to change their minds here, thanks to the petting zoo.
Hershberger’s Farm and Bakery on State Route 557 mixes an Amish bakery with crafts, seasonal produce, a gift shop, and buggy rides. The baking is still the main event, with fresh bread, cinnamon rolls, homemade pies, and jellies.
Fried fruit pies are the standout. They make a handy snack for the drive home while the whole pies stay safely boxed.
The store opens at 8 AM and closes at 5 PM Monday through Saturday, and it is closed on Sunday. Restrooms are available, which is a plus on a long Amish country loop.
Saturdays get crowded from morning through afternoon. A weekday visit makes browsing much easier.
6. Kauffman’s Country Bakery, Millersburg, OH
Free samples are a smart way to choose a pie, and Kauffman’s Country Bakery hands them out.
The County Road 77 bakery carries many varieties of pies along with fry pies, glazed donuts, cream sticks, and cookies. Pumpkin cookies are a fall favorite worth adding to the box.
What sets it apart is the European side of the shelves. Swiss rye bread, German pumpernickel, and old fashioned creme horns sit next to Amish wonderbread.
A deli section and gift shop make it easy to pick up more than dessert for the holiday spread.
Unlike several Holmes County bakeries, Kauffman’s opens on Sunday, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Weekday hours are 7 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday runs 8:30 AM to 5 PM, with Saturday afternoon the busiest time.
7. Patterson Fruit Farm, Chesterland, OH
Pies taste a little more seasonal when the fruit stand is in the same building.
Patterson Fruit Farm is a multi-generational farm market and bakery in Geauga County, selling seasonal produce, donuts, and pies. Apple, peach, and pecan pies cover the Thanksgiving basics nicely.
The market sits on Caves Road in Chesterland, a semi-rural community east of Cleveland. It is an easy stop for families in the eastern suburbs who want a farm setting without a long drive.
Here is a helpful detail: it is open every day, 9 AM to 6 PM. That includes Sunday, which is rare on this list.
Weekends bring the heaviest traffic, especially Saturday and Sunday afternoons. In-store pickup is available, so ordering ahead before the holiday rush is a good call.
8. Der Dutchman, Plain City, OH
Need dinner and dessert in one stop? Der Dutchman in Plain City handles both.
The large dining room northwest of Columbus serves hearty Amish-style food like roast beef, pot pie, meatloaf, and noodles over mashed potatoes. There is also a salad bar and breakfast service.
Next door to the tables sits an on-site bakery with a wide variety of pastries. Pumpkin donuts, chocolate covered long johns, and apple fritters are popular, and people happily drive an hour for them.
A gift shop adds one more reason to linger.
Families will find high chairs, a kids’ menu, and plenty of parking. Hours run 7 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday, and it is closed Sunday.
Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons into evening get the busiest. A weekday morning is the easiest window for a bakery pickup.
From canal towns to Amish back roads, these eight bakeries prove the pie run is still a real Ohio tradition. Pick one close to home, or turn a few into a fall road trip.
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