Chess pie is one of those old Southern desserts that sounds fancy but is really just simple and sweet, and North Carolina bakers have turned it into an art form. Across the state, small-town shops are still baking it by hand, along with cookies, cakes, donuts, and pies you will want to buy by the box.
The best part is that most of these bakeries sit right on Main Street in towns you can reach on a good weekend drive. Here are eight small-town spots where the chess pie should absolutely be on your order.
1. Strong Arm Baking Co., Oxford, NC
Oxford is a historic county seat in Granville County with a classic Main Street layout, and this bakery fits right into it at 117 Main St. The shop leans casual, mixing sweet and savory in a way most bakeries do not.
Chocolate chess pie is a signature here, offered as both full-size and decadent mini versions. The lineup also stretches to blueberry muffins, apple bourbon cake, soft chocolate chip cookies, and pies that people happily take home whole.
Hungry for more than dessert? The menu runs to pizzas, breads, and sandwiches like the Meatball Sub, Sunrise Chicken Biscuit, and Chicken Salad Croissant.
Coffee drinks and a cappuccino round things out.
Open Monday through Saturday with counter service, free wi-fi, and plenty of free parking, it is an easy morning or lunch stop. Saturday mornings draw the biggest crowds, so weekdays are calmer if you want to browse the cases.
2. Fancy Pastry Shop, Lexington, NC
Old-school is the whole appeal at this Lexington staple, where the desserts feel like the kind your family bakery made decades ago. Sitting at 407 E Center St in a tight-knit Piedmont downtown, it keeps prices friendly, mostly in the one to ten dollar range.
Chess tarts and chess pies are regulars in the case, right alongside apple flips, oatmeal cream sandwiches, and eclairs. Fresh donut holes, cake squares, cupcakes, and cinnamon rolls fill out a menu built for grabbing a mixed box.
Need something bigger? Custom cakes and pies are a specialty, and orders can be arranged ahead through their Facebook page.
Open Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM, with coffee, a restroom, and parking available. It is a quick-visit kind of place, so pop in, point at what looks good, and go.
3. Carolina Pie Company, Mooresville, NC
If pie is the whole point of the trip, this Mooresville shop is built for you. Everything is made from scratch, using fresh fruit and homemade crusts, and the focus stays squarely on pies rather than a scattered menu.
Chocolate chess pie is a standout, sharing the case with Southern Peach Crumble, apple and berry crumble, German chocolate, and pecan. Two crowd favorites are the Bumbleberry and Auntie Nae’s Apple, which happens to be vegan.
What sets it apart is the range of dietary options. Gluten-free and sugar-free pies are part of the regular lineup, which makes it a reliable pick when someone in the group needs a special order.
Located at 136 Stutts Rd in scenic southern Iredell County near Lake Norman, the shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM. It is takeout and pickup focused, so ordering ahead for events is smart.
4. Cakes, etc by Cindy, Elon, NC
College-town charm meets serious dessert variety at this Elon cafe on West Haggard Avenue. In a town of around 11,300 built around the university, it covers a lot of ground with custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies, brownies, and cheesecakes.
The Mini Chocolate Chess Pie earns its spot on this list as a menu highlight worth ordering. Around it you will find the Carolina’s Chocolate Cake, Sweet Potato Pound Cake, Cookies and Cream Vanilla Cake, cinnamon rolls, and a Reese’s peanut butter cake.
Flexibility is a big draw here. Options include curbside pickup, delivery, dine-in, and in-store shopping, plus coffee to go with your slice.
Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, with a free parking lot out front. Prices span a wide range depending on whether you want a single treat or a full custom cake.
5. Paul’s Pastry Shop NC, Burlington, NC
Longevity is part of the story at this Burlington shop, a longstanding cafe on South Church Street known for to-go donuts, pastries, and coffee. Burlington’s railroad-era roots give the surrounding neighborhood plenty of small-town character.
Chocolate chess pie is a well-loved order here, so this is a natural stop for the theme. The pies and cookies share the spotlight, with pecan pie among the favorites and cookies known for a chewy, not-too-sweet texture.
Donuts are the everyday draw, and the shop also handles custom birthday cakes for when you need something to celebrate.
One handy detail sets it apart from the others on this list: there is a drive-through, so you can grab your box without leaving the car. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 6:30 AM to 2 PM, with free wi-fi, free parking, and street parking nearby.
Saturday mornings are the busiest stretch.
6. Chance of Sprinkles Bake Shop, Marion, NC
Up in the Blue Ridge foothills, Marion is a mountain town of about 7,800, and this small bake shop and coffee spot on Logan Street brings the sweets. It is a local operation offering cupcakes, cookies, homemade desserts, and pastries.
The chess connection here comes in bar form, with chess bars joining coma brownies among the treats people reach for. The menu also carries NY cheesecake, red velvet muffins, macaroons, spinach croissants, and chocolate-covered strawberries by the dozen.
Value is a real selling point. Prices run well below what you would pay closer to Asheville, and gluten-free options are part of the mix.
Coffee, smoothies, and scones make it a morning stop too. Open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 8 PM and Saturday until 4 PM, with dine-in seating, free wi-fi, and a free parking lot.
Those long weekday evening hours are handy for an after-dinner treat.
7. The Worthy Baker, Candler, NC
Tucked into the rural mountain community of Candler in Buncombe County, this wholesale and retail baker keeps things small and focused. The Southern Chess Pie is the reason it lands on a chess pie roundup, and it is a genuine highlight of what they do.
Beyond the classic pie, the shop is known for creative spins on familiar treats, including pies in a jar and individually wrapped bars. Cookies and full pies round out the offerings, most falling in the one to ten dollar range.
Presentation is part of the appeal. Orders are boxed carefully, with bars wrapped one by one and packed for easy transport, which makes this a smart pick for gifts and holidays.
Located at 7 Brenda Dr with coffee and breakfast items available, it operates as a takeout stop. It is worth calling ahead to confirm what is ready before you make the drive out toward the mountains.
8. Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop, Huntersville, NC
Flavor variety is the headline at this Huntersville shop in the Birkdale Commons area north of Charlotte. Mini and full-sized pies come in a long list of flavors, from peanut butter to key lime, with cookies on the side.
Chess pie is part of the scratch-made selection, which is exactly why it fits this list. Fans also point to the pecan and apple pies, and the chocolate cream is a menu highlight worth trying.
The mini pies are the clever move here. They let you sample several flavors without committing to a whole pie, which is great when you cannot decide.
Sitting in a Lake Norman town with a close-knit suburban feel, the shop is open Tuesday through Sunday with later Friday and Saturday hours until 9 PM. Delivery, pickup, and in-store shopping are all available, plus free parking.
Prices stay friendly, mostly in the one to twenty dollar range.
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