Fayetteville Bakeries Celebrate National Pi Day
Sophomore Kate Sego eats a slice of Apple Crumble pie March 12 at Fork and Crust. Photo by Natalie Demaree for The Arkansas Traveler.
Originally published March 14, 2019 for The Arkansas Traveler.
While math lovers discuss the mathematical constant 𝛑 in celebration of Pi Day, March 14, I celebrated the occasion in advance by eating it—pie, that is.
This week, I visited some of my favorite pie places in Fayetteville and determined how each place ranked based on taste, price, atmosphere and presentation.
Rymolene’s Pies takes third place in my rankings. This is a quaint little place located at 955 N. Shiloh Dr. This pie shop had several unique flavors, including a King Cake and a Butterbeer flavor. Pie slices are sold for $3.99. I tried slices of their brown sugar strawberry and sweet egg custard, which is a customer favorite, Chef Margaret Burris said.
A major part of what makes a pie good is the crust. It should be light, flaky, buttery and tender. When I tried the sweet egg custard pie, this is exactly what I got. However, the brown sugar strawberry pie crust was a little more crisp than I would have liked it to be. It was a little burnt, and those burnt spots changed the dynamic of the flavor as a whole.
As far as the fillings go, the sweet egg custard pie was tasty but could have been a little sweeter. The strawberry brown sugar filling had a delectable warm, sweet and fruity taste, which I really enjoyed.
This pie shop has a cute atmosphere that reminds me of my grandmother’s house because of the decorations, such as old pie pans, on the walls. The staff is very friendly and kind. I would go back again to fulfill a sweet craving, especially because Rymolene’s isn’t far from campus. I’m interested in the other selections of flavors that I didn’t get to try, and I think this adds something fun and special to the shop as a whole.
Apple, chocolate silk and Oreo pie slices accompanied with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and cinnamon March 12 from Rick’s Bakery. Photo by Natalie Demaree for The Arkansas Traveler.
Rick’s Bakery is second on my list but coming in very close to No. 1. Rick’s is known for its incredible baked goods and desserts, according to Fayetteville locals. It’s located at 1220 N. College Ave. I was able to try three slices of pie there: Oreo, chocolate silk and apple. Rick’s has pie slices for $4 each.
Of the three pies, I liked the chocolate silk best. All three pieces of pie had a consistent crust with a nice buttery flavor. The chocolate filing is light, fluffy and just the right amount of sweetness. The apple pie keeps a classic taste with a smooth blending of sweet and sour flavors. The Oreo pie had a little bit too much whipped cream for my liking, but I’m not very big on whipped cream anyway.
The customer service at Rick’s is one of the things that makes this place stand out among the rest. It is so evident how much the staff cares for customers’ experiences while being there, and this is something I really appreciated. Getting a slice of pie at Rick’s is also very convenient because it is pre-packaged and ready to go once patrons choose their piece. It’s also the cheapest of the three places while still maintaining a high quality.
Fork and Crust Pie Company is my favorite place for a slice of pie. This cozy pie shop is located at 600 N. Mission Blvd. I tried a slice of the Apple Crumb pie, which is made with Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, crumb topping and is drizzled in salted caramel, according to the Fork and Crust menu. Pie slices at Fork and Crust cost $5 and, in my opinion, are worth every penny.
This pie was so good I wanted another slice immediately after finishing it. The crust was flawlessly done. It was the perfect texture to match the filling, and the crumb topping was to die for. I especially enjoyed the salted caramel drizzle as it blended the flavors of the sweet filling and buttery pie crust perfectly.
The location is so cute, decorated with a shabby chic interior and lots of seating. It’s a great spot to go to get off campus for a bit without going too far. I would even say it’s the ideal study spot, especially during midterms and finals when every coffee shop in town is full. The service is great with very friendly staff. I plan on going back soon for another slice of their delicious Apple Crumb pie.
All three locations are offering specials for Pi Day. At Fork and Crust, patrons can purchase three slices of pie for $14. Rick’s Bakery is selling a slice of pie and a small coffee for $3.14. They also have the option of buying a full pie and getting $3.14 off of it. Rymolene’s is having pie slices for $3.14.
