There’s nothing like a good slice of pie from time to time and with the new Pie Hole in Durham, that’s exactly what you’re gonna get. Slices of pie and maybe a savory hand pie for good measure! The Pie Hole Durham is the first East coast location for this small chain of pie shops (SoCal and Japan) and it’s definitely something to get excited about. I had a chance to visit on a media preview and was pretty impressed. Here’s what to expect when you visit, the Pie Hole officially opens up on 9/4!
In a newish building on Durham’s 9th Street, Pie Hole sits neatly on the corner along with some other cool restaurants: Jamba Juice (only one in the Triangle) and Zenfish (Poke). A large concrete patio sits next to the building so you’ll be able to enjoy your pie AND fresh air when the weather cools down. Inside, I meet up with Amber from Bites of Bull City and the owners of the Pie Hole (Young and Surelyn). Tonight we’ll be sampling pretty much anything we want off the menu, note that the Pie Hole also serves up coffee, wine and beer to enjoy with your pie.
The space at Pie Hole is modern and hipster cafe with a casual feel, Bull City Design is behind the custom wood bar top and tabletops (local reclaimed wood). On the menu, they’ve got five or so savory hand pies ($8.25), eight sweet pies by the slice ($5 to $7.50) along with some muffins and extras. A lit pastry case shows off the sweet pies to get you hungry and they’re be rotating flavors throughout the year based upon the season. They’ve also got some interesting, modern flavors like Earl Grey Tea and Cereal Killer cheesecake for curious pie-eaters. For my visit, I decide to go with the shepherd’s pie, salted caramel pecan and Mom’s double-crust blueberry. I’m given a number and out in the dining room meet up with John (Triangle Explorer) and Kathy from WRAL Out and About. The two of them are just finishing up their feast so we talk pie while I wait for my food!
Soon enough my pies come out and it’s time to dig in and really see what the Pie Hole is about. The shepherd’s pie is solid, full of gravy, slices of beef and tangy carrot. There’s enough here for a decent meal and definitely enough when paired with a sweet pie. The salted caramel pecan is a brilliant idea, pulling together the richer, sweetness of the caramel along with the crunchy pecans, a big thumbs up here. But the killer pie for me was Mom’s double-crust blueberry! With a sugar-speckled top crust, the pie is stacked deep with pungent blueberries just about spilling out of the slice. The tender crust is barely able to hold the fruit in and it’s a great finishing dessert. I’d have to say if you had to choose, I’d go with the sweet pies and dessert but you can obviously double down with a savory pie at about $15 for your meal.
I had a chance to chat with one of the owners, Young and while he’s originally from NYC and GA, he’s now proud to call the Triangle his home. With a couple of other locations potentially on tap, the Pie Hole Durham has a large kitchen, ready to supply any additional Pie Holes in the area! He’s excited to bring this unique concept to the area and feed y’all out there! And given that we no longer have any dedicated pie-focused restaurants in the area (bye-bye, PieBird), it’s an easy choice. The Pie Hole Durham will be in soft open mode over the Labor Day weekend so stop on by and check it out! Just be aware that there’s some flex as to when they will exactly be open to the public so you might want to call ahead, enjoy!
The Pie Hole Durham – Location on Google maps
810 9th Street, Suite
Durham, NC 27705
984.329.2900
