I was in Houston for the holidays, and I was told I had to visit House of Pies to kick off the holidays properly. This restaurant is exactly what it sounds like, a place dedicated to so many different homemade pies. They also have a great menu of breakfast and lunch dishes. They have been making Houston residents and visitors happy since 1967.
The line was out the door when we got there. Now part of the line was customers just picking up pies to go. The other line was for a table. Luckily, we did not have to wait too long. I was starving.
Inside the restaurant, it still had the vibe from the 60s when it opened. I loved it, very retro. Their pie flavors were on the wall so that you could order easily.
Everyone at the table ordered something different to eat. That was good for me because I would get to try different dishes. I ordered the Griddle Platter. I got French toast with scrambled eggs and bacon. I did get something traditional, but I figured the French toast would be great since this was a bakery. The bread was sweet, even without the powdered sugar on top. It was slightly crispy from being on the griddle. I loved how the center of the bread was gooey and soft. The bacon was nice and crispy. I broke it up and mixed it into my scrambled eggs.
A Griddle Platter Deluxe was also ordered. This was a stack of freshly made buttermilk pancakes, topped with chopped up pecans and banana slices. The pancakes just by themselves were delicious. They were light and fluffy. The pecans and bananas mixed with maple syrup made the pancakes more like a dessert.
The other breakfast dish ordered was the Eggsadilla. This was an egg quesadilla. They scrambled eggs with sausage and O’Brien potatoes. They put it all in tortilla shells with Cheddar and Pepper jack cheese. They put it on the griddle to help melt the cheese and make the tortilla a little crispy. They also served it with a side of frijoles (beans). I liked the potatoes that had peppers and onions chopped up. Those mixed in with the sausage and eggs made this a hearty breakfast. I was easy to eat with your hands. This was a different take on a breakfast sandwich.
There was a sandwich ordered as well, the Patty Melt Deluxe. The lean beef patty was cooked up on the flattop to a nice medium. They melted American cheese and topped the patty with grilled onions and tomatoes. They added a special sauce to each side of the herb bread. The bread was amazing because it too was freshly made. They grilled it up and was crispy on each side. The patty was juicy, and the onions were caramelized nicely. The cheese just made each bite creamier.
Now we made sure to order pies but there was no way we could eat them there. We were just too full from breakfast. We thought they would be good for later in the evening. They had pies staged everywhere, so many choices.
Their menu was large; they have something for everyone’s tastebuds.
The first pie we got was the Strawberry Rhubarb. This was a tart pie filled with fresh rhubarbs and sliced strawberries. The tartness hit you when you took the first bite, but then got sweeter as you took the remaining bites. The crust was buttery and flakey. It helped tie the whole pie together.
The second pie was the Bayou Goo. This is a house specialty. This really was a gooey pie. There were chopped pecans in a sweet cream cheese. All of that was under a mix of vanilla and chocolate pudding. They covered the top with a fluffy whipped cream, powdered sugar, and chocolate shavings. This pie was crazy. It was super sweet and really creamy. The pecans added a nice crunch with a hint of saltiness. This was a rich pie. I could not eat too much of it. But it was a hit with everyone.
I cannot wait to go back to House of Pies so I can try something else. I will have to go after the holidays, so they do not run out. They also have some awesome looking cakes and pastries to try.
Their food menu was great, and they portions are big. Everything truly is “Bigger in Texas”. It is a great place to go with family.
Check out their menu at www.houseofpies.com
They are a must visit in Houston. They do have two locations!
Enjoy!
T
