Best Apple Pie

[Mike13241]

What I'm looking for, and need advice on, is the BEST Apple Pie in LA. Looking around the boards I've read "Al Gelato," "Ford's Filling Station" (OC), and "Apple Pan."

While I haven't been to the first two, I will say that as far as "Apple Pan" apple pie goes, that was (for me at least) a major dissapointment. I went with my friends, we bought a whole pie. On the way home the smell was intoxicating, and we couldn't wait to cut into it. So we get home, grab a knife, and pierce the crust...and...nothing. It was all air with a mushy apple bottom. Talk about dissapointing. On a side not, the banana cream pie there was 10x a better experience.

But besides the aforementioned places, any others to add to the list? Or maybe you could fill me in on what makes "Al Gelato" or "Ford's" version of the apple pie so great.

[Emme]

Have to say at a recent party, I had a slice of great apple crumb pie, and asked where it was from... Costco. No nuts either.

Babulu used to make a good apple pie too; I've heard great things of their banana cream as well.

[coopxl]

The apple pie at Swingers is great.

[Diana]

My problem is that so many great crumble topped dutch or crumb apple pies have nuts in the topping.

I am so deathly allergic, yet a crumb top is my favorite!

Now that Mel's apparently doesn't use the crumb top (At least in Hollywood) I don't know where to turn!

[rednyellow]

I'd love to find an apple pie in Los Angeles like you find in Amsterdam or Berlin with dense shredded apples instead of apples cut into wedges. Anyone know of one?

[jackkirby]

Yeah, I never got the Apple Pan pie craze either. If you're into the hot mushy and pie drenched in sauce there's the excellent Original Pantry version (that's surprisingly not too sweet) in downtown. Jones, the restaurant/bar on Santa Monica serves a real mean apple pie. One of my favourites is sold at Delilah's bakery in Echo Park - their apple crunch is really good too. They also serve a bourbon pumpkin and sweet potato with gingerbread crust that tastes just as good as they sound. Josie in Santa Monica serves an excellent slice but that I had that last fall and they may not have it anymore.

[David Kahn]

My favorite apple pies are actually tart tatins (or is that tarts tatin?). Sweet Lady Jane (http://www.sweetladyjane.com/ ) and Le Petit Bistro (631 N La Cienega Blvd., [phone]) both make very nice versions. (Anyone know if La Brea Bakery does these? If so, that would be worth exploring as well.)

[bulavinaka]

I really like alot of Sweet Lady Jane's goods as I've got a sweet tooth, but I found myself reaching for sweetener - any sweetener - to calm the tartness of the apples. Don't get me wrong - the quality of the apples used seems truly top-knotch - I just wish the tart (-whatever!) had a more generous dosing of sweetness. She seems to give the fruits the front stage in her tarts, as I've felt the same way about her marionberry tarts as well. But a little shower of powdered sugar, topped with creme freche makes it alot more likeable to me...

[jcwla]

Well for tarte tatin, it begins and ends w/the Ivy.

[Jesdamala]

OHHHHHH, for sure! Sinful, rich, crusty, amazing, we take tools to the glass plate to scrape up all the stuff stuck at the bottom!

[mojoeater]

I haven't tried the apple, but every pie and cheesecake I have had from House of Pies in Los Feliz has been delicious. My mother loves the pecan cheescake. It's like a pecan pie on bottom and cheesecake on top.

[russkar]

Filling Station in Orange.
Sure it's not in LA but for a 30 min drive you will have the best!
Somewhere around $18-

[David Kahn]

Agree.

[Dommy]

The best in recent memory, and MUCh better than Al Gelato was Susiecakes in Brentwood...

--Dommy!

[maudies5]

Agree about SusieCakes apple pie. It's amazing! Not too sweet. Tried their Spring Special Coconut Cream Pie tonight. Droooool!!! So, good!

[tony michaels]

Susina Bakery in the WeHo - Roberston area or Clementine in Century City.

[jcwla]

I'm a big fan of Al Gelato in general, but their apple pie is just big, not good. And the caramel sauce is awful.

[CarlieInLA]

I disagree. I really like Al Gelato's apple pie, and the caramel sauce is so good. Especially good with vanilla ice cream. We usually take it home and heat it up and its big enough for 4 servings.

[jackattack]

I miss the heavy-on-the-cinnamon apple pie with sugary crust that they used to sell at Ralphs.

Try Thea's Pies in the Fairfax Farmers Market.

[ipsedixit]

Pie N Burger does it for me. http://pienburger.com/index.htm

[SauceSupreme]

A wholehearted second on Pie N Burger from me.

[Diana]

I very much find Apple Pan's apple pie to be sup par.

Frankly, if you search Apple Pie on the board's search finction, You'll find Pie N Burger mentioned a lot, and a few others.

Me, I have yet to find the perfect Dutch apple pie. The closest I came so far, believe it or not, was at Mel's Diner on Hollywood. sadly, it seems they have switched recipies or suppliers.