Pop Pie Co (University Heights) - San Diego, CA

I've never been much of a "pie" kind of gal until now... Our newest obsession is Pop Pie Co. in University Heights which caters to my savory cravings while also providing for my occasional sweet tooth! For over two years, Dennis has been wearing a "Pop Pie Co" hat I got when they first opened and he finally made it INTO the restaurant! Street parking was available on both Sundays we visited plus there were no lines around opening time.

First, bask in the glory of their iconic PIE. All have such an amazing butter crust and are made fresh daily. The light flakiness contains enough heft to maintain the piping hot filling yet not fly away with the breeze. I could happily snack on pie crust like this! No wonder this place is always poppin'.

The display where the savory pies live... I believe they rotate 4-5 flavors and each has a slightly different design on top, which helps distinguish the contents inside. We asked for recommendations and Joey at the counter suggested a few favorites, which we were insightfully eyeing already! Let's see what we got!

Classic Chicken Pot Pie ($8.50) - chicken breast, garden vegetables, pearl onions, creamy herb sauce

Ahh, the classic chicken pot pie. After burrowing past the famously delicious crust, we discovered a pleasantly thick chicken stew, filled with hearty chunks of chicken and softened veggies. I love this viscous style, preferred over the looser version sampled from San Diego Chicken Pie Shop.

Green Hog & Cheese Pie ($8.50) - braised pork shoulder, blend of tomatillo, roasted poblano, jalapeno chiles, jack cheese

Next was the Green Hog & Cheese pie, incredibly meaty with a salsa verde emphasis. The green sauce kept the meat moist too, which is usually the problem I find with other shredded pork. Though I initially questioned it, a single pot pie was more than enough for one single meal!

Honey Bourbon Pecan Pie ($6.50) - pecans, honey, orange zest, spiced bourbon whiskey

I may have started out with dessert before the entrees... If there's a sweet pie I'm partial to, it's definitely pecan! My mom used nuts from our backyard pecan trees to create this happy childhood dessert. Pop Pie Co's version adds some bourbon to the mix! I'm thankful for the snappy bite (yes you can taste the bourbon) plus maybe that helped tone down the overall sweetness typical of southern pecan pies. I'm already daydreaming of the next time I have a slice of this pie!

Steak & Ale Pie ($9.00) - slow-braised beef, carrots, mushrooms, fresh herbs, barley, butter beans, dark ale gravy

On another visit, we tried the Steak & Ale Pie which moved up to my favorite savory flavor. I just love potatoes and carrots which make for wonderful pie fillers! My fear of tough stewed meat was relieved by this extremely moist filling. To change things up, we added mashed potatoes as a side. I found them to be unique, smoothly blended but perhaps a bit tangier than one would expect. That might be due to the cauliflower that is part of the mash. Serving-wise, it's almost as big as the pot pies!

Aussie Meat Pie ($8.50) - iconic grab-and-go pastry from Down Under, featuring vegemite and Worcestershire sauteed with minced beef, tomato, and onion. Have it with ketchup to really do it the Aussie way

Joey mentioned they had several regulars from Australia so this pie was created for them! Once again, plenty of meat, simmered like a pot roast in meaty gravy! We had to wait longer for this steamy pie to cool off before eating. Though tasty, I found the filling to become too one-note after a while.

Pear and Frangipane Crumble Pie ($6.50) - seasonal pie

Another dessert to end the meal. Just imagine... fresh pears reduced in Riesling, star anise, and fall spices, topped with a brown butter cardamom sugar crumble. The pie was sweeter without tasting artificial but it did have a stronger licorice taste due to the anise in there. 

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I found these cute pins on top of the ordering counter!

For the hardcore fans, there's more, a whole corner dedicated to Pop Pie Co merchandise. Swag swag swag!

By the way, don't miss out on the to-go pies, which are leftovers from the previous day at a discount. We grabbed two for home, foiled the top to protect the crust, and reheated in the oven. Easy peasy. Don't forget to sign up for their rewards program to earn points when you visit. We'd definitely recommend Pop Pie Co to get your pie fix! They may not have a multitude of flavors available but what they do have is done extremely well. I'm looking forward to our return trip!